Moto GP

[belzybob]

For once (and it doesn't happen often) it was a great race. Shame that little shit won though.

[Fire Bar Matt]

20 hours ago, PepeLePew said:

Awesome is not a word I use lightly...

Lorenzo went from 10th to 2nd by turn 2. Duking it out at the front over the duration of the race were Marquez, Lorenzo, Rossi, Rins, Dovisioso, and Vinales. Cal was bringing up the rear of the group but never really played any part, he did manage to stay upright though.

That race was awesome, just finished watching it now. 

Its been a while since I’ve seen any race in Motorsport like that. More passing than the drive from BKK to Patts

I cant believe Rossi and Lorenzo collided like that at 195km/hr and both stayed upright. 

Edited July 3, 2018 by Dr No

[superroo]

Best race I've seen in a long time ,was hoping for a Ducati win.

Watched it at Travelers Rest Soi Lengkee. Owner is a bike racing fan. So I'll be watching the races there from now on.

[Wally Hotvedt]

saw a tweet that said something akin to 

in all of F1 last season there were a total of ~450 passes.  In the Assen race there were 175+ in a single race alone.  

[Kim Jong Il]

Sachsenring, Germany this weekend.

Marquesz wins from pole to make his Sachsenring record 9 starts, 9 poles and 9 wins.

Quite a perfect ride from Mark. Steady steady, save the tyres, let it rip with 10 laps to go when Rossi got to within 0.6 seconds and pretty much cruised home.

Bit of too-ing and fro-ing between Rossi and Lorenzo but Lorenzo had cooked his tyres and Rossi disappeared off into the distance. 

With half a dozen laps to go all the action seemed to be around places 3 to 6 with Lorenzo dropping back steadily due to his tyre condition.

2nd and 3rd for Yamaha....its been a long while since a Yamaha win!

Anyone going to bet against Marquesz for the title!

[PepeLePew]

It was a very mature weekend overal from Marc which was great to see. The Honda seemed to arrive with issues and he just got down to long run work to see how the tyres held up. He didn't ever look 'Marquez'ish' during the race. If he carries on racing like that this season is done, and next probably. Although his lover is turning up in 19 so....

 

 

In other news Cal had a good weekend until the race when he, and you'll never guess.... yep crashed. Seem this season if Friday and Saturday are pants he races well, if he's prepared well he throws it into the wall!

Lorenzo was best of the rest but again holding onto the duke for the whole distance was his issue. I like Dovi but now that Jorge has got a handle on the bike he can be seen to be what he is, ordinary in comparison to 'top' racers. He certainly got the ink dry on his contract at the right time, I think the negotiations would be a tad different now.

Dani called another press conference and this time was not distracted by last minute offers. He retires at the end of the season. Always a big fan and sad that his last season will probably be the only one in which he won't win a race. Ain't over yet but.... Interestingly apart from age and size issues I think Marquez said that of late he just didn't seem motivated.

 

[Kim Jong Il]

Brno in the 'Check' Republik it is for this weekend.

Dovi

Rossi

Marquesz

Lorenzo in 4th....makes for an interesting start?

Interesting race to come......

Its going to be hot tomorrow by the look....Brno is not so far away from me and its in the 30's here today. Will tyres be the thing that decide the race on what will be a very hot track?

[Kim Jong Il]

 Dovi

Lorenzo

Marquez

A bit late joining the race but saw the last 11 laps.

Looked a bit procession like as if everyone was conserving them selves for a last few laps dash...other than Rossi who was relegated by Cal and Lorenzo down to 5th.

Last few laps the pace picked up but aside from a Marquez duck and dive here and there the Ducati 1 2 never seemed in doubt.

Rossi managed to pass Cal on the last corner and took 4th place by a whisker. 

Despite his 3rd place Marquez stretches his championship lead over second man Rossi.

Another power circuit next week so maybe looking good for Ducati.......?

[Kim Jong Il]

Silverstone in good old Blighty it is this weekend.

Lorenzo

Dovi

Zarco

Final qualifying delayed.....weather = rain plus the helicopter was not available due to having to ferry another rider to the hospital.

Jack Miller jokingly said he would go on slicks ala Argentina and guess what...he did, though not on his first run....and it didn't work.

Bad day for Yamaha with both riders on the 4th row. What's going on here!

Could be a wet race tomorrow so may well be interesting.

[Kim Jong Il]

13:00 Its raining.

14:00 Its still raining.

15:00 Its still raining.

15:50 .......Its eased off and the cloud is passing. Will they, won't they......Decision at 16:00!

[Kim Jong Il]

Decision made and no racing today or tomorrow!!!!!!!

[Kim Jong Il]

San Marino this weekend.

Lorenzo

Miller

Vinalles

Good ride from Jack Miller for second, pretty decent from Maverick Vinalles for 3rd.

Marc found the limit on a lap he was looking good for taking second place at the time and ended up 5th.

Track is a bit tight here and seemed to suit the Ducati's who have been pretty strong today. 

Will anyone catch Lorenzo tomorrow.....he sounds pretty relaxed and confident so my feeling is not!

