Celebrating 10 Years of David Emmett & MotoMatters

I want to take a break from our usual daily slew of news and opinion, to give my dear friend David Emmett a moment in the spotlight (something I’m sure he will hate), as this week will mark 10 years of David covering the MotoGP Championship.

David explains the genesis story of MotoMatters much better than I ever could, so I will simply refer you to his posting today on the subject, which can be found on his website. Simply put though, what started out as a modest forum posting on the ADV Rider forum, has turned into one of the most influential websites covering the MotoGP paddock.

As a mutual friend and colleague once said to me, there isn’t a press officer, team member, or rider that doesn’t read MotoMatters with regularity, and there is good reason for that – such is David’s influence on Grand Prix motorcycle racing.

It is a surprise that he has achieved such a mantle in 10 short years.

But maybe it shouldn’t surprise anyone then that David was the first purely online journalist, or “new media” as Dorna likes to call us, to get a permanent credential for MotoGP.

And perhaps it should also not surprise us as to why a MotoGP press conference isn’t over now until David has had his chance to pepper the riders with questions.

While David spent many words today thanking the others that have helped him and MotoMatters achieve their success (I am honored to be mentioned alongside such a peerless group), the reality is that there is a generation of “new media” journalists who have David to thank for the trail that he has blazed, which has been no easy feat.

From that effort though, MotoMatters is confirmation that online journalism can be as hard-hitting and insightful as print media espouses to be, and David is evidence that an honest living can be made, while not having to pander to the lowest common denominator. I have lost track regarding how many long-time journalists say that this can’t be possible, yet David is living proof that it is.

It is my great honor that we get to republish David’s work here on Asphalt & Rubber, and it has been a rewarding experience producing the Paddock Pass Podcast with him and the rest of our motley crew – even if he can’t pronounce the show’s name to save his life.

There are few things in life more rewarding than watching your friends succeed at what they love to do, and I hope David has many decades ahead of him.

Hopefully he will continue to be that same old stubborn goat who thinks Linux is the answer to every technical issue, 3,000 words makes a short story, and that parking a car with an automatic transmissions is one of life’s great mysteries. We wouldn’t have it any other way.