MotoGP Discussion (SPOILERS!)

[Paul_E_D]

At least it looked like it was more of a race for the win. Alex looked good again. Marc looked like he had to ride pretty hard to get around him. Some nice battles throughout the field. Nice for Zarco on the Honda. Looks like he is their man this year. Ogura was also impressive again. I like seeing a rookie ride well. Another nightmare for KTM. I guess that is what happens with all the turmoil they are going through as a business. Really hoping Martin comes back 100% and can challenge for at least podiums.

Agreed on KTM, I'm sure there is a lack of focus/funding and they will flounder all year.

[MUZ720]

Looked like more of a race but Marc was just hanging back once again. After the pass he was gone. Franco was the big surprise. Ducati is the bike all others are just field fillers at this point the only reason there inside the upper half of the top ten is there are two less Ducati's this year. Zarco put in a great effort no doute, but their bike is no match. Martin needs to come back but he will struggle. no seat time very little testing. don't see him has a factor till week ten at best and if he goes down again all bets are off.

[FriskyDingo]

I WANT to believe he wasn't able to just WALK past Alex whenever he choose, as that would at least give me a reason to keep watching. But I still feel he's just deciding to relax for 10-12 laps once he knows Alex is the only one who can remotely challenge him and they can both pull away from the rest of the pack as once he decides to take first back it's over..

[Paul_E_D]

I WANT to believe he wasn't able to just WALK past Alex whenever he choose, as that would at least give me a reason to keep watching. But I still feel he's just deciding to relax for 10-12 laps once he knows Alex is the only one who can remotely challenge him and they can both pull away from the rest of the pack as once he decides to take first back it's over..

Oh, you could see that Marc was actually struggling a bit there. I saw him lock the front numerous times and he had that foot off moment. He settled down and stopped charging the corners so hard and found a little pace. I thought he might actually crash trying to get by Alex, but in the end he made it look easy.

[JettaJayGLS]

My quick take on the season after 2 races, by mfg:

Ducati - The only person that beats Marc this year, is Marc. He has more in the tank, while the others are pushing near their max. Has he even crashed once this year? Gap was definitely closed a bit this weekend, but even if it took Marc a minute to find his pace, he had it completely under control. I was glad to see Marc making a few shapes this weekend, cause otherwise he's just been on rails. He isn't as exciting to watch when he's just cruising, but I appreciate he isn't cruising off the front.

I think Pecco learned from last year and is not taking risks early in the season, and stacking points. I hope he comes on a bit stronger later in the year, and also profits from consistency. Curious how things go for him when we get to Europe.

I think Alex is benefiting from being on the tried and true GP24, that isn't changing every weekend or in testing. This is the classic phenomenon we see every year (other than GP24 vs GP23). Marc and Pecco are still in development mode on the GP24.9, even if it is just minor tweaks compared to last year. I expect Pecco will take the baton from Alex before the season is half over.

Aprilia - They definitely have made a step forward. Marco & Ai are riding that bike really well and shown real signs of speed, and Martin is a much better racer than both of them. I think Martin will be instantly faster, even without a lot of testing time, and think he may be able to do some great things at tracks that are favorable to Aprilia. I dunno if he'll ever beat Marc straight up, but lets see.

Yamaha - This is an interesting one. No one expected Jack to be as fast as he is on it, but I have a theory. Jack is one of the few riders with an old-school style: crossed up, not hanging off the bike dragging elbow. Aleix was the only other rider like this in the current era. To me, this says he's riding the bike like a v4. Quartararo has the moto2 style so deeply engrained in him, that even when he says he's changing his style, he's not quite getting there. The Yamaha has slowly been designed to be more point and shoot, and we're really seeing the fruits of it with Jack. I hope some of his data can rub of on Fabio and help him put the pieces together.

Honda - Clearly made a step! This is exciting. Is there a factory seat open for Zarco next year???

KTM - completely lost. Dunno if its funding related, or just others moving forward while they continue to Flounder. Shame to see Acosta's talent being wasted.

[union]

Well Ogura got disqualified. Apparently running wrong electronics. Sucks. He looked good again. Sucks for my fantasy league too.

[union]

Missed the last practice session. Were the conditions changing? If not that is a big gap from 1st to 2nd

[MUZ720]

2ND practice, the rain stopped, and slicks were used after halfway. MM at the point. once again it was a Ducati show all six in the top ten. Jack rode awesome

[union]

Beginning of that sprint was fun. Pecco mixed it up nicely. Marc had that huge moment and showed how cool he could be. Just right back into it. Hope for some more fun tomorrow.

[MUZ720]

Best Rider Best bike, Pecco has no chance unless MM and Brother fall down. Kinda scarry actually. Gota hand it to #20 he rode the wheels off that Yamaha but still no chance against the Ducs.

[FriskyDingo]

That was an interesting race, was really pulling for Digi to catch Alex for 2nd, he had a pretty good weekend...

