VOLUME 59 ISSUE 9 MARCH 1, 2022 P87
BY NEIL MORRISON I PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE
V
iewed one way, MotoGP is stepping into the un-
known in 2022. Valentino Rossi, figurehead of the
sport for more than two decades, has hung up his
leathers, leaving a major sporting-icon-shaped hole in this
year's lineup. But MotoGP should fear not. Based on a
short but eventful preseason, there is little to suggest the
show will be in any way diminished in the Italian's absence.
Quite the opposite, in fact, as Malaysia's Sepang
International Circuit hosted two official days of testing on
February 5-6 before the MotoGP machines visited the all-
new Mandalika International Street Circuit from February
11-13, ahead of the first Indonesian Grand Prix in 25 years,
set to be held next month.
In keeping with the trend over the past two years, the pack
was exceptionally tight in both outings. At the close of the fi-
nal day at Sepang, just 0.3 seconds covered the top 11. It was
even closer the following weekend, with 21 of the grid's 24
names kept apart by just 0.85 seconds. On both occasions
five of the six manufacturers were represented inside the top
eight. Closeness and variety were the order of the day.
THE WORLD'S FASTEST ROAD RACERS
ARE GEARING UP FOR BATTLE ONCE
MORE WITH THE 2022 MOTOGP
SEASON OPENER IN QATAR JUST A
WEEK AWAY. OUR MAN ON THE SCENE
RATES THE STARS
CLOSER
THAN
EVER?
