Cycle News

VOL. 51 ISSUE 23 JUNE 10, 2014 P145 once again into the public eye at Mugello, for his formal induc- tion into the MotoGP Hall of Fame. Followed by another trib- ute lap on his San Carlo Honda (this time by Loris Capirossi), and any number of logos, hash- tags, etc. worn by riders, bikes and transporters. Simoncelli is the 21st official MotoGP Legend, joining such great multi-time champions as Geoff Duke, John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Mick Doohan and Giacomo Agostini. And Dai- jiro Kato. The similarities with the latter are strong. Kato had also won the 250cc title, before moving up. The intensely private rider, a national hero in Japan and Honda's favorite son, claimed two second places in his first season, but was killed in a freak crash on the third lap of the fol- lowing year's opening round at Suzuka. MotoGP has never re- turned there. A legend? Officially, yes. But in truth only a legend in the mak- ing. Dorna's official recognition had as much to do with politics and politesse. We hadn't yet seen his full potential. He was only 26. Marco, almost 10 years later, was the lion of the 250cc class, and almost won a second con- secutive title. His best result in his first MotoGP year was fourth, but in his second he'd made the rostrum at Brno and was second in Australia. A week later, on Sepang's second lap, he crashed, and by a similar freak of physics was thrown into mortal peril, in the path of the following pack. Kato had paved the way into the Hall of Fame. Simoncelli fol- lowed. At 24, his best too was definitely yet to come. Full respect to both, but suf- fering a fatal crash while still climbing the ladder is the last path any rider would choose in the quest for the status of offi- cial MotoGP Legend. Yet it is an ever-present risk. There was a small but worry- ing reminder at Mugello, on the last lap of the Moto3 race. This is reliably the closest and usu- ally best race of the day, and this time there were eight still disputing the lead with half a lap to go. Lofty Oz Jack Miller, on the factory KTM, was at the back of the gang, but he likes to brake late. Unbelievably so, even to the other riders. No wonder they were taken by surprise when he overtook three in one go. Then he arrived at the apex just as Mahindra rider Miguel Oliveira clipped the kerb. He touched his back wheel, and as a result cannoned into the younger Marquez brother, Alex. Both came down, and the following rider, fast Italian rookie Enea Bastianini, was unable to avoid running into the sprawling and sliding Marquez. Not hard enough, luckily, to do more than remind one of the impact that did for Simoncelli, and also the previous Grand Prix victim, Shoya Tomizawa. Doubtless it was with this in mind that Race Direction decid- ed to slap two penalty points on the Australian triple race winner and championship leader. Miller admitted he'd been at fault, but at the same time he and ev- eryone else knew that it was a pretty typical end-of-race move in the class, and he opined that he'd do the same again next time, "only smarter." His beef, and it was forcibly expressed, was with the offi- cials' inconsistency. He'd been a victim himself of something similar in Argentina, though that time nobody had fallen off. No punishment for his out-of- control attacker Fenati. Why for him? Clearly because Race Direc- tion fears for his safety. If it was the result of the Si- moncelli effect, then that was potentially far more beneficial and a far better memorial than all the cheesy stuff. It never hurts a daring rider to be reminded there are worse things than two penalty points.CN

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