Discussion
Fermin Aldeguer confirmed at Ducati for 2025, hurry up call to Morbidelli or signs that Martin is off.
https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1045703/1/offici...
Ducati cost cutting - https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1045568/1/cost-c...
https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1045703/1/offici...
Ducati cost cutting - https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1045568/1/cost-c...
rodericb said:
hiccy18 said:
Pecco has resumed from where he left off.
His was an interesting start in the main race - was on the inside and found a gap to the outside and powered around the pack. A very, well, powerful start there!FourWheelDrift said:
Fermin Aldeguer confirmed at Ducati for 2025, hurry up call to Morbidelli or signs that Martin is off.
https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1045703/1/offici...
Ducati cost cutting - https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1045568/1/cost-c...
Ducati have accepted they're losing Jorge and have brought in a younger talent. I guess Aprilia have some weighing up to do.https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1045703/1/offici...
Ducati cost cutting - https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1045568/1/cost-c...
FourWheelDrift said:
Fermin Aldeguer confirmed at Ducati for 2025, hurry up call to Morbidelli or signs that Martin is off.
https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1045703/1/offici...
He didn't score a point in Qatar!https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1045703/1/offici...
rallycross said:
2fast748 said:
Live on ITV3 & ITV4 this weekend.
Mot Gp? If so great have missed watching it live Ducati have played it well haven't they ....
Re-signed current WC long term, early in the season. Announce all other contracts will be less lucrative (to pay for Pecco) whilst you have the dominant bike. If you want the best bike, be prepared to not be paid millions - unless you're our number 1 rider. Then sweep in and pick up the leading Moto2 talent, putting everyone on notice that someone's leaving next year.
Yamaha and Honda are 2-3yrs away from being competitive, as they were nowhere in Qatar even after testing there - dependent on how much they use the concessions quickly enough. Issue for Yamaha is keeping hold of the talent they have.
KTM/GasGas are full, expect some shuffling perhaps, but they've got enough talent and the 2nd best bike. Bonder was soooo close at Qatar.
Aprilia now hold the power in the factory rider market. Fast bike, real potential and a factory seat.
Marquez, Martin, Quateraro are the key players and the rest will fall into line after those are dealt with.... But they've gotta wait and see what happens with Espagaro and Vinales.
I suspect Bastaini will stay where he is, he'll be competitive enough and less likely to rock the boat, making him an almost ideal teammate in the factories eyes.
Keeps me entertained whilst waiting for the next GP to think about the backroom dealing that must be going on already.
Re-signed current WC long term, early in the season. Announce all other contracts will be less lucrative (to pay for Pecco) whilst you have the dominant bike. If you want the best bike, be prepared to not be paid millions - unless you're our number 1 rider. Then sweep in and pick up the leading Moto2 talent, putting everyone on notice that someone's leaving next year.
Yamaha and Honda are 2-3yrs away from being competitive, as they were nowhere in Qatar even after testing there - dependent on how much they use the concessions quickly enough. Issue for Yamaha is keeping hold of the talent they have.
KTM/GasGas are full, expect some shuffling perhaps, but they've got enough talent and the 2nd best bike. Bonder was soooo close at Qatar.
Aprilia now hold the power in the factory rider market. Fast bike, real potential and a factory seat.
Marquez, Martin, Quateraro are the key players and the rest will fall into line after those are dealt with.... But they've gotta wait and see what happens with Espagaro and Vinales.
I suspect Bastaini will stay where he is, he'll be competitive enough and less likely to rock the boat, making him an almost ideal teammate in the factories eyes.
Keeps me entertained whilst waiting for the next GP to think about the backroom dealing that must be going on already.
Yazza54 said:
Tam_Mullen said:
Saw an article on Twitter saying Luca Marini and Honda had a private test at Jerez this week because they were so far off the pace in Qatar.
It was rather horrendous wasn't it
king slow. 
Johno said:
Ducati have played it well haven't they ....
Re-signed current WC long term, early in the season. Announce all other contracts will be less lucrative (to pay for Pecco) whilst you have the dominant bike. If you want the best bike, be prepared to not be paid millions - unless you're our number 1 rider. Then sweep in and pick up the leading Moto2 talent, putting everyone on notice that someone's leaving next year.
Yamaha and Honda are 2-3yrs away from being competitive, as they were nowhere in Qatar even after testing there - dependent on how much they use the concessions quickly enough. Issue for Yamaha is keeping hold of the talent they have.
KTM/GasGas are full, expect some shuffling perhaps, but they've got enough talent and the 2nd best bike. Bonder was soooo close at Qatar.
Aprilia now hold the power in the factory rider market. Fast bike, real potential and a factory seat.
Marquez, Martin, Quateraro are the key players and the rest will fall into line after those are dealt with.... But they've gotta wait and see what happens with Espagaro and Vinales.
I suspect Bastaini will stay where he is, he'll be competitive enough and less likely to rock the boat, making him an almost ideal teammate in the factories eyes.
Keeps me entertained whilst waiting for the next GP to think about the backroom dealing that must be going on already.
Martin's strategy interests me, and I think it's a long shot, especially given how much he clawed back on Pecco in the second half of last season. I wonder at what point he gives up on the idea of getting into team Red and signs elsewhere? I could see him on a fairly lucrative contract at HRC before the season is out unless Aleix lures him to Aprilia. Reality check has to be if he can't beat Pecco over a season on the best bike, how is he going to get on elsewhere?Re-signed current WC long term, early in the season. Announce all other contracts will be less lucrative (to pay for Pecco) whilst you have the dominant bike. If you want the best bike, be prepared to not be paid millions - unless you're our number 1 rider. Then sweep in and pick up the leading Moto2 talent, putting everyone on notice that someone's leaving next year.
