It was almost ten years ago when I got hooked on to MotoGP. All credit for that went to one of Kerala's most obsessive rallyst, Binu John. He categorically told me that
watching F1 was a waste of time. I ,like many my age was an F1 glory supporter. When the race day was on, I pretended to be truly engrossed in the sport. When you're all of 20 years old,you do have a right to be a little bit of a poser. I exercised that right to perfection. Those were the days of the mighty Shumi. Usually the race was fought for second place as it was a no brainer that Shumi would end up on the topmost step of the podium. I never knew a sport called MotoGP existed.
I can clearly recollect the race that made me a Moto GP believer. It was another epic battle between the Doctor and his arch rival Max Biaggi. Suzuka GP in 2001. Rossi was close on the heels of Biaggi and he tried to make a opening, while Rossi was completing the overtake, Biaggi elbowed him off the track and pushed in straight into the dirt. Watching a man control a bike on dirt at over 200KM was a sight for sore eyes. Rossi got back on the track despite losing many precious seconds he still fought to get behind Biaggi and finally over took him not before giving him a one finger salute. He went on to win the race. I knew i'll never see this ever in an F1 race. MotoGP makes you see heroes, not some heavily paid entertainers.
There have always been some great rivalry in the sport.It always involved the Doctor.It began with Biaggi, then went on the Sete Gibernau who fell under the Rossi Curse. After a losail race Sete complained that Rossi won under unfair terms. Rossi, visibly upset, claimed that Sete will never win a race ever in his life. believe it or not Sete never ever got on the podium aftet that. The one time he almost did, his bike ran out of gas 200 meter before the finish line. He quit the sport a year later.
Today Rossi is fighting to find his place amongst younger talented riders. I hope the next season would be different. What makes me sad is that so few people in our country know anything about such an incredible sport and a great rider.
I've always failed to understand why a sport with so much excitement failed to take off in India. If I have to list a set of reasons why MotoGP is a failure in India the following would be it.
1. We dont have a robust superbiking culture.What ever we have is still in a stage of infancy
2. Biking companies see India as a great commuter market. Honda and Yamaha, companies with such great racing pedigree refuses to share that part of them with us.
3. The automotive magazines dedicate far too little time to truly bring out the beauty of MotoGP. I agree a page or two is dedicated to the sport but F1 is on the cover page.
4. None of the brands in India have biking enthusiasts as marketing heads. They simply dont have the drive and belief that MotoGP will have takers. I remember getting a call from Barcelona seeking sponsorship for a motoGP team. I did my best to convince my management to take this ahead. they did not budge.
5. MotoGP does not have a Vijay Mallya
6. F1 has a great PR machinery at work. MotoGP has a relatively poorer machinery
7. ESPN/Star don't promote the sport
8. MotoGP is dominated by Japanese.And Japanese are very matter of fact people. They believe in making the product good. they are hopeless at marketing it. F1 is dominated by Europeans who bring in all the glamour to the sport. An Indian is always enamoured by a Ferrari than an equally good if not better Nissan GTR
A lot also has to do with the Indian Rider. Many superbikers in India dont follow MotoGP at all, I know just one rider who bought his bike because of his loyalty to a team. In the west you'll find them to be hardcore fans. A Yamaha fan will only support his team and what ever happens buy a Yamaha only. We are years away from such a culture but eventually we should be there. However unless the big guys in the motorcycle industry sit up and take notice of this fact nothing would happen in the worlds largest bike market. Pity.
I've been fortunate to be connected with a few people who work with certain teams at the MotoGP. They have all confirmed that India is soon on the cards. I suggest that they get their act together real soon else they are in for a huge disappointment.
I keep saying this throughout the blog, We are living in very interesting times.Who knows what the future might hold.
watching F1 was a waste of time. I ,like many my age was an F1 glory supporter. When the race day was on, I pretended to be truly engrossed in the sport. When you're all of 20 years old,you do have a right to be a little bit of a poser. I exercised that right to perfection. Those were the days of the mighty Shumi. Usually the race was fought for second place as it was a no brainer that Shumi would end up on the topmost step of the podium. I never knew a sport called MotoGP existed.
I can clearly recollect the race that made me a Moto GP believer. It was another epic battle between the Doctor and his arch rival Max Biaggi. Suzuka GP in 2001. Rossi was close on the heels of Biaggi and he tried to make a opening, while Rossi was completing the overtake, Biaggi elbowed him off the track and pushed in straight into the dirt. Watching a man control a bike on dirt at over 200KM was a sight for sore eyes. Rossi got back on the track despite losing many precious seconds he still fought to get behind Biaggi and finally over took him not before giving him a one finger salute. He went on to win the race. I knew i'll never see this ever in an F1 race. MotoGP makes you see heroes, not some heavily paid entertainers.
There have always been some great rivalry in the sport.It always involved the Doctor.It began with Biaggi, then went on the Sete Gibernau who fell under the Rossi Curse. After a losail race Sete complained that Rossi won under unfair terms. Rossi, visibly upset, claimed that Sete will never win a race ever in his life. believe it or not Sete never ever got on the podium aftet that. The one time he almost did, his bike ran out of gas 200 meter before the finish line. He quit the sport a year later.
Today Rossi is fighting to find his place amongst younger talented riders. I hope the next season would be different. What makes me sad is that so few people in our country know anything about such an incredible sport and a great rider.
I've always failed to understand why a sport with so much excitement failed to take off in India. If I have to list a set of reasons why MotoGP is a failure in India the following would be it.
1. We dont have a robust superbiking culture.What ever we have is still in a stage of infancy
2. Biking companies see India as a great commuter market. Honda and Yamaha, companies with such great racing pedigree refuses to share that part of them with us.
3. The automotive magazines dedicate far too little time to truly bring out the beauty of MotoGP. I agree a page or two is dedicated to the sport but F1 is on the cover page.
4. None of the brands in India have biking enthusiasts as marketing heads. They simply dont have the drive and belief that MotoGP will have takers. I remember getting a call from Barcelona seeking sponsorship for a motoGP team. I did my best to convince my management to take this ahead. they did not budge.
5. MotoGP does not have a Vijay Mallya
6. F1 has a great PR machinery at work. MotoGP has a relatively poorer machinery
7. ESPN/Star don't promote the sport
8. MotoGP is dominated by Japanese.And Japanese are very matter of fact people. They believe in making the product good. they are hopeless at marketing it. F1 is dominated by Europeans who bring in all the glamour to the sport. An Indian is always enamoured by a Ferrari than an equally good if not better Nissan GTR
A lot also has to do with the Indian Rider. Many superbikers in India dont follow MotoGP at all, I know just one rider who bought his bike because of his loyalty to a team. In the west you'll find them to be hardcore fans. A Yamaha fan will only support his team and what ever happens buy a Yamaha only. We are years away from such a culture but eventually we should be there. However unless the big guys in the motorcycle industry sit up and take notice of this fact nothing would happen in the worlds largest bike market. Pity.
I've been fortunate to be connected with a few people who work with certain teams at the MotoGP. They have all confirmed that India is soon on the cards. I suggest that they get their act together real soon else they are in for a huge disappointment.
I keep saying this throughout the blog, We are living in very interesting times.Who knows what the future might hold.
Rightly said! I have always said MotoGP > F1! I remember someone saying MotoGP is 80% rider and 20% electronics while F1 is the vice versa.
ReplyDeletethe one who said that was engineer Jermey burgues.Rossi's pit manager and engineer....!!
ReplyDeleteand we have so many racers here who dream of motogp