MotoGP 2020 – The most inconsistent and best title fight in recent years
The 2020 MotoGP season has begun in fine form, arguably the most competitive season we have ever seen.
MotoGP has begun with a bang, the major catalyst for this bang is that in the opening round of the season, Marc Marquez crashed out of the race and broke his humerus, eventually ruling the champion out of title contention. Suddenly for the first time in MotoGP, the title was wide open, Jorge Lorenzo has retired, he was the only man to beat Marc Marquez to a MotoGP title in 2015 with Valentino Rossi also finishing higher than Marquez in the standings.
In 2020, every single rider on the MotoGP grid feels that they can win the title, as of the time of writing we have had 5 races with four different winners, Fabio Quartararo, Brad Binder, Andrea Dovizioso and Miguel Oliveira with 11 different riders stepping on the MotoGP podium, 4 of these riders finished on the podium in the MotoGP class for the first time.
The best part about this? We have absolutely NO idea who is going to win the title this year, that is because the title contenders are too inconsistent meaning no one can run away with the title. After the two races at Jerez won by Fabio Quartararo with Vinales in second, we all thought it would be a Yamaha title. Since then in three races Quartararo has scored just 20 points, scoring less in three races than he did in the season opener, Maverick Vinales has scored just 8 points since then his second-place double at Jerez.
Oliveira on his way to winning his first MotoGP race
Every rider who is pipped for the title cannot currently put a season together, three-time MotoGP runner up Andrea Dovizioso who is one of the most popular riders for the title has two podiums with one win, a fourth, fifth and then an eleventh placed finish.
Jack Miller has crept his way into third place in the MotoGP standings with some consistent finishes taking two podiums whilst Brad Binder sits in fourth on the KTM, who expected that?!
Fabio Quartararo currently leads the standings by 70 points, just three over Andrea Dovizioso, this is the lowest points score after five races since Nicky Hayden led the MotoGP standings in 2006. Fabio Quartararo who leads the championship and Pol Espargaro in 10th place overall currently have just 35 points separating them with the top 7 riders having just 25 points between them and the title lead, one DNF for Quartararo and he could drop to seventh overall!
The season has scope for many more riders to win races, Joan Mir led the race in Styria just a week after his debut MotoGP podium, this was before the red flag stole the chances from him as Mir did not have any spare tyres to run the second race on, therefore had to race on used tyres, yet he valiantly took fourth place, proof that a win is on the cards.
Takaaki Nakagami Version 2.0 is currently smashing it out of the park on the 2019 Honda RC213V, he is riding exceptionally well, nothing like his former self last year. He is using data and a set up used by Marc Marquez, this is proving to be hugely successful, he was also running in a strong third place in Styria before the race was red-flagged.
This is not to mention Alex Rins who spent the first three rounds of the season recovering from an injury suffered in round one, he is 100% a title contender once his fitness is up, he currently sits in 13th overall with Johann Zarco and Franco Morbidelli ahead of him, two riders who are Moto2 world champions and also capable of winning the MotoGP title.
Predicting the 2020 MotoGP champion would be like picking the lottery numbers, it’s nearly impossible to get right. This season has been phenomenal so far and long may it continue and may the best man win!
Featured image – www.motogp.com
