Misano and much more.

By Whit Bazemore

The 2019 San Marino Grand Prix (Misano) was significant and memorable for many reasons. Okay, so Marc Marquez won again (his 77th!), but the excitement and suspense en route could be felt even through a television screen.  

First, a little perspective. 

Marc Marquez, the best rider of this generation, has a mega-point lead, and thus has “cruised” to multiple second-place finishes in recent races, opting to intelligently minimize risk and race for points instead. Good for him and good for the guys who “beat” him, but maybe not good for us, as we like a little “Talladega Nights” mixed in with our MotoGP. And Marquez battling a strong competitor on the last lap of a MotoGP race for a win, at all costs, is quite simply the best real racing in the world today. He is Senna on a Motorbike. In fact, he is Senna, Schumacher, Lauda, Prost, Rossi and Roberts all in one. And watching him in a last lap battle against any of his competitors is the true definition of “rubbin' is racin'.” 

But as is always the case in motorsport, another bright star soon begins to shine, and we all eagerly await the battles that will ultimately result. A passing of the torch is inevitable. Or so we think.

Marc Marquez is far, far from being unseated as arguably the best motorcycle racer EVER, yet this season has seen the sudden emergence of super-quick rookie, Fabio Quartararo. The Young Frenchman has impressed greatly, and has been by far the best Yamaha rider of the year. (Yes, that correctly implies that he is routinely out-qualifying and out-racing the great Valentino Rossi.) 

No matter the talent, there is no shortcut to the top and thus, despite his immense speed, Quartararo is paying his dues - and he has yet to win a race. But he is often contending, setting fastest laps and qualifying on the pole, all on a one-year-old spec privateer Yamaha (a rookie with a first year, rookie team, the ultra professional Petronas Sepang Racing Team). 

A head-to-head fight against Marquez has been eagerly awaited, but for one reason or another had yet to manifest itself. Until today at Misano.

Quartararo was third on the grid, but quickly slipped by pole man and fellow Yamaha racer Maverick Vinales on lap two. By lap three, Marquez, from P5, had also moved past Vinales and into second on the wheel of Quartararo. This was the moment MotoGP had been waiting for; the new wunderkind under immense pressure from the world’s greatest. How would he fold, because surely he would. But no. Fabio answered many questions. From the outside, he rode perfectly - inch perfect it seemed, and kept Marquez behind. It was this way until the last lap. The two pulled away, and gapped the field, although Vinales, after his somewhat common first half fall back through the field, came back to within a few hundreds, but he never mounted a challenge to the first two.

The last lap was classic - Marquez passed and took the lead; Fabio passed back a few corners later, and looked set for his first win, but Marc had extra motivation and got by again. Three corners from the end, at the tight right-hander, which was realistically the last opportunity for Quartararo, Marquez stayed tight and at the apex slowed slightly more than normal, which forced Quartararo to sit up and lose drive, momentum, and all hope of a first victory. It was textbook perfect racing by Marquez. 

Afterwards, he called Quartararo the “best rider out there.” Heavy praise, but the fact that Fabio led almost all the laps with Marc on his wheel says everything about the kid’s future. Cool head, and immense speed. The future looks exciting, indeed. 

As good as that MotoGP race was, it was the Moto3 race that packed the most raw emotion. 

Tatsuki Suzuki is Paolo’s protege, having taken the young Japanese rider into his team and home, like his own son. Suzuki has proven to be extremely quick, leading many races, often by a huge margin, only to crash out and DNF. Moto3 races are like a lottery anyway, very close with the winning move often made in the last corner of the last lap. Suzuki’s pace and race craft has never been questioned, only his ability to exercise enough constraint to see the finish line in the lead.    

In Misano, just a few miles from the Simoncelli hometown and at the track also named in the memory of Marco, Suzuki raced a perfect race from start to finish, and achieved his first victory rewarding Paolo’s faith in the best way possible. For every Italian in attendance, the win was raw and emotional, and one can’t help but wonder if somehow Marco lent a helping hand. The coincidence wasn’t lost on anyone. 

One win in Moto3 doesn’t automatically mean you are a future great, but most agree Suzuki is something special, and if his first win has taught him the rewards of racing at 100% as opposed to 110%, he will no doubt become a future Champion. 

Maybe someday, he will be the new guy challenging Fabio Quartararo for the crown at the very top of the sport, in the same way Quartararo now looks set to challenge Marquez. 

(Photo by special AE contributor Whit Bazemore)

Tatsuki Suzuki took an incredible first win in Moto3 at the track named after his team owner’s son, Marco Simoncelli, and just a few miles from the Simoncelli hometown in Eastern Italy. Paolo has taken Tatsuki as his own son, nurtured him endlessly, and this season, Tatsuki has led many races only to crash out and DNF. It was a highly emotional win.

(Photo by special AE contributor Whit Bazemore)

Paolo Simoncelli and Tatsuki Suzuki.