The Frenchman has stated he doesn’t want to have the number 1 on his fairing while defending his title next year, a decision that follows the recent trend
29.10.2021 ( Aggiornata il 29.10.2021 18:25 )
With Fabio Quartararo’s decision, the world championship trend (for some a negative one) of not using the number 1 plate on the bike continues. The Yamaha rider carries on a tradition, albeit a fairly recent one, that found its ultimate expression with Valentino Rossi. Ever since winning the first of his nine titles, back in 2001, the Italian champion has always chosen to continue using #46. A decision that has of course paid off, considering the effects this number has had on the history of motorcycling, becoming a fairly iconic number as well as a business.
The precedent
The Italian was only the second rider to do such a thing. The ‘pioneer’ was Barry Sheene, who preferred his own number 7 over the number 1 in 1977. There were no other cases, not before or after the Brit. Kevin Schwantz, having always been identified by his historic and iconic number 34, still opted to use the number 1 in 1994 after winning the title the year before. As did everybody else, right up to more recent times, when the trend did an about turn. After Rossi, Lorenzo, Mir, Marquez and now Quartararo have preferred to continue with their personal number, while Hayden in 2007, Stoner in 2008 and 2012 and Lorenzo in 2011 (the Majorcan used it after winning the first of his titles) all chose to use the world champion’s number. And this turnaround is not limited to the world championship, but is also apparent in the MX world, first with Stefen Everts and #72 and then Antonio Cairoli with #222.
Jonathan Rea the last bastion
Across the whole motorsport world, only Jonathan Rea continues to use the symbolic number 1 on his bike, the number reserved for the strongest. The Kawasaki rider, the winner of six Superbike titles, has always done so, sacrificing his number 65. Opinions on the subject differ, but the Irishman’s decision can perhaps be appreciated today, in that he’s the only recognisable rider to have the number 1 plate. With the 2021 title still up for grabs, it will be interesting to see whether the production-derived tradition will continue (in the last ten years, only Checa in 2012 and Biaggi in 2013 opted to retain their personal numbers) or whether, if Toprak Razgatlioglu were to win, the Turk might take inspiration from the world championship, which appears to favour the path traced by… #46.
Translated by Heather Watson
MotoGP, Jarvis: “Quartararo's title outdoes the 2015 double”
Link copiato
Commenti
