[Porschefire]

Portuguese GP - Race





- Jorge Martin wins the Portuguese GP, charging into the lead from 3rd and pretty much being there for the entirety of the race. He now leads the championship from Brad Binder and Enea Bastianini. WC Bagnaia is 23 points adrift.

- Enea Bastianini claims the second spot after Vinales crashed out in the last lap. A well deserved podium after the horrific crash he had last year in Portimao that pretty much ruined his season.

- Rookie Pedro Acosta claims his first podium after a stupendous race where he showed fantastic race pace, overtaking the likes of Miller, Binder, Marquez and WC Bagnaia! No worries of tyre wear and arm pump this time around, he gave the maximum entertainment to everyone at the track and the ones watching on TV.

- Fabio Quartararo wins the "Japanese GP" with an awesome 7th place finish.

- Franco Morbidelli crashed in the first lap of the race and rejoined the race to finish last. Portimao 2024 hasn't been great at all for the Italian.

- While there were a few DNFs, the most heartbreaking ones were:

Maverick Vinales, who crashed out in the penultimate lap due gearbox issues. He was chasing Martin for the lead in the initial part of the race and holding Bastianini in the final few laps. He definitely would've finished 3rd but for the unfortunate crash.

WC Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez took out each other in late drama. Marc dove inside a struggling Bagnaia with three laps to go but he went wide when Bagnaia tried to cut back under the Gresini. The pair then collided sending both to the ground. The incident is currently under investigation.

[rajeevsulu]

Acosta is the rage now. He overcooked his tyres in Qatar and lost places at the fag end of the race. Here, he was setting fastest laps towards the fag end.
This guy is someone to be watched for the future. Martin had a good Sunday after a while and looked very controlled throughout. It promises to be a good season.
Cheers

[Porschefire]

News Feed

1) 2024 Portuguese Race Podium and the WC Standings





2) MotoGP stewards confirm Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez clash a racing incident

The FIM MotoGP Stewards have confirmed that the crash between Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia was a racing incident and no further action will be taken.


Source: https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10...z-clash-racing

3) Francesco Bagnaia says Marc Marquez move wasn’t risky

Francesco Bagnaia insists that his manoeuvre against Marc Marquez - which ended his Portuguese GP - was not risky.

“When he overtook me, he went wide. When a guy is riding in front of you, that you are battling, goes wide? What do you want to do? Overtake him again to take more points? From my side, it wasn’t risky.
When Marc arrived, he tried to overtake. He went wide. I tried to cross the line. He crossed his line. And we collided. It’s something that makes me angry. But it’s normal. It’s a racing incident."


Source: https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10...ry-zero-points

4) Marc Marquez: Mistake from Pecco, too aggressive for two points

“For me, it was a mistake from Pecco, but not just the incident. Because in the end he tried to come back [underneath] and, OK was too optimistic, but contact can happen.
But it was a mistake because we were fighting for 5th, 6th position. Two more points, two less.
And he was suffering a lot with the tyres, especially with the rear tyre.
So in the end, when 3 laps remain, you know that you will lose the position, so it's not necessary to come back in that aggressive mode.
But, he decided like this. The consequence to Ducati is 0 points [for both of us].”


Source: https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10...ive-two-points

5) Maverick Vinales: Unbelievable race despite gearbox glitch

“I tried to put 6th, but it didn't go in. So the bike went into neutral and I hit the RPM limiter. I put my leg out to let Bastianini understand that I had a problem.
I kept trying to put 6th but it didn't go in. So I went back to 2nd [at Turn 1] and when I touched the gas [the gear] entered into 2nd and then I had a highside. [The bike] didn't lock up.
I will not say it’s a disappointment, but I will say that this can maybe be a call of attention to improve a little bit more the reliability.
I really encourage all the Aprilia technicians to improve in that area. I think it's important if you want to fight each weekend, especially for victories.”


Source: https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10...was-praying-it

[ds.raikkonen]

Ok, prediction time for Austin.

Qualy: Pecco/Martin/Bastia
Sprint: Pecco/Marquez/Martin
Race: Marquez/Pecco/Martin

Let's revise this post FP1 and Practice

[Porschefire]

Fabio Quartararo staying at Yamaha

Interesting turn of events to the 2025 silly season, Yamaha has succeeded in convincing former world champion Fabio Quartararo to remain at its factory MotoGP team for the 2025 and 2026 seasons!