[OreoGaborio]

That was an interesting beginning to the main race, too, eh?... MM93 running off at the last second, leaving the other guys scrambling? Fun tactic, IMO...

Seeing a whole LOT of criticism pointing fingers at Race Direction for red flagging it, delaying the start, not penalizing the riders that ran off and generally not following their own rules, but I've not yet seen anything that really cements that to be 100% accurate...

I was a little surprised to see no wrist slapping, though. I figured at least one long lap would've been handed out, either to Marquez or Vinalez (who, from the evidence I've seen thus far, was likely the ultimate cause for the red flag).

Can't believe Marquez crashed out like that... and did as many laps as fast as he did them without a windscreen or a footpeg. Credit to him for sticking with it as long as he did but it was ultimately the right decision to pull off. Nothing was going to salvage him any points at that point.

[FriskyDingo]

....Can't believe Marquez crashed out like that... and did as many laps as fast as he did them without a windscreen or a footpeg. Credit to him for sticking with it as long as he did but it was ultimately the right decision to pull off. Nothing was going to salvage him any points at that point.

I was 50/50 on that being "impressive" VS "douchy/dangerous"....

[union]

Ya a weird race for sure. Too bad Marc threw it away again. He was flying out there. As far as the start. I read somewhere that if 10 or more riders did what was done then the rules were followed. If that is the case I feel there should be a change here. I'm fine with the complete restart in such a case but maybe a regrid is in order. Those that made the right tire call get moved up and those that didnt drop back. Seems more fair then what happened yesterday. I mostly mad at the result because I boosted Marc in my fantasy league and he binned it.

[OreoGaborio]

I mostly mad at the result because I boosted Marc in my fantasy league and he binned it.

It's just you & I in the NESR league anyway... Da Red Barronz was made by me by mistake cuz I left myself logged in as someone else

Every other notable fantasy leaguer from this community is in the NEMRR league (code 5H9TPWHJ)

[union]

It's just you & I in the NESR league anyway... Da Red Barronz was made by me by mistake cuz I left myself logged in as someone else

Every other notable fantasy leaguer from this community is in the NEMRR league (code 5H9TPWHJ)

Way to ruin my life ass.

[MUZ720]

Potentially, A Ride though penalty for the ten riders who left the gird, in the next race but it is April 1st.

[OreoGaborio]

Way to ruin my life ass.

[Paul_E_D]

That was chaos from start to finish from the T15 stands. The sighting lap crashes, the safety car crash, the Marquez antics, then Marc's crash. We were all in disbelief. BTW, if Marc had finished I would have had a 245 point round! Damnit!

[OreoGaborio]

BTW, if Marc had finished I would have had a 245 point round! Damnit!

Holy smokes! Yeah, I think a LOTTA people woulda had big fantasy rounds. I'm super happy I forgot to use a boost on him. Still have all three!

[JettaJayGLS]

I looked up the old Jack Miller rule. This should have been the case: "If a rider doesn’t go to the grid or leaves the grid to the Pit Lane and changes tyre type (dry/wet): The rider will start the Warm Up Lap from Pit Lane, start the Race from his Qualifying Grid Position, and serve a Ride Through penalty during the race."

Seems dangerous to have every rider do a ride through, but its manageable - they're pros.
If it really is too dangerous, dock every rider the time. It should help at least a few grid positions.

[OreoGaborio]

Allegedly, according to Marc himself, he knew if 10 or more riders followed him off the grid they wouldn't penalize anyone.

... 9 riders followed him off the grid.

Not sure how much truth there is to this article, but it was at least an entertaining read:

https://www.paddock-gp.com/en/motogp...naMsS93DIeKxqg

MotoGP, BREAKING NEWS, Marc Marquez and the angry words in Austin: "don't say anything to Ducati" and a conference for tomorrow is canceled
by André Lecondé | March 31, 2025

The 2025 Grand Prix of the Americas offered a scene from the stars: drivers sprinting to the pits minutes before the start, chaos orchestrated by Marc Marquez at the height of his cunning. This Sunday at COTA, the Spaniard played the role of Machiavellian strategist, transforming a wet grid into a chessboard where he moved his pieces brilliantly... before stumbling during the race. While his plan forced a 15-minute delay, his crash on lap 9 allowed Pecco Bagnaia to take the victory and Alex Marquez to take the championship lead. But the story doesn't end there...

What many mistook for an instinctive reaction was actually a meticulously planned maneuver. The Spanish driver, never one to shy away from strategic cunning, played the clock and the rules to try to force a postponement of the start. It all began with a discussion with his team, just moments before the engines warmed up. Is Pecco on rain tires? And Alex? " asked Marquez, while ordering his mechanics to prepare the second bike with slick tires. He knew exactly what he was doing. If I go to the pits and change bikes, I'll start last, right? No penalty? Yes, I'm sure of it. " he assured.

