Chatting from his Californian home, three-time 500cc World Champion Wayne Rainey caught up with Autosport to offer his thoughts on the 2020 MotoGP™ World Championship, after Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) crashed and fractured his right humerus at the Spanish GP.
One of the big talking points that has been floating around is whether or not the 2020 Championship is devalued with Marquez, who has won six of the last seven premier class crowns, side-lined after his crash and subsequent injury. Rainey, who won his third title in the 1992 season when Mick Doohan was injured, believes - alongside most others - this really isn’t the case.
“Marc was leading race, went off track, [made a] hell of a save, [put in a] damn good ride back up through the field. And then it was an awesome ride until he made a mistake again,” commented the American.
“He has nobody [to blame]. Those other riders, they didn't make a mistake. So I think those guys, they're not looking at it like, 'hey, I don't think this championship's diminished or this race is diminished'. And I think Marc would also say the same thing. What you said about Mick and myself in '92, which a rider in a season can't say, where there is a situation like that, that hasn't happened to each and every one of us?
“You could say the same thing about Kevin and I in '93. I was leading the championship, I had my accident, it took me out, Kevin [Schwantz] went on to win the championship. I in no way look at that saying, 'well, that's been diminished because I wasn't there'. I made the mistake, Kevin didn't and he was the world champion. That's what it's all about.
“You race the 12 race championship, the only way you can be champion is [by being] the guy with the most points at the end of the championship. Each and every race counts, and especially in a sporting and season like this odd one, you have to be there every, every single race. Marc made the mistake, not Quartararo, so they line back up and then see what happens at the next one. So no, not at all, it's not diminished at all.”
Rainey goes on to talk about Marquez’ initial sensational comeback at the Andalucia GP, how Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) will be relishing in the fact he’s leading the Championship, Yamaha’s engine worries and more. Head over to Autosport to read the full, in-depth interview with the MotoGP™ Legend.