Monthly Archives: May 2019

Football woes in the MotoGP™ paddock

Football and MotoGP™ just don’t mix if you are English. At least this weekend while the paddock in Mugello settles down to watch the Champions League final on Saturday night there will be an English winner but may I assure you that’s a pretty rare occurrence while I was on the road.

The meeting room in the IRTA truck or the Alpine Stars Hospitality unit have been the venue for many an English football fans misery over the last two decades. Empty pizza boxes and cans of beer scattered on the IRTA meeting room table interspersed with language I’m certainly not proud of as England crashed to another defeat in a major tournament once again. Jeremy Appleton at Alpine Stars inviting us to dinner after yet another bitter exit from a tournament although hopefully the language was a little more measured this time round.

Having somebody whisper in my ear during the Saturday afternoon qualifying press conference at Donington Park that Wayne Rooney had been sent off against Portugal in the quarter-final of the 2006 World Cup. Setting my alarm to go off at 2am on the morning of the MotoGP™ race in Barcelona five years ago to watch the end of England’s World Cup clash with Italy in Brazil. Turning on the television to see a dejected England goalkeeper Joe Hart walking off the pitch was enough to realise the score. At least I got some more sleep on race day. It was the Italians celebrating the next day led by Valentino Rossi who then finished second in the 25 lap race after a fantastic battle with Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.

Driving up and down the Barcelona paddock on a Sunday evening in Matt Roberts’ car with large Union Jack fluttering out of the window before an England France European Championship game in 2004. The Union Jack was nowhere in sight when we drove out two hours later after France scored two goals in injury time to win by two goals to one.

I have had a few rare moments of relief with my local team Oxford United although it’s often been the same bumpy ride as England. Three years ago I had a text message telling me the ‘yellows’ had been promoted after beating local rivals Wycombe Wanderers. The trouble was it was in the middle of the Qualifying press conference and I was just of asking Jorge Lorenzo about his pole position in Le Mans and so it was celebrations all round.

Who will ever forget that incredible pre-event football match six years ago when the combined Moto2™ and 3 teams took on the mighty MotoGP™ team. Nothing that out of the ordinary apart from the venue – the home of Barcelona FC the Nou Camp. The riders plying their skills on one of the most hallowed pieces of turf on the planet. They even played the Barcelona anthem when the teams came up those famous steps onto the pitch although I did get told off by the groundsman for stepping onto the grass.

MotoGP™ and football are alike in so many ways and at least this weekend half the English fans in the Mugello paddock will be happy on Saturday night. That’s half more than usual but don’t mention that to any Liverpool or Spurs supporters.

By |2020-04-29T09:39:46+00:00May 30th, 2019|Nick's Blog, Uncategorised|Comments Off on Football woes in the MotoGP™ paddock

60 years and 300 Grands Prix wins later

Sixty long years ago Soichiro Honda arrived on the Isle of Man with his team to compete in the 125cc race at the TT races. Although they returned home with the Team Prize little did anybody who witnessed their World Championship debut around the Clypse course envisages the scenes in the Le Mans pit lane on Sunday.

As Marc Marquez celebrated his 47th premier class win with typical exuberance and Team Manager Alberto Puig equally typically calmly checked the state of tyres on the race-winning RC213V, Honda celebrated another giant milestone in their racing history – their 300th premier class victory.

Two–stroke 500’s, 800 and 990cc four-strokes have brought the Japanese factory unrivalled success again, the very best in the World although it has not always been easy. After so much success in the smaller classes, they entered the 500cc class in 1966 to take on the might of MV Agusta and a certain Giacomo Agostini with the weighty combination of World Champions Jim Redman and Mike Hailwood. Redman won the opening two rounds at Hockenheim and Assen but his challenge that had started so brightly ended when he was injured. The following year Hailwood and Agostini ended on equal points but the title went to the Italian

