Anticipation of a great forthcoming season..........

[charleselan]

Like many I would assume the anticipation of a great MotoGP season is far more profound than what lies ahead with regard to F1. This weekend sees the beginning of what could be a momentous season; at this stage who knows which rider or team will prevail.

I should imagine quite a few followers will be rooting for Dovi on the Ducati, after the great season he had last year. Also who cannot have been hugely impressed with Johann Zarco's maiden season in 2017; if he doesn't win a GP this year I will be very surprised even though he is on a "satellite" motorcycle. It will be Tec 3's last year with Yamaha machinery , however the wonderful opportunity afforded the team of full factory spec KTM's next year is just reward. It is a great shame that the Japanese manufacturers do not supply the same equipment to their "satellite" teams; KTM have it right and they do not!

[chrisb]

totally with you Charles, I am trying to work my diary around the practice and race - with other needs/ wants - i am so looking forward to this and well, last year Maverick was awesome to begin with, so given how well Zarco is going on last years bike - might be worth a fiver?

I get the sense from the motorbike fan community they would just like to see Dovi outscore Lorenzo, there was very little appreciation of Jorge last year - especially in the last race,

Funny enough i was mulling over thoughts around supporting one's country's riders, in F1 I am just not patriotic and my favourite driver is a German yet to be on the podium, yet, especially in Moto2 + 3 I am really supportive of the likes of Danny Kent, [will he do it this time?] Lowes, McPhee etc, but again my favourite riders in MotoGp [after Scott of course]-happen to be Maverick and Zarco, -

Yamaha on the road have produced some amazing bikes, the R1 of course but the 7 + 9 3 cylinder series are pretty special and is the twin front wheel jobbie but on the MotoGP they do seem to be a bit lost, all the speculation around Sky46 taking over the satellite team, is this what is going to happen? but in a way i do understand that Yamaha wouldn't give Herve equal status because they would be so embarrassed if they got beaten, which they did

I do think KTM and Ducati have a better philosophy with regards to supplying other teams and will reap the rewards as has Honda with Cal, i just wonder if KTM will still have a factory team as well, and if Aprilla will follow suit?

[Deleted]

Would love to see an humble and underrated guy like Dovi to repeat himself, but I suspect it's difficult to see beyond Marquez.

[charleselan]

Chris,

I think that there is little doubt that KTM will have a full factory team as well as Tec 3 in 2019, the only thing I wonder about is whether Johan Zarco will still be with Hervé and Tec 3, surely Yamaha won't be stupid enough to let him go but with Rossi still hanging around it would look likely.

Yamaha do appear to be in some trouble and it cannot help having riders who pull in different directions, in my opinion they miss Jorge. As you say they make some great bikes for road use and to this day my favourite bike I have ever ridden was the 1999 Yamaha R6, and to this very day I regret not buying one, instead sticking with a Honda CBR600. The R6 fitted me like a glove from the moment I got on it, but it did encourage me to ride far too fast, so maybe for the best.

My concern with Ducati is that Dovi and Jorge will end up taking points away from one another; I have little doubt that Jorge will be up to speed especially if he can get a feeling for the Michelin tyres. Dani will not be taking points from Marquez but Rossi and Mav" are not going to working together are they!

I really hope that Scott can get to grips with the Aprillia; he really has to put Espargaro away and as he isn't Spanish he won't be getting many more chances. Personally I would like to be my young cousins manager as he needs to sort some issues out in the way he portrays himself in interviews, all the "effing and blinding" is not giving a good professional image. I am no saint, far from it, but there is a time and place for such things. I know of personalities that swear like troopers off air, but when on air are professional and watch what they say, Eddie Jordan being a good case in point.

Danny Kent is another that someone needs to get hold of, for other reasons. He needs a Ken Tyrrell to sort him out; spell it out to him that if he wants to be a top GP racer then cut the Prima Donna attitude and knuckle down even if the bike isn't to his liking.

Crutchlow I admire for his dogged determination, but I am not enamoured by his attitude. His constant clever dick put down of others when being interviewed is tiresome and not endearing. If he managed to stay on his bike more often he would have accumulated far more points over several seasons, he should learn to ride within his limitations and stop the put downs of others.

