2022 banter & Silly season thread for MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3

[SBan83]

Bottom post of the previous page:

Long time coming for Alex for sure!

Not sure if this has been there since the beginning of this season, but has anyone noticed how the picture of the leader changes to a smiling face as soon as he takes the lead? When Jorge repassed Espargao, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me as it seemed like Jorge's serious face changed to a wry smile. But then when Espargaro got back past, the same thing happened (sad Aleix photo to grinning Aleix photo). Found that pretty funny tbh. Cool idea by the broadcast team.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Aleix Espargaro takes his win ever Grand Prix win! 200 MotoGP starts and 84 in lower classes

Also first ever Aprilia win in the premier class! I didn't think they would be able to do that when they joined MotoGP.

Plus I certainly did not see it coming so soon after coming in as a pukka manufacturer (this year) over involvement as a satellite

[SBan83]

Long time coming for Alex for sure!

Not sure if this has been there since the beginning of this season, but has anyone noticed how the picture of the leader changes to a smiling face as soon as he takes the lead? When Jorge repassed Espargao, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me as it seemed like Jorge's serious face changed to a wry smile. But then when Espargaro got back past, the same thing happened (sad Aleix photo to grinning Aleix photo). Found that pretty funny tbh. Cool idea by the broadcast team.

[Everso Biggyballies]

All in the detail!. Nice touch

[Everso Biggyballies]

Marc Marquez will return to MotoGP in this weekend’s Grand Prix of the Americas,

...the Repsol Honda Team has confirmed the news. He has now been given the green light to race at the Circuit of The Americas by his doctors.

Honda has also confirmed that he did indeed test himself by riding a Supersport bike earlier this week.

A good one for him to come back to.....MM has a stellar record at COTA, having won every MotoGP race there bar one, when he crashed while leading in 2019. Pretty much invincible.... of course this year the situation is a bit different given his absence and the lack of development on the bike.

[julif]

Marc Marquez will return to MotoGP in this weekend’s Grand Prix of the Americas,

...the Repsol Honda Team has confirmed the news. He has now been given the green light to race at the Circuit of The Americas by his doctors.

Honda has also confirmed that he did indeed test himself by riding a Supersport bike earlier this week.

A good one for him to come back to.....MM has a stellar record at COTA, having won every MotoGP race there bar one, when he crashed while leading in 2019. Pretty much invincible.... of course this year the situation is a bit different given his absence and the lack of development on the bike.

If he still wins that would be the most Marquez thing ever

[Vassago]

Moto2 race in Austin has only 18 bikes running at half-distance. Five went out in the first lap pile-up and it didn't get any better after that. Canet & Vietti run 1-2 but crashed in separate incidents.

[Vassago]

Arbolino won Moto2 race ahead of Ogura and Dixon.

Bastianini won MotoGP ahead of Rins and Miller. Ducati had a better showing here but Pramac probably struggled with tyre wear since Martin & Zarco dropped back in the closing stages. However Yamaha is still out in the woods, Quartararo finished behind Marquez who had a terrible start and had to come from the back. Morbidelli finished 15th passing Dovizioso on the last lap.

[Vassago]

Moto2 in Portimao had a pile-up in the wet and many top riders out for the second part. Joe Roberts won the 7-lap race, first intermediate class win for US rider since John Kocinski in 1990!

Several minnows was handed a golden chance to score points - Keminth Kubo & Sean Dylan Kelly probably won't be so lucky for the rest of the season as they finished 12th & 13th.

[Vassago]

Ai Ogura won his first Moto2 race today and he might end up replacing Nakagami in MotoGP before too long. I believe he needs another year in Moto2 or else he will struggle like Raul Fernandez so far.

Word is Romano Fenati might be fired mid-season. Luca Boscoscuro said he's not happy with his results.

[Vassago]

Suzuki is set to leave MotoGP at the end of 2022 season! That is sure a crazy decision!

https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10020 ... end-season

[Everso Biggyballies]

Suzuki is set to leave MotoGP at the end of 2022 season! That is sure a crazy decision!

https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10020 ... end-season

I didn't see that one coming. They only just seemed to return not long ago. I guess its longer ago that one might immediately think. (Just checked.... 7 years.) .

And very different from what Rins was told by the team management literally just over a week ago!

