Kevin Schwantz reckons Joan Mir has what it takes to claim the 2020 MotoGP world title, the 1993 500cc world champion impressed with the “maturity” of the Spaniard.
Speaking during an appearance with the In the Fast Lane podcast, Schwantz explained his surprise that “the veterans of the sport” had failed to take advantage of the lack of testing afforded to the competitors this year as a result of the Covid-19 global pandemic.
He added that he thinks the “new guys” have in fact been the ones to work things out more effectively, and that inversely to what was expected the more experienced campaigners have been the ones to get the most out of the double-header events that have made up the bulk of the schedule.
“I would have thought the veterans of the sport would be able to go to the track without any real practice or testing leading up to it and would be able to go back to their knowledge of the circuit and be able to have a pretty strong advantage – and its seems like they do one weekend and they don’t the next,” said Schwantz.
“I’ve watched it happen throughout the season; it seems like the experienced guys are the ones that are there the second weekend not the first weekend.
“It’s the kids, the new guys, who are figuring it out quicker and I would have thought that would have been a definitely advantage to some of the veterans out there.”
Schwantz-who scored his sole premier class title and all 25 of his victories on a Suzuki RGV500-feels current points leader Mir has the biggest chance of coming out on top for a maiden world title in only the Suzuki pilot’s second premier class campaign due to the “maturity” displayed by the 23-year old.
The American also stated his disappointment towards the performance of Fabio Quartararo across the campaign so far, having expected the Petronas SRT racer to make things “boring” due to the absence of the injured Marc Marquez, but that “he’s done anything but.”
“I really think the 36 (Joan Mir), as young as he is, has shown so much maturity this year,” added Schwantz.
“I really feel that Mir is going to pull this thing off.
“(Fabio) Quartararo has shown outrageous speed, I thought after Jerez you know Marc Marquez might not be here but Quartararo is going to do a really good job and make it boring for us as well, but he’s done anything but.”
Mir holds a six point buffer over Quartararo with just four rounds remaining in ’20 after the Frenchman failed to score in the first Motorland Aragon encounter last weekend, while the ’17 Moto3 world champion finished third.
Maverick Vinales and Andrea Dovizioso also remain in close attendance in the overall standings, the factory Yamaha and Ducati men sitting 12 and 15 points behind respectively.
