Yes, he’s basically carried Aprilia this year and really matured. I thought he was a spoilt brat 2 years ago but he seems to be a full grown man now. I don’t know if this is true but apparently Martin said ‘I’m glad it was my bike that broke down, not Bez’s because he is fighting for points and I’m not.’

Bez is awesome this year. I’ve really enjoyed seeing his development both professionally and personally, after his comments in 2023.

Translation (2/2)

‘They are not the ones who write the history of motorcycling, they are not the ones who decide who deserves to be nominated world champion and who does not, they are not the ones who propose a single gallery of world champions,’ said Sito Pons, two-time world champion in the “two and a half” category, to EL PERIÓDICO when he heard and was stunned by the new World Championship story.

‘History is written step by step, year by year, and the riders who risked their lives to become world champions, whatever category they were in, will continue to be so for all of us, of course. Ángel (Nieto) will continue to have 12+1 world titles, Aspar four and me two. I repeat, whether you like it or not, that is written in gold letters in the history books. Apart from that, I think what they are proposing is outrageous.’

It is very difficult, very complicated, for the great champions to dare to comment on the strategy of Liberty Media, the new owners or managers of the World Motorcycling Championship. This newspaper, for example, has not managed to get champions such as Jorge Martínez “Aspar” to comment on the matter, among other things because the former Valencian rider owns one of the largest and most important teams in the World Championship paddock.

Not even Marc Márquez, whom the legendary Dr Costa, pioneer in the creation of the World Championship Clinica Mobile in 1977, described last Monday in Misano as ‘the emperor of the World Championship’, wants to get involved in trouble and absurd discussions on the subject. If he has been advised not to celebrate his ninth title with the number 9, the champion from Cervera (Lleida) has decided to avoid controversy and, according to El Periódico, his lucky number, his number in the celebration, on T-shirts and banners will be number 1, meaning ‘I am number 1’. And that’s the end of the controversy. However, Márquez has completely ruled out using the number 7, as “ET”, “the Cannibal”, continues to believe, like all champions in history, that he has earned his nine world titles with blood, sweat and tears and that no one will erase his first, costly and valuable two titles with a stroke of a pen.

The decision regarding the championship is not a trivial one, as it means completely changing the narrative on which the backbone of a World Championship has been built, one that has always, always had different categories in each of its Grand Prix races. It is clear that the smaller engine sizes acted, so to speak, as the opening acts for the “kings” of 500cc before and MotoGP now, but the feeling that their world titles were, well, world titles has always existed, in the same way that no one, absolutely no one, has ever considered those smaller titles to be on a par with the titles in the “premier” category, which, moreover, is no longer called “premier”.

Translation courtesy of Reddit: Deepl translation (1/2)

They haven’t announced it or explained it, but those who need to know already do. The World Motorcycle Championship has decided to downplay the titles in the lower categories and promote the 500cc and MotoGP titles. It seems that the Americans at Liberty Media want everything to start this Friday, forgetting the previous 76 years.

No one is talking about it. It’s a taboo subject. What’s more, no one has made a statement about it. No one has called a press conference to talk about it. No one dares to explain why this decision has been made, but the truth is that the World Championship, Dorna, the FIM and, almost certainly, Liberty Media, the new American owner of the World Motorcycle Championship, have decided that, from now on, starting immediately, only the 500cc or MotoGP world titles will be counted and celebrated—the real ones, the good ones, the only ones that matter.

In other words, for the new manager of the World Motorcycle Championship (nothing is known about the opinion of the FIM, which was the body that awarded the titles before 1992), the world titles in the 50cc, 80cc, 125cc, 250cc and 350cc categories have disappeared from the history books or, at the very least, have been shelved, forgotten and undervalued. Ángel Nieto, holder of 12+1 world titles, has been left without any visible titles. Jorge Martínez “Aspar”, holder of four titles, no longer appears in the modern World Championship record books. Sito Pons, Pedro Acosta and Álex Márquez, two-time world champions, no longer exist.

Faced with such uncertainty, EL PERIÓDICO sought an official response to this decision, which will undoubtedly spark controversy and debate as soon as these lines appear. The following was the response from an official spokesperson for the championship organisers.

‘Starting this year, and this decision was made before the end of the season, meaning it has nothing to do with Marc Márquez’s chances of winning the title, the World Championship organiser has started counting MotoGP titles and talking more and more about MotoGP, rather than the other categories. In that sense, what we will be celebrating in Motegi if Márquez manages to clinch the title will be his seventh MotoGP world title. This also means that we have started to use “MotoGP” instead of “premier class” or 500cc/MotoGP. Therefore, Giacomo Agostini will be an eight-time MotoGP champion, Marc Márquez will be a seven-time MotoGP champion, Valentino Rossi will be a seven-time MotoGP champion and Mick Doohan will be a five-time MotoGP champion.’