[charleselan]

This afternoon thanks to an excellent internet stream of BT Sport 2 I viewed the second free practice sessions of all three Moto categories. Superb viewing and with particular reference to MotoGP it was like watching Formula One of old; excitement and anticipation, plus it was easy to see who was on a quick lap helped by excellent on screen times.

It was also noted from the commentary team that the rule makers had to be applauded  in how they have made all the different manufacturers come so close in performance and all with completely different designs of chassis and engine. The top 10 places were all within one second of one another. If MotoGP can get this right then why can't those Oh! so clever people in F1 do the same.................. the answer greed and self seeking stupidity.

Moto is going to be one hell of a season .

[chrisb]

JohnCharles, wonderful assessment - I have just watched the 'no-spolier' editions of M3, 2 and Gp and am over the moon to be watching it! I am not that enamoured with the circuit but for a Middle-Eastern circuit it is a lot better than the others, sadly two of my favourite commentators on have moved on and a rather excitable and very young sounding new one has started - but we'll see,

Lin is suggesting the 'new' satellite team will have a factory bike at their disposal and Scott's old team, whom I actually felt he was best suited with [VDS] are favourites to run it, totally agree -Scott is a real character and a very quick rider who if he beats Esparago is doing a fantastic job, but I do believe he is capable of that -although apparently E's wife is expecting twins, so maybe Scott will get a helping hand! but swearing isn't cool - Rossi and Dovi have showed us how to get people on your side, and yes an elder mentor seems to be what is needed or an engineer that stays with him for longer than a year,

Honda - I sense they are going to be the team to beat, the new engine seems to be what they need, Cal is someone who I cheered when he won but someone I could never connect with like Scott or Maverick and his 'quips' aren't really very witty and a tadge boring - Marc has added something to his considerable skill, brains - I sense all the talk of GOAT will be settled by the time he retires

Ducati, I think you are spot on, I would love to see Dovi win this year but Jorge is one very focused individual although there is a rumour he may go to Suzuki - be interesting - Petrucci is quick and one day who knows

Yamaha- Rossi was very good today - Mav has gone from golden boy to cabin boy and i do fear that is not what will help, but i would love to see Mav win,

the KTM's seem to be struggling - but we'll see , am a bit puzzled by Smithy,

Moto2 - Lowes is looking good and Danny had a good run

But John, a few years ago MotoGp was in the doldrums, and now it is a premier series, why? because Dorna thought about the sport not themselves,

[Carl]

MotoGP exemplifies how enlightened ownership can present wonderful racing. Unless the goal is self-enrichment, complication isn't necessary, just ordinary good sense.

[charleselan]

A really great post Chris, one can feel your enthusiasm for this wonderful series, which I hasten to add I share in full.

It was a most enjoyable free practice session with so much going on, it just fires up the imagination and of course the anticipation for what is to follow.

Count van der Straaten was/is a big supporter of Scott and for me it was such a shame that he felt compelled to leave the team largely due to the serious problems he had with the Honda and the lack of any factory support wit the machine. A new team running that troublesome machine without much in the way of data, was never going to work. Also there was Ducati who had always wished to have Scott on board, and there was the so called promise of a full factory ride. In pre season testing Scott was very fast on the Ducati which for me confirmed his ability, however it mysteriously disappeared as soon as the 2016 season with Pramac began, only in wet races was his talent allowed to shine which to me says many things.................

Maverick is a very talented young man, but just as with Jorge the atmosphere within that team is counter productive thanks to one individual. I may end up with egg all over my face but I cannot see Rossi winning another title as there are too many top quality riders out there, and bikes from other manufacturers.

KTM are an amazingly good manufacturer and I have little doubt that they will eventually be right up at the very top, I don't see it happening this year with the riders they currently have. Next season they will need an ace, possibly Johann Zarco but Yamaha would be absolutely crazy to let him slip through their fingers.

Suzuki are looking very good this weekend and Alex Rins is now delivering the potential that everyone knows he has. The bike still lacks a little grunt on the straight but looks a fine chassis which certainly would suit Jorge and his immaculate riding style.

[Carl]

My only affordable access to MotoGP is with highlights and the occasional documentary, such as this excellent exploration of the evolution of riding style since the very earliest motorized bike race in France.