2015. The year in which MotoGP was put on everyone’s lips. Not only because of the renowned Malaysian Grand Prix, but because of all the antecedents that gave rise to the beginning of a rivalry that continues, with Jorge Lorenzo, Valentino Rossi and Marc Márquez in everyone’s sights. It is not necessary to remember what happened from Australia to Valencia that year, because, without a doubt, the controversy marked those races. The different performances on the track will also be remembered and, above all, the darts that the pilots threw each other in the different press conferences. The worst moment of a sport that has always shown its best side to the world.
That race and, especially, that action in Sepang will forever mark the history of the MotoGP World Championship. Much to the regret of the great motorcycling fans, but the controversy soaked the championship paddock until the last round in Valencia, one of the most followed in recent times. Not only because of the sanction to Valentino Rossi when his tenth World Cup was played, or the opportunity for Jorge Lorenzo to be crowned for the third time, if not because of how the fumes came after everything that happened in Malaysia. And everything that had been discussed between the Italian and Marc Márquez in Race Direction.
Despite the fact that many want to leave it in oblivion. The action comes out, from time to time, again among the current issues. This time it has been Lin Jarvis, director of Yamaha Motor Racing, who has referred to that fateful year, although for Yamaha it was his best season in MotoGP: he won the triple crown, Lorenzo was proclaimed champion and his second driver, in this case Rossi, was second in the drivers’ world championship. You could not ask for more. Or yes, because similar results that made history in the Japanese brand were seen in the background due to all the controversy that marked the season. “The sport we love was poisoned”, Jarvis admits in The Oxley Interview.
MotoGP changed forever
And, despite having a great relationship with Valentino Rossi, the director of the Japanese brand is honest and admits that, Had he not provoked the entire war, the Italian could have the long-awaited tenth title in his hands. Something that, with his retirement at the end of the year, will already remain a dream to fulfill. “It was a year to savor it and enjoy it. I still think that if Valentino hadn’t ‘attacked’ Marquez after the race at Phillip Island. The whole thing wouldn’t have blown up and he probably would have won the championship. “
“Then Jorge got involved and everything was very chaotic. MotoGP started to be like football, with partisan fans insulting riders. That changed MotoGP forever, “adds Jarvis, hurt, because the World Championship never went back to what it was. In part also because the relationship between Rossi and Márquez did not return to what it was. He stayed in something cordial, the jokes they kept between them ended and each one went their own way.
Tension between Lorenzo and Rossi
With his career coming to an end this season, Lin Jarvis wanted to recall the best memories alongside Rossi. Although, to remember the good ones, the moments of greatest tension also have to come out. Undoubtedly, his arrival at Yamaha in 2004 was a revolution, betting on a brand that is far from Honda and with which, even so, he was able to win the World Championship. In fact, the first victory came just after the start of the championship, in South Africa. “A lot of people said that with Valentino it was a risk and it was. When we won the first race we realized that anything was possible, “added Jarvis.
But, after years of triumph with the brand, and the fear that the Italian would switch to Formula 1, Yamaha chose to sign another great rider. Jorge Lorenzo, Rossi’s main rival, joined the ranks of the tuning fork brand and that, unsurprisingly, the Italian did not like at all. In fact, in 2010, everything was blown up with a ultimatum: “In 2010 he said ‘it’s me or Lorenzo’, which was unacceptable for us. Our relationship started to deteriorate and there was a lot of bitterness.” However, two years later, his paths would come together again to this day, closing his sports career with the brand that gave him the most joy.