Dial D for Drama

A common complaint regarding top-tier motorsport is that it’s ruled by politics.  So-and-so can’t get a decent drive/ride with whomever racing because someone else brings more money with them (one of the more interesting such comments I saw recently was a tweet from Jalopnik.com which simply stated ‘Fuck Marussia’ in response to the news that Max Chilton had found the necessary money to race at Spa, denying American Alex Rossi his F1 debut in the process).  But with the amount of money required to go racing, and the financial interests that in turn generates, it’s unfortunately always going to be part of the sport.

I say ‘unfortunately’, but the fact is there are times when all the jostling throughout the paddock can be intriguing, augmenting what happens out on track.  Take for example the latest movements by the motorcycle racing division of Marc VDS Racing Team.

In 2014 Marc VDS are running two bike and one bike programs in the Moto2 and Moto3 world championships respectively.  Marc VDS have not been shy over the last few years regarding their MotoGP aspirations, however previously had stated that due to the financial commitments required a move into the premier category would be unlikely until 2016 at the earliest.

That all changed recently with the announcement from Honda that if someone could find the necessary funds, Briton Scott Redding would be given access to a Factory-spec GP bike in 2015.  Redding spent four years with Marc VDS in Moto2 with varying success, his rise in the latter years mirroring that of the team’s and culminating in 2^nd place in the championship in 2013.  Naturally Redding feels comfortable in the Marc VDS garage, and after a frustrating rookie season on an Open-spec Honda a move back to the Belgian team, in addition to a Factory-spec bike, looked to be the answer to all his prayers.

There were a number of factors leading to the decision for Marc VDS to fast-track their entry into MotoGP.  In order to free up money and people, they will be shutting down their Moto3 program at the end of this year following disappointing results from Belgian youngster Livio Loi, who they fired mid-season.  Loi’s replacement, Jorge Navarro, has in turn also been unable to make the kind of splash team principal Michael Bartholemy expects of his riders.  This in combination with the possibility of a Factory bike with Redding on board seemed like all the pieces were falling into place.  But I wonder how much the fate of the Factory bike in question, were no one able to find the money for a Factory bike/Redding combination, played into Bartholemy’s decision as well.

Had that been the case, the bike would have been allocated to 2015 LCR Honda rider Jack Miller.  The same Jack Miller I mentioned in a previous post, with whom Marc VDS are currently tied up in litigation regarding his alleged reneging on a contract to race in Moto2 for them for 2015/16.  Miller and manager Aki Ajo maintain there was no contract to speak of, while Bartholemy and Marc VDS beg to differ.  The matter is currently in front of the courts, however what is clear is that the two camps are probably no longer on each other’s Christmas card lists.

So suddenly Bartholemy and the Marc VDS brains trust found themselves with an opportunity to move up to MotoGP a year earlier than planned, bring a beloved member of the team back into the fold on factory machinery, and deny Miller top shelf equipment who for at least 2015 will be riding the lesser Open-spec Honda.

Adding to the feud between the two parties is Marc VDS’s ‘replacement’ for Miller for 2015/16 – Miller’s fiercest rival in Moto3 this year, Alex Marquez, younger brother of double MotoGP world champion Marc.  There’s been no love lost between Marquez and Miller this season, and the two riders are currently locked in first and second places in the championship respectively with two rounds to go.  Marquez takes after his brother when it comes to ambitious, aggressive overtaking, and Miller has been on the receiving end of more dubious passes than most this year.  Despite being forced to dig deep late into the year, as Miller showed at Phillip Island he’s more than up for a fight.

Perhaps I’m reading too much into it all – I’m not suggesting Marc VDS fast tracked their MotoGP plans, managed to find more than €10 Million in a little over two weeks to lease a Factory-spec Honda, re-hired Redding and signed Marquez purely out of spite – but it certainly adds to the theatre.  With 20 points separating Marquez and Miller and 50 points up for grabs, theirs is a rivalry that will no doubt be prolific for years to come.  What happens between now and Valencia in three weeks time will simply set the tone for the next chapter.