Honda then withdrew from Grand Prix motor cycle racing to concentrate their considerable technical innovation and finances into Formula One car racing. They returned briefly to challenge the two–strokes with the amazing but uncompetitive NR500 four-stroke with those oval pistons. They realised they had to build a competitive two-stroke 500 to challenge the might of Suzuki and Yamaha and their return to the fray in 1982 was spearheaded by a young American Freddie Spencer on the three-cylinder 500. What a choice it turned out to be with Spencer bringing Honda their first premier class title in 1983 and then re-writing the history books two years later with a 250/500cc double Championship – a feat that has never been repeated. Mick Doohan brought them five successive titles in the nineties and Valentino Rossi took over his mantle winning the last two-stroke 500cc Championships and then heralded the return of the four-stroke era in 2002 and 2003 with a Championship win before defecting to Yamaha. Casey Stoner and Rossi were the thorns in Honda’s side in the new 800 cc class but Stoner signed from Ducati to bring Honda their first 800 cc title in 2011. Then Marquez arrived and the rest is history with the Spaniard capturing five World titles and 47 Grands Prix wins. There are still more titles and Grands Prix victories to come.

Sixty years ago Soichiro Honda arrived in the Isle of Man with a four-rider team to compete in the 176 km 125cc race to fulfil a dream. Three of the Japanese riders had never competed in a race only on tarmac but they returned home with the Team Prize. Little did anybody in the Isle of Man on that June day realise this was just the start.

By |2020-04-29T09:39:46+00:00May 24th, 2019|Uncategorised|Comments Off on 60 years and 300 Grands Prix wins later

NEVER SAY NEVER IS PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY

Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Motorcycle World Championships, legendary commentator Nick Harris – ‘The Voice’ of MotoGP – chronicles seventy years of drama, adrenaline, tragedy and celebration in brand new book, Never Say Never – published by Virgin Books on this Thursday 23rd May 2019.

For 40 years Nick travelled the world reporting and commentating on MotoGP, and this rare privileged access has given him unparalleled insight into this incredible sport. From a motorcycle trip across Argentina the week before the Falklands war, to ignoring the apartheid travelling ban in South Africa, Nick has witnessed a changing world developing alongside the highs and lows of the greatest motorcycle races of all time.

In a white-knuckle ride through the twists and turns of Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing, Nick Harris provides a new, mostly eye-witness account of the history of MotoGP, the battles and feuds both on and off the track, the remarkable personalities and the great tragedies of the sport from 1949 to present day.

As a trusted insider, Nick got to know Valentino Rossi, Barry Sheene, Giacomo Agostini and Mike Hailwood as individuals. He saw feuds unfold, champions made and careers ended, and in Never Say Never, he shares the real stories behind the greatest legends of the sport. This is the book the motorcycling world has been waiting for.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  • Nick is best known as a legendary television and radio commentator and presenter, presenting and commentating on the MotoGP World Championship for much of his career, attracting over 20 million viewers worldwide to each grand prix.
  • When he announced his retirement in 2017, over 1.2 million fans tuned into his farewell video on Facebook, filmed with Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez.
  • Harris has a dedicated following, with over 18k followers on Twitter @NickHarrisMedia.

Pre-order Never Say Never here

 

Advanced copies will be available. Nick Harris is available for interviews and features.

Never Say Never by Nick Harris is published in Hardback by Virgin Books on 23rd May 2019. RRP: £20.00.


MEET NICK HARRIS IN LONDON AND MILTON KEYNES

Nick Harris will be signing copies of Never Say Never in London on Thursday and will be interviewed and signing books a week later in Milton Keynes.

For the Waterstones events – the Leadenhall Market event in London on 23rd May is a lunchtime book signing at 12:30, which is non-ticketed. More information here: https://www.waterstones.com/events/never-say-never-meet-nick-harris-at-waterstones-leadenhall-market/london-leadenhall-market

The event in Milton Keynes on 30th May is a Q&A with their events organiser Nikki Bloomer, and this one is ticketed (£3 redeemable again the price of the book). Tickets are available here: https://www.waterstones.com/events/in-conversation-with-nick-harris/milton-keynes-midsummer-place

By |2020-04-29T09:39:46+00:00May 21st, 2019|News and Events, Nick's Blog|Comments Off on NEVER SAY NEVER IS PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY

The changing of the guard

When I realised that Marc Marquez was the oldest rider on the front row of the grid for the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez, and then the oldest rider on the podium after winning the race the next day, it was plain for all to see that we are witnessing the changing of the guard once again.

