Grand Prix legend Randy Mamola talks about the reasons why the once-successful nation has completely disappeared from MotoGP.
Almost 20 years ago, Nicky Hayden secured the last MotoGP title for the USA. Currently, there is no telling when this streak will end. Yet the USA was once the nation that dictated the action in the premier class of motorcycle racing. From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, Kenny Roberts Sr, Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey and Kevin Schwantz won a total of 13 world titles.
We talked to Randy Mamola, who won 13 Grand Prix during this era. Why is there currently no MotoGP rider from the USA? “Maybe something will come of the new owners in the future,” Mamola notes, with a view to the planned takeover by Liberty Media.
Mamola can easily explain why the USA has disappeared from MotoGP and sees some parallels to the situation in Germany. “In the past, there were also many drivers from Germany. I remember Alex Hofmann or Stefan Bradl. I used to race against Anton Mang. There were many German drivers.”
“Spain took over from the USA because there were dirt-track circuits for training,” explains Mamola. He remembers how Jorge Lorenzo used to train at Kenny Roberts’ ranch. But now there are fewer and fewer tracks in the USA. In Europe, especially in Spain and Italy, it is much easier to find suitable training facilities.
“There used to be a lot of race tracks in my home state of California. I only had to drive for 30 minutes, but now it’s two hours,” says Mamola, comparing the situation. “So who’s going to buy a motorcycle for their kids? It’s completely changed. In Europe, on the other hand, everything is pretty open.”
“In southern Europe, the sun almost always shines. That’s why people often choose a motorcycle or a scooter,” says Mamola. However, motorcycle racing in the USA has not come to a complete standstill.
Mamola praises the work that John Hopkins is doing with young talent, but he also knows that the former MotoGP rider cannot work miracles. ”It’s not going to change overnight. Unless you take one of those Spanish guys, convince him to give up his passport and bring him to the US,” Mamola jokes.
In the era when US riders dominated the 500cc World Championship, a number of Australians were also strong. Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan won World Championship titles. Later, Casey Stoner stirred up the MotoGP.
“Even for the Australians, making the leap into the World Cup is not easy,” says Mamola, with an eye on the pilots from “Down Under” and pointing out the sacrifices that have to be made to make the leap into the World Cup: “The families of Stoner and Miller sold their houses to come to Europe.”
With Joe Roberts, there is a US hopeful in the Moto2 World Championship field. Roberts won a race last year and was one of the potential championship contenders. In the second half of the season, however, Roberts suffered a number of setbacks. In June, the US driver will celebrate his 28th birthday. Time is running out for a promotion to the premier class. There will be no US driver in the Moto3 World Championship in 2025.
