Having just finished production on the 2015 MotoMatters Motorcycle Racing Calendar, the 2014 season has been on my mind quite a bit over the past several weeks. So I thought I’d take look back at the MotoGP images I contributed here at Asphalt & Rubber and add a bit of perspective to each one.
Colin Edwards did one race weekend in 2014 before announcing his retirement at Circuit of the Americas. While I had been wondering for the past several seasons when he’d hang up the gloves, in Qatar I had no idea the announcement would come at Round 2. I also had no idea he wouldn’t finish the season at Forward Yamaha.
Though not as close as pictured in this image, Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi finished the season 1-2, each with his own unique story to accompany his result. Marquez with 13 wins, Rossi with 13 podiums. Marquez the first to repeat as MotoGP World Champion since Rossi (2008-2009), Rossi with double-digit podiums for the first time since 2010. But if you must finish second, it might as well be to a season like Marquez’s 2014.
Lest we start thinking Marc Marquez will dominate MotoGP for the foreseeable future, consider the change of fortune suffered by Jorge Lorenzo. Some in the paddock considered his 2012 season as near perfect as was possible in the modern era, only to have Marquez come along and reset expectations. True, their personalities are different, perhaps polar opposites. But what can happen to one World Champion can happen to another, at least in theory.
Dani Pedrosa won only one race in 2014, but he was the rider to break Marquez’s streak at Brno. He will begin 2015 with a new crew chief, and perhaps this will reanimate his fortune as Rossi’s change to Silvano Galbusera did for his.
Valentino Rossi did just what he’d hoped to do when he cut Jeremy Burgess loose at the end of last season. He challenged for wins and became a regular on the podium once again. Fueled by his own personal Rinascimento (and his own personal Monster energy drink formula), he’ll be trying for another world title in 2015.
Just when you learn to ride the flipping’ thing, the season’s over and you’re off to a Honda! To his credit, Crutchlow did learn to ride the Ducati quite well. On Bradl’s Honda, he should be back to his former, confident self.
Another rider looking for better times in 2015, Nicky Hayden will rely on the RC213V-RS to provide the pep that the RC1000V did not. Five seasons with Ducati, one on the underpowered customer Honda, it has been a long time since The Kentucky Kid had a package with which he could challenge at the front.
The Forward Yamaha treated Aleix Espargaro pretty well, and with the Open Class tire option, the elder brother rode right into the Suzuki factory garage. But will he be on a better bike? Or has he, as others have done before, traded a potent machine for the trappings of a factory seat?
The younger brother, Pol Espargaro, had a fantastic rookie year, pushing as hard as anyone and having the scuffed leathers to prove it. Expectations exceeded for 2014.
Andrea Dovizioso took advantage of the Faux Factory options to make the Ducati look like a racing motorcycle. 2015 should make for some interesting comparisons with two new teams on the Faux Factory list.
Similar to Aleix Espargaro’s 2014 season, Scott Redding translated hard work on an over-par motorcycle into a ride with factory support for 2015. It’s what all of those guys toward back are trying to do. Only a few succeed.
Alvaro Bautista, having shown years ago he deserved factory Honda support, failed to show he deserved any more. He’s good enough for Aprilia, though.
Jack Miller gave us one half of a thrilling Moto3 season, with plenty of action and controversy. He’d probably have bought the same to Moto2, but probably a fair bit less of both as he goes directly to MotoGP.
Alex Marquez got the job done in a style similar to that of his older brother. Look for an even more confident Alex busting it into a Moto2 corner near you in 2015.
Photos: © 2014 Scott Jones / Photo.GP – All Rights Reserved
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