Styrian Grand Prix - Red Bull Ring

[René]

Summer holiday is over for the MotoGP circus. This weekend race 1 of the Austrian double header. The championship battle between Fabio Quartararo, Johann Zarco and Francesco Bagnaia will continue and who knows, maybe defending champion Joan Mir and Jack Miller can restart their championship challenge again.

The big story however of the day and no doubt the weekend is of course the announced retirement of racing legend Valentino Rossi. 26 seasons and nine overall titles (seven in the premier class) are mind blowing numbers. One of the all time greats.

[charleselan]

A decision by Valentino Rossi to retire at the end of this year, although I think we may see him in some car racing maybe GT which would be good.

I really would like to see Zarco win this weekend, but the stars always seem to be against him; could be another KTM win with Miguel Oliveira onboard. Home win and all that .

[chrisb]

well I missed the above as was away however just caught up with it last night and well done Jorge Martin, appears we have a new Jorge! I have no idea how Zarco must be feeling, mixed I guess, a terrible race again for Maverick, I still can't believe he is going to Aprilla, but maybe he sees something we don't. Lucky escape for Dani and Salvo, and a brilliant result for Fabio, thought Mir was good and a bit unsure about Rins, he is just not getting the results, but the biggest heartache must go to Jack, that had his name on the trophy for me, still better luck next weekend guys,

[charleselan]

I am beginning too get the feeling that Johann Zarco will become the Chris Amon of MotoGP. The irony that his young team mate won the race and the first MotoGP for Pramac is so unjust in my opinion.

I paid only a passing interest in the race as I was glued to the WSB race run elsewhere which was infinitely more compelling. The Austrian circuit really doesn't lend itself to modern day motorcycle racing and that crash involving the returning Dani Pedrosa was very frightening indeed, and poor Salvatori had nowhere to go as he was completely unsighted. it could have ended far worse in consequence but thankfully he is reasonably Ok and Dani did not get hit by a following rider.

Marquez riding on the first lap of both starts was an absolute disgrace and I am surprised that Aleix was more interested in blaming the officials for not acting than the perpetrator.

[chrisb]

I do hope that is not the case John and Zarco breaks his duck this weekend, and balances his books,

I am not a great fan of the truncated circuit, be it with cars or bikes and the speeds the bikes attain is just downright scary, I worry more about Moto3 in truth and Mat Oxley has written a good article about their dangers, I hope that we don't have any repeats of either Dani's moment or any previous serious incidents repeated, that was scary what happened with Dani and Salvo and could have led to far more serious consequences

Marquez is a bit like Michael, I am the best [are you?] therefore whatever I do is acceptable, and for Aleix expecting the stewards to do anything is just not going to happen,

talking of Moto3 and the new star Acosta, who is very special but my word do the commentators need to tell us this every 5 bloody seconds, it was Marquez they used to talk about in any category and now its Acosta, we know he is good, thank you chaps, but we don't need reminding quite so often....

[charleselan]

We can but hope Chris, also that he doesn't get mired behind Jack Miller once again, something that has happened all too often this season and ruined his race.

This crashing or barging into another riders is rapidly becoming acceptable if one listens to these so called experts in the commentary box, ex-riders who should know better but then ask yourself the question how many of them were actually elite class riders. James Whitham is the only one who actually makes a clear statement about it and you can detect from the tone in his voice that the move wasn't legit. There is a big difference between "hard but fair" and a late lunge that smashes another rider out of the way.

Just remember it was the loose acceptance of Ayrton's moves that brought about what we now see in car racing. It should have been dealt with by firm race direction back in the day, and the same applies to motorcycle racing and what the likes of Marquez has got away with. It matters not their status in the sport or their marketability.

[chrisb]

I do so agree John, it was almost an embarrassed FIA who let Ayrton 'get away' with some over aggressive driving and now as you say it is happening more and more in Moto bikes, one of the reasons I am not a Joan fan is his overtaking style, whereas others do it so sweetly he does not, as Jack would testify. I suppose one could say the same of Rossi and how he also 'got away' with some very dubious moves earlier in his career but what Marquez is doing is not overtaking but barging,

I understand that the dashboards are going to have two extra messages applications from now on, except Marquez I believe....

[charleselan]

Aug 12, 2021 5:57:49 GMT chrisb said:

I do so agree John, it was almost an embarrassed FIA who let Ayrton 'get away' with some over aggressive driving and now as you say it is happening more and more in Moto bikes, one of the reasons I am not a Joan fan is his overtaking style, whereas others do it so sweetly he does not, as Jack would testify. I suppose one could say the same of Rossi and how he also 'got away' with some very dubious moves earlier in his career but what Marquez is doing is not overtaking but barging,

I understand that the dashboards are going to have two extra messages applications from now on, except Marquez I believe....

Chris, Marquez dash would have just one message, "carry on regardless".

I take it you mean Mir, I am no fan of his either never have been.