FQ's words - "Last winter Yamaha proved to me that they have a new approach and a new aggressive mindset. My confidence is high: we will be back at the front together"


Source: https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10...staying-yamaha

With this, the rider contract status is -

[Porschefire]

GP3: 12 Apr - 14 Apr

Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas

Circuit Of The Americas

The Circuit Of The Americas is the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the U.S. near Austin, Texas, with a 5.513km track and a capacity for 120,000 fans. Construction of the 1000-acre facility was completed late in 2012, with MotoGP lining up at the track for the first time in 2013. One of its more distinctive features is near 41m-elevation change with an impressive incline at the end of the home-straight followed by a sharp left. The circuit is one of the most varied on the GP circuit, with a mix of fast straights and tight hairpins, with most sections mirroring at least some part of a famous track around the world. The driving direction is counter clockwise and has a total of 20 corners with 9 right turns and 11 left turns.







Previous Winners


2023


2022

[ds.raikkonen]

Originally Posted by Porschefire

[u]GP3: 12 Apr - 14 Apr

Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas

With Marc's history at COTA and now that he is on a Ducati, I am expecting a record breaking weekend attendance. Perhaps even 300,000+ which will be record breaking over the previous record holder Le Mans at 280,000+. F1 got 400,000+ last year.

[Porschefire]

Originally Posted by ds.raikkonen

With Marc's history at COTA and now that he is on a Ducati, I am expecting a record breaking weekend attendance. Perhaps even 300,000+ which will be record breaking over the previous record holder Le Mans at 280,000+. F1 got 400,000+ last year.

True that! With Trackhouse entering MotoGP and Liberty Media acquiring MotoGP, I'm expecting the curiosity to be high with a bigger footfall as a result. This beautiful sport deserves nothing less.

And, Marc! I really do hope he can keep his impeccable COTA record intact. It will not be easy though as there are multiple riders riding with a lot at stake and to prove a point. Bagnaia, Bastianini come to mind immediately, Rins won last year with the worst bike on the grid so, cannot rule him out as well.

[ds.raikkonen]

Originally Posted by Porschefire

True that! With Trackhouse entering MotoGP and Liberty Media acquiring MotoGP, I'm expecting the curiosity to be high with a bigger footfall as a result. This beautiful sport deserves nothing less.

And, Marc! I really do hope he can keep his impeccable COTA record intact. It will not be easy though as there are multiple riders riding with a lot at stake and to prove a point. Bagnaia, Bastianini come to mind immediately, Rins won last year with the worst bike on the grid so, cannot rule him out as well.

Seriously, but too much historic pressure being piled on Marc by the media! He is not exactly on the latest spec bike and hasn't got a factory squad at his disposal to keep the Ducati GP24s and KTM RC16s behind.

Rins's victory is a mystery for me, perhaps his crew chief got the setup and gearing just right as he was hassling Pecco properly!

Will be a difficult one to predict on MotoGP GURU as well as Pole predictor.

But here are mine:
Pole: Martin
Sprint: Marquez
Race: Pecco

[Porschefire]

News Feed

1) VR46 ‘already rejected’ Yamaha

Per reports, VR46 has ‘already rejected’ Yamaha’s offer to become its new satellite MotoGP team for 2025, generating surprise and disappointment among Lin Jarvis and the Japanese leaders. It adds that Valentino Rossi’s team is now set to forge closer links with Ducati - and potentially take over the ‘official satellite’ status currently enjoyed by Pramac. While Pramac has received the option to extend the contract with Ducati, nothing has been finalised yet. As on today, Pramac has two viable options -

- Sign with Ducati for another two seasons, possibly retaining factory-spec status, but in the knowledge that ‘there may be no future [with Ducati] after 2027’.

- Or switch to Yamaha in 2025, bringing longer-term stability plus financial incentives from the Japanese manufacturer, which recently received a vote of confidence in its future by retaining Fabio Quartararo.

Pramac is said to have ‘approximately a month and a half’ to exercise its contractual option of an extension with Ducati.


