2013 Moto3/Moto2/MotoGP Thread

[Mike Rotch]

No love for Vinales

Moto3 : Vinales, Rins, Salom
Moto 2 : Espargaro, Redding, De Angelis
MotoGP : Lorenzo, Rossi, Marquez.

 

[joetruckv8]

The way the rider line up is, and plus the way the riders are riding so far I don't see any change in seats for 2014 unless Kawasaki & Suzuki Works Teams come back into play.

 

[xStretch-]

Never been a fan of Pedrosa, rode awfully last week holding Cal and Marquez up but apparently he is injured.

Put Stefan Bradle on that bike!

 

[adamp93]

Pedrosa injured? Now there's a surprise! Actually I think this is the only season he's started fit.

No love for Vinales

He was odds on favourite by a country mile last year and finished over 100 points back.

 

[Peasantslayer]

Never been a fan of Pedrosa, rode awfully last week holding Cal and Marquez up but apparently he is injured.

Put Stefan Bradle on that bike!

Bradl? really? I'm sure he would do a decent job but I doubt he has the ability to make the most of a factory bike over a season. He's yet to have a podium in the premier class and he was 8th in the championship last year which is quite poor when you consider the bike he has, to be fair it was his debut year though. For me he just hasn't had enough moments that have made me sit up and take notice.

 

[joetruckv8]

Yea I put him in the solid driver section but not the upcoming star bracket. Imo Pol is doing it right staying in Moto 2 and dominating it possibly, but we need more factory seats our we going to be seeing the same finishing grid all year long. Pol amd Redding are good riders but are going to end up in a crt fight before they get a chance at a factory team.

 

[Tom]

The way the rider line up is, and plus the way the riders are riding so far I don't see any change in seats for 2014 unless Kawasaki & Suzuki Works Teams come back into play.

Well Suzuki have been linked with a 2014 return. My guess would be having De Puniet and either Pol Espargaro or Redding on their bikes if they prepare a two bike team. We'll have to see how things go though, they could easily pull the plug at any moment.

 

[joetruckv8]

Well Suzuki have been linked with a 2014 return. My guess would be having De Puniet and either Pol Espargaro or Redding on their bikes if they prepare a two bike team. We'll have to see how things go though, they could easily pull the plug at any moment.

I don't about Randy, but I would put Pol and Redding on that team. Come on factory support the recession is over, lol!

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

I don't about Randy, but I would put Pol and Redding on that team. Come on factory support the recession is over, lol!

De Puniet is very tied with Suzuki, if they come back he probably will have a spot.

Personnaly Redding isnt really impressive yet, last year he wasnt that impressive. He did a good gp, let's see if he can do a whole season on the top. Espargaro is impressive but let's not forget his bro on Motogp who's fast as well.

 

[Peasantslayer]

If Suzuki came in I would like to see Pol and I'd take a risk on someone from world superbikes, Tom Sykes possibly.

 

[Renken95]

I hope that michael van der mark come to the moto gp class , he is so good and his dad knows the manager from jorge lorenzo really good, they where born in the same city

 

[joetruckv8]

If Suzuki came in I would like to see Pol and I'd take a risk on someone from world superbikes, Tom Sykes possibly.

I would like to see Tom Sykes on a new Factory Kawasaki MotoGp bike.

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

Bunch of stuff happening before even the start of the GP.

First Rossi refused to go to the press conference, for the moment we dont know why but some people are saying it's to protest because the COTA expelled Kevin Schwantz.

Also a fire started in Tech3 and made damage to Yamaha, LCR and Cardion team as well.

 

[Earth]

Pretty easy to see in this photo why Ben Spies struggled so much in MotoGP, and why Marc Marquez is an instant star. Spies should go back to Superbikes

 

[Peasantslayer]

Pretty easy to see in this photo why Ben Spies struggled so much in MotoGP, and why Marc Marquez is an instant star. Spies should go back to Superbikes

What are you trying to suggest? Marquez is lighter and therefore has an advantage? If it was that simple then the grid would be full of primordial dwarfs.

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

Ben Spies is 1m80, Valentino Rossi is 1m82. Enough said.

 

[Earth]

Marquez is no doubt extremely talented. His size is an advantage to him. When watching them race is usually the most aggressive in the turns when shifting his weight.

