MotoGP 2020 (Spoilers)

[jim v]

Not looking good for Marquez, championship is wide open. I think Dovi might be in the best position to take advantage. And Honda's inability to produce a bike that nobody besides MM can ride just bit them in the ass.

In the best case scenario, Márquez is out for four to eight weeks. In the extreme case, Márquez might try to come back for Austria, or perhaps even Brno, though he is unlikely to be able to ride to anything like his full potential. A more likely scenario is he is back for Misano on September 13th. Either way, he would have missed somewhere between two and (more likely) five races in the season. The championship is out of the question for Márquez. His title defense never got off the ground.

In the worst case scenario, Márquez has nerve damage as well as a fractured humerus, and requires surgery and a long period of rehab to try to reverse the damage. That would rule him out for the entire 2020 season, and in the most extreme case, threaten to end his career.

[Paul_E_D]

I won't be surprised in Marc misses most of the season. I hope it's not a career ender.

[union]

I won't be surprised in Marc misses most of the season. I hope it's not a career ender.

Career ender would be terrible. Not to take anything away from how great the other riders are but as of now none are as exciting to watch as Marc. Miller comes close but not quite there. For me the jury is still on on Fabio. I can't decide if he is exciting to watch or not. I love that he really challenges Marc. What I don't want to see come back are the days Lorenzo was winning. It was just boring racing watching him ride off into the sun set so smooth. Impressive but boring.

[jimmycapp]

One hell of a race. Really looking forward to Fab throwing some shade on Marq. Pretty unfortunate.

[loudbeard]

We are on the same page. Unreal. I mean the race, not that we are on the same page. lol

Right on.

And to be clear for the others, I didn't say I thought MM could catch Fabio, I know there wasn't enough race left. I said I think he thought he could catch Fabio, and in doings so would place his balls firmly on Fabio's chin. He didn't care about Maverick, he's already given him PTSD.

Also, I don't particularly care about some weird French dude with Ed Hardy tattoos winning his first race.

[JettaJayGLS]

Wow. Guess it was just a matter of time...Marquez getting hurt. Fabio winning a race. Kind of amazing it took that long for some bad luck to find Marquez cause he lives on that knifes edge.

A few other random thoughts:
Binder is the real deal. I know its really early, but if Pol does OK with Honda I could imagine Binder as the next Marquez with Repsol.
KTM made another step.
Hopefully Aprilia just needs some time but I have my doubts.
If someone else wins the championship, does it have an asterisk because of the shortened season?

[loudbeard]

If someone else wins the championship, does it have an asterisk because of the shortened season?

2020 gets a blanket asterisk.

Anyway, same question could be asked of any sport or championship. I think less so in motorcycle racing, it's not a team sport, they all go out and compete in the same conditions.

[gixxer72]

Rins is going to attempt this weekends race, and Crutchlow (yawn) will as well.

The craziest news is that MM may attempt to ride, bone is secured and no nerve damage.

[OreoGaborio]

bone is secured and no nerve damage.

Phew... Glad to hear it.

[gixxer72]

I am not a MM fan, never have been. Yes, he is undeniably dominant. But if that fucker turns one lap this week I’ll be in absolute awe.

[tsorfas]

I am not a MM fan, never have been. Yes, he is undeniably dominant. But if that fucker turns one lap this week I’ll be in absolute awe.

And he was just declared fit to ride

[jimmycapp]

That's great to hear. I'm not a big MM fan by any stretch, but he's an amazing rider. I really want to see him have some competition out there, that isn't caused by injury. Hope he's back in fighting form soon.

[jim v]

MM, Rins and Crutchlow all declared fit to race. MM to take Friday off and give it a go on Saturday........

...Yes, if it was a new track it would be more difficult. But we have been here for five days so the setup of the bike we know, he knows exactly how to ride the bike on this track. So it's no meaning to try Friday and to give more stress to the injury...

[Paul_E_D]

I don't really get the hate for MM. He IS motoGP now. It's exciting just to watch him practice, nevermind whip everyone's ass in the races. The series would be lack luster without him.

[gixxer72]

I don't really get the hate for MM. He IS motoGP now. It's exciting just to watch him practice, nevermind whip everyone's ass in the races. The series would be lack luster without him.

