The Road to a MotoGP Championship.

MotoGP (Formerly known as Grand Prix Motorcycle Championships) has come a long ways since the days of American domination with Kenny Roberts 78 - 80, Freddie Spencer - 83 & 85 , Eddie Lawson - 84, 86, 88 & 89 , Wayne Rainey - 90 - 92, and Kevin Schwantz 93 Champion. 

All these riders had 1 thing in common, dirt track experience. On the dirt they learned how to slide a bike controlling their cornering and steering the bike with the rear tire. They transfered that knowledge and experience to the extremely difficult to ride TZ750's and 500cc two strokes. Futhermore they had Kenny Roberts to mentor them, he changed the style of GP racing forever being the first to hang off the motorcycle.

Then in '94 Mick Doohan hit the Grand Prix scene and won five consecutive championships 94 - 98 with his own unique style and the use of a hand controlled rear brake, which some say gave him an advantage. Mick too had experience with motorcycle in the dirt, but his was off-road racing in Australia. 

Alex Criville won the World Championship in 99 and was the first rider to come up through the lesser classes of the World Championship Circus. Falsifying his age at 15 (he was actually 14) he won the 1985  75 cc street bike Criterium Solo Moto. In '87 he moved up to the 80cc World Championship and placed 2nd in his very first race, in '88 he was second overall in the Championship. In '89 he moved up to the 125cc  class and won the title that year. He continued on in 125cc and 1 year in the 250cc Championship before moving up the the Grand Prix class in '92, winning his one and only Grand Prix Championship in '99. Little did anyone know at the time that Alex had laid out the road to a Grand Prix and now the MotoGP championships for the foreseeable future. The road was coming up through the other World Championship Classes. There were two exception Kenny Roberts Jr World Championship in 2000 and Nicky Hayden MotoGP championship in 2006.

The new road to winning a world title these days starts in the 125cc World Championship class and progresses through 250cc and then to MotoGP. That is the path that Valention Rossi (champion 2001 - 2005) and the reigning 07 Champion Casey Stoner took. 

I predict the '08 champion will also come from that same path. Although there are some great other riders like James Toseland, John Hopkins, Collin Edwards and Nicky Hayden, none in my opinion have a chance at winning the MotoGP title. I also think that Nicky was just lucky to win the title in '06 with only 2 victories in the entire season, but he did win and no one can take that away from him. Riders like Toseland, Hopkins, Edwards and Hayden can win a race and visit the podium but just don't have what it takes to win the title. 

If American wants to dominate again we have got to stop sending our good young rides to AMA racing which in my opinion is pretty lame compared to MotoGP and World Superbike and send them off to Europe at the young age of 15 to compete in the 125cc Championships to have any opportunity to win the MotoGP Championship.

I'm looking forward to the battles this year in both MotoGP and the 250 Championship. I think the last race in Estoril gave us a glimpse of the season to come with Lorenzo, Pedrosi, Rossi and Dovizioso battling for the race win. Once Stoner gets the Ducati problems worked out he will be up there also. All 5 have come up through the 125 and 250 series to challenge for the World Champion. 

Also if you really want to see some great racing watch the 125cc and 250cc races, you will be watch the future MotoGP champions. If you miss the races on SpeedTV you can buy access through the MotoGP.