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Post by Diego the toe clipper on Mar 8, 2023 15:03:43 GMT
So, last test before kick off.
Any bets on a non-Ducati ending top?
If its a done deal, which Ducati rider will it be?
Have Honda made huge steps forward since Malaysia or are they destined for top 5 at best with Marc getting his elbows out?
Aprilia?
I think Ducati have got the top spots locked out but I can't see Marini coming away top. I'll go for Bagnaia, he seems to have retained his form. Bastianini and Martin will be up there too.
Top non-Ducati will probably be Quartararo but if he's in the top 3 he'll have to be well happy.
Not sure about Aprilia and KTM but I reckon Viñales will show some improvement.
Marc will probably improve too, but maybe not because Honda will have made steps, just because he will have learnt to ride round them as usual. The rest of the Hondas will be lucky to be in the top 8.
That's my reckoning, prolly be wrong...
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Post by neilf on Mar 8, 2023 15:11:28 GMT
I'm hoping that Suzuki will pull something out of the bag  |
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Post by beefus on Mar 9, 2023 6:28:48 GMT
Ducati/Aprilia lockout at Malaysia, I expect more of the same. Maybe, as you say, MM might get into the top 5 but it looks like HRC have much work to do to give him a competitive bike.
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Post by mekon on Mar 9, 2023 8:39:36 GMT
I'm hoping that Suzuki will pull something out of the bag Probably some Mir 2020 champion merchandise they couldn't sell. I think Clipper is about right. Ducati will stranglehold the series this year. Got some sort of spidersense tingling that another manufacturer, probably KTM will drop out as well and the whole series will be fucked. |
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Post by Diego the toe clipper on Mar 9, 2023 8:47:00 GMT
Good point about more dropping out. It really would fuck things up wouldn't it.
But KTM are in a much different situation to Suzuki. Suzuki were flying solo, they had fewer stakeholders to answer to, when they quit, they only had to agree exit terms with Ezpeleta and their staff.
KTM have Redbull to answer to and I can't see them taking kindly to throwing in the towel, they've got one huge corporate image to protect.
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Post by mekon on Mar 9, 2023 9:29:40 GMT
Aren't Yamaha moving back to four bikes next year? Some sort of Rossi team talk?
I still think they need to ban any further innovations. They have no use on the road and the racing will never level out. If you need wings on the road your looking for a ban or a coffin.
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Post by neilf on Mar 9, 2023 9:56:57 GMT
Aren't Yamaha moving back to four bikes next year? Some sort of Rossi team talk? I still think they need to ban any further innovations. They have no use on the road and the racing will never level out. If you need wings on the road your looking for a ban or a coffin. It'd the same with the car industry... does the Civic Type R really need a huge fuck off wing? Can it go fast enough that it makes a difference? |
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Post by Diego the toe clipper on Mar 9, 2023 10:50:59 GMT
That's been the case for ages though. If you use the functionality of a slipper clutch on the road you really need to have a word with yourself, but that doesn't mean that its not a factor people consider when buying a bike. Lots of bikes only get used on the track these days anyway. The R6 has even only been available as a track bike for years, and people still buy them!
GP dev is rarely directly transferable to road going vehicles, but the know-how gained is indirectly applicable.
GPs are for prototypes and it should be anything goes. Does that meant the richer factories will win, well yes, that's life.
What they shoud do is limit the amount of machines of a similar type that a manufacturer can enter, to avoid a monomarque cup scenario.
Ducati want 6 bikes on the grid? Fine, 4 V4s and two of another configuration of your choice, thats GP dev for ya.
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Post by beefus on Mar 9, 2023 12:04:22 GMT
I'm all for safety tech like TC, but I don't like all these wings. Kudos to Ducati for being the frontrunners in this and the ride height devices, but I don't think they add anything to the spectacle.
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Post by mekon on Mar 9, 2023 14:31:06 GMT
At what time period in racing so you think things were just right?
The two stroke era certainly wasn't equitable and was almost pointless as a satellite rider. Even at the end the non factory bikes were way down compared to what Doohan and Biaggi had.
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Post by neilf on Mar 9, 2023 15:46:53 GMT
At what time period in racing so you think things were just right? The two stroke era certainly wasn't equitable and was almost pointless as a satellite rider. Even at the end the non factory bikes were way down compared to what Doohan and Biaggi had. TBH, I don't think there has ever time a time when it was equal across the board; either a bike has an advantage (e.g. 990RCV, NSR500, YZR500) or a rider just dominates (e.g. Agostini, Marc Marquez, Doohan, Rossi, Rainey, Lawson etc) |
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Post by Diego the toe clipper on Mar 9, 2023 21:47:49 GMT
I agree there's no point looking for a Utopia where everyone has a chance at winning.
That said, when Marc was out and Rossi had gone, that was potentially the most unpredictale period for a long time...
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Post by mekon on Mar 10, 2023 10:01:20 GMT
I was reading a visordown article and there seems to be some rose tinted glasses on the early 990 era and pre-aero races. The idea is that the bikes need slowing down but also the aids dialling back so they are slower but yet not easy to ride. The problem is now the bikes are easy to ride very fast.
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Post by mekon on Mar 11, 2023 16:01:46 GMT
Surprise no.1 Alex Marquez faster than Marc. So far Mir marginally faster than Marc. Honda must be shite again.
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Post by neilf on Mar 11, 2023 19:13:55 GMT
Nice to see that Aprilia are still in the mix with Vinales and Oliveira
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