For those that don't know, I've been a motorsports fan for most of my life. Chasing Formula One (F1) and World Rally Championship (WRC) coverage as a person growing up in the US was difficult, but it was a thing I approached with gusto. When I discovered that the newsstands (yes, with printed magazines and newspapers) in Union Station carried Autosport and other European racing mags, I spent far more money than was probably wise at the time to get my fix.
Eventually, that spread to MotoGP, too; particularly as I became more interested in motorbikes. I didn't grow up riding them, so I wasn't in on bike world from childhood. But as your special interests do, mine informed my sporting and entertainment interests, even when I wasn't out riding myself. And never mind the fact that commuting is worlds away from racing.
What do top-level MotoGP racers have in common with top racers in many other disciplines? Broadly speaking, there are both similarities and differences (and the biggest ones are probably the amount of money required). Generally speaking, to be successful at the top levels of international racing now, you need the following (to different degrees):
- A supportive family that's willing to sacrifice to help a child advance in a given motorsport; this includes willingness to move overseas
- Money (varying amounts required depending on sport and specific circumstance)
- Significant amounts of both talent and discipline (sticking to fitness and training routines) from an early age
How early? The more time you spend watching, reading, and immersing yourself in motorsport, the sooner you'll realize that all the big names you know now started when they were absolutely tiny. As just one example, the Márquez brothers were already out playing on motorbikes at age four.
What were you doing at that age? Me, I was definitely not on any kind of motorcycle, that's for sure. And also, the key differences between production bike racing and GP bike racing cannot be overstated. That's a major factor in the differences between national series in the US versus other countries; and one that the FIM MiniGP series hopes to address and level the international playing field to foster new talent.
But it's one thing to read that, and another to see it play out in front of your eyes. And that's why this feature-length documentary that dives into the journey current racers must take to get to MotoGP is extremely impactful.
For those unfamiliar with the YouTube channel BigTime, both Jeremiah Burton (who presents this video) and his buddy Zach Jobe both used to be at Donut before forming this YouTube channel and doing their own thing. Up to this point, that "own thing" has mainly been shorter-form YouTube stuff, not feature-length creations like this. But this; this is really, incredibly cool.
If you live, breathe, and dream motorcycle racing, then you might know some of what's discussed here. But Jerry goes out and spends time talking to (and racing) 10-year-olds on Ohvales; trains with the one and only American Moto2 racer making waves right now, Joe Roberts; and then talks to MotoGP racer (and seemingly incredibly real human) Jack Miller about his experiences getting to the level that he's at.
It's not a perfect snapshot of where MotoGP is in 2025; mainly because it's longer and more in-depth than a snapshot could ever be. But if you've ever wondered what it takes to get to the top, this video does a great job breaking it all down and helping you understand why it's incredibly tough, particularly for American racers.
