MotoGP

[FTR London]

of course - but it's been officially announced at MotoGP.com now.
Now we just wait for the inevitable 'and he's joining his brother at Gresini' announcement

As I understand it Gresini are keen to secure a two year deal, whereas the Márquez camp only wants one year. This will allow him to move in the longer term to a factory seat in 2025, possibly KTM. Leaving Honda for a satellite team avoided the severance payment on his HRC contract.

I can understand the decision from MM93 because he is a champion and needs a winner MotoGP bike.

It's not a winning team though and is arguably at the bottom of the Ducati pecking order. Gresini had the full backing of Honda through Daijiro Kato which after his untimely death went to Gibernau who was the main contender to Rossi in 2003 and 2004 whilst Melandri took up the mantle in 2005. Since then, it would have been interesting to see whether Simoncelli would have been able to mount a title challenge on a Gresini bike. He certainly had the backing from HRC. I think Marc will definitely win races though, particularly given his astonishing performances recently on one of the worst bikes on the gird.

 

[edgelett]

there it is.

https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2023...-marquez-to-join-gresini-racing-motogp/479743

 

[FTR London]

Sprint race: How many crashes have we seen this weekend at turn 11? Marc down early. Same crash - front ender, no warning, no feedback. The problem with a circuit pretty much expressly made for bikes, you don't have cages putting down rubber, so it is treacherous offline. Aleix gets a penalty for taking out Binder, but his only crime was being off the race line on the dirty part of the track. Shame - he had very good pace. Also a shame that Mav couldn't hold on to the lead - maybe no confidence in the front end to match the pace of Martin...Aprilia have said that it's a problem with the bike that needs addressing. Good battle with Bez though. Martin leads the championship Saturday.

Moto GP: Rear tyres are a concern here - Michelin strongly advised against using the soft option, but many did due to the low grip level. Aleix soft front and rear and paid the price 62° is unprecedented.

What a start from Martin. Chaotic first few laps. Binder rightly penalised for riding through Marini - although clearly no ill intent. Then once again after colliding with Olivera. Two long lap penalties - but 5th place in a real race of attrition.

Pecco found something overnight - likely corner entry. Martin - turn 11 again. Nothing he could do. His lap times were ridiculous though. Bagnaia, from 13th on the grid, steals the momentum back. Incredible. 18 point lead. Champions ride today. We know he's strong at the end of a race, but unbelievable defensive ride from Mav to hold off the charging Quartararo. Those tyres down to fibres. Best ever GP result for the outgoing Digi.

Crowd really good here.

Strong rumours that Olivera will be replacing Marc at Honda.

 

[edgelett]

I'm travelling so wasn't able to watch this week. sounds like it was a great race.

 

[Bomverh69]

Sprint race: How many crashes have we seen this weekend at turn 11? Marc down early. Same crash - front ender, no warning, no feedback. The problem with a circuit pretty much expressly made for bikes, you don't have cages putting down rubber, so it is treacherous offline. Aleix gets a penalty for taking out Binder, but his only crime was being off the race line on the dirty part of the track. Shame - he had very good pace. Also a shame that Mav couldn't hold on to the lead - maybe no confidence in the front end to match the pace of Martin...Aprilia have said that it's a problem with the bike that needs addressing. Good battle with Bez though. Martin leads the championship Saturday.

Moto GP: Rear tyres are a concern here - Michelin strongly advised against using the soft option, but many did due to the low grip level. Aleix soft front and rear and paid the price 62° is unprecedented.

What a start from Martin. Chaotic first few laps. Binder rightly penalised for riding through Marini - although clearly no ill intent. Then once again after colliding with Olivera. Two long lap penalties - but 5th place in a real race of attrition.

Pecco found something overnight - likely corner entry. Martin - turn 11 again. Nothing he could do. His lap times were ridiculous though. Bagnaia, from 13th on the grid, steals the momentum back. Incredible. 18 point lead. Champions ride today. We know he's strong at the end of a race, but unbelievable defensive ride from Mav to hold off the charging Quartararo. Those tyres down to fibres. Best ever GP result for the outgoing Digi.

Crowd really good here.

Strong rumours that Olivera will be replacing Marc at Honda.

Was good racing on a tricky track! Not as good as the BSB finale What an end to season...

 

[edgelett]

change of times for this weekend. race is Saturday now.

 

[edgelett]

I'm still travelling so not able to watch. I hear the race was good though with an awesome last lap. Great to see Zarco get his first ever win.

