As the MotoGP championship nears its conclusion this year, with only five races left, including the upcoming one in Australia, there’s a lot to discuss
Livio Suppo shared his insights on several topics in an interview with the website Moto.it, starting with Marc Márquez’s departure from Honda and Miguel Oliveira’s situation with Aprilia, then touching upon Álex Rins’s performance, and also delving into some technical aspects of the current MotoGP.
On Márquez’s future, Suppo said: ‘It’s evident that when you see a rider of Marc Márquez’s caliber going through all the recent turmoil and eventually breaking a lucrative 10-year contract with Honda… Oliveira might think: «If Márquez did it, so can I». It could be an ideal move for him, especially considering his fame in Portugal. However, contracts are meant to set regulations. Currently, Oliveira is also frustrated with his bike, which isn’t performing as well as others, and he fears that Aprilia might leap ahead next year. Perhaps it would be better if riders always signed one-year contracts’.
Regarding RIns’ good adaptation to LCR Honda, the Italian expressed: ‘I’m pleased for both him and Lucio [Cecchinello]. At the season’s start, he secured third place in a rain-affected race on a track he favors. But for someone who struggles to walk and still finishes the race as the best Honda, it’s commendable. His victory in Austin must’ve boosted his morale. Alex possesses immense talent; his departure is a significant loss for Honda’.
On the other hand, Suppo talked about the current technical matters in MotoGP: ‘I’m neither a rider nor a technician, but I listen to what riders say. In the current MotoGP, with the holeshot device, electronics, anti-wheelie, and other features, it’s challenging to make a difference, except during braking. Aerodynamics also play a role in braking. Riders are compelled to exert more during braking, which is why we often see Márquez falling forward’.
Reflecting on last Sunday’s Indonesian GP, the former Honda and Suzuki leader highlighted the risky overtakes and the high number of crahses. ‘It indicates that riders like Martín fell because they missed by a meter. Seven out of the twenty-one riders on the grid fell, and it’s evident that it’s a track where making mistakes is easy, forcing riders to take riskier overtakes’.