In recent years the MotoGP World Championship has at last approached realizing its long-held desire of becoming recognized as a true two-wheeled equivalent to Formula 1 -- for better or worse.
Worldwide television and attendance figures are massive, the salaries at the top are unfathomable, the sport's technological insanity is constantly accelerating, and Valentino Rossi, a true crossover star, has become a global phenomenon.
On the other hand, the once-razor sharp on-track excitement has been dulled and taken on a similarly F1-like appearance. The truly remarkable electronics-laden 800cc prototypes have produced more than their fair share of processional, predictable racing. And despite lap times and speed numbers that are off the charts, the spectacle -- both rider vs. rider and man vs. machine -- has gone missing.
Or, perhaps I should say, 'had gone missing'.
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Widespread concerns that the sport was headed in the wrong direction and fast resulted in widespread calls for reform (and forced some answers such as the introduction of a control tire -- an unthinkable move not that long ago). There are worries about the series' long-term health once Rossi finally walks away, and there are inklings that Kawasaki's protracted exit may be just the first domino falling.
Meanwhile, Dorna has been nervously looking over its shoulder at the re-ascension of the Superbike World Championship, a series in many ways constructed from the ground up to provide a better product, especially during these tough economic times.
And while all these things remain true to some degree, it's time to rub our eyes and wake up to the fact that six rounds into the season, the 2009 MotoGP World Championship is shaping up to be an absolute classic.
