Author Topic: MotoGP 2021 (Read 7232 times)

Walt_M. · « **Reply #80 on:** October 23, 2021, 10:58:32 AM »

The track did dry for qualifying but it didn't help Quartararo. Both he and Bagnaia had to go to Q1 but Bagnaia went to Q2 and Fabio didn't. Bagnaia is on pole, Quartararo is starting 13th.

fret not · « **Reply #81 on:** October 24, 2021, 01:37:57 AM »

Front row is all Ducati. Very cool weather. The mix of dry/wet track has made a guessing game of the set up to use on Sunday. Some of the younger riders are showing some ability (Lecuona, Marini), and Marc Marquez starts from the 3rd row, Quartararo starts from the 5th row. We will find out what happened when Sunday comes around.

Walt_M. · « **Reply #82 on:** October 24, 2021, 10:10:16 AM »

Well, this one should be on everyone's must see list. It's on NBCSN at 7 eastern US. My schedule mis-identifies it as Valencia. I was wrong, the race is on NBC now!

fret not · « **Reply #83 on:** October 25, 2021, 12:44:59 AM »

Yeah, I got to see it but had the interruption of the power going out a few minutes before the race started, and I was just mixing the eggs and heating the frying pan for french toast. Several minutes later power resumed and the day progressed a bit delayed, but happening. Several laps had been run by the time the TV caught up. (darn satellite system had to reset itself which took several extra minutes) Not a terribly exciting race but I watched it all, and happy it happened. We are having RAIN and wind! Seeing a Ducati go end over end after a low-side crash shows how much energy is stored in the mass/momentum. That is hard on a bike.

Walt_M. · « **Reply #84 on:** October 25, 2021, 09:20:16 AM »

I found the race quite entertaining with the championship implications and all. Watching Marquez chasing Bagnaia and Quartararo moving up from his poor start, good stuff.

fret not · « **Reply #85 on:** October 27, 2021, 10:02:51 PM »

Next race is NOV. 7 in Portimao, Portugal, and the last race will be NOV. 14 in Spain.

Walt_M. · « **Reply #86 on:** October 28, 2021, 07:05:05 AM »

With the championship settled everyone should be more free to race. Marquez will be trying to win as always, Bagnaia will be trying to make up for Misano and Quartararo might want to prove that he deserves to be champion. These could be some of the best races of the year.

fret not · « **Reply #87 on:** November 01, 2021, 12:51:50 AM »

Next Sunday on NBC again! In the mean time with the VideoPass I can see older races.

Walt_M. · « **Reply #88 on:** November 04, 2021, 04:02:46 PM »

Disappointed to hear Marquez will not be racing at Portimao. The official explanation is a possible concussion while training on a motocross bike. The race just became less interesting.

fret not · « **Reply #89 on:** November 04, 2021, 07:35:52 PM »

Well, all the guys will be trying to show their stuff, getting ready for the next season. They can't help it, it's just the macho thing with competition. No one needs to 'go for blood' now that the championship is decided, but I think they will put forth a good effort and we will see some good racing in the final two races. It is unfortunate that Marquez will be out with injury, but there are several other shining 'stars' that will provide entertainment. Watching the younger riders coming up through the classes is showing us there is more good racing to come in the seasons ahead.

Walt_M. · « **Reply #90 on:** November 05, 2021, 08:33:00 AM »

Looks like a beautiful morning in Portugal. FP1 will be starting soon and we may learn more, stay tuned.

Walt_M. · « **Reply #91 on:** November 05, 2021, 05:52:30 PM »

Surprise, Quartararo and Bagnaia are on top. Mir should not be surprising in 4th but Oliveira in nowhere is. The grid is set, Bagnaia, Miller and Mir on the front row, Quartararo is starting 7th. Does this make the race the race more interesting or less?

fret not · « **Reply #92 on:** November 07, 2021, 01:40:10 AM »

The race is scheduled to be broadcast on NBC! So I get to watch it on the TV, hopefully with breakfast. This should be a good morning here in California.

Walt_M. · « **Reply #93 on:** November 07, 2021, 05:55:42 PM »

The first 7 laps were pre-empted by my local station and not much drama from there. Ducati have the constructors championship and probably the team's and they certainly deserve them.

fret not · « **Reply #94 on:** November 12, 2021, 05:47:30 PM »

And now for the Finale of the season: Friday FP times have Miller on top, and the top 14 within one second of the leader. Big Qualifying day Saturday to sort the starting grid. So it looks like a mad dash for the first turn with everybody getting there at the same time.

In 'club racing' I always dreaded the start of a race because of uneven trajectories of all the bikes, but somehow we all got through without much issue. I have watched a few first turn "wads" as someone near the front of the pack goes down and some others can't avoid collision. Usually if more than two riders went down the race would be restarted. In MotoGP the fact that so many really fast riders are aiming at the same spot and they get through safely is a testament to their skill and nerves. I watch in awe as these modern warriors shred the limits, and I think back to some moments that are seared into my memory, and think "I want to do that again", but I well know these guys are so much faster than we ever could go. Now we have slo-mo replays and cameras everywhere so we can see the wheels slide and chatter, the bikes buck and shake their head in resistance as the riders try to force them into submission of testing the edge of possibilities. There is a LOT of potential 'information' to assess any moment of a race.
I am content to watch from a safe distance, as I know too well that older bones break easier and heal less well. I will let THEM take the risks, and I will imagine the smell of castor oil in the exhaust, as I sit in comfort . . . from a safe distance.

fret not · « **Reply #95 on:** November 13, 2021, 02:40:21 PM »

Now the grid is set for Sunday's race. All Ducati front row; 2 Suzukis and a Ducati on second row; KTM, Yamaha, and Honda on third row. Marc Marquez is still out because of concussion/double vision.

fret not · « **Reply #96 on:** November 19, 2021, 02:16:35 AM »

The results of the 2 year engine development freeze is just about to show up on the track. 2022 will be interesting to watch. EVERYBODY needs more horsepower except Ducati, but that won't stop Ducati from bringing some if they found any more during the 'freeze'. Funny how the horsepower figures are not much discussed in numbers now. A couple years ago it was reported 250, then 270 horsepower, but now nobody discusses numbers. I suspect they must be closer to 300, and no wonder why tires wear out before a race is over. I guess they need better tires.

As the weakest area is improved, the next weakest area shows up. It's called 'development', and we get to see it happening all the time. This past year or two it has been the aerodynamics with the 'wings' and 'tire coolers', with everyone trying to find a bit more down force, which happens to be directly against the rules. So they come up with imaginative explanations for the devices that show up on the bikes.

( MotoGP, soap opera for men)

Walt_M. · « **Reply #97 on:** November 22, 2021, 08:01:04 AM »

It would seem that the tires have caught up making tire selection more critical. At the Jerez tests, Ducati seem to have a clear advantage, Honda made progress as did Suzuki. Aprilia not so much and Yamaha made none at all. KTM may have just lost their way.

fret not · « **Reply #98 on:** November 22, 2021, 12:57:15 PM »

I will be looking forward to the next tests as the beginning of the 2022 season approaches and engine development is frozen for the season. This time period should show who is going to be competitive. Now that the Ducati can turn, it is the big dog with all it's power, but others are gaining power too. Honda has shown some, and reports from Suzuki and Yamaha riders indicate a small gain. The mad dash to get more power before the new season . . . . . . . .

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Author Topic: MotoGP 2021 (Read 7232 times)