Paris (AFP)
Who at the forefront on the MotoGP grid in 2021?
While the date of Marc Marquez's return to competition remains uncertain, it is not a favorite that emerges but a host of contenders.
The season only kicks off in Qatar on Sunday but the story begins at the first Grand Prix of 2020 in Jerez, Spain on July 19: Marquez falls and breaks the right humerus.
Too eager to come back after a first operation, the Spaniard worsened his case and spent two more times on billiards, the last in December.
In mid-March, with the agreement of the doctors, he returned to the bike, after missing the pre-season testing in Qatar, but will not participate in the first two races either, before a new medical examination on April 12.
Beyond the date of his return, the question of its form arises.
After such a long injury, which has both physical and mental repercussions, when will we see - if we see him again - the world champion Marc Marquez in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 in MotoGP?
"This difficult period made him stronger," said Tetsuhiro Kuwata, who heads him for the official Honda team.
"He will eventually come back as strong as before. And the goal remains the same: to win races and the championship."
"It is a new experience for me which will be useful to me in the future, estimates the principal concerned. Will I take the same risks in the future? In the event of injury, I do not know, but I will take them. same risks on the track ", promises the tightrope walker.
- Quartararo "ready for the challenge" -
In his absence last year, we first saw the French prodigy Fabio Quartararo (21) string together successes, before releasing in the second part of the season, confronted with his Yamaha satellite to annoyances that he did not have. "not known how to manage well".
In the end, it was the Spaniard Joan Mir who won in regularity (with 7 podiums but only one success and no pole position), ahead of Quartararo's Italian teammate, Franco Morbidelli, and his own Suzuki teammate Alex Rins.
All three - Morbidelli perhaps a little more thanks to his end of season canon (5 podiums, including 3 victories, and 2 poles) - are cited among the favorites in 2021. But on the side of Suzuki, the departure of the leader Davide Brivio questions.
We also mention the Australian Jack Miller, seventh on his Ducati satellite last year and promoted within the official team, or the two official Yamaha riders, the Spaniard Maverick Vinales and Quartararo, who is entering the traces of the Italian icon Valentino Rossi, who traded his motorcycle with him.
"The first year in MotoGP (in 2019), we made podiums, last year, victories ... The last step is missing, to be world champion. I gained a lot of experience in 2020, I I feel ready for this challenge, "the Frenchman told AFP.
- Zarco: "podiums or even a victory" -
Second Habs on the grid, after a 2019 season interrupted mid-term with KTM, Johann Zarco wants to reconnect with his Moto2 titles in 2015 and 2016 and the following two years in MotoGP, which saw him sign four poles and six podiums.
It will be with Pramac, the main satellite team of Ducati, and the same bike as the official riders of the Italian brand.
Thirteenth in the championship in 2020 with a pole position and a third place with the modest Avintia team (also a Ducati satellite), Zarco hopes "to get the podiums or even a victory" this year.
To tackle this season, which features 19 Grand Prix and a lot of uncertainties due to the coronavirus pandemic, only Suzuki has kept the same duo of drivers.
Honda has enlisted the services of Spaniard Pol Espargaro to assist Marquez, for the time being replaced by German Stefan Bradl.
Ducati and its satellites have practiced series promotions and made room for three "rookies": the Spaniard Jorge Martin at Pramac and the Italians Enea Bastianini (Moto2 champion) and Luca Marini (his runner-up) at Avintia.
For the record, Marini is none other than ... the half-brother of Valentino Rossi.
© 2021 AFP