Yamaha and Honda are 2-3yrs away from being competitive, as they were nowhere in Qatar even after testing there - dependent on how much they use the concessions quickly enough. Issue for Yamaha is keeping hold of the talent they have.
KTM/GasGas are full, expect some shuffling perhaps, but they've got enough talent and the 2nd best bike. Bonder was soooo close at Qatar.
Aprilia now hold the power in the factory rider market. Fast bike, real potential and a factory seat.
Marquez, Martin, Quateraro are the key players and the rest will fall into line after those are dealt with.... But they've gotta wait and see what happens with Espagaro and Vinales.
I suspect Bastaini will stay where he is, he'll be competitive enough and less likely to rock the boat, making him an almost ideal teammate in the factories eyes.
Keeps me entertained whilst waiting for the next GP to think about the backroom dealing that must be going on already.
FabioQ to Aprilia looks possible, Ducati and KTM look like closed doors. Staying at Yamaha seems unlikely given how little progress they have made so far. Perhaps the new hires will start processes that persuade Fabio (& Rins) to stay.
I don't expect Marc to end up at Aprilia, but KTM are definitely interested in him. Augusto is having a poor start at a bad time, but his past record is patchy. Gigi knows the gap between an early '23 GP23 and a current GP24, and he'll have a damn good insight into the gap between the GP24 and the KTM. Data driven analysis may suggest Marc on a KTM being unbeatable by any of the current Ducati lineup.
The joker is Pedro Acosta: I don't expect him to fight for the championship this season, but by mid-season he could be fearsome.
Yamaha really seem to be changing the way they’re working, but they’re so far behind, it’s how long before Quateraro has to make a decision. He hasn’t got the luxury of time to see if they’re working practises turn intention into results versus the seats disappearing on other bikes.
Honda have built a new bike and are testing a lot, but similarly they’re so far off the pace,
All the teams had time in the test at Qatar to set their bikes up for the race weekend. The results are bound to be closer in times than a standard weekend. A lot of observers suggest Portimao will really show where everyone is, including Acosta, Marquez and the Japanese factories.
Between Marquez, Quateraro & Martin it would seem someone’s going to miss out when you look atdesirable factory contracts versus desirable factory bikes/supported bikes.
Of course, after one race, a lot of caveats are in play.
I do agree about Martin’s Ducati fascination, he needs to win the championship and put Ducati in the difficult position, no small task, or move somewhere else.
Honda have built a new bike and are testing a lot, but similarly they’re so far off the pace,
All the teams had time in the test at Qatar to set their bikes up for the race weekend. The results are bound to be closer in times than a standard weekend. A lot of observers suggest Portimao will really show where everyone is, including Acosta, Marquez and the Japanese factories.
Between Marquez, Quateraro & Martin it would seem someone’s going to miss out when you look atdesirable factory contracts versus desirable factory bikes/supported bikes.
Of course, after one race, a lot of caveats are in play.
I do agree about Martin’s Ducati fascination, he needs to win the championship and put Ducati in the difficult position, no small task, or move somewhere else.
Here's an interesting cause-and-consequence effect with regards the tire pressure thing in MotoGP:
https://www.crash.net/motogp/feature/1045709/1/cou...
Riders are slipstreaming (and not passing) each other so the temperature in the tyres remains "to spec". Although the minimum pressure was reduced, the number of laps it has to be above the threshold has increased.
https://www.crash.net/motogp/feature/1045709/1/cou...
Riders are slipstreaming (and not passing) each other so the temperature in the tyres remains "to spec". Although the minimum pressure was reduced, the number of laps it has to be above the threshold has increased.
rodericb said:
Here's an interesting cause-and-consequence effect with regards the tire pressure thing in MotoGP:
https://www.crash.net/motogp/feature/1045709/1/cou...
Riders are slipstreaming (and not passing) each other so the temperature in the tyres remains "to spec". Although the minimum pressure was reduced, the number of laps it has to be above the threshold has increased.
I heard the other day that pressure data is fed in real-time back to race control and the teams, but Ducati have introduced something which informs the riders on the dash, so they know whether they are either side of the threshold by the number of laps remaining.... i.e. so the riders sit behind several riders to keep their tyre pressure over the limit and when enough laps have passed where they cannot receive a penalty they get a light/signal on the dash to basically say you can go now without fear of a penalty for the remaining laps. Clever, but manipulating the race due to the rules.https://www.crash.net/motogp/feature/1045709/1/cou...
Riders are slipstreaming (and not passing) each other so the temperature in the tyres remains "to spec". Although the minimum pressure was reduced, the number of laps it has to be above the threshold has increased.
What's happening in Portimao, I saw Moto3 FP1 cancelled and chaos at the track?
Looks like Marquez has used the extra 5% he was sparing at Qatar.
https://www.motogp.com/en/gp-results/2024/por/moto...
https://www.motogp.com/en/gp-results/2024/por/moto...
FourWheelDrift said:
Looks like Marquez has used the extra 5% he was sparing at Qatar.
https://www.motogp.com/en/gp-results/2024/por/moto...
I don't think it's a true reflection of everyone's pace, more the conditions.https://www.motogp.com/en/gp-results/2024/por/moto...
Look at Pecco, Bastianini, Aleix, Bezzecchi are after FP1. Good for the media hype though.
Freakuk said:
FourWheelDrift said:
Looks like Marquez has used the extra 5% he was sparing at Qatar.
https://www.motogp.com/en/gp-results/2024/por/moto...
I don't think it's a true reflection of everyone's pace, more the conditions.https://www.motogp.com/en/gp-results/2024/por/moto...
Look at Pecco, Bastianini, Aleix, Bezzecchi are after FP1. Good for the media hype though.
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