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MotoGP
MOTO: 2012’s Biggest Disappointment - Spies’ Nightmare Season
Ben Spies was expected to step forward and become a legitimate MotoGP World Championship title contender in 2012. It didn't quite play out that way…
Ben Spies (Photo: Evan Williams)
It would take a year-long racing catastrophe of near biblical proportions to rip this SPEED.com 'award' away from Valentino Rossi and Ducati, but that's exactly the sort of campaign that preseason title contender Ben Spies was tortured with in 2012.
Spies' career trajectory pointed to a huge '12 season. From AMA Pro Superbike Rookie of the Year to three-time AMA Pro Superbike champ, to one-and-done World Superbike champ, to MotoGP Rookie of the Year, to MotoGP race winner, the Texan appeared poised to make a serious run at the MotoGP title this past season. Multiple race wins and regular visits to the podium were expected and an outside, but realistic, chance of toppling the likes of Casey Stoner and teammate Jorge Lorenzo seemed within his reach.
Instead, basically everything that could go wrong, did. A bad tire here, a costly mistake by his crew there. A defective M1 this week, a debilitating illness the next. Rider error one race became a rider shelved due to injury at the following contest.
Spies' campaign developed into something of a tragic comedy -- at a certain point he could only throw his hands up in the air and wonder what else could go wrong (and then peek up at the sky to make sure no meteoroids were en route).
Making matters all the more painful -- the M1 was quite an effective tool in 2012, and yet he was unable to capitalize.
Rather than register the three or four wins, 13-14 podiums, and top-three championship finish that seemed not only possible but likely following winter testing, Spies ended the year with none, none, and in tenth. Ouch.
Not surprisingly, his budding career was derailed as a result. Spies' work ethic and motivation were questioned by some, and his confidence was shaken and his feelings hurt due to the way key figures within Yamaha reacted to his unforeseen struggles. In the end, the American walked away from one of the four most coveted rides in motorcycle without a backup plan in place.
A return to World Superbike appeared to be in the offing, but Spies doubled back and will now attempt to rebuild his career and reputation alongside the embattled Ducati program as part of the 'Junior Team.'
Don't count Spies out just yet; one season (even an exceptionally poor one) does not define a racer, especially not one just entering his prime and blessed with more innate ability than all but two or three of his contemporaries.
Spies' career trajectory pointed to a huge '12 season. From AMA Pro Superbike Rookie of the Year to three-time AMA Pro Superbike champ, to one-and-done World Superbike champ, to MotoGP Rookie of the Year, to MotoGP race winner, the Texan appeared poised to make a serious run at the MotoGP title this past season. Multiple race wins and regular visits to the podium were expected and an outside, but realistic, chance of toppling the likes of Casey Stoner and teammate Jorge Lorenzo seemed within his reach.
Instead, basically everything that could go wrong, did. A bad tire here, a costly mistake by his crew there. A defective M1 this week, a debilitating illness the next. Rider error one race became a rider shelved due to injury at the following contest.
Spies' campaign developed into something of a tragic comedy -- at a certain point he could only throw his hands up in the air and wonder what else could go wrong (and then peek up at the sky to make sure no meteoroids were en route).
Making matters all the more painful -- the M1 was quite an effective tool in 2012, and yet he was unable to capitalize.
Rather than register the three or four wins, 13-14 podiums, and top-three championship finish that seemed not only possible but likely following winter testing, Spies ended the year with none, none, and in tenth. Ouch.
Not surprisingly, his budding career was derailed as a result. Spies' work ethic and motivation were questioned by some, and his confidence was shaken and his feelings hurt due to the way key figures within Yamaha reacted to his unforeseen struggles. In the end, the American walked away from one of the four most coveted rides in motorcycle without a backup plan in place.
A return to World Superbike appeared to be in the offing, but Spies doubled back and will now attempt to rebuild his career and reputation alongside the embattled Ducati program as part of the 'Junior Team.'
Don't count Spies out just yet; one season (even an exceptionally poor one) does not define a racer, especially not one just entering his prime and blessed with more innate ability than all but two or three of his contemporaries.
Grand Prix of The Americas
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