[rajeevsulu]

Sorry for the back to back posts.

The first four laps of the restarted MotoGP were the best I have seen in some time. Two incredibly talented riders slugging it out for glory. Pure thrill that only motorcycle racing can bring to the table.

The championship battle rolls on into the final weekend.May the best rider win.

Cheers

[Fx14]

Amazing to think that Pecco having won 10 races this year (his best in MotoGP) is still 24 points behind in the title fight.

The inclusion of sprint races has changed the dimension of the championships.

[Porschefire]

Malaysian GP - Race





- In what can only be termed as one of the most anticipated races, Pecco Bagnaia comes out on top, keeping his championship hopes alive in 2024. This race was a must win situation for Pecco and he took the bull by its reigns, winning the restarted race.

- Earlier, the scheduled race had to be red flagged due to a nasty collision in the first lap involving the two Factory KTMs and Fabio Quartararo, with the medics having to intervene to provide aid to Jack Miller who seemed to have had the worst impact of them all. Thankfully, all three riders were OK but the KTM duo had to bow out of the race owing to possible injuries from the crash.

- The race restarted and what we witnessed over the first 5 laps can only be described as one of the best fights in the history of MotoGP. Both title contenders were going 'bar-to-bar' racing to take the lead. It was nothing less than edge of the seat action with both Pecco and Jorge out-braking, under-passing, out-accelerating each other at least 20 times if not more, in a matter of 3 laps! Both of them were vying for the lead with the hope of getting clean air ahead of them and setting the race pace in hot and challenging conditions of Sepang. Ultimately, Pecco won the tussle and Martin settled behind him for the remainder of the race. In the final part of the race, Martin did try to push to reduce the gap ahead but Pecco was a masterclass above everyone else today. He didn't put a foot wrong in the entirety of the race and takes the title challenge to the last round.

- Jorge Martin takes the second spot, yet again and goes to the last round of the season with a significant enough gap to win the title. In fact, if he wins the Sprint in Barcelona, he will be crowned champion on a Saturday, becoming the first World Champion from a satellite team in the history of MotoGP.

- Marc Marquez arguably had the best seat in the house, witnessing the spectacular action that was unravelling in front of him. He was the only rider on the grid matching the hot pace in front of him and waiting like a hyena, ready to take scraps ahead, if either the hunter or the hunted were to fall. However, he made a mistake and crashed, losing a surest third place today. He remounted his GP23 in seventeenth and worked the grid to finish twelfth thereby reducing the damage to his third spot in the Championship to Enea Bastianini.

- Enea Bastianini comes out as the luckiest rider out of this weekend, having been handed a podium on a platter in both the Sprint and the Race. He was clearly not a podium contender at all as he was having issues with his bike today as well, finishing more than 7secs behind Martin. However, his resilience and consistency awarded him the podium and he now sits one point behind Marc Marquez in the championship.

- Alex Marquez keeps a hard charging Pedro Acosta at bay and clinches a strong fourth again.

- Besides Pecco and Martin's daredevilry, everyone must tip their hats to Fabio Quartararo for finishing sixth in what is his and Monster Yamaha's best weekend of 2024. Having been a part of the first lap tussle, he came back to the garage looking visibly hurt (limping) and shaken from the crash. His primary bike was damaged and the technicians had to prepare his secondary bike to restart the race, leaving him without a wet option, if there was a flag-to-flag scenario. Thankfully there wasn't and he rode brilliantly to take sixth. The viewers got to see his battle with Aprilia's Maverick Vinales and he came out on top, establishing the fact that Yamaha are clearly on their way to top. This is also justified by the fact that his teammate, Alex Rins finished eight, handing the best result for the Monster Yamaha team this year.

- Further back, an interesting battle between Marco Bezzecchi, Augusto Fernandez and Johann Zarco was ongoing with the Frenchman spectacularly resisting the Ducati and KTM charge. However, he couldn't sustain it and had to yield to both of them, finishing as the top Honda yet again.

The World Championship standings after round nineteen -

[parzival]

That was one exciting weekend for MotoGP! My Pole prediction was completely shattered by Martin and then Pecco by almost nine tenths, which made it one of my worst pole position predictions for the last five or six Q2s.