Suzuki has expressed desire to continue with Rins in MotoGP for 2023
Alex Rins says there have been no formal discussions about a new MotoGP contract with Suzuki, but revealed the team has expressed its desire to continue with him beyond 2022.

https://www.autosport.com/motogp/news/s ... /10094391/


Just goes to show the difference between formal discussions, commitment and general chat (over contracts) .

Must have obviously been a decision made further up the food chain than team management, who seemingly were not aware this was an option,... given the team chat with Rins over his future being sound for next year.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Just to add to the Suzuki planned withdrawal that is going to have some mighty repercussions on the rider market, with the penultimate champion Mir and another frontrunner in Rins going to be on the market. That and will Quartar 'unsettled / unconfirmed at Yamaha it will be an interesting silly season. I imagine some riders currently out of their depth will be feeling uncomfortable about next year. Also those not perhaps performing at the level they need to (thinking Pol Espargaro at Repsol for one) I would think Honda might be keen on Mir if Fabs stays at Yamaha. Miller another we know likely out of his current seat for next year.

Less seats around aint good news for the likes of Toprak in WSBK atm.

Although and again totally off the top of my head so no idea if its feasible, but might the Suzuki thing get taken over as a satellite team?

All speculation at this stage of course.... but interesting times ahead re the actual bikes on the grid let alone the riders..

[Vassago]

Polish commentators said Quartararo will be staying put at Yamaha and this whole "he's talking to other teams" stuff was just a leak to leverage the contract situation. Yamaha's problem is that Morbidelli is clearly struggling a ton this season (ever since the leg injury in 2021 tbh) and he's the one who has the contract for next season so they can't move him without a cost.

Mir & Rins becoming available on the free market is bad news for Miller or maybe even Jorge Martin who has the pace but has had a difficult start to 2022. I suppose one of them can replace Dovizioso on the Petronas Yamaha? And there's Darryn Binder who only got to MotoGP because the team pulled out of Moto2? I don't know when his contract ends and whether it was with Yamaha rather than the team?

[Everso Biggyballies]

Polish commentators said Quartararo will be staying put at Yamaha and this whole "he's talking to other teams" stuff was just a leak to leverage the contract situation.

Yeah I read somewhere that Yamaha have promised Fab an upgraded engine with all the missing horsepower he needs..... but not this year and will be there for then. There is now fewer factory seat options for him to look out, and more factory riders looking for any seats there are. Im sure Fabs will be at Yam nexxt year.

As for others so many options of riders that I think chemistry at the discussion stage will be a decider. You know how sometimes at an intervie situation (be it work or even a date) the chemistry between the parties sets the stage for future more in depth discussions. Miller seems to be lacking any chemistry with Ducati for instance.

[Everso Biggyballies]

With Dorna having come back to Suzuki's end year withdrawal notice that it contractually cannot leave at the end of the year without negotiating a release from its contract, pending the outcome of those discussions there is quite a lot of interest from others to step up to MotoGP given the opportunity. Leopard Racing has formally announced its interest (having previously spoken of its interest..... Dorna also noted that it had “high levels of interest” from independent teams and official factories about joining the grid

Leopard Racing "absolutely interested" in replacing Suzuki in MotoGP

“We will see how the situation evolves, there is a contract involved and I don't think Suzuki can leave just like that because it has a signed contract until 2026,” Leopard boss Christian Lundberg said.

“We'll see, but if a seat is freed up and God willing, they [Dorna] give it to us, we'll be very happy.

"The whole paddock knows that we are absolutely interested and that we would try to take that step, but there's still a long way to go before it can happen.”

If Leopard does get the nod to step up to MotoGP, Lundberg says it will be in partnership with Aprilia.

“I think the only option would be to do it with Aprilia because, in my opinion, Dorna has to reward in one way or another the only constructor on the grid that only has two bikes, and today all the bikes are very competitive,” he added.

“So, it would be very good for us to work with Aprilia, plus we are a half-Italian team and it would be easier than working with the Japanese, I think it would be the best option.”

Interestingly before all this came up, during the Spanish GP weekend, Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola said that it was open to fielding a satellite team if the right offer came along.

Interesting times ahead. Im sure that Dorna and Suzuki will come to some form of agreement and they will go ahead and quit as a manufacturer works entrant. Dorna wont want them in as a half arsed attempt and if there is interest from other serious prospects it would be a no brainer to pursue those other avenues over a disinterested contractually bound Suzuki. Just my opinion.