 

[FTR London]

Not a Márquez circuit this - but so pleased to see him back on the limit again. He's going to be awesome at the hard braking tracks this year. Martin is the sprint specialist. That was a statement of intent. All new Aprilia - different chassis and aero, holding its own on the straight - great to see Aleix smoking the rear. Bagnaia seemed to be struggling with grip towards the end of the race. Good to see three different manufacturers on the podium.

Acosta claimed a few scalps in his debut.

 

[FTR London]

Main race - business as usual for Ducati, although good to see Binder spoiling the party - that KTM looks so stable on the brakes. A very respectable first debut on the Desmo for Márquez - wouldn't be a surprise to see him take a victory at COTA. Disappointing from Bez, and it's going to be a long and lonely season for Marini.

Acosta is destined to be the next Marc.

 

[Face It]

Qatar would be a fun track to run

 

[edgelett]

As much as I love Jack - I suspect Pedro will have his seat for 2025. If not earlier.

 

[edgelett]

Caught up on the race - wow that was intense!

Pecco and Marc, i'd say that's a racing incident.
Great result for Acosta.
Good to see Miller close to his teammate too.

was a good race with some great passing.

 

[Helge]

All classes had good action 👍
Hope that Acosta will go forward without crashes who will come for sure.

 

[edgelett]

the King of the Baggers races are being held this weekend at the MotoGP in texas. I think they're being streamed here which is good, but timezone wise I'll miss it haha.
will record it and watch it later.

 

[edgelett]

well the weekend's race was awesme.
seems Marc is no longer the king of Texas.
well done to Pedro once again, i definitely believe the hype.
Good to see Maverick do well but what on earth is the batman thing about?

 

[FTR London]

well the weekend's race was awesme.
seems Marc is no longer the king of Texas.
well done to Pedro once again, i definitely believe the hype.
Good to see Maverick do well but what on earth is the batman thing about?

Well I guess Marc's crown was toppled back in 2022 and he was missing last year. Saying that, he looked very strong, in spite of Miller's attempts to vandalise his aero. I think if he's stayed upright he may have ruined someone's day or may have been a contender for a podium finish, but that was a very strong charge at the end from the Beast. A weird off that. The bike went very early under heavy braking just as he was about to tip it in. Had he still been on the RCV we'd probably be inclined to blame the machinery. Perhaps the loss of a wing compromised downforce?

Apparently, the Batman thing is an in-joke with the team. Personally I preferred Melandri's Spider Man antics all those year's ago on the 250 Aprilia.

Acosta is incredible. He seems to be able to place the bike wherever he needs to through will alone. Although ominously, Viñales commented this weekend that he felt he could comfortably push his bike beyond its limit which meant when Pedro's tyres began to wear, Maverick could do precisely that himself. Again, that Aprilia looked so well balanced. From being third, even fourth choice for that seat, he's completely reasserted his claim and will probably relegate Aleix to a testing role alongside his brother.

Best Grand Prix of the Americas since the days of Laguna Seca.

 

[FTR London]

Sprint race was carnage - 15 went down in 12 laps. The damp patches that are so visible from the helicopter view are almost invisible for the riders. Complete lottery. Pecco was pissed at Brad, but there was nothing wrong with that move and for once, race direction called it correctly. Shout out to Pedrosa in fourth.

A fervently passionate and partisan Spanish crowd of 300,000 in this historic venue. I have always regarded this as the Spanish Grand Prix and with the shift the Europe, the start of what Rainey used to refer to as the ground war. With 11 Spaniards out on track they have plenty to cheer for. Bagnaia adores this place. That move on lap one, full tank, round the outside of Martin may well turn out to be the pass of the season. That is so hard to make stick. Superb. And what a way to respond after the disappointment of Saturday. Terrible move by Aleix, taking out Zarco. and an equally awful transgression by MorbideIli on Miller.

I started to suspect that Martin would be out of sight by the summer break. Anything can happen in this sport though and things can change so quickly when riding on the absolute limit lap after lap. Pecco pressurising him into Pedrosa corner - but like Marc at the last race, that front end went bizarrely early.

Marc was so impressive round these lefts - outrageous corner speed. Awesome though seeing Pecco respond to Marc's charge. What a finish! Two riders that would sooner both end up in the gravel than concede defeat - and at a circuit that almost ended Marc's career. Two laps to go Pecco put in a qualifying lap and smashed the record at 1.37.4!!! Unbelievable. Marc, personal best on last lap. Loved Pecco's rubber on his leathers.

A welcome podium for Bez in front of his boss.