Racing

[motogrady]

The latest in times from Qatar.

1 Maverick Vinales Yam 1:53.244
2 F. Morbidelli Yam +0.079
3 F. Quartararo Yam +0.154
4 F. Bagnaia Duc +0.200
5 Aleix Espargaro Apr +0.396
6 Joan Mir Suz +0.583
7 Alex Rins Suzuki +0.616
8 Valentino Rossi Yam +0.749
9 Johann Zarco Duc +0.812
10 Pol Espargaro Hon +0.859

I know, I know, it's just practice. But, how about a few thoughts......

The top 3 all seem happy in their interviews.  Bagnaia also.  Espargaro might be saying he's expected
the Aprilia to do well, but hey, at least one guy is surprised he put that thing in there as 5 fastest.
Gotta be a guy or 2 in motogp2 second guessing themselves. Mir, same old same old, lurking, like some kind of spider, just waiting to pounce.  Same with Rins. Rossi is kind of a surprise really.  Instead of sulking and bitchin, he seems to really be into making this thing work this year.  Hey, mix a little bit of
"yeah, just watch me", with probally the most hands on experience anyone has ever had, he just might
be the dark horse this time around.  Effin Zarco, 9th, it's like deja vu.   And God Bless Pol, Honda squeaks a bike in the top 10.

If I was pickin a league team off this list.......today.......Vin, Mir, Rossi.

[Fatfatboy]

Looks like Marc has been deemed fit to ride again.
Whether he rides at Qatar has yet been decided.

 https://www.motorsport.com/motogp/news/marquez-cleared-ride-bikes-qatar/5693872/

[Allred]

I'm still waiting to see if Dish is going to air MotoGP this year.  

 

[motogrady]

Lol...... great emo Allred.

[whatarush]

Allred wrote

I'm still waiting to see if Dish is going to air MotoGP this year.  

As long as Dish has NBCSN, you should be good. http://www.tvracer.com/ shows date and air times. (currently time is TBA)

[Fatfatboy]

Lisa made me pay the hundred sixty six bucks for the season.  When you break it down per race, per practice for Moto2, Moto3 and Motogp the cost is quite inexpensive.

[Allred]

"As long as Dish has NBCSN, you should be good"

I have NBCSP, which I think is the equivalent, so I should be fine. That's where it was last year, so I am assuming it will be there this year.


"Lisa made me pay the hundred sixty six bucks for the season.  When you break it down per race, per practice for Moto2, Moto3 and Motogp the cost is quite inexpensive".

It is true that when you consider all the classes, all the practices, all the qualifying, and all of the races, it does break down to not that much per event.............but I can't bring myself to/can't afford to/am not willing to, pay $166.00 if can watch the MotoGP main races on TV............although I do miss the excitement, anticipation and thrills of qualifying.

I also miss, (dare I say it), the Marques of old...... and Dovi not being there........ same with Crutchlow.


.

[Mad4TheCrest]

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[Fatfatboy]

Allred wrote

............but I can't bring myself to/can't afford to/am not willing to, pay $166.00 if can watch the MotoGP main races on TV............although I do miss the excitement, anticipation and thrills of qualifying.

I also miss, (dare I say it), the Marques of old...... and Dovi not being there........ same with Crutchlow.

 That’s about how I feel about cable and satellite. The rate to watchable content just wasn’t worth the cost anymore. We’ve not had it for years. There was only about three channels we watched and most of what she watches is on regular tv now that everything is digital.
The last straw was when they took Motogp off Speed channel.


I will miss the days when Marc wasn’t on the track. Watching the same guy win over and over gets too predictable.
He’s just too damn good.

[Allred]

Fatfatboy wrote

He’s just too damn good.

He is, definitely, too damned good!  

There have been many riders of such skill and personal character that they became idols of myself and the spectator masses. To become a true idol you have to be very, very, very good, and have a personality that also appeals to the admiring masses.

Many have done this, to a greater or lesser extent, Hocking, Surtees, Redman, Hailwood, Agostini, Read, Ivy, Sheene, Roberts, Stoner, Doohan, Rainey, Lawson, Spencer, Rossi, etc., etc., and I know that Marquez fits in there with the Greats of all time. His riding ability is extraordinary and is/has bordered on the limits of believablity.

 I admire his ability, he is an amazing rider (and I hope this tragic arm injury doesn't limit or stop his current reign), but he has never gained the respect from me that leads to true admiration. I'm not sure what it is about him, his ability is so great that it gains my appreciation, but he doesn't get my admiration.


.

[Allred]

With it still up in the air regarding whether Marquez will be at Qatar it makes you wonder if he will be a serious threat in 2021, and equally interesting to see if Pol Espargaro can tame the mighty RC213V Honda.

Early talk is that the changes to the Suzuki are not showing the results they wanted so I wonder how Rins and Mir will fare.

