MotoGP Qatar: PH2
MotoGP 2014 gets underway with a thrilling race in Qatar
Stefan Bradl led the way early on
Where the hell did Lorenzo come from? A great start by Bradley was nothing compared to how Lorenzo got off the line. Although it went badly wrong for Lorenzo in massive fashion a few corners later, a bad end to a terrible weekend for the Spaniard.
At the front Bradl was leading the way with Marquez behind and Smith on his tail, however Bautista was starting to wake up and Rossi was looking on form. And then Dani arrived on the scene.
It soon came down to just Marquez and Rossi
Ten to go and with Rossi still in the lead, Bradley was dropping off slightly but Marquez was looking the fastest rider on the track. Could his hard tyre choice be paying off? A lap later he took the lead and it was now Rossi's turn to try and keep up. Sadly for the Brits, Bradley crashed out with four to go, but with Rossi still on Marquez's tail, the last lap was still shaping up to be a thriller.
What a race. Rossi so nearly took an amazing win, but in the end it was the new wonder kid on the block, Marquez, rather than the old goat.
Rossi held on for a while...
Moto2 and with Sam Lowes in an impressive fifth spot and Gino Rea in 24th, could WSS champion Sam bring home some MotoGP silverware? He'd have to get to the grid first, what was Sam doing off the track before the race even started? A hectic first few laps saw a few riders hit the dirt, but thankfully neither of the Brits. While Gino ran into machine issues, Sam settled into the pack and by mid race was holding eighth. The race was eventually won by Rabat from Nakagami and Kallio. Lowes finished a brilliant seventh.
... but Marquez took the win eventually
Results:
MotoGP
1. Marquez (Repsol Honda Team)
2. Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP)
3. Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team)
Moto2
1. Rabat (Marc VDS Racing Team)
2. Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia)
3. Kallio (Marc VDS Racing Team)
Moto3
1: Miller (Red Bull KTM Ajo)
2: Marquez (Estrella Galicia 0,0)
3: Vazquez (SaxoPrint-RTG)
Brit watch
Cal Crutchlow (MotoGP) - 6
Bradley Smith (MotoGP) - DNF
Michael Laverty (MotoGP) -
Scott Redding (MotoGP) - 7
Sam Lowes (Moto2) - 7
Gino Rea - (Moto2) - DNF
John McPhee (Moto3) - 11
Danny Kent (Moto3) - 13
Damn you BT.
It's like the whole lot of them just got out there because 'wow, we really like bikes!', as if they were all recruited from a Sunday-ride pub meeting the day before and just dumped off a bus at the track. I take that back, there's a lot better knowledge and discussion at most Sunday pub rides.
If you can't/won't pay for it go to www.wiziwig.com and use the 'Acestream' link. You have to download Acestream but you can plug your laptop into your TV with HDMI and the quality is amazing. It was down for the race (which is unusual) so I watched it on Flash and it was brilliant quality as well.
Really, it was like listening to a couple of "blokes down the pub" going on. This is an area that really, really needs improving.
Have you NEVER watched Eurosport??
Just wish BT had not won the rights.
However, I found the BT commentary rather parochial, too focussed on what "the Brits" were doing - Moto GP is the wrong type of motorsport to be too concerned about British success.
The pit walk consisted of talking to all (and only) the Brits on the grid.
Not the approach I want to see from a truly international series.
Having watched motorcycle GP since Rocket Ron Haslam was racing, I since remember the years when the only Brit to cheer on was Jeremy McWilliams on the QUB 250 Honda and Aprilia 250. Luckily, the exploits of Gardner / Schwantz / Lawson / Rainey / Doohan / Rossi to name but a few more than made it a spectacle (although I must admit to weeping with joy at Jeremy's 250 win at Assen)
Yes, since 2000 we've had Brit "hopefuls" in the top class like Leon Haslam / Neil Hodgson / JT, but they were never going to compete on the machinery given to them.
This year, we have four Brits in the top class, and I never thought I'd see that in my lifetime. Not to mention another looking competitive in his rookie year in the 2nd tier class, and another two Brits in the tiddler class. Also, like it as not, the new rules have made things very interesting indeed : the Open class will qualify well, but clearly the Factory bikes will have the race pace.
Combine this with the best commentary team since Moody, Noyes, and Mamola and it's really, honestly, all very good indeed.
Having watched motorcycle GP since Rocket Ron Haslam was racing, I since remember the years when the only Brit to cheer on was Jeremy McWilliams on the QUB 250 Honda and Aprilia 250. Luckily, the exploits of Gardner / Schwantz / Lawson / Rainey / Doohan / Rossi to name but a few more than made it a spectacle (although I must admit to weeping with joy at Jeremy's 250 win at Assen)
Yes, since 2000 we've had Brit "hopefuls" in the top class like Leon Haslam / Neil Hodgson / JT, but they were never going to compete on the machinery given to them.
This year, we have four Brits in the top class, and I never thought I'd see that in my lifetime. Not to mention another looking competitive in his rookie year in the 2nd tier class, and another two Brits in the tiddler class. Also, like it as not, the new rules have made things very interesting indeed : the Open class will qualify well, but clearly the Factory bikes will have the race pace.
Combine this with the best commentary team since Moody, Noyes, and Mamola and it's really, honestly, all very good indeed.
The two best commentators in any sport, Murray Walker and James Hunt (although Murray's 'legend' status seems to conveniently forget what an idiot we all thought he was at the time) didn't need anything but a microphone and a monitor. No slappers, no grid walks, no stupid, Janet & John technical explanations for the celebrity spotters that cant tell the time never mind understand how a slipper clutch works.
Sorry.....rant over. Just get hacked off at the dumbing down of a highly technical sport to the lowest common denominator.
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