 

[Kim Jong Il]

Dovi

Marquez

Crutchlow

Not a stunning race from the spectator's point of view...

By the end of the second lap the front three were on their way. Once Miller crashed out there was a gap back to the rest that would never be closed. 

A couple of laps later Dovi hit the front and was never threatened.

Some decent scrapping between Lorenzo and Marquez until Lorenzo dropped it  3 laps from home which promoted Crutchlow to 3rd.

Rossi way back in 8th at his home race. Marquez extends his lead at the top.

 

[Kim Jong Il]

Meanwhile in Moto2 Romano Fenati gets a 2 race ban for going alongside Stefano Manzi and pulling his front brake while the pair of them were travelling at some 140 mph.

Seriously, a 2 race ban! I would have expected him to be out for the rest of the season.

[Fire Bar Matt]

I would have thought a year or possible life ban, that was probably one of the most stupid / dangerous things I’ve ever seen in professional GP riding. 

[Kim Jong Il]

MV Augusta have cancelled Fenati's contract for 2019. That leaves him without a ride next season.

Karma.....

[Kim Jong Il]

Aragon this weekend

Didn't see qualifying but it finishes:

Lorenzo

Dovi

Marquez

Crutchlow finished 4th despite an early fall.

Rossi down in 18th after failing to get out of Q1.....his worst start of the season.

What is it with Lorenzo since he decided to leave Ducati and to go to Honda?

 

[Kim Jong Il]

An update on Fenati's recent 'incident'.......

Just read that Fenati's team have fired him and the FIM have cancelled his licence till 2019 so out for the rest of the season.....not that that's very long as the season is coming to an end but I suppose its the thought that counts!!!

Edited September 22, 2018 by Kim Jong Il

[Kim Jong Il]

Marquez

Dovi

Iannone

A tyre management race it turned out to be with Marc and Dovi passing each other a few times at the front but with neither trying to pull away,

At one point Iannone got into this little mix and actually led for about 20 meters!

3 laps to go and Marquez hit the front. Dovi had no answer and Marquez was not challenged again.

Good result for the Suzuki's finishing 3rd and 4th but being on the podium means they don't get any concessions next year.

Looks like this win for Marc has pretty much tied up the title.....if it wasn't already tied up!

Rossi finished a credible 7th after starting 18th but Yamaha seem to have some real issues at the moment.

Thailand it is next. 

TiT.

[Fumbduck]

19 hours ago, Kim Jong Il said:

Rossi finished a credible 7th after starting 18th but Yamaha seem to have some real issues at the moment.

Rossi started 17th and finished 8th, actually.  Iannone's  probably snickering a bit about being the cause of Suzuki  losing their concessions, since they didn't offer him a new contract for next year (entirely understandable, BTW).

As you say, next stop Thailand. Personally I don't hold much hope that it will be a particularly exciting race. The superbike races I have seen at that track in the past have turned into rather spread out, processional affairs, due to the less-than-stellar layout of the place. If Lorenzo decides to stay on the bike for the duration this time, I'd say there's a slightly better than average chance of a Ducati 1-2.

[Wally Hotvedt]

I think Dovi made a mistake once he saw the soft on the Honda by not pressuring MM93 into a higher pace earlier in order to burn up the soft to force MM93 to accept something other than 1st.  That said, if there was anyone who could ride a shagged rear tire well at pace it would be MM93.

[Fumbduck]

10 hours ago, Wally Hotvedt said:

I think Dovi made a mistake once he saw the soft on the Honda...

Dovi's not an easy man to 'out-clever' and I think he did what he could. Michelin said before the race that all 3 compounds available would be able to finish the race and that proved to be true. Also, Aragon is MM's home race, which is always good for 0.2 per lap, and he'd won the previous two races at Aragon as well (actually, the last non-Spaniard to win at Aragon was Stoner back in 2011). 

[Wally Hotvedt]

plus Marquez always turns L really well

[Kim Jong Il]

TiT

This is Thailand.

Marquez

Rossi

Dovi

Marquez on pole after having to go through Q1.

Bit of a surprise but Rossi takes second place only .011 seconds slower than Mark. With Vinales leading the second row it seems as if Yamaha have found something that's been missing for most of the season! According to Vinales Yamaha have changed something in the set up which he says should have been changed a long time ago and as a result have found some extra pace. Will this play out in the race tomorrow....we shall see.

Hopefully there will be no rain tomorrow and some good racing will be on show.

To my friends who are there watching I hope you see a good race, have a good time and don't drink too much celebrating Rossi's win .

 

[Kim Jong Il]

Marqesz

Dovi

Vinales

Bit of a steady first half as a lot of tyre management seems to be going on with the 50+ degrees track temperature. Rossi, Mark and Dovi just cruising and swapping the lead, a bit tour de France style.

With 10 laps to go Dovi wound it up a bit.

Vinales appeared on the scene and took 3rd position from Rossi.

The last few laps were excellent with Mark challenging Dovi with Mark taking the lead on the the last lap. 

Yamaha's take 3rd and 4th which is a good improvement from them.

Some good close racing in the end....shame one of them had to lose.