The narrative proposed, or rather imposed, by the newly appointed World Championship organisers, US-based Liberty Media, is that only the 500cc and MotoGP titles can be considered world titles, which means that riders such as Jorge Martínez “Aspar”, Dani Pedrosa, Sito Pons, Álex Márquez, Pedro Acosta, Ricardo Tormo, Toni Elías, Pol Espargaró, Emilio Alzamora, Álvaro Bautista, Julito Simón, Maverick Viñales, Tito Rabat, Izán Guevara, Jaume Masiá, “Champi” Herreros and many others are, in theory, left without a list of achievements.

It is curious that last Sunday, in the Yamaha hospitality area at Misano, the legendary Giacomo Agostini, known to everyone as the 15-time world motorcycling champion, admitted to EL PERIÓDICO that he had been talking to Marc Márquez for days, describing him as ‘a tremendous rider, a great champion and, without a doubt, a youngster who could easily match my 15 world titles’, trying to convince him not to reach his record. ‘He has promised me that when he has 14, he will retire,’ said “Ago”, breaking into his best laugh. No 100th victory

Well, with the new World Championship organisation’s accounts — I repeat, it is not known whether the proposal comes from Dorna, the FIM or Liberty Media — Márquez, when he wins his 9th (7th) world title, will tie with Valentino Rossi, who has 9 in his entire career (7th, according to the new accountants), and will be just one title away from the most successful rider, who now has reason to fear for his record.

Everything seems to indicate that the decision of the new American organisation will be left to the discretion of the various media outlets. It goes without saying that the television stations that own the global rights to the championship will have no choice but to comply with the request (order?) of the World Championship organisation and, on Sunday in Japan, Saturday or Sunday in Indonesia, they will talk about MM93’s seventh title. And if he wins his 100th GP, for the new organisation it will only be his 74th victory, in MotoGP, of course.

The rest of the media will probably continue with the old, authentic, historical account, the one that counts, the one that has served, among other things, for Dorna, until now the championship manager, to create the MotoGP Hall of Fame, where, since September 2025, the great Dani Pedrosa, who was never able to become champion in the top category, has been included.

Thanks for that 😊

There is also this one, it can be a bit erratic though.

https://mastodon.social/@MotoGP@sportsbots.xyz

Wow that long race was exciting! That is all I’m saying if you haven’t watched it. After fans’ disgusting behaviour in the sprint race, it was a relief to see the long race.

Oh no!!! Franky is next to Marc on the grid! I hope he doesn’t see red and take Marc or anyone else out🙏

I hope there will not be any booing this weekend. I am looking forward to seeing how the new Yamaha gets on!

I saw the presentation! I have no idea about bikes, I like the riders, but people say it looks impressive. I’m happy for Augusto who has been renewed as the Yamaha test rider. He is a good guy and a great test rider. I really hope the race goes well for him and nobody crashes him out. He must keep away from Franky Torpedoelli!

That is so great about the Gresini connection. I read that Nadia was in the podium room with them, like a proud mother. Wish I’d seen that! She is such a good team boss. I did see a nice chat with Marc and Enea talking about how long a gap they had between podiums. Enea was 300+ days, Marc was 1000 days!

So what did you like and dislike about the Catalunya weekend, MotoGP fans?

I liked: Alex winning. Alex and Marc’s cute celebration. Fabio Q and Enea doing well. The KTM team riding in formation for the delight of Guenther Steiner 😅

I disliked: poor Bez getting taken out in both races. Franco being a wrecking ball again. The camera almost solely focusing on Marc and Alex and not the exciting battles behind them. Pecco still struggling.

Hopefully his first words to Maverick won’t be ‘so you’re the one who deliberately broke his bike and got fired!’ 😅

Pecco seems to have lost all his fight this year. People are blaming Marc but he’s not doing anything to him, apart from riding well. I don’t know what’s going to happen with Pecco, it’s sad to see.

I’m getting a bit worried about Pecco. I suppose he might be fooling us and suddenly score some big points this weekend but if he doesn’t, I think he’s given up on this year. I still want Marc to win though 💪 I even think that after Marc wins the title this year, he might help Pecco in some way, even if it’s just saying ‘stop spilling your guts to the media, they will only use it against you.’ Marc knows how to deal with the media.

They are calling it Team Stoppie already😅

It was SO funny. Like in a film where a character breaks the 4th wall and says 'how did I get into this mess?'🤣

That sounds very likely! I am wondering what exactly Pecco has found. The throttle perhaps 😅I hope we get an awkward podium car again like this, that was so funny.

Yeah that’s Alex’s whole life isn’t it…in the shadow of Marc. But I bet Marc gave him lots of coaching and training when they were in Gresini together, that’s probably why he’s made such a big step this year.

That was a Sic type of accident, I don’t know how they avoided Enea 😱What could they do to improve that dangerous chicane? Make it less sharp or something?

I’m really happy to see MM dominating, the other riders behind him are entertaining enough, and I think JM will be fighting at the front soon.