Carl Fogarty: British success in MotoGP 'a long time coming'

By Tom RostanceBBC Sport

Last updated on 20 April 2018.From the section Motorsport25

Former World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty says British success in MotoGP has been "a long time coming".

Cal Crutchlow's win in Argentina two weeks ago means a British rider leads the standings in the premier class of motorcycle grand prix racing for the first time in 38 years.

Crutchlow has started the season superbly on his LCR Honda, and Fogarty believes the 32-year-old can win more races this season.

"These next two or three rounds will determine what sort of season Cal can have," Fogarty told BBC Sport.

"Has he got the consistency? That's one thing he has lacked.

"So far his winter testing and results in his first two races say that he's up there and if he finishes in the top six in the next two races he could have a great year."

Fogarty also believes fellow Brit Jonathan Rea will win a fourth World Superbike title this season and take his overall wins record in the process.

'Cal can win more races'

There were a remarkable 589 races between Barry Sheene topping the standings after winning the opening race of the 1979 season and Crutchlow leading the field after his win in Argentina.

Crutchlow ended the 35-year wait for a British winner in the sport with his first victory in Brno in 2016, and he now has three wins to his name going into this weekend's race in Austin, Texas.

The next landmark to fall is a first British champion since Sheene's second title in 1977 - but Fogarty concedes that may be beyond Crutchlow this season.

"Cal is leading the championship, I can't believe that and I don't think even he knew that until he crossed the line in Argentina," Fogarty said.

2018 MotoGP standings (after two races)
Cal Crutchlow (GB)	38 points
Andrea Dovizioso (Ita)	35 points
Johann Zarco (Fra)	28 points
Maverick Vinales (Spa)	21 points
Marc Marquez (Spa)	20 points

"There's no reason why he can't win more races. You want to be winning races if you're out there and Cal's no different.

"His bike's good enough, his team's good enough and he has shown that he is good enough. It's down to him. He's a confident lad, a bit like myself.

"He wants to win more than he has been. I'd like to see him win a race in ideal conditions from start to finish, the ones he has won have been in iffy conditions.

"But it's great that Britain has finally got a guy winning races in GPs. I didn't go and race there, I'm pretty confident that I would have been winning races and challenging for the title, there's no question of that. It's been a long time coming."

'It's about time Rea broke my records'

Carl Fogarty — Fogarty won the WSB title in 1994, 1995, 1998 and 1999 - all for Ducati

Fogarty competed in a handful of grands prix in his career, but found most of his success in World Superbike racing, winning a record 59 races and four titles in the 1990s.

Rea is just three wins behind that record after a remarkable run of form which has seen him triumph in the last three seasons for Kawasaki, winning 41 of the last 84 races in the process and finishing second behind Mo Farah in last year's Sports Personality of the Year award.

Jonathan Rea is stunned after being named runner-up in BBC Sport Personality award

"I've held the record for 20 years or something, it's about time he beat it!" says Fogarty.

"I'm not that impressed with my own records to be honest, I've always felt that I should have won a lot more races and more world titles. If my career hadn't been cut short by injury, if I hadn't made some silly decisions and joined the wrong team, things like that, who knows.

"If Jonathan had won the first five races this year he would have reached the record in the same number of races as I completed, so he can't now. I've got one on him!

"I'm a big fan of his, he knows that. He will win the title again this year, it might be a bit tougher than he thought but that consistency that he has is phenomenal. The best rider needs the best bike and the best team. If one of those three ingredients isn't right than you won't win - and he has got that at Kawasaki."

Fogarty believes that it is now too late for the 31-year-old Rea to move into MotoGP, meaning - like Fogarty himself - he is likely to continue to dominate the Superbike class.

With Rea and Crutchlow at the top of their game, British biking has rarely had it so good. But how good are they?

"They are the two top guys that Britain have had for quite a few years now," Fogarty says.

"I was on my own as Britain's number one for seven or eight years but Rea and Cal, they've been the two best riders, it's a shame they are both in different championships as I don't know which one is the best!

"They are both guys I really like a lot and have a lot of respect for. It's looking good from a British point of view at the moment.

"It's always hard to compare different riders from different eras. If you put Cal in the 1960s on the same bike as Mike Hailwood, would he beat him? Nobody will ever know. All you can do is be the best of your time. I was the best of my time and Cal and Jonathan Rea are the best of their time right now.

"Where that stands them in the history books? People will always argue about that."

Jonathan Rea has been dominant since moving to Kawasaki in 2015 - he's been on the podium in 91.6% of races in that time

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25 comments

Comment posted by Qcumbor, at 10:25 20 Apr 2018
MotoGP can have more entertainment in one race than F1 has in an entire season and it's participants are all out old school ballsy when compared to the bland F1 drivers. It's a shame Cal's win didn't get anymore than a glance on here at the time rather than a HYS for 'celebrity' comments.
Comment posted by Callum Roberts, at 09:17 20 Apr 2018
Finally, a properly put together piece on MotoGP by the BBC.
Comment posted by iDominic, at 08:37 20 Apr 2018
Much as I might wish Cal every success, his lead in MotoGP is down to several others having a very bad / unfortunate race in Argentina. His bike is only really competing to win the "best of the rest"

Nice to hear from Foggy again, though. And best wishes to Cal for the rest of the season.
Comment posted by Leivapool, at 07:25 20 Apr 2018
With all due respect to Cal, as I think he's brilliant, but Foggy says he's the best at the moment? Not by a long shot. He a very good rider, but being top after 2 races doesn't mean you are the best, especially after the farce of the last race.
Comment posted by User0910561975, at 11:41 20 Apr 2018
Great to see Cal win

MotoGP has been superb for years, far more entertaining than F1 but a shame Rossi is getting on as he's been such a huge star.

