2019 banter & Silly season thread for MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3

Current motorcycle racing related news, information and discussion.
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Vassago
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#286

Post by Vassago »

Bottom post of the previous page:

Brad Binder will be Pol Espargaro's teammate in the factory KTM next season. He was supposed to take Syahrin's place in the Tech3 satellite team but that will be taken by Iker Lecuona instead (who was set to replace Binder in the Red Bull Ajo Moto 2 team). I'm sort of okay with Binder on the works bike but it's too early for Lecuona in MotoGP. The Moto2 season opposite Jorge Martin was supposed to be the true test of his potential, he might outright sink in MotoGP next season.
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#287

Post by kals »

Well there goes Binder’s burgeoning career, or it’ll be stunted for a few years at least. Oh and Oliveira is pissed.
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#288

Post by Vassago »

KTM boss Leitner has come forward and said Olivieira rejected the idea of moving up to the works team in 2020 during the Misano weekend (which was Zarco's final race with the team). So I can only assume Oliveira thought that Zarco's place for 2020 will be indeed taken by someone like Mika Kallio and only after that one of the satellite riders would be chosen for 2021. Guess what, timing is everything. If he knew the potential choice is between him & Binder I bet he wouldn't have refused but maybe KTM never expected this answer in first place either.
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#289

Post by kals »

Vassago wrote: 4 years ago KTM boss Leitner has come forward and said Olivieira rejected the idea of moving up to the works team in 2020 during the Misano weekend (which was Zarco's final race with the team). So I can only assume Oliveira thought that Zarco's place for 2020 will be indeed taken by someone like Mika Kallio and only after that one of the satellite riders would be chosen for 2021. Guess what, timing is everything. If he knew the potential choice is between him & Binder I bet he wouldn't have refused but maybe KTM never expected this answer in first place either.
I read that earlier. Apparently Oliveira was offered the seat as you say but said as long as he would be given the same equipment (as the works squad), could keep the same engineering team etc... he would stay at Tech 3 as he was happy there. Seems strange for him to come out after the fact and suggest Binder's signing confuses him.
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#290

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Phillip Island this weekend and already the Moto3 and now Moto2 are doing P1. Having been 34C yesterday it is now pissing down and 18C in Melbourne.... it has obviously rained at PI, and although not raining there atm the track is wet. PI given the speeds they do is not a place I would want to be racing in the wet!

PI Forecast is for showers today, storms tomorrow and showers again on Sunday. And only 14C max over the weekend.

Ill be at Sandown all weekend (about to leave now for practice) for the Historic Cars meeting, and weather forecast is the same there. :annoyed:

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#291

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Qualifying was cancelled due to the conditions and will be rescheduled for Sunday morning.

Free Practice 4, which precedes qualifying, was halted after the gusty winds caused a number of incidents.

Miguel Oliveira’s crash looked to have been caused by him literally being pushed off the track by winds as he was heading down the main straight into Doohan Corner.

The Tech3 KTM rider veered sideways onto the grass ahead of the braking zone, then straight-lined towards the runoff area where he fell from his bike. He was treated at the track medical centre and cleared of any serious injury.

The session was stopped with all riders called to a safety meeting at the Phillip Island track management office with FIM, IRTA and Dorna officials. With MotoGP machines featuring wings, all agreed to cancel the afternoon running.

“The wind is just getting worse and worse getting gusts over 50km/h,” said Jack Miller.

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#292

Post by SBan83 »

Well, PI delivered as usual. That section where Vinales lost it on the final lap has been one of my most enjoyable and perilous corners at the same time in racing games. Scampering for grip over the fast bumpy, left hand rise before immediately dropping off the face of the earth and having to brake and turn right while the rear end is still settling down.

Vinales tried doing all that while simultaneously trying to go around the outside of Marquez. Mad props to him for trying, regardless of the outcome.
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#293

Post by John »

Brilliant race as usual at the Island. Great battles all over the top-10.

Lorenzo needs to retire. Dead last today.
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#294

Post by kals »

I’ve yet to watch the MotoGP race but know the result. The Moto3 race was on at 9pm local time last night so I watched that. Fantastic race.
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#295

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

John wrote: 4 years ago Brilliant race as usual at the Island. Great battles all over the top-10.

Lorenzo needs to retire. Dead last today.
Just watched the race. Yes and yes to both your comments.

The local experts here (Chris Vermeulen and Kevin Magee, plus World Endurance champion Steve Martin) were saying post race Lorenzo has to go and how he is now lapping PI near enough 3-4 seconds off what he used to. An embarrassment and a waste of space in the seat one of them said.

Never been a huge fan of Jack Miller but he seems to have grown a brain these days and rode a great race, just hanging in there, looking after tyres and taking opportunities. First local rider on the podium since Stoner back in 2012 I think.

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#296

Post by Vassago »

Polish commentators said that Zarco going to Repsol next season is rumoured to be as good as done unless Zarco lays a stinker during these three races. Hmm.. he finished 13th battling with ex-teammate Pol Espargaro and not far off Morbidelli who had a rather bad race overall. One can argue this is where Nakagami would have finished given who finished behind him and Aprilia suddenly having their most competitive show all season aside from the usual Aleix heroics at Aragon.

Apparently even Marquez was talking about Zarco how he can't be judged based on this weekend due to all the rain & wind in practice. That sounded like an excuse that Zarco might be on the upside with Honda yet. I mean nobody really expected him to be in that group fighting for the podium with the Suzukis & Ducatis, right?
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#297

Post by kals »

Zarco finished only 16 seconds off Crutchlow which is not a bad result all things considered. There is no doubt that Nakagami would have done better on that bike this weekend but that's not the point. The point is about what Zarco could do, would show and would learn without any seat time on a known tricky bike.
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#298

Post by Cheeveer »

Lorenzo has been unacceptable all year, the 2nd Repsol Honda literally can't be any worse. Is Honda willing to stick with Lorenzo? It feels like a gamble now. While at Ducati, it took him a year and a half to get comfortable, but then immediately started winning races again. Surely no one believes that will be the case at Honda too?
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#299

Post by DoubleFart »

Why adapt the bike for Lorenzo when it works so well for Marquez?
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#300

Post by John »

DoubleFart wrote: 4 years ago Why adapt the bike for Lorenzo when it works so well for Marquez?
Ducati managed to give both riders what they wanted last year. You can to a certain extent adjust the bike but the core characteristics of a bike is difficult to change. The RCV213 is notoriously tricky to ride as you have to be super aggressive. And Lorenzo is quite the opposite, probably the smoothest rider on the grid. It works for Marquez and it works for Crutchlow, but Lorenzo is just the wrong guy for that bike.
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#301

Post by Cheeveer »

DoubleFart wrote: 4 years ago Why adapt the bike for Lorenzo when it works so well for Marquez?
Exactly. So Honda is wiser mounting someone that has that riding style on there.
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