Except that watching him repeatedly whip everyones ass gets boring. Just like when Lorenzo or any other rider has dominated for too long. The racing gets stale, and I’m not interested in watching the also-rans duke it out for 5th place. His average margin of victory is 4 seconds - dominating but yawn inducing. $.02

[JettaJayGLS]

Except that watching him repeatedly whip everyones ass gets boring. Just like when Lorenzo or any other rider has dominated for too long. The racing gets stale, and I’m not interested in watching the also-rans duke it out for 5th place. His average margin of victory is 4 seconds - dominating but yawn inducing. $.02

Paul has a point that his riding is exciting, but we've been watching it for 5+ years. It does get stale. I think this is one of the reasons Rossi will always be a favorite - the stats were something like he only ever led 1 race flag to flag, and his average margin of victory was minuscule.

However, I think Fabio would have had no problem running with Marc at the front last weekend. Pending the track, Dovi can too. So can Vinales. I think Jack is there as well this year. I'm also really hopeful Binder will be up there in a couple years.

At a Honda/Marc track, races are usually pretty boring. Every other track, when he is on the back foot, have been really good lately. Better than the Lorenzo era when he just rode away race after race after race.

[OreoGaborio]

I don't really get the hate for MM. He IS motoGP now. It's exciting just to watch him practice, nevermind whip everyone's ass in the races. The series would be lack luster without him.

I agree 100%

Except that watching him repeatedly whip everyones ass gets boring. Just like when Lorenzo or any other rider has dominated for too long. The racing gets stale, and I’m not interested in watching the also-rans duke it out for 5th place. His average margin of victory is 4 seconds - dominating but yawn inducing. $.02

I agree 100%

.... It's almost as if you're both correct

[Tricky Mike]

He's had a remarkable ability to walk away from crashes.

That crash in Thailand last year was hairy... What did Alpinestars measure, like 26 G's of force or something? And that highside at Sepang. I would have shattered like glass.

Riding this weekend is a serious display of balls.

CRASHES IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
2007 Casey Stoner - 6
2008 Valentino Rossi - 4
2009 Valentino Rossi - 4
2010 Jorge Lorenzo - 3
2011 Casey Stoner - 7
2012 Jorge Lorenzo - 5
2013 Marc Marquez - 15
2014 Marc Marquez - 11
2015 Jorge Lorenzo - 3
2016 Marc Marquez - 17
2017 Marc Marquez - 27
2018 Marc Marquez - 23
2019 Marc Marquez - 14

[motoarch]

I don't really get the hate for MM. He IS motoGP now. It's exciting just to watch him practice, nevermind whip everyone's ass in the races. The series would be lack luster without him.

The se reason I hate the Yankees and the Patriots

[MUZ720]

He's had a remarkable ability to walk away from crashes.

That crash in Thailand last year was hairy... What did Alpinestars measure, like 26 G's of force or something? And that highside at Sepang. I would have shattered like glass.

Riding this weekend is a serious display of balls.

CRASHES IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
2007 Casey Stoner - 6
2008 Valentino Rossi - 4
2009 Valentino Rossi - 4
2010 Jorge Lorenzo - 3
2011 Casey Stoner - 7
2012 Jorge Lorenzo - 5
2013 Marc Marquez - 15
2014 Marc Marquez - 11
2015 Jorge Lorenzo - 3
2016 Marc Marquez - 17
2017 Marc Marquez - 27
2018 Marc Marquez - 23
2019 Marc Marquez - 14

Holy crap!

[MUZ720]

if he rides this weekend which I believe he will . its just to collect points I cant see him risking another crash, as that will surely would put him out for awhile.. But hey if I broke my arm Last Sunday I would be home drinking bourbon and take pain meds! I don't think I would even be riding much less racing anything!

[Bonk!]

Per Jalopnik: Marquez passed his examination and will be riding in the Andalusian Grand Prix as normal. This comes just four days after a crash broke his right arm, with subsequent plate-and-bolt surgery just TWO DAYS AGO!

[gixxer72]

First, hats off to MM! What a tough son of a bitch. Huge respect.

Great Q2, El Diablo is fucking legit. Decent result for the GOAT in 4th, and Binder is an animal! Should be a great race tomorrow.

[tsorfas]

2020 GP is entertaining af

[union]

2020 GP is entertaining af

If it wasn't for the hot as fuck conditions that race would have been a sleep fest.