Motors 2014 MotoGP/WSBK/BSB Season thread

Great race yesterday - it was as racing should be. Awesome riding from Marquez and Rossi in particular. I was also impressed by Bradley Smith and Scott Redding.

 

Smith has made me eat my words. Well done

 

Indeed, but you rarely see that happening!

 

So ever so conveniently Bridgestone are bringing 2013 spec tyres along to CotA because of .... production delays.

Yeah. Right.



https://twitter.com/motogpjules/status/449499080344219648

 

LOL

 

Well a interesting race in Texas, both Honda's finishing 20's ahead of the field, though a shame Smith could not take third.

Crutchlow crashing out and Lorenzo having a drive through penatly with a 10th place finish in the end, Dovi on the Ducati for 3rd was a gd result.

 

Well, i thought it was a bit yawn-some. Bridgestone ****ed up, as a result most people had tyre issues (including essentially causing three crashes), so, shame on bridgestone. Rossi was robbed of a podium, Crutchlow's hand is buggered, Bautista robbed of points, blah blah blah. The only good thing was seeing a Ducati back on the podium in the dry, even if it was somewhat "helped"...

Marquez made an interesting quote though: "Lorenzo will be keen to sign for Honda, but Honda may not be so keen to sign Lorenzo if he doesn't have a good season"

 

Cal has had surgery on his hand + also on his arm to relieve arm-pump issues.

Rumblings of having more than 1 tyre supplier for 2016 onwards, although Dorna allegedly seem to be favouring "tyres which dont last the full distance in order to encourage tyre strategies"

edit: link: http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/motogp/bridgestone-spec-tire-supplier-motogp-2014/#more-61220


edit 2: I've succumbed to a "video pass" on motogp.com. Sod giving BT any money: the commentary is meh, melanie sykes is laughable, and the weekly show is a bit pants.

 

Bets on MM93 winning every race?

 

If he doesn't fall off, he'll win - and judging by just how close he can get to falling off, without actually doing so, it's a reasonable bet.


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All of them? No, Sooner or later Jorge will get a win, even if it's precisely one and done, he'll win something.

This year might be pretty awful for viewing figures though, watched race 1, caught race 2, didn't even bother checking the date for race 3 (only just realised it happened!), result exactly as predicted.

Boooring...

 

You must have missed the first two/three laps then, and the Rossi - mistakes, then crawl slowly back up, and the way Dani looked like he might - if the race was 1000 laps long - catch MM. And of course, for me I could just watch MM ride on his own - it's like watching a crash without the crunch at the end.


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Well I didn't think it was boring. The beginning was madness

 

Yeah, good race I thought. I could barely keep up in the first few laps. Nice track too - very reminiscent of Brno, nice and flowing

 

Another dry race coming up - rare for Le Mans - so no doubt it'll be MM93's 5th one in a row!

Valentino has tested a new chassis and really seems to like it, which is music to my ears.

MM93 has also been contracted until 2016 with HRC - "silly season" is probably just around the corner now!

Crutchlow and Dovi had a good days testing at Mugello, as they're now allowed to as part of the Factory-2 rules. Cal's got some new brake ducts to help with cooling (as he brakes more heavily than Dovi) but there wasn't much other info to come from the test

I'm sort of now of the opinion that Pedrosa will probably stay at Honda for another year.

That's all I've got

 

Ooh, sounds good - more competitive opposition for MM.

Always like Le Mans, looks like a beautiful track - need to look at track days there.

One more year for Dani? Maybe, Bradl has failed to significantly impress, and is unlikely to step up to full factory.

Would love to see Bradley Smith take that third Honda.


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Dani will be gone at the end of the season, unless Marquez, Lorenzo and Rossi all have career ending accidents this season he will never win a Moto GP title.

My bets for 2015 are:

Marquez and Lorenzo on HRC Honda,
Esteve Rabat and Maverick Vinales on the two non HRC Hondas (Baut and Bradl have had plenty of tries now),
Rossi and Pol or Alex Espargaro on Yamaha,
The other Espargaro and Smith on Tech 3,
Dovi and Cal to continue smashing their heads against the Red Brick wall (because for 5million Euro a year plus bonuses, why not?).

Cal's new brake ducts or not I feel in no danger of arse waving this year.

 

I used to subscribe to that logic, fix-the-spade, but on balance there really isn't a particularly compelling reason to change Pedrosa. I'd love to see someone take his seat but he will be cheaper than Lorenzo and as you rightly point out, neither Bradl or Bautista deserve the step up.
Lorenzo meanwhile is struggling or kinda-struggling on the Yamaha, so it's a nice way for HRC to keep Yamaha at bay if they don't offer him anything - and I'm fairly certain Lorenzo isn't going to depart from Yamaha for anything less than a Honda

 

I suppose the question is - who is faster on a Honda, Dani or Jorge - and even if it is Jorge, then the point you make is a good one - why go to the bother of swapping them round if Jorge can't beat Dani on the Yam.

Dani has been gaining on MM in the last few laps of recent races - more probably to do with MM winding off than Dani getting quicker - but Dani has been catching and passing Jorge.

Interesting to see if Vale can keep up his Jerez performance - could we see Vale back at Honda?


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Rossi on a Honda, now that'd be interesting. If he feels that the Yam is holding him back, then I imagine he'll at least talk to Honda. Pedro to Yamaha?

Le Mans is another 'old' track for Rossi, so I imagine he'll have a good weekend given half a chance!

edit: this just popped up on twitter:

"MotoGP: #MotoGP #LeMans @ValeYellow46: "I think I will stay on. My project is to make a new contract so I will speak to Yamaha in the coming weeks""

Hm.