Suzuki (and Yamaha) will need to build a V4. Both of which they have done in the past. It’s why Yamaha cannot gain ground. They are still the kings of corner speed but that isn’t enough any longer. I love my crossplane 4 and it feels like a V4 (V4 90 degree firing order) but it’s also not competing. Honda also needs to put a V4 in the Fireblade (CBR1000RR). Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki selling their liter sport bikes with V4’s would lead to more sales. But all 3 are very very stubborn. This is the Japanese way.

Pedrosa is racing as a wildcard this weekend. Watching P1, and he stayed at the top of the timesheets for an awfully long time until they started putting the softs on at the end. Then right at the end, he took top spot again. Couldn’t make this shit up. Dani is 37 years old.

Dani's departure from HRC coincides with their downward spiral into a bike that tries to kill all of it's riders. Ever notice that once at KTM, the bike got better and better? I'll tell you that I don't think it was coincidence at all.

Dani is a great rider (and if not for Marc, probably would have held numerous records) but where he truly shines is in bike development. Good luck this weekend Little Samurai!

When KTM won their first MotoGP race in 2020 Pit Beirer KTM Motorsport Director said to Dani “this is because of you”. Pedrosa pointed over to Brad Binder and said something like no that guy over there
is the reason we won. It was a pretty cool moment in MotoGP history.

In all honesty it is a true team effort. KTM is damn fortunate to have the little samurai helping develop their bikes.


Maverick had a hell of a front row seat for some spectacular drama today!!!

I was bummed out to see Aleix put it in the litter. Given the pace he had I expected him to be fighting at the front.


Man I feel bad for Mir. Everyone knew HRC was in trouble but damn. What is that four consecutive DNFs? Joan Mir is remarkably mature for his age and seems to have a good head on his shoulders. Hopefully he can turn their issues around quickly.



So I’ve been scouring the internet for anything and everything I can find on rumors about Suzuki’s exit. Even reading German, Russian, Spanish and Japanese articles thanks to google translate.

I have come across some interesting things. One rumor is that Suzuki brass had already decided to leave MotoGP and when Mir won the championship in 2020 it caught them by surprise and made it impossible for them to leave on their anticipated schedule.

Apparently some at Suzuki who had some power and didn’t want the company to quit racing felt that by signing a contract extension with Dorna and by signing Livio Suppo they could keep the team racing. Obviously that didn’t work.

How much the sprint races factored into the equation along with an emission scandal in Germany is anyone’s guess.

The newest rumor is that Suzuki would come back if there was an incentive to design and race “a new type of engine”.

MotoGP is planning a switch to 40% renewable fuels by 2024 and eventually moving to 100% renewable fuel. I am hoping Suzuki is considering a return with a new type of engine.

I don’t want to see them come back with an electric GSX-R. That would basically kill the brand in my eyes.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: stickman428,

I haven’t seen a bike so out of shape, at the front of the race, since Valentino Rossi rode the 211V. Bend it like Binder. Brad was getting that KTM out of shape lap after lap, and so was Jack! Jack was doing his best Binder impersonation getting his factory KTM all out of shape. Brad was just on another level today. Nice to see. I guess when Jack came into the team, they were saying today, that he got them to change the electronics and apparently they lowered the control of it because these guys were getting those bikes so out of shape. Fantastic race.

But the real story of today was Bags. No where yesterday, his team changed setups this morning and he was able to bust ass to get a result today. As long as he does not crash in the race tomorrow he should be leading the championship after the weekend.

And it was great to see Dani posting the fastest laps of the race today. Maybe tomorrow he can get closer to the front.

Good race but I can’t help but think there was a stick up the stewards collective ass in regards to penalties today. Bagnaia and Quatararo both got slapped for racing. Doesn’t make any sense. Both factory KTM’s put on another good show, but Pecco should have had 1st much earlier in the race.

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
But the real story of today was Bags. No where yesterday, his team changed setups this morning and he was able to bust ass to get a result today. As long as he does not crash in the race tomorrow he should be leading the championship after the weekend.

Well he did what I said, and then some. Superb race by Bags. Bided his time, struck, and nothing either KTM rider could do. What a turn around by Pecco’s team over the weekend. They were fucked on Friday. Without his mistakes this year he’d be leading the championship by a country mile right now.

Miguel dislocated his shoulder due to Fabio’s bullshit. Race 1 he was taken out by Marc, now this. A lot of people think without this he’d be at the top of the championship and was looking like a threat to Ducati and Bags. Fucking sucks for him. 2 nasty race missing crashes due to others.

