Marquez absence made MotoGP riders feel they can win races
Miguel Oliveira believes the absence of reigning champion Marc Marquez has made more riders think they can win races in the 2020 MotoGP season.
Honda rider Marquez will be out for at least another two months after breaking his right arm in a crash during the Spanish Grand Prix, while stress damage to the titanium plate fitted to the bone in his Andalusian GP comeback attempt necessitated a second operation.
So far in 2020, there have been three new winners in Petronas Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo and KTM duo Brad Binder and Oliveira, while Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso has taken the other victory this year.
In addition, the likes of Franco Morbidelli, Joan Mir, Alex Rins, Pol Espargaro and Jack Miller have all mounted serious challenges for victory in the opening five rounds.
The unpredictable nature of the 2020 season so far means just 35 points cover the top 10 in the standings after the Styrian GP - 30 points fewer than at the same point last year, when Marquez had already won three of the 12 victories he would go on to score.
Styrian GP winner Oliveira feels the opportunity presented by MotoGP's dominant figure Marquez is the reason for the wild set of results so far seen in 2020, but expects a definitive pecking order to eventually appear.
"I think, and it's just my opinion - I think once Marquez was out, I think everyone all of a sudden felt like they could start to win races and championships," Oliveira said when asked why 2020 had been so unpredictable.
"So, I think this feeling is still floating around a little bit.
"This is why there is not a clear favourite for the championship fight. But I think also that it's quite early to define that.
"Hopefully in the next few races we see who is more consistently on the podium and making more points, because at the end this is going to make the difference."
So far, only KTM has managed to win races with two different riders, with all manufacturers but Honda and Aprilia yet to stand on the podium.
This is the first time since Honda returned to the premier class fully in 1982 that it has failed to register a single podium finish in the opening five races.
The manufacturer's top rider is currently Takaaki Nakagami on the year-old LCR-run RC213V, with the Japanese racer 24 points off the championship lead in sixth.
Previous article
Mir considers Suzuki “a contender” for 2020 MotoGP title
Next article
KTM: Not being able to sign Dovizioso for 2021 "hurts"
About this article
| Series | MotoGP |
| Drivers | Marc Marquez , Miguel Oliveira |
| Author | Lewis Duncan |
MotoGP 2021 kicks off in Qatar
Mandalika Circuit update
MotoGP Starting Grid: Doha Grand Prix
MotoGP Starting Grid: Qatar Grand Prix
Top 10 most successful Repsol Honda Team riders
The "pit bull" MotoGP rookie already drawing legendary comparisons
MotoGP’s 2021 rookie crop is one of the strongest in recent years, but one is already standing out. Jorge Martin’s Doha GP heroics have courted many to compare him to numerous MotoGP legends. Autosport spoke to Pramac boss Francesco Guidotti to find out why MotoGP’s latest Spanish star is already making such an impact
Why MotoGP's stewards must revisit Miller and Mir's Losail clash
Despite Suzuki’s decision not to appeal against Race Direction’s refusal to penalise Jack Miller following the incident with Joan Mir in Losail, something must be done to avoid a repeat of such an incident, which could have easily ended in tragedy
Why MotoGP’s top gun looks more dangerous at the Doha GP
Lightning hasn't struck twice for Maverick Vinales since 2017 and his wayward form of recent years makes predicting how he'll fare each MotoGP race weekend tricky. But fresh from his Qatar GP win, Vinales looks like an even more dangerous prospect for the Doha GP following an intriguing Friday practice.
Why MotoGP’s new Amazon Prime series is long overdue
OPINION: MotoGP is getting its own version of Drive to Survive on Amazon Prime at some point in the near future. It was news welcomed by the grid’s leading riders. And following the impact DTS has had on Formula 1, MotoGP desperately needs the same boost.
The key changes behind the latest 'return of the Mack'
Maverick Vinales’s authoritative victory at the MotoGP season opener came during a period of personal and professional change for the Yamaha rider. Can it be the springboard for a title challenge?
Why Lorenzo needs to ditch social media and enjoy retirement
OPINION: Jorge Lorenzo's status as one of the greatest MotoGP riders of all time is hard to dispute. But his constant social media spats with fellow riders and insistence on listing his achievements to his detractors are running the risk of tarnishing a legacy he worked hard to create.
Can leaving a factory team end Rossi’s MotoGP win drought?
It is over three-and-a-half years since the Italian national anthem rang out to declare a Valentino Rossi victory in MotoGP. To some onlookers his move out of the factory Yamaha squad meant the 2017 Dutch TT could remain his final win, but after an encouraging transition at Petronas SRT hope is far from lost
What Marquez will we get on his much-needed MotoGP return?
As Marc Marquez’s comeback draws nearer, the six-time MotoGP world champion will have the eyes of the motorsport world on him to see if his incredible speed returns instantly. How Marquez deals with this could be key to both what he and the wider grid faces in 2021
