10 videos to remind you why MotoGP rocks

IT’S THE French round of the 2017 MotoGP championship at Le Mans this weekend and on Sunday, we’ll be stretched out on the sofa with a beer as we watch the races unfold.

If you need some persuasion to spend a few hours planted on your arse watching some of the best riders in the world do their thing, then here’s a reminder of what makes MotoGP so good.

10. The not giving an inch

HERE'S ANDREA Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden at Indiannapolis on 2013. They were teammates at the time and weren’t even racing for the win, but none of that matters and they take each other off the track, getting airborne in the process.

9. The battles

ROSSI versus Stoner at Laguna Seca in 2008 is one the of the best battles of the modern era, with both riders on the limit and not willing to concede a millimetre on track, resulting in a gnarly few laps and both riders out for blood.

8. The saves

WHEN I watch bike racing with friends who don’t know anything about bike racing, I get the standard pleb question that goes along the following lines: ‘When is one of them going to crash? I want to see a crash.’

I don’t want to see crashes, but I love seeing a rider gets a hair’s breadth away from having a crash and pulling it back with a brilliant save, either by chance or skill.

Here’s a recent amazing effort from Loris Baz at the Grand Prix of the Americas in Texas earlier this year.

7. The God-like talent

LOADS OF MotoGP riders spin up the rear tyre through corners, but since 2006, none has done it with as much style as Marco Melandri at Phillip Island as he rounds the last corner giving the peace sign with smoke pouring off the rear tyre. Hero.

6. The madness of Moto3

WITHOUT doubt, Moto3 is the class that produces the best racing. Technical rules mean that the bikes are fairly closely matched and so are a lot of the riders, so come the end of a race, there’s frequently eight guys trying to take the top step of the podium, which means a lot of jostling as the cream tries to rise to the top.

5. The passion of youth

BEING YOUNG, fired up and full of adrenalin is a recipe for hot-headedness. But so is being Italian. We’re not bothered about the cause for Romano Fenati losing his cool here with Niklas Ajo, just that his passion is on display (ooh er) and although you might say it’s not very sporting, it is quite entertaining, no?  

4. Marc Marquez doing amazing things

IF THERE'S one rider in the world who grabs a bike by the scruff of its neck and commands it to defy physics, it’s Marc Marquez. Elbow down, rear wheel stepping out, shoulder nearly on the floor? Not a problem for one of the most stylish riders in the world.

3. Valentino Rossi

BECAUSE he’s the man – talented, charismatic, funny, adored everywhere he goes and an important part of MotoGP's success and health. After fighting it out at the front of a race, when it's time for an interview, Rossi can be relied on to say something interesting. Plus at 38 years old he’s still at the sharp end of the pack and currently leading the 2017 championship and he's a man who has helped bring MotoGP to a wider audience.

2. The bikes

MOTOGP bikes are the pinnacle of motorcycle technology and development and the test bed for the trick tech’ that eventually starts to trickle down to production machinery.

1. The action

WHEN IT'S good, it’s good.