Source: https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10...e-pramac-grabs

2) Three names on shortlist but the clock is ticking on Ducati's big decision

Jorge Martin, Enea Bastianini and Marc Marquez - the three names that are supposedly being discussed within the Ducati stables for a factory ride in 2025.

While Martin has been the most consistent rider of 2024 and having expressed the desire to ride the factory Ducati next year, he will surely be one of the top contenders for the seat. The only thing that matters is how long Martin is willing to wait for the Ducati management to make a move on him.

Enea had a torrid start to his factory Ducati career last year but the fact that he's been a very good team-mate to Bagnaia and the familiarity of being in the factory team, experience and results he has is not something Ducati will take lightly when making a decision.

The wild card of course, is Marquez. Having the World champion and the best rider of this era in the same team will be a PR gold mine for Ducati and the sponsors/investors. Marc has displayed his talent during testing and the first two GPs (albeit the crash with Pecco in Portimao), and a COTA win will only enhance his chances.


Source: https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10...s-big-decision

3) Andrea Iannone is considered for a MotoGP switch

Iannone could be considered for a MotoGP switch after Pramac CEO Paolo Campinoti appreciated the controversial rider’s high profile, particularly in Italy. Iannone has been absent from motorcycle racing for four years due to a doping ban until returning to WorldSBK with Ducati this year. His comeback has, so far, been impressive.

With Martin set to move to a factory team in 2025 and Fermin Aldeguer set to replace him, Iannone's name has come up to replace Morbidelli. The question remains whether he would ride a Ducati or a Yamaha.


Source: https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10...-motogp-switch

[ds.raikkonen]

Dorna (or shall we say Liberty Media) has introduced custom opening titles just for the United States GP, call it 'countrification'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRCsOB9CV0I

[Porschefire]

News Feed

Couple of interesting topics were discussed during yesterday's Rider Press Conferences -

1) Fabio Quartararo comments on why he rejected Aprilia

Quoting Fabio -

"I have spoken with all the brands, Aprilia was one of the brands that I liked, because it is different.
In the end we have had all the papers of all the brands on the table and the project I really liked was Yamaha in the future.
In Portugal we have had a fairly long discussion with the management of Yamaha, and the engineers, to see in more detail the entire project between now and the end of the year, 2025 and 2026."

IMO, the pay check was one of the primary drivers for Fabio as he now becomes the highest paid rider on the grid. It'll be great for either parties if Yamaha can become competitive again in the next couple of years. If they don't, it's advantage Fabio as he can decide to leave in 2027, when he'll still be 26yrs of age and at the prime of his career to win championships.


Source: https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10...-rejected-them

Interestingly, Aleix has been told that Aprilia never made an offer to Fabio! So, the main driver between FQ - Yamaha could very well be the finances.


Source: https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10...artararo-offer

2) Jorge Martin will not stay in Pramac for 2025

Jorge Martin admits he is closer to Ducati than Pramac after rumours linking the team with a switch to Yamaha machinery.

Quoting Martin -

“Well, at the moment I am more attached to Ducati than with Pramac. It has been like this for all my MotoGP career. Everybody knows what my priority is.
Let’s wait because it is still early but I hope to move to a factory team. Even if Pramac changes, I think, I won’t stay here.”


Source: https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10...wont-stay-here

[ds.raikkonen]

Originally Posted by Porschefire

Couple of interesting topics were discussed during yesterday's Rider Press Conferences -

What was the 'Exceptional' press conference about?

I think it is time we started having individual threads of MotoGP races as well, similar to F1.

[Porschefire]

Originally Posted by ds.raikkonen

What was the 'Exceptional' press conference about?

I think it is time we started having individual threads of MotoGP races as well, similar to F1.

Exceptional? Unsure if i understand what you're asking here. If you meant it for my "Interesting comment", it was for me to listen to FQ and JM talk about their future plans.

We could indeed have individual threads for the races but going by the user engagement for MotoGP on TBhp, my opinion is it'll be a lot of spam threads.

[ds.raikkonen]

Originally Posted by Porschefire

Exceptional? Unsure if i understand what you're asking here.

This one dude, wonder whether they made any special announcement