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Post by René on Sept 3, 2022 9:02:06 GMT
San Marino Grand Prix - Misano Championship leader Fabio Quartararo topped the opening practice session but it was a Ducati 1-2-3-4 in FP2 with Enea Bastianini fastest. Francesco Bagnaia was hit by a grid penalty for driving slowly on the racing line in FP1. Not good for his championship aspirations! 
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Post by chrisb on Sept 3, 2022 11:36:08 GMT
going to be an interesting qualifying to say the least, what with indifferent weather and seemingly everyone bar Honda and KTM going well, in saying that Olivera was going well,
my money is on Fabio, or maybe Maverick- they just look really good it would be ironic if Maverick wins, a year after making his debut on the Aprilla. It was also good to see Frankie going much better than of late - it would be nice to see him doing well
Jack is going so well I do think Ducati are missing a trick there - but then they missed several tricks in the past, especially with Jorge a few years ago and Dovi a couple of years ago, as after all he really did take it to Marquez,
talking of the two of them, it's goodbye from Dovi, who retires after this race, he really has been something very special, watching him from the Yamaha days to um the Yamaha days has been some journey. And Marquez, back in the pits but not riding, his expressions paints so many pictures, he has been riding a 600 on a testing track, so his fans are optimistic to say the least
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Post by René on Sept 17, 2022 9:26:27 GMT
Aragon Grand Prix - Motorland Aragón
The bikes are back in action in the heart of Spain at Motorland Aragón. Ducati looks very strong claiming the first five positions in FP3. Championship leader Fabio Quartararo only in 8th. Marc Márquez made his long-awaited return on Friday only to crash at the end of FP3 that left him in 12th. He really has zero fear.
Jack Miller was fastest so far. Qualy this afternoon.
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Post by chrisb on Sept 17, 2022 10:20:40 GMT
a very interesting series of sessions, with the return of Cal Crutchlow following Dovi's retirement and binning it, as has MM several times, I am not so sure of the bravery as he really is the walking wounded, mind you he did perform a miraculous save but we are again consigned to endless focus on him, the adoration may well be justified but I am interested in what other riders are doing as well.....
Aprilla were one of the favourites but a very disappointing 3rd session sees both of them needing to pre-qualify, sadly I have to go out so will watch the 'spoiler free' sessions later on this afternoon,
the other thing is all the GP seats are filled and the fallout with Remy Gardner is embarrassing - he is the reigning Moto2 champion but the plethora of Spanish/ Italian riders seem to get preference, so he is off to WSB to ride a Yamaha, hopefully if this manufacturer returns to a 4 bike team in 2024 he might get another chance - either way he may well benefit from a much more relaxed atmosphere at WSB - so no seats for a Brit in 2023 MotoGP
Moto2 - exciting - these Triumph-engined machines certainly provide some great racing, Jake is doing well so fingers crossed as Sam is still side-lined with a shoulder injury, no idea if Sam has a ride for next year of if John McPhee has either
Moto3, well - always exciting -
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Post by René on Sept 24, 2022 9:24:43 GMT
Japanese Grand Prix - MotegiSensation in Japan! A typhoon threat could not stop Marc Márquez to score his first pole position in three years. Márquez was already fastest in a wet FP2 and after the cancelled FP3, he was the fastest man again in qualifying in trecherous conditions at Motegi. You can never write him off! The title contenders were not up to speed this time. Espargaro in 6th, Quartararo in 9th and Bagnaia only in 12th.
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Post by chrisb on Sept 30, 2022 13:37:29 GMT
my apologies Rene for not responding earlier, and as it is now almost a week since the Japanese GP we are now at the equally exciting Thailand circuit, but going back to Japan - what a brilliant ride by Jack, an incredible ride by his next years team mate Brad Binder who got a brilliant 2nd, that is going to be some team next year, the quotes will be epic and finally a non-European works team, Pecco blew his chances as did Aleish and Fabio was a poor but all he could do 8th - oh and Marquez didn't do badly but the commentators were there usual effusive selves.
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Post by René on Sept 30, 2022 17:56:00 GMT
Chris my friend, no apologies needed. 
