I will overtly inform you that I am suss about how a lot Dorna is doing to assist these in want in Valencia. It took a good quantity of persuasion from riders to get the CEO, Carmelo Ezpeleta, to vary the venue for the ultimate spherical of the Championship to a spot aside from Valencia. Since then, MotoGP has finished an obvious 180 and began the #RacingForValencia fundraising program, however I query how a lot Dorna is giving.
This most up-to-date public sale merchandise helped me see issues a bit extra clearly.
The MotoGP Instagram web page introduced that it might be auctioning off Jaume Masia Vargas’ Moto2 bike throughout the ultimate spherical of the Championship held in Barcelona. Auctioning off a motorcycle to assist a trigger is not bizarre, however of the practically 80 bikes featured in Moto3, Moto2, and MotoGP this must be the bike ridden by probably the most universally hated rider and from probably the most universally hated crew.
The vogue by which Jaume Masia Vargas received his Moto3 title in 2023, particularly how he bullied his championship rival Ayumu Sasaki on monitor, did not depart him as a polarizing rider as a result of he would wish followers to be polarizing. Racing followers, for as soon as, have been all in settlement about their emotions towards a rider—they despised him. Masia then went to Preicanos Racing Group, which, because of its proprietor Raul Castaneda, is arguably the most despised crew within the paddock.
A match made in heaven, actually.
The feedback with probably the most likes underneath the Instagram put up saying the public sale embrace: “Even free i received’t take it. #5”, “No person needs a motorcycle from this crew”, “Good bike, horrible crew”, “Why would I need a bike as soon as ridden by a grimy rider?”, and “You have to give your title to sasaki”.
It is ridiculous, borderline laughable that Dorna would select this bike, from this crew, to be one of many primary issues going up for public sale to assist these in want after the floods in Valencia. However therein lies the reality of the matter, Dorna did not essentially choose this bike or any of the massive public sale objects as a result of all of them belong to people or groups within the paddock or folks near the game, and got to assist elevate cash for these in want.
We’ll be those giving the cash.
This weekend, in Barcelona, Dorna will present a platform for folks within the business to donate uncommon items of bike historical past and a platform for us to purchase them. Do not get me improper, offering this platform to assist others donate is a good begin. However while you hear one of many largest sports activities organizations on the planet says it is “racing for Valencia”, you form of count on that enterprise to provide one thing considerably vital.
On the MotoGP web site, there’s a complete web page devoted to #RacingForValencia, explaining the place the cash is coming from, and all of it principally comes from the identical place: us. There is a huge part about all of the great issues that we are able to purchase and bid for, a piece telling us how you can donate if we won’t make the occasion, and one little very hazy line indicating what precisely shall be popping out of Dorna’s pockets,
“A portion of ticket gross sales from the Solidarity GP will go on to Valencia aid funds…”
A portion may actually imply any quantity, and that is not ok to get to say you are “racing for Valencia”, not when you’ve got riders and groups with far much less giving what they will from their private funds.
All cash that goes towards serving to those that want it in Valencia is nice cash, so I will not for a second bash Dorna for that. However come on, to say that Dorna is “racing for Valencia” is an enormous stretch except the group is giving a big proportion of ticket gross sales to the Purple Cross and conserving it quiet.
Yeah, unlikely.
For a corporation with a $4.5 billion web price, giving a platform is a good begin, but additionally simply give some precise cash to earn the correct to put on your #RavingForValencia hashtag. That might be an enormous, tangible assist to the area that is given your group a lot over the past 25 years.