Who's the next superstar to support ? Not sure. Not Marques as he has the charisma of rattlesnake and the Schumacher of MotoGP.
Comment posted by Ninja, at 07:54 20 Apr 2018
Cal won't win the title, he's too inconsistent. Jonny should have gone to GPs when he left BSB but the money isn't there for that and he was too loyal to Honda. Got to love Carl though. Article about the two leaders of the two premier world championships both being British, but the article was all about him :)
Comment posted by MoonInUranus, at 12:25 20 Apr 2018
When's the last time a non-manufacturer team won the championship?
I like Cal but he is too inconsistent and even if we wasn't I just can't see a satellite team winning it.

Can't see beyond Dovi or Marquez this year tbh.

As for Foggy, he really should stop talking about what he could have done in MotoGP - it's like he's trying to convince himself rather than us and it's a little tragic.
Comment posted by Two more lamb bhunas, at 11:59 20 Apr 2018
Cal's win in Australia wasn't in iffy conditions, Carl.
Comment posted by iDominic, at 08:41 20 Apr 2018
@5 GALAXY
Barry Sheen was the most polished rider

=

... and I suppose all the posts on here so far have been - realistically - taking the gloss off Cal's lead in MotoGP

;-)
Comment posted by D1679388525133, at 08:29 20 Apr 2018
Barry Sheen was the most polished rider
Comment posted by Jcon, at 07:00 21 Apr 2018
Wow Moto gp story made the main sport page! Used to love watching it on normal tv watch the highlights now and again. Can't understand why BBC blow so much of the budget following f1 when they don't even have the races on tv! Moto gp most exciting races to watch. Well done cal but early days yet
Comment posted by AndyX, at 09:19 20 Apr 2018
Realistically I think Cal will end the season 3rd or 4th, it’d be good to see him right up there though but I can’t see him being top for long. Did well to take advantage of a farce in Argentina.
Comment posted by D1679278039859, at 22:33 20 Apr 2018
@15 Completely agree. I'm sure many people enjoy Superbikes but let's not pretend it's the premier class. Not when it's only UK riders fighting for the title of late.

I remember Fogarty having a few outings in 500cc as it was back then and he wasn't great. And no, Cal won't win the title but he might be able to pick up another win or two this season.
Comment posted by The way I see it, at 16:30 20 Apr 2018
You wouldn't be a racer if you weren't confident in your abilities, but when did a superbike racer last become MotoGP champ? Probably an American from the AMA series. Kevin Schawntz is the last I can think of.
Would be good to see more make the move from WSB to MotoGP but all the traffic seems to be the other way.
Comment posted by stevemcqueen, at 13:27 20 Apr 2018
Cal is too old (and old skool) to be the future - I would be surprised if he got a factory ride in 2019 given the depth of young talent coming through in MotoGP and Moto2. I wish the British racing system was more geared to the top class as oppose to Superbikes.

Cal is doing great and lovely to see a Brit topping the championship - as for the future it's Danny Kent, he just needs the right bike
Comment posted by LekuoM, at 23:09 20 Apr 2018
@20 To be fair to Creville, he was as fast as Doohan, but ONLY when he was following Doohan.
Apropos of not much, Kevin Schwanz was the man, wasn’t he?
Comment posted by hackerjack, at 21:57 20 Apr 2018
Have always said if he can consistently stay upright he can be a contender for a top seat at the table, unfortunately years of chucking it off the circuit at inopportune times may still stand in his way of getting a good factory ride and hence really challenge for the title, but he could definately get to double figures for race wins in a few years.
Comment posted by Sploo, at 12:16 21 Apr 2018
@24 Unfortunately the BBC's budget mostly seems to go to Celebrity Come Dancing Bake Off Academy (and other such similar turgid drivel), so getting to see good sport on terrestrial TV is becoming almost impossible. F1 is sadly next to disappear (from C4).
Comment posted by tleaf100, at 08:11 20 Apr 2018
If crashlot even scores another podium or two,he still wont be in top 5 in 20 races time.
He is not called crashlots without good reason,he may be good(ish) but championship contender ?
No way,not unless every weekend turns into a raffle because of weather,tyres and other riders..
The usual suspects will soon start to show their form,and start piling up points,but it could be a very iffy season
Comment posted by Nick, at 13:31 20 Apr 2018
I think Cal will win a few more races this year, hard to see Marquez not wining the title. Marquez is spectacular on the bike however I can’t help feeling that he’s a big crash waiting to happen, a few races missed with injury could open the championship right up. Rea’s very good however WSB is not what it once was, Foggy should have gone to GP’s in 96, may have taken one of Doohan’s titles.