MotoGP: The MotoGP hornet by 2020: 19 riders roll in the same second

Mrquez, weighed down by his shoulder problems, could barely compete in Sepang. The next free practice in Jerez.

MotoGP grill burns after the official trainings in Sepang, the first of 2020. All the pilots broke the two minute barrier on the Malay path. Also Jorge Lorenzo, which are released as a Yamaha tester. The results anticipate a very close World Cup: in the combined three days, the 19 best drivers rolled in the same second. And even more: the best pilots of the six builders ended up separated by only 0.345. Maximum equality … Waiting for Marc Mrquez, of course.

Because the great dominator of last season still recovering from his operation on his right shoulder. Mrquez was squeezed during 10 weeks and 250 hours of rehabilitation to arrive, but the feelings are still not the best. I suffered two falls, one of them avoidable if it had had the shoulder in better conditions, and finished 13 in the global Sepang, below 1:59, but at 0.341 of the Honda of Lime crutchlow.

Catalan could only add 131 laps between the three days -I have taken my body to the limit, I confessed- and the British had to carry the weight of the tests on the new motorcycle. The balance, according to Marc Mrquez, can be improved. I worry more about the bike than my physicist, sentenced the champion, with his eyes already on the tests next week in Jerez. In the absence of the best version of Mrquez, the dominator in Sepang was Quartararo. The French is one of the most serious aspirants to the throne and showed his letters marking the best time in the three days. The first, with Yamaha last year and the two following with the 2020 version of the M1.

THE ORIGIN OF EVERYTHING

The fingerboard brand has not lifted the title since 2015 with Lorenzo, and wants to end once with the orange domain. Your director, Lin Jarvis, he openly acknowledges this obsession when he talks about the master lines of his project, which pass through Quartararo and Maverick Vials. Everything comes from four years of domain of Marc Mrquez and Honda.

First impressions cannot be better: to the domain of Quartararo sum the good role of Valentino Rossi, fifth to less than two tenths. Just got off the hook Vials (16), although I am not looking for a fast return. Figueras, winner last season in Sepang, focused on other tests and complet 201 laps to the Malay track, more than any other driver. The last day, 83.

With Mrquez away from his best level and Vials in another fight, the best Spanish was lex Rins. The Suzuki thanked the grip of the new tires Micheln and the Catalan finished third weekend, just one tenth of Quartararo in tests marked by maximum equality. Among the best of Yamaha (Quartararo), Honda (Crutchlow), Suzuki (Rins), Ducati (Bagnaia), KTM (Pol Espargar) and Aprilia (Aleix Espargar) there were only 0.345 seconds of separation. A World Cup that, in the absence of the best Mrquez, is presented with a maximum equality in the absence of only one month to lower the first checkered flag. Be true?