Sports & Fitness MotoGP

Remy Gardner 5th in Moto2. I thought last year MotoGP was a good year. This year it's going to kick off big time I think

 

I think it's even worse that the 12 often looks like a 17 due to his little graphic within the number that obscures part of it.

Zarco made a huge mistake chasing money at KTM, top riders need to be on top bikes or they become forgotten about very quickly, particularly when we've got competitive rookies (hooray for that!!). His management should have moved planets to secure a deal with Repsol when they had the chance.

Oh yeah, there was a comment made during FP4 suggesting that the Ducati is now reportedly making 300bhp. I know it's not unimaginable since naturally aspirated F1 engines were over 300bhp per litre at their end, albeit at slightly higher revs, but 300 ponies on a bike... ****!

 

I want to see Vinales smash Rossi this year.

 

The race certainly didn't disappoint. It was like watching a replay from last year. I was like a 10 year old on xmas eve, so freaking excited.

Mav seems to still be having issues with full fuel tank and race starts. Props to Rossi who started at the back then finished 5th.

Argh, Miller, what happened? His seat gave way then he overworked his front tyre, such a shame.

Absolute madness! If memory serves me correctly, i think the commentators where quoting 270 odd HP last year, so a healthy bump up this year. Seems to be matched by the Hondas too.

Lorenzo was nowhere. I didnt actually hear what (if any) injury he sustained by his falls this weekend. Im hoping he gets fit soon, having him at the pointy end also will be fun to watch.

Rins strong on the Suzuki, brilliant first ride also by Mir coming 8th.

Did anyone else see Petrucci's face in the pits after the race? It looked like someone shot his dog. One very unhappy camper.

Oh, and Remy, excellent to see him do so well, heres hoping for a consistent strong year from him.

I wish Argentina was this weekend...

 

Heart break for Remy but he has the pace to be at the front this year in Moto2. I think this could be the best MotoGP year Everrr?

 

Yep great race. Highlights for me:

Dovi appeared to have a lot in reserve, not sure if the same could be said for the others, even Marquez.
Honda has certainly made improvements in top speed so that when Marquez was in Dovi's slipstream, Dovi couldn't still pull away like last year. Suzuki still lacking a bit, Yamaha still lacking a lot.
Rins managed to keep up the pace throughout the whole race despite smoking the life out of his tyre out of every corner.
Miller's seat incident was very strange but he's also very lucky when he flung the seat into the pack behind him that no one copped it and came unstuck as a result - dangerous move.
Marquez needs a new last lap strategy against Dovi to replace the final corner divebomb, it just doesn't work.
Lorenzo nowhere all weekend. Will this be a repeat of Ducati 2017 for him, which given his recent bout of injuries, his age and the rise of more top class rookies coming through, could spell the end of his career sooner than he may have anticipated.
Vinales #12 still looks like a #17 most of the time.
Crutchlow didn't crash nor whinge about anyone later.

If every race is going to be like this, I might have to go to Phillip Island this year. Haven't been since 2012.
Bring on Argentina!

 

No truer words have ever been said lol

 

Haha, agree with @paulF, very true. Mr Crutchlow seems to have an inflated opinion of himself, the only rider on the grid I dont like.

 

I've been reading other forums and a lot of people are complaining about tyre life and how Michelin can't produce a tyre that can last a full race. There complaint was that Dovi (and everyone really) had to manage the pace of the race too long, just riding around at safe 'rat pace' until the last handful of laps when the 'real' racing began.

I kind of get their point, I love watching these guys ride to the absolute limit with their elbows out rubbing paint etc. But, having to strategically conserve the tyre does generally produce closer races as it keeps a bunch of riders in the lead group, as has been evident over the past few seasons.

Thinking about it, if every rider could go flat knacker without worry of tyre life for the entire race, it would just be a Marquez show, he has the ability to ride a bike beyond the limit and stay on. I'm kinda a fan of the current situation.

Thoughts anyone?

 

Michelin could easily produce a tyre that will stand up to being flogged for a whole race, but the result would be slower lap times because the tyre compound would have to be a lot harder to tolerate it. And then of course if they were flat out more often they'd start running out of fuel which would then see calls for increased fuel capacity. Vicious circle really. More fuel = more weight.

F1 suffers from the same problem where fuel and tyre management prevent the drivers from going flat out all the time. The difference there is I think it really does spoil the racing. Not sure it makes a difference to the show for the bikes.

If you want to really see a Marquez show, reduce the amount of electronic control available in MotoGP and see who can really handle 300bhp on a bike.

 

Yes, this.

Wasn't this a similar statement that Stoner said in his retirement speech (or was it in his autobiography?).. in any case, he wanted electronics reduced so the rider had more control.

Stoner v Marquez in this situation......drool !!

 

Aside from Marquez riding off into the distance, Argentina turned on a good race.

What is wrong with Vinales? Yet again he shows great qualifying pace but come the race, he can't get the thing off the line and takes 80% of the race to get going. He's never going to win whilst this trend continues. Was interesting to see Rossi pass Dovi in a straight line towards the end of the race, I wonder if the Ducati was in some kind of fuel saving mode by then or if Dovi had run out of tyres?

For the first time in my life I felt sorry for Crutchlow for the rubbish jump start. They need to revise the rules to ensure the penalty reflects the advantage gained. In this case, he didn't gain any advantage so he shouldn't have been penalised.

 

Marc was always going to crash or win that race, he was on a different level there last year too. Here’s hoping he has a rough time at Austin (a circuit he has never lost at) next race. Just for the competition!

Hoping to see Lorenzo doing better later in the year when he’s had more bike time and is fully fit.

Vinales is still having those early race problems even when he was on soft soft he couldn’t break through early in the race and ended up paying for it later when Morbidelli took him out.

IMO Rossi passed Dovi under brakes not on a straight then stopped him turning in forcing him into the dirty part of the track.
I thought Rossi looked a bit quicker than Dovi the whole race but couldn’t make a move stick as the Ducati is so much faster! Waited until the last lap when Dovi couldn’t fight back. That’s the veteran experience shining through.

I agree about Crutchlow, the angle they showed us it didn’t look like he moved at all and the rules actually state that if you are slightly over the line as he was it’s ok if you stopped before the start.

Im already exited for 2020 because it looks like that factory Ducati is Millers baring an injury or something.

 

Agree. The only rider on the grid I don't like, I just don't gel with his personality, but my god was he stiff. I for the life of me couldn't see an advantage gained, very hard done by.

For Dovi and the other contenders its really a matter of damage limitation till they get back to Europe, Marc rides around Argentina and Texas like no other. I was hoping someone other than Marc would get holeshot just for a little excitement but once Marquez had it I knew he'd ride off into the sunset.

Shame Rins had issues with QF, he had another strong race coming through the pack.

Agree with @Nuncasuficiente Miller has started strong on the 19 machine albeit a DNF in race 1. It will be interesting to see the mindset of Danilo if Miller keeps this up, I think the pressure may get to him

Also, was great to see Remy Gardiner do so well in Moto2. He seems to be loving his new team and new engines