The title of World Champion has become a bit debased, especially in motorcycle racing.
There a number of World Champions every year in a range of different classes. These range from Superbikes to the two learner categories for MotoGP. Does a light weight jockey sized kid on a 125 really stack up against the best riders in the MotoGP field?
If we look at the progress of the best rider in the world, in the 250cc and now Moto2, class overall results show there is usually a gap in skill. It is usual for the 250cc graduates to struggle in their first year in 500cc or now MotoGP. Some continue to struggle as they find the competition at the top is tough.
Nicky Hayden 2006 MotGP World Champion (Pic: Ducati Corse)
What really made me think is the annoying Jonathan Green, a television commentator for World Superbikes on Speed channel in Australia, and maybe for poor unfortunates elsewhere. Green keeps rabbiting on about Max Biaggi as a five times world champion. The same number as one of the all time greats, Mick Doohan.
Biaggi straddled the end of the Doohan era and the beginning of the Rossi era in 500cc/MotoGP racing. While Biaggi won plenty of races he could never quite mange to clinch the title, even in the transition period when Criville and Roberts Jr won single titles.
Looking through the records these are the top world champions in the senior category. Agostini with eight, Rossi seven, Doohan five, and then a number on four including names like Duke, Hailwood, Surtees and Lawson.
It seems more common for the small bike World Champions to struggle when they have to compete against the best riders. Think Melandri, Pedrosa, Capirossi, Bautista, Dovizioso and Simoncelli. They all show glimpses of brilliance but so have failed to really perform consistently over season.
Lorenzo and Rossi are the exceptions, but even they too at least season to adjust to the fierce competition.
The Superbike World Champions in recent years have fared badly as well. Think Toseland, Edwards, and even Bayliss. The last rider to really succeed who learnt his trade in Superbikes was Hayden, and he took time to adjust to MotoGP.
MotoGP – 500cc World Champions
| 2010 | Lorenzo | Spain |
| 2009 | Rossi | Italy |
| 2008 | Rossi | Italy |
| 2007 | Stoner | Australia |
| 2006 | Hayden | US |
| 2005 | Rossi | Italy |
| 2004 | Rossi | Italy |
| 2003 | Rossi | Italy |
| 2002 | Rossi | Italy |
| 2001 | Rossi | Italy |
| 2000 | Roberts Jr | US |
| 1999 | Criville | Spain |
| 1998 | Doohan | Australia |
| 1997 | Doohan | Australia |
| 1996 | Doohan | Australia |
| 1995 | Doohan | Australia |
| 1994 | Doohan | Australia |
| 1993 | Shwantz | US |
| 1992 | Rainey | US |
| 1991 | Rainey | US |
| 1990 | Rainey | US |
| 1989 | Lawson | US |
| 1988 | Lawson | US |
| 1987 | Gardner | Australia |
| 1986 | Lawson | US |
| 1985 | Spencer | US |
| 1984 | Lawson | US |
| 1983 | Spencer | US |
| 1982 | Uncini | Italy |
| 1981 | Lucchinelli | Italy |
| 1980 | Roberts | US |
| 1979 | Roberts | US |
| 1978 | Roberts | US |
| 1977 | Sheene | UK |
| 1976 | Sheene | UK |
| 1975 | Agostini | Italy |
| 1974 | Read | UK |
| 1973 | Read | UK |
| 1972 | Agostini | Italy |
| 1971 | Agostini | Italy |
| 1970 | Agostini | Italy |
| 1969 | Agostini | Italy |
| 1968 | Agostini | Italy |
| 1967 | Agostini | Italy |
| 1966 | Agostini | Italy |
| 1965 | Hailwood | UK |
| 1964 | Hailwood | UK |
| 1963 | Hailwood | UK |
| 1962 | Hailwood | UK |
| 1961 | Hocking | Rhodesia |
| 1960 | Surtees | UK |
| 1959 | Surtees | UK |
| 1958 | Surtees | UK |
| 1957 | Liberati | Italy |
| 1956 | Surtees | UK |
| 1955 | Duke | UK |
| 1954 | Duke | UK |
| 1953 | Duke | UK |
| 1952 | Masetti | Italy |
| 1951 | Duke | UK |
| 1950 | Masetti | Italy |
| 1949 | Graham | UK |
