MotoGP thread

ChuckManual

FX_Munkee said:

I just watched it again on 5, even though I knew the result. It was that good.

I can only watch it on 5 - but, when I was going through the Deleted files on my Sky box, I had to restore it and watch it again too!

gubble

73 overtakes in the top group of riders in 27 laps - you don't get that in F1

sinbaadi

Mir rode a great race to seal the Moto 3 title against what is a ridiculously competitive and ruthless field of riders.

Moto 2 was good too but I'm disappointed that Luthi is faltering.  Quite similar to Dovi, but I think Marquez is a class apart so it's hard to be critical!

ChuckManual

Zarco's performance can't go without a mention.

It felt like he was personally responsible for at least 94 of those 73 overtaking maneuvers! 

gubble

Up until now I've been using my mate's bt sport login in exchange for a certain on demand login of my own. They've now cancelled BT before the last two races of the season !!!!!!!!

Having looked at the cost of BT Sport I'm flabbergasted it's so much considering I only watch 1 sport

ChuckManual

Well, the season closer was not without incident! 

I think Julian Ryder put it best when he said, "On each occasion that Jorge's been given the chance to either; do the decent thing, or be the better man, or to make amends, or just hold his hands up and take it on the chin - he's done absolutely 100% the wrong thing, every single time..."

Dodge

ChuckManual said:

Well, the season closer was not without incident! 

I think Julian Ryder put it best when he said, "On each occasion that Jorge's been given the chance to either; do the decent thing, or be the better man, or to make amends, or just hold his hands up and take it on the chin - he's done absolutely 100% the wrong thing, every single time..."

Yep, and Dovi made him look pretty average over the season.

Unreal save from Marquez though to keep himself upright!

gubble

Just read that Tech will no longer be running Yamaha's after this season (speculation is them becoming a KTM satellite team)

Didn't expect that........

rsvmark

Good luck with those then. Hardly competitive last season....and potentially running last years bikes? 

gubble

Depends on what they do this year I suppose. KTM have a massive budget to throw at this project and they will pay a lot of money to get an Alien in the factory team next year. Rumours are abound they're trying to tempt MM93 however the smart money is on them having Zarco which will also sweeten the Tech 3 deal

ChuckManual

WSB starts this weekend. 

Feels like a VERY long time since I've seen a bike race...

gubble

o yesterday was interesting.

So happy for Cal - i'm never his biggest fan but he's British and works damn hard. One thing i do like is his attitude to winning - he's never surprised that he wins as he knows it's his job to go out and do that. 

Felt bad for Miller but also understood the decision to delay the start as 23 bikes leaving pit lane all at once would be too dangerous.

As for MM93. Stalling a bike on the grid, refusing to follow the rules by letting the marshall assist you off the grid. Then riding the wrong way on the grid back to join the rest of the riders whilst holding up the start was stupid & dangerous. They should have black flagged him straight away. Then for him to carve up Espagaro leading to being forced to drop a place before then doing the same to Rossi was just reckless and immature.

If it had been any other rider (excluding VR46 as i'm adamant he and MM93 get special treatment as they're the big ticket draws) they would have been black flagged for sure.

FX_Munkee

Entirely agreed, the penalty for the stall was fair enough but what he did after that was ridiculous. Anybody else would have been black flagged. IRTA or whatever they're called ended the day looking pretty stupid/biased/ineffective IMHO

rsvmark

He has been given another ride through penalty after the chequered flag so drops to 18th or 19tth and nil points. He was riding outside his (enormous) capability though and race direction should have acted quicker

sinbaadi

I think the difference between Marquez and the others was just so big that he felt he couldn't get stuck behind anyone for more than a corner, because he was losing huge amounts of time.  
It was disappointing to see him make those errors of judgement.  The Espargaro one was a poor prediction of what the rider in front would do and the Rossi one was just braking too late from too far back (which probably was very close to his normal braking point).
The whole start sequence was extraordinary and Miller was denied the advantage his decision should have given to him.  

keithf

marquez is undeniably a superb talent but yet again its proved that he can get away with murder, Can you imagine the repercussions  if it had been simoncelli (rip) who'd tried those moves,

rsvmark

sinbaadi said:

I think the difference between Marquez and the others was just so big that he felt he couldn't get stuck behind anyone for more than a corner, because he was losing huge amounts of time.  

Agreed and that demonstrates a lack of maturity- let's be honest. We know and he knows he can slice through a field at will. He was lapping at a second less than the leaders and 2 secs or more less than those in front of him. He knows he could have recovered the situation to a point much better than a dnf. Why be reckless and ride like a twat? 

On the other hand there have been some marvellous inconsistency of race penalties over the last few years.

sinbaadi

rsvmark said:

sinbaadi said:

I think the difference between Marquez and the others was just so big that he felt he couldn't get stuck behind anyone for more than a corner, because he was losing huge amounts of time.  

Agreed and that demonstrates a lack of maturity- let's be honest. We know and he knows he can slice through a field at will. He was lapping at a second less than the leaders and 2 secs or more less than those in front of him. He knows he could have recovered the situation to a point much better than a dnf. Why be reckless and ride like a twat? 

He probably thought he had a shot at the win, but he could not hesitate when making the passes.  Realistically, anyone with that mindset would have been likely to make such mistakes passing 20 odd riders.  
He really is uncompromising, and I think he is as incredible as he is because of that.  Yes, he could have cruised through from the beginning and finished top 6ish- good points given the ride-through.  I don't think I want him to start making those mature decisions, though.  I want him to go for it, every time!

rsvmark

sinbaadi said:

rsvmark said:

sinbaadi said:

I think the difference between Marquez and the others was just so big that he felt he couldn't get stuck behind anyone for more than a corner, because he was losing huge amounts of time.  

Agreed and that demonstrates a lack of maturity- let's be honest. We know and he knows he can slice through a field at will. He was lapping at a second less than the leaders and 2 secs or more less than those in front of him. He knows he could have recovered the situation to a point much better than a dnf. Why be reckless and ride like a twat? 

He probably thought he had a shot at the win, but he could not hesitate when making the passes.  Realistically, anyone with that mindset would have been likely to make such mistakes passing 20 odd riders.  
He really is uncompromising, and I think he is as incredible as he is because of that.  Yes, he could have cruised through from the beginning and finished top 6ish- good points given the ride-through.  I don't think I want him to start making those mature decisions, though.  I want him to go for it, every time!

I agree, I'm not suggesting he should play safe at all but he should ride safe. Racing is rubbing right? But there is a line between that and the Espogaro/Rossi incidents

ChuckManual

I can't pretend to be absolutely bang up on all the rules, but surely everyone other than Jack Miller should have started from pit lane, after changing their minds about what tyres they were going to use?