I actually thought the Thailand GP was next week but it's this weekend!
Thailand Grand Prix - Buriram
A super fast Marc Márquez in FP1 and a Ducati 1-2-3-4 in FP2 with Johann Zarco fastest.
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Post by chrisb on Oct 3, 2022 17:05:05 GMT
What a race rain as only a monsoon can bring an incredible ride by Miguel eclipsing even Jack and was just class
A dreadful day for Fabio and now with 3 races left and well it looks like the massed Ducati ranks are going to make life very difficult for Fabio but at least Frankie was having a better time
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Post by René on Oct 3, 2022 18:38:52 GMT
What a race rain as only a monsoon can bring an incredible ride by Miguel eclipsing even Jack and was just class A dreadful day for Fabio and now with 3 races left and well it looks like the massed Ducati ranks are going to make life very difficult for Fabio but at least Frankie was having a better time It would be quite dramatic if Fabio loses the title in these last few races! |
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Post by chrisb on Oct 5, 2022 7:37:49 GMT
it would be a disaster Rene,
there is an interesting article in MotorSport by Mat Oxley with regards to what seems to be happening in MotoGP and how Ducati PR are really becoming quite F1 in mentality, he and a number of journalists have been blacklisted by Ducati PR, as they are mot saying what the Ducati PR people want them to say - it's a good read and one that shows you how Ducati are now the dominant factor in MotoGP with so many bikes and so much power, and I don't just mean engine power. Next year with no Suzuki's and only 2 Yamaha's it will make the whole series much more Eurocentric and I am not sure that is such a good thing, I would love to see Suzuki do a U-turn, after all it is a very good bike, another team coming in with two more Yamaha's and Honda also considering running three teams, - now that would be interesting
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Post by René on Oct 15, 2022 9:34:57 GMT
Australian Grand Prix - Phillip IslandLot's of talk about wallabies running over the track but it was Jorge Martin who snatched pole from an equally sensational Marc Márquez. Title rivals Bagnaia and Quartararo are 3rd and 5th.
Jorge Martin set a new lap record at Phillip Island
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Post by mikael on Oct 15, 2022 13:08:26 GMT
Without, admittedly, following MotoGP too closely these days, it continues to fascinate me how the building style of the GP racing bikes has changed completely, from the low-slung and almost Formula-car inspired machines of the early 1980's, to the tall-legged, almost motocross bike-like (I would say) machines of today.
Then ...
... and now.
A state-of-the-art motocross bike of 1981;
... and one of 2022. Not much taller/long-legged than a GP racer ...
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Post by Carl on Oct 15, 2022 19:03:18 GMT
Mikael,
Well observed! The MotoGP bikes of today are tall-legged, just as you say, with clearly more room for the suspension of both wheels to compress and expand. Could having greater suspension travel be an advantage for today's riders and today's riding style?
Cheers, Carl
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Post by mikael on Oct 15, 2022 19:40:28 GMT
Mikael, Well observed! The MotoGP bikes of today are tall-legged, just as you say, with clearly more room for the suspension of both wheels to compress and expand. Could having greater suspension travel be an advantage for today's riders and today's riding style? Cheers, Carl Carl,
I think it's a matter of getting the centre of mass high up, to be able to get the extreme "lean angles" of today's cornering style. I don't think the suspension travel is that long; and nowhere near that of a motocross bike.
It's an evolution no-one would have imagined, say, forty years ago. In the 80's, it was all about getting the centre of mass down.
Best,
Mikael
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Post by René on Oct 21, 2022 9:57:22 GMT
Malaysian Grand Prix - SepangFabio Quartararo lost the lead in the championship to Francesco Bagnaia. But with only two races to go there is still all to play for. Bagnaia could clinch the title this weekend if Quartararo has a bad weekend. In theory four drivers can still win: Bagnaia, Quartararo, Espargaro and Bastianini but it will most likely be between Bagnaia and Quartararo.
Very changeable weather conditions so far in Sepang. Binder fastest in FP1 and Crutchlow in FP2.
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