2022 has begun so it’s time to look back to 2021 and find out who the stand-out riders were as voted by you:
Who was the rider of the year?
Winner: Fabio Quartararo (33%)
2021 was a very strange year. So strange in fact that you voted a Frenchman as your rider of the year. But Fabio Quartararararo isn’t just any ordinary Frenchman. He’s likeable. He’s brave. And early reports suggest he bathes more than once a month.
So there we have it! The MotoGP world champion has just bettered that title by becoming the MotoGPNews Rider of Year! And totally deserved.
Finally, a quick mention to Francesco Bagnaia who hit full speed in the second half of the season but was just unable to catch Quartarararo by the final round.
Bonus Fun Fact: Why does Fabio call himself ‘El Diablo’?
Why does Frenchie Fab use the Spanish name for the devil? The reason is because there’s no direct translation in French for the word ‘devil’ as the personification of evil is deemed too frightening for French nation and clashes with their cheese nights.
2nd Francesco Bagnaia (28%)
3rd Jorge Martin (9%)
Who was the worst rider of the year?
Sadly for all this poll was one of two that failed to work due to gremlins in the system possibly caused by Bradley Smith’s voice being too close to a pesky 5G tower. So instead we sent an email to our secret Spanish insider who we’ll just call ‘Jorge X’. Where the ‘X’ stands for ‘Lorenzo’.
Winner: Jack Miller
“Jack’s doing nothing on the Ducati that I didn’t do better. In fact a lot worse. He’s more of a bronze rider whereas I’m gold. I also speak three languages whereas Miller’s not yet mastered one.”
Who was the most overrated rider?
Winner: Valentino Rossi (21%)
One minute you’re telling us he’s the greatest of all time…the next he’s the most overrated!
To be fair 2021 proved a difficult final year for the Dentist. All the stickers and one-off helmets in the world couldn’t detract from the fact he was massively off the pace.
2nd Maverick Vinales (13%)
3rd Franco Morbidelli (11%)
Who had the worst haircut?
Winner: Johann Zarco (19%)
We like Johann at MGPN. Yet we can’t ever excuse his haircut. We’d bet his shower plug has a better hairstyle and we definitely believe it’s the very reason France invented the beret.
2nd Jack Miller (17%)
3rd Álex Rins (13%)
Most surprising (in a good way) rider?
Winner: Enea Bastianini (45%)
We admire Bastianini’s attitude of only working one day a week. Thankfully that day was nearly always Sunday.
Despite being on the worst heap of a Ducati the 2020 Moto2 champion managed to bag a couple of podiums and nine top ten finishes. Sadly he was shot with his own arrow as his performance vastly overshadowed his teammate who could only manage a third as many points…and when your teammate is the half brother of the guy who runs the team you know your days are numbered.
2nd Jorge Martin (25%)
3rd Francesco Bagnaia (13%)
Best stand-in?
Winner: Dani Pedrosa (40%)
Dani is every bit as popular as he is small. Which probably goes some way to explaining how he won this award.
The KTM development rider only had one wildcard race this season at the Styria GP where he fell off unaided in the path of Lorenzo Savadori. Luckily Dani was uninjured unlike Savadori who smashed his ankle to pieces which ultimately led to him losing his ride.
2nd Stefan Bradl (16%)
3rd Cal Crutchlow(14%)
Best crasher?
Winner: Marc Marquez (30%)
When it comes to crashing no one can match the gravel-based skillset of the elder Marquez brother. Despite missing several races this season through injuries from crashing Marc still managed to find time to crash some more.
But that’s not all! A true professional takes their work home with them – and that’s exactly what Marquez did this year finding time to fall off his motocross bike and poke his eye out with an olive branch.
2nd Álex Rins (24%)
3rd Jack Miller (10%)
Nicest guy?
Winner: Danilo Petrucci (39%)
Danilo proved this season that unfortunately nice guys do indeed finish last…or at least near the back if they’re stuck on a KTM.
But no amount of disappointing results could ever take away the fact he’s the loveliest rider ever to grace the paddock. We’d suggest to KTM to make a stuffed Teddy Bear version of Petrucci so we can all snugly cuddle him every night.
2nd Jack Miller (13%)
3rd Fabio Quartararo (9%)
Most handsome rider?
Winner: Jorge Martin (12%)
Winner: Miguel Oliveira (12%)
It’s a dead-heat between Martin and Oliveira – and the fact they look so similar means you have a type. The big difference though is that Jorge’s girlfriend, Anabel Hernandez, isn’t also his sister.
3rd Danilo Petrucci (11%)
Ugliest rider?
Winner: Brad Binder (13%)
We’re kind of in shock here. Brad Binder? With those teeth?
2nd Álex Rins (11%)
3rd Jack Miller (10%)