It only seemed like yesterday Marquez had exploded into the MotoGP™ class to blow the establishment apart. The youngest ever premier class winner, the youngest ever pole setter and the youngest ever World Champion. In fact, it was six years ago in 2013, and the milestones he laid down in that memorable season, that are being challenged and, in some cases, rewritten.

The youngest ever pole setter crown was the first to go when Frenchman Fabio Quartararo riding the Petronas SRT Yamaha pipped teammate Franco Morbidelli and Marquez for pole position in Jerez. I wanted to say teenager Quartararo, but he’d celebrated his 20th birthday just a couple of weeks earlier. It was still enough, however, to become the youngest ever MotoGP™ pole setter. Alongside him, teammate Morbidelli was a positively old 24-years-old while Marquez will soon be checking out his pension rights at 26-years-old.

The World Champion’s total domination of the race the next day put him at the top of the standings to put ‘the youngsters’ back in their place, but with Alex Rins second and Maverick Viñales third he was still the oldest rider on the podium.

Three weeks earlier, 23-year-old Rins won his first MotoGP™ race at Austin for Ecstar Suzuki with 24-year-old Jack Miller putting the Pramac Ducati on the podium. It was four years earlier Miller had jumped from the Moto3™ class, missing out Moto2™, to dive straight into the MotoGP™ melting pot.

It’s such a healthy situation and really does illustrate the strength of the whole MotoGP™ structure with a real path to the ultimate MotoGP™ test through Moto3™ and Moto2™. In addition to Quartararo, both former Moto3™ World Champion Joan Mir and current Moto2™ World Champion Pecco Bagnaia arrived in the MotoGP™ class. There are plenty more chomping at the bit to be given the chance.

Records are there to be broken and statistics rewritten, especially in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. Over the years we have marvelled at youngsters such as Mike Hailwood, Freddie Spencer and then Valentino Rossi and Marquez rewriting the history books. The next generation is on its way, but they still have a long way to go. The ‘older generation’ are not going to just lie down and let them take over – they never did.

The changing of the guard may have started but those youngsters will have to add patience to their considerable repertoire. The likes of Rossi, double the age of Quartararo, Andrea Dovizioso and Marquez are not going to welcome them and let them waltz into their kingdom and steal all the jewels without one hell of a fight.

By |2020-04-29T09:39:46+00:00May 16th, 2019|News and Events, Nick's Blog|Comments Off on The changing of the guard

Corner naming – a few suggestions

In the last couple of Grands Prix there has been a couple of very worthy corner and section naming ceremonies to honour the careers of Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa. Hayden Hill in Austin and the Pedrosa Corner at Jerez are the perfect way to remember just what Nicky and Dani have achieved and their contribution to Grands Prix racing.

There are plenty of other sections and corners named after riders and my favourite is the Stoner corner at Phillip Island. No corner sums up the career of the double World Champion better. High on the cliffs above the windswept Bass Straight with the waves crashing into the rocks below as the Australian with smoke pouring off the rear tyre of the Honda and especially the Ducati round that so fast left-hander. Just close your eyes and you are back there.

There are many corners that I’m sure riders don’t want to remember and certainly would not to be named after them. I’m certain Dani was delighted with the Jerez naming but would not have selected the Parabolica Interior at Estoril where he brought down team-mate Hayden to almost wreck his World title chances in 2006. Andrea Iannone might not be that keen of a plaque being erected on the final corner at Misano after throwing a couple of punches at Pol Espargaro after both ended up in the gravel on the final lap of a 125cc race. I’m sure Alex Barros would rather forget turn one at the Sachsenring after the chance of the very last two-stroke win in the MotoGP™ class disappeared when he clattered into fellow two-stroke campaigner Olivier Jacque to bring them both down with the four-strokes nowhere in sight in 2002.