I've pretty much lost faith in Vinales, and Quartararo didn't shine too brightly in 2020 either.

It may be Miller's year on the Ducati?

And it surely has to be a last chance for Rossi?

[Allred]

Anyone know the exact lowdown on Bradley Smith?

I found this report on an Italian website, but I'm still confused as to his current role with Aprilia, it has been decided that Aliex Espargaro and Lorenzo Savadori are the two main Aprilia riders for 2021. The blurb below seems to indicate that Aprilia hasn't decided whether or not to have Smith as a test rider and in the meantime Smith is looking into Project 109, some sort of Supersport S300 involvement on an R3 Yamaha. It sounds to me like he is unemployed.

Extract translated from Italian website.................
"While Lorenzo Savadori is busy these days in Jerez together with Aleix Espargarò to carry on the development of the RS-GP21, Bradley Smith, still tied to Aprilia but waiting to know his future as a tester or first rider, is looking around for keep in training in view of a possible call from Massimo Rivola. "Contacts are continuous - says the 30-year-old from Oxfordshire - Aprilia has to decide what is best for their short and long-term project and I have to decide what is best for me and my career." He continues in English: "In an ideal world, I should be cloned, because if I were a rider and test driver it would be the best scenario for Aprilia but as we know it is not possible. So for Aprilia, it seems the best thing if I develop the bike and do some wild cards because we can carry on the project, if instead Savadori were the test rider we would not go anywhere - hence Rivola's comments on the decision for the second bike 'it's not just about lap time' because they know I'm the fastest rider ”. The "Project 109" With his agent Bob Moore busy carrying out negotiations with Massimo Rivola and Aprilia, Smith is taking care of other aspects, having launched a post titled "Project 109 complete" with a Yamaha R3 earlier this week on his Instagram page. Claudio Corti, Valli Moto and YART tagged in the post. On this project Smith said: "We are trying to figure out how to set up a team in the ESBK300, hoping to participate as early as 2021 or 2022 Covid allowing with the hope of playing some wild card in the World SSP300 if we can quickly complete everything."
       
       
       

[motogrady]

I dunno.

The Marquez thing, most every time I’ve seen a guy get really hurt, it takes a year. Not just with the body, but mentally.  I have a feeling the season is half over before he really starts hitting it.

The Aprilia thing, first off, who passes on a factory ride?
I mean, come on.
The second Aprilia thing, why isn’t Dovi on that bike, like, last week?  
There’s some kind of bad juju going on over there.
If it’s not the riders hesitating, it’s management not going after one of the best that is available, and ready to go.
Like Marvin Gaye once said, what’s going on?

[Allred]

motogrady wrote

I dunno.  The second Aprilia thing, why isn’t Dovi on that bike, like, last week?  

I wonder if the salary Dovi would expect over Savadori's could be a factor?

Dovi was earning around $7,000,000 with Ducati, Aliex Espargaro's 2021 salary with Aprilia is $900,000, I wouldn't be surprised if Savadori is more than happy with $500,000.

It could have been a $6,500,000 decision not to consider Dovi?

.

[whatarush]

Marc getting some laps in.



MotoGP Fantasy is going again this season. Hopefully I can do better this year.  
https://fantasy.motogp.com/

[motogrady]

Allred wrote

motogrady wrote

I dunno.  The second Aprilia thing, why isn’t Dovi on that bike, like, last week?  

I wonder if the salary Dovi would expect over Savadori's could be a factor?

Dovi was earning around $7,000,000 with Ducati, Aliex Espargaro's 2021 salary with Aprilia is $900,000, I wouldn't be surprised if Savadori is more than happy with $500,000.

It could have been a $6,500,000 decision not to consider Dovi?

.

Hummmm......that might have had something to do with itlol!

[motogrady]

whatarush wrote

Marc getting some laps in.



MotoGP Fantasy is going again this season. Hopefully I can do better this year.  
https://fantasy.motogp.com/

 Mm coming back strong......one has got to wonder, if he shows at the first few rounds, if he keeps it on 2 wheels, and finishes the season strong.....ahhhhh.....anything can happen.

[oldironnow]

Miss chatting with you all on the most important subject on the planet.

Home-fall-drama for my best-est Aunt became a covid-drama, which become a hospice-drama after she cleared but her body didn't have the energy to fully recover. I'm now at a distance from my world trying to wrap up her estate.

Cheers, everyone.

When do we have to pick our teams?

[Allred]

So sorry to hear of your loss Oldiron, strange days indeed.

Mar 20th is the earliest we can pick our teams for the League.

Not long to wait now...........

[Allred]

OMG..........they must have heard us talking............
https://www.firstpost.com/sports/motogp-2021-italian-veteran-andrea-dovizioso-to-test-with-aprilia-ahead-of-season-9431241.html