The pace Pecco and Martin ran in the races were just incredible. It just shows their level compared to the rest of the riders in the grid and possibly the only one who can match the duos race pace is Marc, who I though is not gonna be anywhere close to them seeing the practice and Q2, but he did it again. But hats off to Fabio Quartararo to the incredible achievement in a less competitive machine, to finish in 5th and 6th in sprint and in race resp., is just amazing. I really hope he gets a better machine for the next season.

Its a shame we aren't getting a thrilling race all through out! In sprint, it just lasted for sometime after Pecco's crash and in the main race it ended with Marc's crash and then Martin began to relax a bit and understandably so, and it got boring after the exhilarating first few laps. I am sure there were some good fights happened. I did notice Marc and Morbidelli exchanged positions some 6-7 times after their crash and then towards the last corner or so Marc overtook Aleix. May be the race was thrilling through out and its just that we aren't shown the whole picture, which is disappointing.

Also, did you guys feel like Pecco gave up on the sprint little too early after the crash? Why did he not pick the bike up and rejoin? Even a single point is invaluable in the championship fight now. And he had incredible pace to begin with anyways.

Now the painful wait for the Catalunya GP for the title decider. 2 weeks is looking so long. BTW, do we get to see the Catalunya test live in JioCinema or Eurosport?

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by parzival

Also, did you guys feel like Pecco gave up on the sprint little too early after the crash? Why did he not pick the bike up and rejoin? Even a single point is invaluable in the championship fight now. And he had incredible pace to begin with anyways.

Normally they always do that, he did go to the bike, bent down and then got up and walked away with his head in his hands.

Maybe it was not rideable anymore or he was just mentally dejected/destroyed by what happened. He seemed to understand immediately that the championship has slipped from his grasp with this mistake. We’ll never know, only he knows.

Full credit and huge achievement for Martin this year that despite Pecco having won 10 races he still leads by 24 points going into the final sprint and race of the season.

Cheers

[ads11]

I have to say, those first few laps after the restart were the stuff of fever dreams for racing fans. I know some folks are on the fence as to Pecco's credentials in terms of being truly elite championship material, and given his unfortunate mistake in the sprint really delivering a hammer blow to his title chances, those laps of hard racing with Jorge will go down as an iconic sequence to his name.

And credit to Jorge as well - both raced hard and fair. I'd be lying if I said I think Marc could come out of that sequence too without either both getting taken out or him getting his elbows out with a block pass.

If Pecco does lose the title, what a gallant way to concede it though. Jorge showed great maturity this weekend in knowing when to stick and when to take his lot and sit on it.

[Porschefire]

News Feed

Barcelona to welcome the 2024 MotoGP finale

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is set to host the Motul Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona from the 15th to the 17th of November.

The event was previously set to take place in Valencia before the devastating flooding that has impacted the region so heavily. Being the last Grand Prix of the season, the sporting context the Championship is in, and the positive impact the event has, MotoGP owes it to the fans, the paddock, the sport, and Valencia, to hold the event.

Instead of racing in Valencia, MotoGP will race for Valencia.


Source: https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2024/...-finale/512656

[Porschefire]

GP20: 15 November - 17 November

Motul Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

Barcelona-Catalunya has hosted a Grand Prix every year since it was first included on the MotoGP™ calendar in 1992, and will also host the extra special Motul Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona in 2024.

In 1989, through the joint collaboration of the Catalan Autonomous Government, the Montmeló Town Council and the Royal Automobile Club of Catalunya (RACC), work began on giving one of Europe’s most beautiful cities a state-of-the-art racetrack to match. The Circuit de Catalunya opened on the doorstep of Barcelona in September 1991 and welcomed its first international event that same month, hosting the Spanish F1 Grand Prix. It went on to host the European Motorcycle Grand Prix and in 1995 became home to the Gran Premio de Catalunya. Considered to be one of the best designed circuits of the recent era, the Circuito de Catalunya won the much-coveted IRTA ‘Best Grand Prix’ trophy for 2001 and has a general admission capacity of 104,000 spectators.

And so it all comes down to this. After 19 Grands Prix across the world, the paddock returns to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Motul Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona – an event with a purpose beyond the pure sporting, and one where the highest sporting accolade in MotoGP will be on the table. By the end of play on Sunday, we know we will have a World Champion, and it could even be before. We know it will be Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) or Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) lifting the crown.

