Drivers and teams – Joan Mir, first world champion without a win in the premier class? – Used SUZUKI

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Joan Mir, first world champion without a win in the premier class ?

Drivers and teams - Joan Mir, the first world champion without a win in the premier class? - Used SUZUKI

Among the six favorites for the MotoGP 2020 title, the current leader Joan Mir is the only one who has not yet won with three races from the end of this funny season. Will the Suzuki rider become the first rider to win the most coveted motorcycle titles without any victory in the premier class? ? Decryption.

Astonishing, thrilling, surprising: the MotoGP 2020 season does not lack spice between the coronavirus and the absence of Marc Marquez, "boss" of the category since 2013! The defending champion has been on the mat since the opening in Jerez (Spain) and continues to rehabilitate his arm as the antepenultimate round looms this weekend in Valencia (Spain). 

  • MNC file : 
  • MNC file :

The time to take stock of this campaign only contested in Europe – Covid-19 obliges – is approaching, as is the coronation of the new bearer of the crown. At this stage, one thing is certain: the 2020 world champion will be titled for the very first time in the premier category. ! 

Apart from Marquez, the only one already crowned in MotoGP is Valentino Rossi who has been forfeited since two races because of the coronavirus. But the Italian – who hopes to get back on the handlebars on Friday – is 15th at 79 points behind the leader while only 75 remain to be distributed: the No. 46 is officially out of the race for the title, victim also – and above all – of his three consecutive falls in Misano (Italy), Barcelona (Spain) and Le Mans (72). 

The 14 drivers (!) Who precede him are still mathematically in contention, even if their chances are slim in the second part of this classification: Johann Zarco, 14th with 73 pts behind, can hardly claim to aim for the crown. Although: has not the Cannes driver just signed the best Ducati result with his 5th place in Aragon (Spain) ?!

Six drivers for the 2020 title

The attribution of the supreme consecration is played – except surprise – between six pilots, in the order of the provisional classification: Joan Mir (137 pts), Fabio Quartararo (123 pts), Maverick Viñales (118 pts), Franco Morbidelli (112 pts), Andrea Dovizioso (109 pts) and Alex Rins (105 pts). Or two Suzuki, three Yamaha and one Ducati.

 Drivers and teams - Joan Mir, the first world champion without a win in the premier class? - Used SUZUKI

Three points are obvious when reading this ranking: the devilishly tight gap of only 32 points between the first and the sixth, also teammates at Suzuki. Rarely seen at this stage of the season! This aspect can be explained by a second, less flattering observation: the low point balances.

If Joan Mir won the last three races, the Mallorcan would be titled with 212 points: compare to the 420 (!) Registered last year by Marc Marquez! This low number of points is explained by the absence of real leaders and the heterogeneity of the field: where, for example, have Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira, surprise winners in the Czech Republic and then in Austria on their (over) powerful KTMs. ?  

Apart from these short-lived bursts, logical favorites like Maverick Viñales and Andrea Dovizioso are just a shadow of themselves, while Valentino Rossi has let his – last? – luck. As incomprehensible as it is frustrating, while the absence of Marquez nevertheless opened the royal road to them. Must have a good laugh, n ° 93 !

 Drivers and teams - Joan Mir, the first world champion without a win in the premier class? - Used SUZUKI

As for Fabio Quartararo, his three victories and his 4th pole are certainly exciting, but his difficulties in maintaining his speed challenge … 18th then 8th in Aragon, Fabio also missed out in the Czech Republic, Austria and France. Not to mention his fall at the San Marino GP, as well as his glitches such as the bad pressure in his tire in Aragon. And, perhaps, the pressure "just short" in his helmet ?

Mir, leader without victory

Third and last notable point to emerge from the provisional classification: its current leader, Joan Mir, has no success in MotoGP. The young Suzuki rider (23) is actually the only non-victorious among the six drivers vying for the title: Fabio has three wins, Viñales, Dovizioso and Rins have each won a race, while Morbidelli has won two. occasions.

 Drivers and teams - Joan Mir, the first world champion without a win in the premier class? - Used SUZUKI

Without disrespecting these geniuses of piloting, this observation again reflects the absence of real leaders and of a powerful and regular opposition. If by any chance Joan Mir were to win the title without opening her victory counter, it would be a first in the premier class since its creation in 1949 ! 

In the entire history of the 500 cc / MotoGP, titled riders have won at least two races: whether it is Leslie Graham in 1949, Umberto Masetti in 1950 and 1952 or even Nicky Hayden in 2006. The The last coronation won without a victory was that of Emilio Alzamora in 1999 in the 125 cc category against Marco Melandri (5 wins for the Italian … but 4 blank results!).

