Confidential Box: What the 2023 calendar hides

WHAT’S HIDING IN THE SCHEDULE: The World Cup has been leaning east for a long time.

In 2017, CSM Sport and Entertainment, a well-known sports and event marketing service provider, conducted a study on the fanbase of various motorsports, including MotoGP. A survey of 18,000 people spread across 18 countries with links in some way to motor sports. A very interesting study, dedicated to marketing professionals, and where the data appeared that announced what the MotoGP calendar reflects to the public today. In one of its sections, it recorded the popularity of MotoGP. Even then, motorcycles are the third most popular sport in Indonesia, the same position as MotoGP in Italy – before Rossi’s retirement – among the most followed sports. In Spain it is sixth, in France 16th, in the United Kingdom 19th, in Japan 24th and in the United States 27th. At the other end of the scale is Malaysia, where MotoGP is the 10th most popular sport, Thailand 13th, Australia 15th and Brazil 16th. The figures that, seen from the point of view of the glass half full, revealed the available margin of growth, but at the same time show a worrying depletion of interest in MotoGP in Europe, Japan or the United States, for to the benefit of countries in Southeast Asia or with populations of a young average age. Add to this the popularity that some states seek to “allow themselves to be seen” around the world and it is understood that it is no coincidence that the 2023 MotoGP calendar has eliminated two European events in favor of two Asian events… And if what is coming

THE HARASSMENT OF QUARTARARO: Like the documentaries of 2.

We’ve all seen one of those Serengeti documentaries where at one point you see a buffalo being harassed by a herd of lions or hyenas, and how the animal defends itself as best it can while taking of snares from those around it. Well, that’s exactly how Quartararo’s situation with Ducatis bosses preventing him from winning the title is represented to me. One day it was Miller, the other Martín, today Zarco played, Bagnaia suddenly appeared or, as now, a Luca Marini who had to thrill Quartararo in Buriram. We don’t know if the buffalo will eventually escape the pressure, but it is very difficult for them. It will also be very interesting to see what role Marc Márquez will play in the outcome of the Quartararo/Bagnaia duel. Because at this point I think it’s clear that Marc, willingly or not, will be the referee. It remains to be seen who they will favor and who their results will hurt.

THE MALLORCAN GEN: If I were Yamaha…

“Good cornering, “fine” braking, he is not comfortable riding in a group, he needs a clear track to develop his full potential”… This is how Team Aspar describes Izan’s style Guevara, the one called to replace Pedro Acosta as Moto3 World Champion. Some riding characteristics that seem to have been cloned from Jorge Lorenzo’s in his best time on Yamaha. I don’t know if it’s a coincidence, if it’s a result of the Mallorcan air they both breathed when they were young or if it’s a coincidence from the teachings of Chicho Lorenzo, but for me Izan Guevara is the “most Yamaha” rider. who appeared in the World Championship since Jorge. For this reason, and because his career shows that a super is cooking, if I were the man in charge of Yamaha I would have tied him up long ago. Don’t rush, because when he’s ready, because letting him go is unforgivable. By the way, the explanation that Sergio García gave yesterday to explain his drop in performance after returning from summer vacation, blaming the lack of harmony in his team, does not match what they explained in mine My version, from someone very close to Sergio, is that at the moment which Guevara started to go faster than him, his nerves got the best of him and he asked that they put the motorcycle “like Izan’s”, which he ended up sentencing . the championship match