But which? That remains to be decided as #TheRematch reaches its conclusion.

May the best man win!

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by Porschefire

Barcelona-Catalunya has hosted a Grand Prix every year since it was first included on the MotoGP™ calendar in 1992, and will also host the extra special Motul Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona in 2024.

It’s going to be epic because Pecco has got to go in a blaze of glory (awesome number from Jon Bon Jovi also). Try to win both the sprint and the race - that’s all he can do.

Martin meanwhile has just got to keep his head with a 24 point advantage and win the championship. This will be the first time an independent team rider will be world champion and very likely never again.

God has to be really pissed at Martin for him not to win the title this year

Interesting permutations and combinations which impact the final two days of this season in the article below:

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...-solidaritygp/

Tuesday, 19th November, 2024 will be the first test at the same circuit and Marc Marquez will ride as a rider in red for the first time.

What a weekend and Tuesday it’s going to be

Cheers

[Fx14]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Martin meanwhile has just got to keep his head with a 24 point advantage and win the championship. This will be the first time an independent team rider will be world champion and very likely never again.

Valentino Rossi was the last independent team rider to be world champion in the premier class, riding a Nastro Azzuro Honda. He moved to the Repsol Honda factory team the year after becoming the World Champion.

There were others too before that, Eddie Lawson being the last one prior to Rossi.

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by Fx14

Valentino Rossi was the last independent team rider to be world champion in the premier class, riding a Nastro Azzuro Honda. He moved to the Repsol Honda factory team the year after becoming the World Champion.

There were others too before that, Eddie Lawson being the last one prior to Rossi.

Oh yes, my bad. Caught up on that

Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson and Valentino Rossi.

Though Martin may not become the first independent team Moto GP champion, there is one thing that makes this title fight unique - never before has a factory team rider and an independent team rider from the same manufacturer fought for the title. Martin will make history (if he wins) for sure and in a way get sweet revenge at Ducati for not taking him two years in a row by taking the number 1 plate to Aprilia.

Psychologically it will benefit Marc Marquez’s entry to factory Ducati as well because Pecco will be mentally a bit low at losing to Martin.

Cheers

[rajeevsulu]

This is Jorge Martin"s title to lose. Chances are very remote,but,in motorsports,one never knows.

All in all, it was a fun year with the pendulum swinging either way all through.

Looking forward to next year with Marc Marquez on a Ducati and hopefully, Jorge Martin on a good Aprilia with the No.1 plate.

Cheers

[aravind.anand]

Jorge Martin could also become the first rider to get more than 500 points in a single season this weekend! He is just 15 points short of 500 now.
I have been rooting for him since last year. He was trailing Pecco by 21 points going into the last race weekend in 2023 and this year, he has the momentum to go get his glory

[rx100]

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

Jorge Martin could also become the first rider to get more than 500 points in a single season this weekend! He is just 15 points short of 500 now.

It’s kind of meaningless now with all the sprint races and additional points. But interesting thing is that he is still leading with just 3 wins compared to Pecco’s 10, that shows how consistent he is.

[parzival]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Martin will make history (if he wins) for sure and in a way get sweet revenge at Ducati for not taking him two years in a row by taking the number 1 plate to Aprilia.

Psychologically it will benefit Marc Marquez’s entry to factory Ducati as well because Pecco will be mentally a bit low at losing to Martin.

Cheers

For me, this is the best part of Martin winning, otherwise I am not a big supporter of Martin. And to me Pecco is the big looser going into next season, if Martin wins the title, because this was a season that could have gone in Pecco's favor, but it didn't, because of his own doing. Its a understandable if Pecco and Martin were really fighting it out, which they are in one sense, but how they arrived here is mostly due to Pecco's inconsistency this season (not taking away from Martin and what he has done) despite having a machine he likes better than last year and then entire Ducati machinery behind him.

I hope martin finishes it on Saturday, so that on Sunday we get a race where everybody goes all out without the weight of championship on anyone, especially Martin. But I am more excited about Tuesday. Looks like Marc is gonna ride gp24 and gp25 on Tuesday to ease out the transition and understand the changes well.
Do we get to see the test live in Jiocinema?