There were three minutes left before the start. Marquez asked for confirmation that the bike was ready, made sure that no one else was informed of his plan, then calmly left the grid to join the pits. I waited for the right momentAt seven minutes, I asked the team. When I saw the rain stop, I knew it was time. They told me everything was ready. So I went. " he told DAZN.


Marc Marquez: “ no say no to Ducati »
But what really sets the powder alight is this isolated sentence by GP One : " no say no to Ducati ". Either : " don't tell Ducati anything »…

This move was not a spur of the moment move. It was based on a precise reading of the rules. Marquez hoped that more than ten pilots would follow him into the pits, which, according to the rule introduced after the 2018 Argentine GP, would have forced race control to delay the start. And that's exactly what happened, or almost. Nine pilots imitated him, among them Bagnaia, Di Giannantonio, Mir, Miller and even his brother Alex. The confusion on the grid was total. Mechanics were racing, bikes were changing places, and safety was becoming difficult to guarantee. Race Direction then waved the red flag.

The operation didn't achieve its technical objective—the eleven-rider barrier wasn't crossed—but it worked. The race was delayed, and the penalties that should have been imposed never came. None of the riders who left the grid to change bikes received the penalty provided for in the regulation clarification. Those who had made the correct initial choice, such as Ogura, Binder ou bastianini, saw their strategic advantage erased.

Reactions to this maneuver were mixed. bagnaia praised the intelligence of Marquez, recognizing that he had once again proven his mastery of complex situations. Alex Marquez, he was stunned: " I didn't even know it was possible to do that » Peter Acosta, younger but lucid, simply followed the veteran: “ When it's unclear, do what Marc does. He's the master. »

But this weekend which could have been a strategic masterpiece for Marquez ended on a sour note. After taking the lead with an impressive pace, he crashed on lap nine, sliding on a still-wet kerb. He tried to restart, but in vain. His bike was too badly damaged. Pecco Bagnaia, in ambush, inherited the victory, his first of the season. Alex Marquez, solid and consistent, finished second and takes the lead in the championship. Fabio Di Giannantonio completes the podium after a solo race.

The fall of Marquez also led to off-piste consequences. Its main sponsor, Estrella Galicia has announced the postponement of its press conference scheduled for April 1 in Madrid.. Officially, these are "agenda changes," but everyone understands that The driver prefers to avoid questions about such an eventful race.

The 2025 Grand Prix of the Americas will therefore remain one of the most controversial of the season. A race where the tactical genius of Marc Marquez was overshadowed by a crash, but his ability to shake up the system and manipulate the rules remains intact. Once again, he dictated the pace. Even without taking the checkered flag.

[JettaJayGLS]

This is the stuff that makes me not like Marc. I still want him to get his redemption, but he is clearly the fastest rider out there. Why does he need to resort to things like this?
He did nothing technically wrong, but its poor sportsmanship and goes against the prestige and purity of the sport. Him crashing was a phenomenal serving of karma.

In this case, several riders made a gamble, in the absolute purest nature, on tire choice. Marc wiped it all out on a technicality.

I can see why some people like this and even applaud it, but I just don't. Beauty of discussing sports.

This is a major debate in cycling, always has been: can you attack someone in the feedzone, yep, but you don't. If a leader crashes, you can go to the front and drill it knowing he won't get back on, but you don't. You wait for him.
I have also always been the physical underdog in sports, and need to resort to "gambles" and strategy to beat the better people. So when the best rider in the world does this to cripple all of those inferior to him, it grinds my gears.

[OreoGaborio]

Yeeeeah, I'm on the fence... I think it sits purely in the gray area between "poor sportsmanship" and "gamesmanship" but I'm more inclined to call it gamesmanship.

Nevertheless, it certainly made it fun to watch! And I think it would've been even more fun if a couple of long laps were handed out. Kinda surprised there weren't.

As a racer who, at one time, was pretty good and near the top of the class, I never really partook in such "gamesmanship" strategies, but I was certainly the TARGET of them. It's all part of the game. I've certainly seen and been the subject of much worse displays of poor sportsmanship than this one, that's for sure! But I think all of us can probably say that.

[JettaJayGLS]

Yeeeeah, I'm on the fence... I think it sits purely in the gray area between "poor sportsmanship" and "gamesmanship" but I'm more inclined to call it gamesmanship.

Nevertheless, it certainly made it fun to watch! And I think it would've been even more fun if a couple of long laps were handed out. Kinda surprised there weren't.

As a racer who, at one time, was pretty good and near the top of the class, I never really partook in such "gamesmanship" strategies, but I was certainly the TARGET of them. It's all part of the game. I've certainly seen and been the subject of much worse displays of poor sportsmanship than this one, that's for sure! But I think all of us can probably say that.

I mean, imagine if you gambled on slicks and you see Doucette on the grid with wets. Then he pulls a technicality to get back on slicks without penalty? As the good sportsman I know you are, you wouldn’t say anything bad to “the media.” But deep down you’d know you just lost a huge opportunity that you made for yourself, and wasn’t gifted to you.