Twenty/twenty vision with hindsight is a condition we all seem to have from time to time. We know who won what last year and we can all say, with supreme confidence, "I told you so". But who were the outstanding riders of the year across all classes and, relative to the competition in their own class together with their age, experience etc., whose achievement was the greatest (all rider ages are best estimates...)
Here is Wolf's Top Ten of 2012:
1) Marc Marquez - an astonishing ride at Valencia to clinch the Moto2 championship stamped this 19-year-old Spaniard as the next big MotoGP star. Nine wins from 17 races in a fiercely-competitive class secured his signature on a Repsol Honda contract for 2013 - Dorna changed their "rookie" rules to let him in as the successor to Valentino Rossi as the star. He will shock some big-name MotoGP riders this year and, more than once, will be on the top step of the podium.
2) Max Biaggi - at the other end of the age spectrum, class, allied to consistency, still tells. World Superbikes was at its most competitive but the 41-year-old Italian clinched his second WSBK title by just half a point from the 27- year-old Brit Tom Sykes. It was his sixth world title following four successive 250cc crowns in the early 90s and three runners-up spots in the world 500cc title championship. Nine riders won World Superbikes races. The Roman Emperor prevailed - and then announced his retirement.
3) Jorge Lorenzo - probably the best rider in the world, if not the fastest, the 25-year-old suffered from competing in what was effectively a two-horse race. Fellow Spaniard Dani Pedrosa put up a spirited battle but unloaded once too often, not helped by Honda 'chatter' problems, while Casey Stoner, the only other real contender, was largely ruled out by injury. But with three world titles under his belt, now four, he remains the man to beat in 2013 - ask Rossi.
4) Shane Byrne - the 36-year-old former London underground worker was one of eight winners in the British Superbike Championship, probably the most competitive domestic race series in the world. It was his third BSB title and was clinched, after missing four races through injury by a brilliant double at Brands Hatch. "Shakey" - he dreamt of being a bike racer at primary school - is second only to James Toseland as the outstanding British rider of his generation. Lack of competitive machinery always hindered his ambitions in WSBK and MotoGP.
5) Cal Crutchlow - Britain's only successful MotoGP rider in recent years, the 27-year-old ex-footballer from Coventry has been nick-named 'the tough of the track'. But while his never-give-style probably caused more crashes than his Yamaha Tech 3 team manager was happy with it made him a real contender for podium spots and a thorn in the side of his more established team-mate Andrea Dovizioso. World Supersport champion in 2009, Crutchlow went one better than his British contemporaries by going to MotoGP and finishing sevth last year. Not to be under-estimated.
6) Casey Stoner - if it was down to sheer speed and brilliance, the gritty Aussie would win hands down. Injury cut short his 2012 season when he might have been expected to repeat his 2011 championship for Honda. But he had also fallen out with MotoGP citing too many suits and too much bullshit. A kid who started racing at four, shipped to England at 14 to win an Aprillia 125 championship and onto the world stage at 16, Stoner was one tough Aussie - tough and brilliant enough to win a world title for Ducati in 2007. Having achieved all he wanted - except enjoyment - he announced his retirement. Come back you lovely little misery guts, all is forgiven!
7) Tom Sykes - the personable Yorkshireman failed by just half a point to win the World Superbike title for Britain, the best performance since fellow Yorkshireman James Toseland won the title in 2007. Winning four races, nine out of 14 poles and leading for 204 laps - more than Biaggi, Melandri and Checa combined - Sykes was Mr Consistency for Kawasaki. For whatever reason, mechanical or otherwise, his machine seemed too often incapable of, in horse racing parlance, incapable of making the trip. Fix that and the Sykes/Kawasaki combination will be odds on to win the title this year.
8) Jonathan Rea - if championships were won on potential, the likeable Ulsterman would be a multiple winner by now. At 20 years old he was runner-up in the British Superbike Championship and a year later the same position in World Supersport. His World Superbike career has been mixed, handicapped some would say, by having to race an outdated Fireblade. Two outings, not unsuccessful, in MotoGP whetted his appetite but the promise of competitive machinery from Honda persuaded him for a final crack at the Superbike title. No one will be trying harder.
9) Stefan Bradl - following in the footsteps of a famous father is not easy. Expectations are high and parents can be pushy. Father Helmut seems to handle it well and guided his 22-year-old to the Moto2 world title in 2011, helped by wunderkind Marquez injuring himself. Hopping on to a 1000cc LCR Honda to tackle MotoGP is a tough task for a rookie but the young German, winner of the Spanish 125cc championship at 18 ahead of Scott Redding, finished the season in eighth place with one fourth and three fifths along the way.
10) John McGuinness - adding another couple of wins last year to make his tally 19 is an achievement which puts the 40-year-old "Morecambe Missile" in the top deck of TT greats, if not head and shoulders above them. And he hasn't finished yet. This event, the most famous in the world, is not only for the brave. It is for the skilful and the clever. As Jack Brett once put it: "There are old riders and bold riders. But not many old, bold riders". This modest great would undoubtedly agree with that!