MotoGP can be brutally unfair at times. I hated to see Miguel knocked out of the race and then with a brace on his arm heading to the medical center.

Dani Pedrosa’s similar runs of horrible luck over the years comes to mind.


It looks like Yamaha brass picked the wrong race to attend. What a cluster….


Is HRC testing the new Kalex chassis or is that something the satellite teams are doing separately?

Mir’s bad luck continues. Considering how well he was at pushing the limit of the GSX-RR compared to Rins who tended to ask too much and crash out more frequently this reversal of roles is strange to see.

Though this last race maybe isn’t the best example because they both crashed out.

That was a wild, fun race. Those KTMs were flying & really putting the rear out of line quite a bit.

I wondered if KTM might be more competitive this year. Jack Miller having left factory Ducati who arguably have the best bike on the grid probably brought with him what is working for Ducati and innovative ideas to apply to the KTM.

Hind sight is 20/20 but it appears letting Miller go only seems to have helped KTM thus far.

What a 1000th Grand Prix. That’s the most drama I’ve seen on a race weekend in many years.
Solid sprint race yesterday. Binder and the KTM keep putting it on the podium. Martin finally got his, and Bags pulled some points in 3rd.

Today though. Holy shit. Mav and Bags getting into it. The fisticuffs immediately after. Racing incident to me. Two riders just super competing for the same piece of track. Mav’s pace was menacing and possible race winning. Not surprised he pushed as hard as he could. Neither of them, not Mav, not Pecco, wanted to back off, bam, fireworks. Then Marini saves it on his elbow, absolutely incredible save, only to get pummeled by Alex Marquez. So dangerous too. I thought Alex was going to get hit, and so glad he didn’t. Luca got crushed by Alex and his bike. That looked fucking painful. Awful crashes. Then his brother, typical Marc, overriding his bike right into the litter, to yet another crash. Hope he is not hurt but I did enjoy that. He had a podium and just mucked it.

Bez rode a masterful race and VR|46 bags another win. I got to hear the Italian National Anthem on the podium. Ducati lock out the podium, hard, all 3 positions and all satellite bikes, no factory bikes in sight. Marco pulling this win at this track on that older Ducati. Just incredible. 2nd win this year. He even had to drop a position during the race, and it didn’t matter two shits. Out of the entire academy of VR|46 riders Bez and Beast, seem to have the Valentino like quality of coming on, hard, in the 2nd half of the race.

Jorge Martin is coming. 1st yesterday during the Sprint, and 2nd today in the real race. He’s getting stronger.

And Jack Miller. Damn I was rooting for him so hard yesterday, crash. Then today, he’s at the front, pushing it, and I’m thinking it’s his day, and another crash.

So many riders, so many stories. Crazy weekend.

That was a wild ride.

Agreed that the Mav/Bag incident was just that, a racing incident.
Marini throwing sparks off the elbow was crazy too, definitely looked like Alex was in the line of fire for a moment.
Miller ran a great stint, not sure if his tires went off or what, but once Bez was through, he was gone. He opened up a large gap really quickly, and is now just 1 pt off Bag for the lead.

The penalty on Alex Marquez is IMO crap. He was right behind the rider in front of him and on the race line. The frequent penalties need to stop and be used only when the situation is blatant.

I really don’t see how or why FIM is penalizing Alex for being on the racing line. It’s racing let them race.

I worked this weekend and forgot about the race.
Prefontaine reminded me and I watched it.

Wow, when did Moto GP become NASCAR?

That was a crashfest, and seriously I didn't see any major infractions, it was racing incidents.

I can see why guys were upset as they all were racing, but seriously, it was just racing.

It certainly shook up the grid.....

Mav & Bag seemed to have shaken it off by the time they reached the paddock, on a shared scooter.
Heat of the moment & adrenaline, I get the tempers flared by the time they came to a stop in the gravel.

Hahahah you noticed it too. All that drama in the gravel and then a few minutes later you see Mav & Pecco both on a scooter together catching a ride back to pit lane.

Another shows them riding together on scooter to pits...

https://www.motogp.com/en/vide...deos/365690?n=455564

Great racing and a helluva spectacle this weekend. The 2 big crashes in GP pale in comparison to the 3 rider crash in Moto 2 involving Canet, Arenas, and Gonzalez. Manuel Gonzalez is a tough dude to get up and walk away from that. Acosta throwing it into the litter has shaken up the points too.

So much happened this weekend and I’m sure we’ll see more drama throughout this season