MotoGP Australia

[weeksy]

Seems the wind is playing a factor and the main race moved to Sat now

Practice
1 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) 1'27.943s 23/25 347k
2 Jack Miller AUS Red Bull KTM (RC16) +0.148s 26/27 346k
3 Maverick Viñales SPA Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) +0.269s 21/23 344k
4 Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP23) +0.279s 26/26 347k
5 Pol Espargaro SPA Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) +0.420s 22/24 344k
6 Marco Bezzecchi ITA Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) +0.425s 25/27 344k
7 Fabio Di Giannantonio ITA Gresini Ducati (GP22) +0.509s 24/27 345k
8 Enea Bastianini ITA Ducati Lenovo (GP23) +0.510s 21/23 351k
9 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) +0.513s 19/21 341k
10 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP23) +0.513s 20/25 345k
11 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Lenovo (GP23) +0.699s 24/25 345k
12 Alex Rins SPA LCR Honda (RC213V) +0.701s 22/24 342k
13 Augusto Fernandez SPA Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* +0.713s 23/24 343k
14 Raul Fernandez SPA RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) +0.716s 25/27 343k
15 Alex Marquez SPA Gresini Ducati (GP22) +0.718s 25/26 347k
16 Marc Marquez SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +0.847s 17/22 345k
17 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.994s 26/27 344k
18 Joan Mir SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +1.064s 22/23 342k
19 Luca Marini ITA Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) +1.221s 23/24 345k
20 Miguel Oliveira POR RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) +1.768s 24/25 343k
21 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) +1.807s 22/27 342k
22 Franco Morbidelli ITA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +1.965s 20/21 344k

[ChrisW]

Casey Stoney was great value in commentary during FP1. Made a lot of sense(well, he was saying things that I agree with!) re the direction of the bikes' development and the state of the MotoGP in general.

[weeksy]

Casey Stoney was great value in commentary during FP1. Made a lot of sense(well, he was saying things that I agree with!) re the direction of the bikes' development and the state of the MotoGP in general.

For example ?

[ChrisW]

Casey Stoney was great value in commentary during FP1. Made a lot of sense(well, he was saying things that I agree with!) re the direction of the bikes' development and the state of the MotoGP in general.

For example ?

The usual get rid of the wings/ride-height devices stuff but also talking about how the electronics stifle/define so much the riding style needed to go quick on these bikes that the only place a rider can really make a difference is in braking and corner entry, hence we're seeing so many incidents there.

He was also talking about the grid inequity / Ducati having too many bikes etc. Suzi Perry was trying to reign him in a bit.

Also - the spec MM ECU apparently still shows a Ducati logo when you boot it up

[ChrisW]

[Skub]

Casey Stoney was great value in commentary during FP1. Made a lot of sense(well, he was saying things that I agree with!) re the direction of the bikes' development and the state of the MotoGP in general.

For example ?

The usual get rid of the wings/ride-height devices stuff but also talking about how the electronics stifle/define so much the riding style needed to go quick on these bikes that the only place a rider can really make a difference is in braking and corner entry, hence we're seeing so many incidents there.

He was also talking about the grid inequity / Ducati having too many bikes etc. Suzi Perry was trying to reign him in a bit.

Also - the spec MM ECU apparently still shows a Ducati logo when you boot it up

CS made a very plausible case for ditching the tech. I liked his point where he said Motogp was now an engineer's championship and they were dictating the ever increasing use of electronics and aero,to the point where it now exceeds what is used in F1. It needs to get back to the rider.

I have my doubts if all those cats can be re-bagged.

[ChrisW]

I have my doubts if all those cats can be re-bagged.

F1 has managed it quite a few times - mass dampers, TC, aero limitations etc. being the sort of things that, I think, are detrimental to MotoGP at the moment. They don't always get it right but they've managed to restrict tech whilst still moving the formula forwards.

[weeksy]

For example ?

The usual get rid of the wings/ride-height devices stuff but also talking about how the electronics stifle/define so much the riding style needed to go quick on these bikes that the only place a rider can really make a difference is in braking and corner entry, hence we're seeing so many incidents there.

He was also talking about the grid inequity / Ducati having too many bikes etc. Suzi Perry was trying to reign him in a bit.

Also - the spec MM ECU apparently still shows a Ducati logo when you boot it up

CS made a very plausible case for ditching the tech. I liked his point where he said Motogp was now an engineer's championship and they were dictating the ever increasing use of electronics and aero,to the point where it now exceeds what is used in F1. It needs to get back to the rider.

I have my doubts if all those cats can be re-bagged.

Sadly though that's just the world now. Tech expertise will win the overall, sure the small guys may get a race win here and there, but tech is king. We see it in every sport

[Yorick]

Yeah. I love listening to Casey. He is so down to earth and knows so much.
My fave racers of recent years have been him and Lorenzo.
They slapped down the big gobshite.

[weeksy]

Race 1.

1 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP23) 40m 39.446s
2 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Lenovo (GP23) +0.201s
3 Fabio Di Giannantonio ITA Gresini Ducati (GP22) +0.477s
4 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +0.816s
5 Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP23) +1.008s
6 Marco Bezzecchi ITA Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) +8.827s
7 Jack Miller AUS Red Bull KTM (RC16) +9.283s
8 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) +9.387s
9 Alex Marquez SPA Gresini Ducati (GP22) +9.696s
10 Enea Bastianini ITA Ducati Lenovo (GP23) +12.523s
11 Maverick Viñales SPA Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) +13.992s
12 Luca Marini ITA Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) +17.078s
13 Miguel Oliveira POR RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) +19.443s
14 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +20.949s
15 Marc Marquez SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +21.118s
16 Raul Fernandez SPA RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) +32.538s
17 Franco Morbidelli ITA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +37.663s
18 Pol Espargaro SPA Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) +37.668s
19 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) +37.758s
Augusto Fernandez SPA Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* DNF
Joan Mir SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) DNF

[Noggin]

I'm so excited to watch this. I've wanted Zarco to win a race forever!! (Well, since I started watching again!! ). Just need the headache to die down, then I'll be watching it on catch up! LOL

[ChrisW]

Bit dull in the middle but an exciting finish!

[Skub]

The flipping French man got to win a Motogp race.

[Yorick]

Bit of a flat day.

[Noggin]

Bit of a flat day.

I've just googled to see the results - this weather thing explains why I couldn't find the sprint on Canal+ today

[Skub]

The weather borked it.