People forget Qatar is one of Rossi's best tracks. He'll keep up with Lorenzo at some tracks, but as long as the bike is built around Lorenzo, he will struggle at many tracks. Back when Nicky Hayden and Pedrosa were teammates Honda built the new bike around Pedrosa's smaller frame, despite the fact Hayden had just won the World Championship.

Im sure Spies size contributed to his struggles in motoGP, as well as many other factors. I believe his riding style is better suited to the larger superbikes

Rossi hasnt been really good and a while. Maybe the makeup of the prototypical motoGP rider has changed? Maybe you have to be 5'4" 5'5" in order to be really competitive on these bikes as they're all designed around riders that size nowadays

Rossi: 'shorter riders have advantage on certain bikes'

 

[F1 fan]

Pretty easy to see in this photo why Ben Spies struggled so much in MotoGP, and why Marc Marquez is an instant star. Spies should go back to Superbikes

Not necessarily. Spies didn't appear to struggle at first. In fact, he was quite impressive early in his career.

 

[Tired Tyres]

Yep. So much of it seems to be a confidence thing with riders. One year good then something goes wrong. Since you don't forget how to ride fast, its got to be psychological.

As for size, Pedrosa is one of the smallest and lightest riders but you don't see him winning too often. There has been a really light rider amongst the quick guys for a number of years but they don't seem to win many titles.

 

[Peasantslayer]

Things that go against small/light riders.

-The bigger riders can barge them around, Simoncelli certainly used to use his size to his advantage.

-They have to put in more effort to make the bike change direction because when they shift their weight it doesn't effect the bike's balance as much.

-They are generally weaker and are more tired towards the end of a race.

-They are possibly more fragile than the big riders, look at Pedrosa he breaks a bone every time he falls.

-Smallers legs when using their legs as an airbrake.

 

[Tired Tyres]

With gaps like that between bikes, this could be the most boring race of the year!

 

[Peasantslayer]

Stunning performance from Marquez, how on Earth is someone so young decimating some of the very best riders in the world? I love the way he leans it and slides it more than anyone else and whilst he is rocking from side to side just trying to hang on. I'm a Rossi fan but I smiled when I read this comment on crash.

Marquez is just awesome to watch ,very Stoneresque! , i think Rossi /Burgess are playing a bit of a game here , engine slightly undertuned for qualifying/practice saving the motor a little for the race where it is run slightly overtuned very smart or sneaky ????

With gaps like that between bikes, this could be the most boring race of the year!

Probably, I think it's because it's an odd circuit and the track is hardly used so I imagine a small setup change can make a big difference. The F1 race held there last year would have been very boring without Hamilton or Vettel.

 

[hornet_burnout]

Well, I hated "I own the track" Marquez, but he changed an won me over mostly last year. This year it was looking very promising, but there are always doubts.

Now... He looks like he was born to ride that Honda. Wonder how will he end the championship. Very promising.

I'm officially rooting for him for #1 from now on.

 

[Mike Rotch]

Unless Marquez bins it, this race is his. It it strange how it seems like such a 'honda' circuit - but the most worried rider in the field must be Pedrosa as it seems like he is destined to become the best rider never to have won a Premier class title...

 

[Peasantslayer]

I wonder who will lead into the first corner, it's a long uphill straight to turn 1 so I expect the Honda's to disappear. I was looking at the sector times on the MotoGP website and Rossi was very weak in sector 1 but not too far off the top 2 Yamaha's in the other sectors so I expect him to lose places at the start.

 

[adamp93]

The Yamahas will have good race pace, they always do given their riders. I expect the Hondas to be out front but they will need to drop Lorenzo to stop him having a good shot at at least p2.

 

[Peasantslayer]

The Yamahas will have good race pace, they always do given their riders. I expect the Hondas to be out front but they will need to drop Lorenzo to stop him having a good shot at at least p2.

The Yamaha riders where whinging about a lack of grip so they may actually slide about a bit and wear their tyres out quicker, I don't know. Marquez isn't exactly slow on worn tyres either.

 

[F1 fan]

And Marquez has done it. Bravo Marc.

 

[JohnBM01]

All congratulations to Marc Marquez on a job well done. I saw most of the race. I was pretty bummed seeing Texas' own (and fellow Houstonian) Colin Edwards DNF in this event.

 

[xStretch-]

Man Marquez looked solid, I loved watching him thought one of the long right handers where he's elbow grases the floor