MotoGP 2021

[Walt_M.]

First day of practice at Misano is over. It was dry to start then it rained. Fastest overall is, drumroll please, Vinales!

[fret not]

Vinales, in a recent article he was touted to be the king of qualifying and last in the race.  Maybe he will break that pattern and just go fast.  I would like to see the Aprillia make some news.  Their head wizard was purloined by Ducati a few years ago if you remember.  I love this stuff.  (MotoGP: soap opera for men).

[fret not]

Vinales qualified in the 4th row for the start.  Not bad but not a great position.  Just thinking about the start of a race starts the adrenaline; all the bikes beginning to move at the same moment and going every which way threading between the other bikes as they pick up speed, and everyone with a handful of throttle aiming for the first turn and hoping no other bike will be occupying the same space. First turn pile-ups can happen, and I think it is amazing that they don't happen more often. 

[Walt_M.]

The front row was Bagnaia, Miller and Quartararo. The second row was all Ducati. Now watch the race, another good one.

[fret not]

Next race this Sunday!  Austin, TX.  Then 3 more races to the end of the season.  Vinales sitting this one out due to the death of his cousin.

[MikeScoot]

Beauty. Fun and demanding circuit. This could be anybody's I reckon.

[Walt_M.]

FP1 starts in a couple of hours, I will be watching with interest.

[fret not]

Marquez and Miller at the front so far.  The track is badly bumpy again, even after the bumps were "shaved".  Sounds like it needs to be rebuilt from the foundation.  Lots of rain forecast, and hopefully less on Sunday.  This one will keep everyone busy trying to figure out some advantage over everyone else.  We will find out on Sunday.

[MikeScoot]

Thanks for the info. It inspired me to look up the latest on MotoGP_dot_com. BUT I messed-up and typed it into my search slot instead of the URL slot.

Well, surprise surprise!

The entire event is up for sale! - according to the first item listed in the search result.

Phillip Island Moto Gp Sold Direct on eBay - Fantastic Prices on Phillip Island Moto Gp

Not sure if this beaut deal includes the brolly girls, the cameras, all the spectators, the bikes, riders, commentators, spectators, entire circuit etc. etc. etc. - even if it's just for the duration of the event, but this is bloady AMAZING!

I'm writing a new book on the strength of it; How to Win Friends, Influence People and Sell Absolutely ANYTHING

Going back to inputting that stuff into my browser (the RIGHT slot this time) in the hope of finding the latest for tomorrow's race.

Oh. Before I go;
 Anyone wanna buy the USA? BE QUICK! For a short time only, the first ten buyers will also receive the big half of Tasmania!

[Walt_M.]

Why would anyone buy the USA, we're just giving it away. Come on in, take what you want.

But seriously, Marquez owns COTA. If he has the strength to stay on he will win. Second, Bagnaia, maybe Jack. Fabio should be happy with a top 5, unless it rains and he should be happy to score a point.

[MikeScoot]

:-)
Well, I'll gamble three Vegemite sambos, a bottle of OP Bundy rum (to wash the sangas down) AND our Opera house (as an added bonus) against your Yosemite Sam and the Andrews Sisters, that Marc brings himself unstuck within the first ten laps and/or never sees the finish line without grazing his bike on the deck.
Are ya feelin' lucky??

[Walt_M.]

FP3 starts in a few minutes and it's dry for now.

[Walt_M.]

Qualifying is over, Bagnaia, Quartararo and Marquez on the front row. What a rough beast that track is! Don't know what happened to Jack. He was .6 quicker than anyone after FP3. I think tomorrow will prove the old cliché, the winner will be among the finishers.

[fret not]

The roughness of the track will make this race an endurance event.  That will be a real test for Marc as he is still trying to regain his former strength, and sort out the worthy from the rest of the pack.  I wonder how hard it will stress the bikes.  Thinking of frames cracking and what not.  With such a bumpy track the lightest wheels (unsprung weight) will be an advantage.  I wonder who has the lightest wheels, of if anyone has much difference from any other.  "Everyone" is using Brembo brakes and Michelin tires, so mostly on parity with each other .  Carbon fiber wheels are very light, are they as tough as the aluminum wheels?  Details, details, . . . . 

[MikeScoot]

They reckon carbon fibre somposite materials can have five times the tensile strength of steel and five times the rigidity.
The rough track may make it tougher on the riders than the bikes, I reckon but it all depends on the design parameters of the bike components.
Doubtless the suspension folks will be working flat out to make it easier on both bike AND rider - not to mention tires.
Then there's the effect of all these unusual settings on the mappings needed for appropriate power delivery.
Then there's the possibility that the winning rider's team may well have just gotten "lucky" with the settings they've used. That's why I reckon the race could be anybody's and may be an utter surprise!

[Walt_M.]

Another one in the books, 3 to go for the season.

[fret not]

It appears that Quartararo will probably be the new MotoGP champion, but next year he will have more competition as Marc is getting stronger, J Martin is showing significant strength, Miller is hungry and almost there, Bagnaia IS there, plus the Suzuki boys have been showing they can also play at the sharp end.  KTM and Aprillia too.  All this and there will be new riders coming from Moto2 that are showing skill and speed.  This is getting GOOD! And likely to be that way for some years.  As long as new skill and talent arrives the process will continue.

[MikeScoot]

Some good racing in there and a lot of brave riding over those attrocious bumps. Great riding by Marc!
The triple stack in Moto3 was a shocker and all three riders were really lucky to have walked away. It was pretty spectacular.

[Walt_M.]

I think most were in survival mode. Nakagami tried hero mode and crashed out, Zarco wasn't going all that well and crashed too. Quartararo had no reason to race Marc so he was happy in second. He did fight off Martin which allowed Marc to get away. Now we have 3 weeks to wait before Misano.