There was no chance of a naming ceremony for Alex Criville after he brought down local hero Mick Doohan at the last bend of the Australian Grand Prix at Eastern Creek with the chequered flag in sight in 1996. Perhaps Loris Capirossi would have approved of a plaque because it handed him his first premier class victory. Tetsuya Harada would certainly not have suggested a Capirossi naming ceremony in Argentina two years later with perhaps the most controversial and talked about last bend crash in Buenos Aires that finally decided the outcome of the 250cc World Championship after much discussion.

If you have the honour of a corner being named after you it’s important that it does not come back to bite you on the bottom as Jorge Lorenzo found out at Jerez in 2013. Just three days after having the infamous turn 13 that leads into the start and finish straight named after him to honour his world titles, he fell out with his now team-mate Marc Marquez after a ‘coming together’ at his very own corner in a fight for second place.

I wonder if the organisers of the next Grand Prix at Le Mans were preparing a naming ceremony in honour of 20-year-old Frenchman Fabio Quartararo after he became the youngest ever MotoGP™ pole setter at Jerez on Saturday. He looked well on course for a podium finish a day later before being sidelined with mechanical problems. The inscription on the plaque had been delayed but it’s certain to come.

By |2020-04-29T09:39:46+00:00May 10th, 2019|Uncategorised|Comments Off on Corner naming – a few suggestions

Brexit or no Brexit; we’re on our way to Europe

While the politicians continue to discuss, argue and make no decisions about Brexit, the MotoGP™ World Championship marches into Europe unabated at a legendary venue on Sunday that’s had its fair share of politics on and off the track over the last 32 years.

With spring slowly turning into summer, with longer days and warmer sunshine there is only one place to witness an international motorsport event at the beginning of May. For 32 years the pilgrimage to Southern Spain by hundreds of thousands of MotoGP™ fans has heralded the start of summer and the first round of the European season. The magnificent Jerez de la Frontera circuit has earned its place into the folklore of the sport and only the Cathedral in Assen of the current circuits has staged more Grands Prix in the 70-year history of the sport.

During those three decades, there have been some mighty battles and coming togethers around the 4.423km circuit. The infamous Turn 13 into the final straight almost on a yearly basis has provided us with pages of copy and air time. Doohan and Criville; Rossi and Gibernau; Marquez and Rossi and Lorenzo and Marquez to name but a few who have clashed, with the chequered flag in sight, round the corner now named after three times World Champion Jorge Lorenzo. Five times World Champion Mick Doohan’s career came to a sad end in 1999 when he crashed between Turn 3 and 4 during practice. Who will forget Casey Stoner’s answer to Valentino Rossi when the nine times World Champion apologised after bringing the Australian down at Turn 1.

Jerez epitomises the very soul of MotoGP™ that no other international motorsport has a hope of matching. On-track action and controversy are a guaranteed part of the deal but it’s everything around it that makes it so special. The sunshine helps but I remember that first year in 1987, the party good time atmosphere that engulfed the whole area and especially El Puerto Sant Maria and the centre of Jerez. I was young enough to enjoy it back then and I’m reliably informed nothing much has changed, and I remember as we drove to the circuit on Sunday morning a couple of years ago hundreds of fans were still enjoying the party in the centre of Jerez.

I went to a couple of Formula One Grands Prix at Jerez and it was such a different place. Little atmosphere and a crowd quarter the size of its MotoGP™ equivalent. The major problem in those early days was the total traffic chaos. Once we had to abandon our car and walk the last mile into the circuit to make the Sunday morning warm-up. The story goes that Ron Dennis, the esteemed boss of the McLaren Formula One team, had a meeting organised with Honda at lunchtime on the MotoGP™ race day. He set off at 8.00 am and never actually made it to the circuit. Thankfully that chaos is very much a thing of the past although the crowds have no way diminished.

Alex Rins’ win at the previous round in Texas is just going to add to that atmosphere and noise plus increase the size of the crowd by as many as 20,000 patriotic fans. Thank goodness those traffic problems are a distant memory. We are on our way to Jerez – summer must have arrived.

By |2020-04-29T09:39:47+00:00May 3rd, 2019|Uncategorised|Comments Off on Brexit or no Brexit; we’re on our way to Europe
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