CARL FOGARTY SAYS HE WANTED TO RACE AGAINST AGOSTINI AND HAILWOOD
5h ago·
Carl Fogarty—best known for his dominance in World Superbikes, where he won four titles with Ducati between 1994 and 1999—has also sampled MotoGP’s premier class during the 500cc era. He took part in six races alongside his WSBK commitments, with his best MotoGP result coming at Silverstone in 1993, when he finished fourth. That outing would also be his final appearance in the category.
When asked which MotoGP champions he wishes he could have raced against, Fogarty looked back to the 1970s and the era’s headline names. He said it would have been “nice to race in the 70s, really, with Barry Sheene and Kenny Roberts,” adding that it would have been a great fight, with “both finishing second and third behind me.”
Going further back, Fogarty pointed to Giacomo Agostini and Mike Hailwood, describing the opportunity to battle them on a six-cylinder Honda as something he would have enjoyed. He explained: “Going back before that, maybe with Hailwood and Agostini on a six-cylinder Honda, the MV.” Fogarty then summed up the appeal of that period with a blunt reflection on the sport’s character at the time, saying: “I mean, that was when men was men, to be honest, and that would have been a good time to be involved in racing, that’s for sure.”
Agostini, whom Fogarty singled out, remains the most successful rider in motorcycle Grand Prix history, with 15 titles. The Italian competed in both 350cc and 500cc and won both championships consecutively from 1968 to 1972. Hailwood, also referenced by Fogarty, is among Britain’s most decorated Grand Prix champions, taking nine titles across his career.
Notably, Fogarty’s comments did not include modern MotoGP champions such as Marc Marquez or Valentino Rossi. Instead, his broader perspective on today’s MotoGP machinery has been critical, particularly regarding changes to the bikes’ aerodynamics and ride-height devices. He has also previously voiced frustration about tyre-pressure issues, including after Marquez was caught out by tyre pressures at Brno last year.