MotoGP - Motegi

[Yorick]

Blimey. The Top lads are scared of him already before he's fully fit.

https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10127 ... understand

[Yorick]

And I'll put this separately. His problem now is muscle weakness and he can't ride a MotoGP bike at race circuits between races.

But can't Honda give him a tweaked version of the RCV211 road bike to play on at non GP circuits?

[Noggin]

The muscle will come back to strength really quite quickly - he'll be under a full on regime of physio etc. But physio and OT won't compensate for lack of bike time. It's more 'bike-fit' or 'bike-strength' that he needs (in the arm) than actual strength. So yes, even if he could ride a different bike (similar seating position etc) then that would REALLY help him

[Noggin]

Due to it being ridiculously early and me not really 'tuning in' to the commentary - why did someone ride his bike to the pits and not the start grid and throw it at the mechanics and get the spare?? (Started with B. I think, but I've forgotten which B !)

[ChrisW]

Aleix Espargaro - warning lights on his dash & his bike went into some kind of limp mode as he set off on the warm-up lap.

[Noggin]

Aleix Espargaro - warning lights on his dash & his bike went into some kind of limp mode as he set off on the warm-up lap.

Thank you. I didn't catch the warning light bit or limp bit!! I must work out the vocab I need to learn and study before the next race!! LOL

And, not a B in sight of that name Must have needed more coffee before I watched!! LOL

[Skub]

Pecco is doing his best to throw it all away. Watching the antics of Tardozzi is top entertainment. Bastianini better watch himself.

[mangocrazy]

I'm not unhappy with that result - gives Fabio a fraction more breathing room (which he will need) and allows Bastianini to close the gap a bit. Biggest shame was Asparagus the Elder - he could have made major inroads into the championship battle if a mechanic/keyboard warrior hadn't cocked up. It certainly shows that while Pecco and the Ducati are very fast, they haven't nailed the consistency yet. Next season, if Marquez is fully fit again I think he'll give all the pretenders to the throne some serious headaches.

[wull]

Asparagus the Elder

[wull]

Just read - there has been one last lap overtake in MotoGP in the last 21 races.

It’s definitely becoming F1.

[Supermofo]

It's been said for years but it's still true, the only person who'll stop Marc is Marc. IMO a fit Marc is head and shoulders the best rider out there, although of course to win it you've gotta not smash yourself to buggery and that's the bit that'll do for him.

Often the best riders get accused of also having the best bike, Ago, Rossi, Stoner etc and Marc got accused of the same but you've only got to see the absolute mess that bike is with anyone else in the last 3 years to see that the Honda is a pig to ride. This is quite telling

Marquez - who remains the top Honda rider in the world championship (15th) despite missing 8 of the 15 races - has a best result of fourth so far this season.

I'd put Fabio a close second though, that boy needs a faster bike and I hope he gets it. Cal did well again showing up the rest of the Yamaha boys. That bike doesn't look like it suits anyone but Fabio, but Frankie is just looking embarrassing now.

Ducati are back in the old mess with their riders tripping each other up. Pecco threw that away when he should have gone for the points.

[mangocrazy]

I'd put Fabio a close second though, that boy needs a faster bike and I hope he gets it. Cal did well again showing up the rest of the Yamaha boys. That bike doesn't look like it suits anyone but Fabio, but Frankie is just looking embarrassing now.

I think that Fabio is almost at the same level as Marc, but that's purely a feeling and I can't back it up in any way. Agree totally about the Yamaha - Fabio's only got one leg in an arse-kicking contest. I really hope that he has a competitive bike next year - there will be fireworks between him and Marc if so. I cannot fathom how Frankie still has a ride, to be honest, and Cal definitely still has speed.

Ducati are back in the old mess with their riders tripping each other up. Pecco threw that away when he should have gone for the points.

Pecco's great when things are going his way, such as when he's controlling the race from the front, but less so when he's in the pack. I wouldn't wish a crash on any of the riders, but Pecco's mistake made the championship chase just a bit more level. I think that next year Bastianini will be a real thorn in Pecco's side - he's shown signs of getting under Pecco's skin already.

[westers151]

I think it was Hodgson who said that Frankie is lucky that he has a two year contract, and after the shambles of Vinalles, Yamaha didn't want to go through that again by getting rid of Frankie.

Unless Frankie's form improves dramatically, next year, I can see that being his MotoGP career over. What team would want him if he's spent two seasons finishing near the back?

[Yorick]

I think it was Hodgson who said that Frankie is lucky that he has a two year contract, and after the shambles of Vinalles, Yamaha didn't want to go through that again by getting rid of Frankie.

Unless Frankie's form improves dramatically, next year, I can see that being his MotoGP career over. What team would want him if he's spent two seasons finishing near the back?

It's funny that at Aragon, none of the riders on the new whizz bang bikes beat Frankie's lap record of a few years ago.

[mangocrazy]

I think it was Hodgson who said that Frankie is lucky that he has a two year contract, and after the shambles of Vinalles, Yamaha didn't want to go through that again by getting rid of Frankie.

Unless Frankie's form improves dramatically, next year, I can see that being his MotoGP career over. What team would want him if he's spent two seasons finishing near the back?

It's funny that at Aragon, none of the riders on the new whizz bang bikes beat Frankie's lap record of a few years ago.

Yes, that is a bit of an elephant in the room - could it have been due to optimum conditions on race day or somesuch? And a rider totally confident in his bike? It's not the case at other circuits - lap times are getting faster year on year on most tracks.

[Yorick]

I think it was Hodgson who said that Frankie is lucky that he has a two year contract, and after the shambles of Vinalles, Yamaha didn't want to go through that again by getting rid of Frankie.

Unless Frankie's form improves dramatically, next year, I can see that being his MotoGP career over. What team would want him if he's spent two seasons finishing near the back?

It's funny that at Aragon, none of the riders on the new whizz bang bikes beat Frankie's lap record of a few years ago.

Yes, that is a bit of an elephant in the room - could it have been due to optimum conditions on race day or somesuch? And a rider totally confident in his bike? It's not the case at other circuits - lap times are getting faster year on year on most tracks.

Jorge was faster at Motegi on the Yams all them years ago.

Screenshot_20220926-150315_Samsung Internet.jpg (418.87 KiB) Viewed 375 times

[westers151]

It's funny that at Aragon, none of the riders on the new whizz bang bikes beat Frankie's lap record of a few years ago.

The trouble is the paddock has very short memories, and they'll have forgotten about what Frankie did 2 years ago.

The guy can ride, but his confidence and motivation must be shot to pieces by now. I wonder if he can tap his mate Rossi up for a contract in 2024 on a Ducati? (pretty sure Frankie is part of the VR46 academy, or if not he trains on Rossi's ranch).

[mangocrazy]

Jorge was faster at Motegi on the Yams all them years ago.

That'd be on them thar Bridgestones, I reckon...

[Yorick]

Jorge was faster at Motegi on the Yams all them years ago.

That'd be on them thar Bridgestones, I reckon...

Yup. Good point. Wonder why Michelin are so far behind.

[mangocrazy]

Jorge was faster at Motegi on the Yams all them years ago.

That'd be on them thar Bridgestones, I reckon...

Yup. Good point. Wonder why Michelin are so far behind.

I really don't know, it may have been a directive from Carmelo to slow the race pace down. That's all I can think of. I'm sure Michelin could make a tyre that's seconds a lap faster than their current tyres if they really wanted to.