More Than Madness: Qatar

There is an undeniable magic behind all of this madness. Grown men restlessly awaiting the opportunity to get on their bikes, have their talent broadcast over hundreds of thousands of televisions and as simple as it sounds, have fun. Beneath the grand spectacle that is MotoGP lies twenty two athletes who share the universal language of motorbikes. Since the 1880s this two wheeled machine has united millions and evolved into something more than just a mode of transportation. MotoGP is the perfect illustration of that and like the beginning of term during our schooling life, we have come full circle to the beginning of the 2019 season.

When you talk to people who ride bikes there is a distinct aura that surrounds them. It is a robust and unswayable passion that is conveyed through their words and their eyes. You can’t help but be drawn into their explanation because no matter your personal view, you can see just how big of an impact it has on them and therefore the potential it could have on you. More than aesthetics, the rawness of the smells, the feeling of moving forward and the organic sounds attract people like a sirens song to a sailor. Recently I spoke with a young man who had been riding his whole life, I simply asked “why bikes” and his reply blew my mind. “Bikes have a lightness to them that very little else in life can match. You float, you glide and stitch together pieces of the road or racetrack into one, flowing, peaceful ribbon. It is a wonderfully effortless feeling when it all clicks. The subconscious motions and movements of your body coupled with the floating feeling of riding create an almost meditative state. That is riding”. It isn’t about the destination in which these machines take you, it is about the journey, the feeling and the freedom in which they give you. I am not a rider myself but if this is as appealing to me as it is to these humans, then the whole world might just get to experience a little bit of this magic through stories, motorsport events or giving it a crack yourself.

MotoGP has become just one part of the bigger picture and the Qatar Grand Prix marked the first round of the year. Riders arrived like young children starting school for the first time. Perfectly tailored shorts and ironed shirts with matching hats, shoes and jackets. The level of glee was so high you could feel the enthusiasm flowing out of their fingers. Valentino Rossi, now into his 24th season still lights up the moment he sees his new shiny friend and during Thursdays press conference he was not the only one radiating with excitement. When asked what MotoGP and bikes in general meant to them, each riders appearance shifted to a naturally tranquil state following with their explanation. Maverick Vinales explained “I can’t wait to start, i’ve been thinking of the moment for many days. It is my lifestyle. I live for that. Its all about passion. Its more than a job, its a lifestyle, a dream”. He was followed by Rossi who took us on a short journey that most individuals could relate to “To ride a motorcycle is a sign of freedom for everybody at every level. It is a great feeling when you do or when you go with your girlfriend to the beach”. Most described the passion behind their reasoning and the never-ending fire burning inside of them. An addictive description to anyone who longs for independence. You’d think after nineteen races each year that the magnetism towards their work would dim, but like most it started and only continued to evolve into something much more than just a job title.

For sometime now MotoGP riders have been painted as adrenalin filled animals with freakishly good abilities. But, each athlete once started as a youngster whose daily hobby was nothing more than a spark of interest. The place where every deep passion begins in its most basic form and only grows if you let it. To the average person the idea of riding such a thing from a young age is an enigma but if you open your mind wide enough can you at some point recall bodies swaying to and fro amongst traffic and catching yourself wondering what it might feel like. I imagine its something beautiful and clarifying, right in the palm of your hand and these kids who have been doing it for longer than I have been driving have been sitting on a gold mine their whole lives. It is that child like instinct that is ever present that brings them to life and keeps these athletes coming back season after season. Fabio Quartararo at the age of nineteen has reached the pinnacle of this elite sport, an aspiration that simmered within him for years “Like everyone said, it is a lifestyle, a passion. I was on a bike since I was five years old and now I am in the MotoGP class. For me it is a dream come true”. Everyday humans may have the same hopes as Quartararo but most simply get to share their adoration of motorcycles with people who have achieved the perfect balance between competition and enjoyment.

Being the first round of the season, that fun, childlike attitude flourished. A safety marshal showed us that we are all big kids at heart by shamelessly simulating his own MotoGP experience on board the crash recovery vehicle. Just like the marshal who embraced each glide around the circuit, there was no pressure, no expectation, just the chance to re-discover and enjoy their biggest passion in life. The added bonus is that they get to share that universal language with the rest of the world and we get to enjoy it with them. MotoGP isn’t only for the hardcore fans, its for both amateurs and professionals and represents a symbol of freedom for everyone brave enough to embrace it.

#MotoGP #Motorsport #Qatar #QatarGP #Blog #Blogger #post #GrandPrix #Travel #adventure #bikes #ride