The panache of a victory or the glory of a title ?

However, can we discredit Joan Mir’s performance? Certainly not ! On the one hand, because nothing authorizes us to do so: go and twist a MotoGP of almost 300 hp for 25 laps, repeating the same lap times to the nearest tenth! All in this stressful atmosphere of this Covid period to say the least…

 Drivers and teams - Joan Mir, first world champion without a win in the premier class? - Used SUZUKI

On the other hand, Joan Mir does not occupy the first place without reason: the Suzuki rider has a quality too rarely noticed this season, consistency. In the last six races, Mir has been on the podium five times as his rivals have all made at least one misstep. Joan, he keeps his line (of sight, obviously!).

Apart from his white results in the opening race and then in the Czech Republic, his record is impeccable: his 11th place at Le Mans is his worst result to date, while the victory came close to Misano (Italy) and to Barcelona (Spain).

 Drivers and teams - Joan Mir, the first world champion without a win in the premier class? - Used SUZUKI

Frankly flattering for the 2017 Moto3 world champion, who has only accumulated five seasons and 83 Grands Prix in the world championship! To compare here too with the experience of "old guys" like Rossi (17 years older!), Dovizioso, Viñales or even Rins, Mir’s teammate who has been driving the Suzuki since 2017.

Finally, as Émilio Alzamora underlines, history especially retains the name of the world champions: "in the end people remember the world championship, and the pilot’s objective is to be world champion. Sometimes circumstances mean that we don’t win a GP, as happened to me, but I don’t think that takes away any merit ", (r) assures the former Spanish pilot, today manager of the Marquez brothers !

Suzuki hopes for a Mir-acle

A formidable finisher, fast and a fine strategist, Joan Mir only lacks a little more success in qualifying: n ° 36 is more convincing with worn tires at the end of the race than with "new balls" in qualifying! Hence his departures from the second or third row, synonymous with additional efforts to get back on the leading men.

 Drivers and teams - Joan Mir, the first world champion without a win in the premier class? - Used SUZUKI

Seeing him win a race is therefore only a matter of time, especially as the GSX-RR is now the benchmark in MotoGP in terms of consistency. The Suzuki is fast on all circuits, on hot or cool asphalt. But Ducati, Honda and Yamaha cannot say the same.

Three chances are still open to Joan Mir to materialize: the Grand Prix of Europe and Valencia which follow from this weekend on the Ricardo Tormo, then the final on November 22 on the track of Portimao where the MotoGP will compete in their first race.

Drivers and teams - Joan Mir, the first world champion without a win in the premier class? - Used SUZUKI

“Winning the championship is more important than winning a race,” says Joan Mir. "I will take the opportunity to win if it arises, but if we have to splurge, maybe better to abstain: we are all very close in the championship and a ‘zero’ can penalize us greatly". 

Whatever it is, victory or not, a golden opportunity awaits Mir and Suzuki, whose last premier class title dates back to 2000 and Kenny Roberts (just before a certain Valentino Rossi took over the monopoly). What better way for Suzuki to celebrate 60 years of motorcycle Grand Prix engagement ?!

Provisional MotoGP 2020 classification before the European GP

  1. Joan MIR Suzuki SPA 137 points
  2. Fabio QUARTARARO Yamaha FRA 123 points
  3. Maverick VIÑALES Yamaha SPA 118 points
  4. Franco MORBIDELLI Yamaha ITA 112 points
  5. Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati ITA 109 points
  6. Alex RINS Suzuki SPA 105 points
  7. Takaaki NAKAGAMI Honda JPN 92 points
  8. Pol ESPARGARO KTM SPA 90 points
  9. Jack MILLER Ducati AUS 82 points
  10. Miguel OLIVEIRA KTM POR 79 points
  11. Danilo PETRUCCI Ducati ITA 71 points
  12. Brad BINDER KTM RSA 67 points
  13. Alex MARQUEZ Honda SPA 67 points
  14. Johann ZARCO Ducati FRA 64 points
  15. Valentino ROSSI Yamaha ITA 58 points
  16. Francesco BAGNAIA Ducati ITA 42 points
  17. Iker LECUONA KTM SPA 27 points
  18. Aleix ESPARGARO Aprilia SPA 27 points
  19. Cal CRUTCHLOW Honda GBR 26 points
  20. Stefan BRADL Honda GER 12 points
  21. Bradley SMITH Aprilia GBR 12 points
  22. Tito RABAT Ducati SPA 10 points
  23. Michele PIRRO Ducati ITA 4 points

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