MotoGP | 2023 | Pre-Season

He had the leverage when he signed that contract. Probably the only guy in the world who could dictate terms to Honda since Stoner. Probably an even stronger position. I'm convinced that he can get out whenever he wants.

 

I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of Honda lawyers....

 

Same lawyers who couldn't make Dovizioso go away?

 

They couldn't get around their own contract.

In a weird way, that's kind of impressive.

 

Has Honda finally built a bike that not even MM can win on? Sounds like job done. Tick that box off and move on.

Maybe they should buy those suzukis.

 

Grading, by the completely uninitiated, the initial prep for ‘23. Not all did soft tire runs for time, so absolute best time is not a great metric from today.

Ducati: A- Nothing major, but just refined may be better than new and unrefined. They remain the standard.

KTM: B+ Looking solid. Seem to be heading in right direction. Pol’s suit was on point!

Aprilia: A Strong across the board today. Seems to be just refinements similar to Ducati, bit it’s impressive how the three main riders all were quick.

Honda: D- Where do they begin? Chassis? Electronics? Mir showed some speed, thus raising their grade. Offer millions to Suzuki for their bikes. Slap on all new body work so nobody knows. They will save money in development and testing in the long run.

Yamaha: C- Not a terrible bike, but not much (any?) jump in performance witnessed. Steady improvements by others will slide Fabio down a few spots.

Suzuki: F or WTF

This all doesn’t mean too much yet, it just poses the questions for the next test.

 

Doesn't roll off the tongue like the old you meet the nicest people on a Honda slogan huh?

 

Marquez is like this bike will not win a championship

https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1...moaning-honda-we-need-more-fight-championship

 

I thought next year was the last of his current contract. It was a 4-year contract, but I thought it was 2020-2023.

 

And unless he does, why he’ll remain a tick behind Rossi and Stoner in any discussion of the GOAT’s afaic’d (regardless of his irrefutable talent).

 

While I agree with your list I don't agree with the order. MM, Stoner, Vale....If we're talking talent.

 

He’s hugely talented for sure, but Rossi and Casey proved they were talented enough to win championships on more than one bike. For me, until Marc does the same, he has to remain just a hair behind on the list. I can appreciate the reasons for an alternate order - champ as a rookie, highest points total ever, redefined how everyone rode, etc… All on the same bike, in a program built around him for years. I want to see him take his talent to another program and do it there too - like Rossi and Casey did.

 

Riders I think will step it up next year:
Bastianini
Oliveira
Baby Marquez (maybe)
Morbidelli (nowhere to go but up, or out)
Di Giananntonio


Riders I think will do worse than this year:
Miller
Rins
Mir
Taka
Pol

For everyone else i think it'll be status quo. Except Raul Fernandez. He could go either way as far as i can tell. Seems like he could be a little Vinales esque.

 

You really don’t think Marquez could hop on any other bike in the paddock and do at least as well as the riders already there?

At least during his pre-injury heyday, I do think so. With everything he has been through, the jury is still a little out, but I believe on a Ducati that man would be champion again next year.

Probably could buy the Suzuki team, hire the mechanics, and privateer himself to the championship.

 

I think you answered your own question. The fact that he dominated on a bike few others could even ride. Or this year, about kills himself, missed a bunch of races, then still scores more points than anyone else on the Honda. If he was on a Duc the past couple years, he would've left no doubt who the goat is. How well did Rossi do on the Duc compared to Stoner?

 

I agree.

 

About as well as he did convincing people with a brain that Marquez helped Lorenzo win.

 

Can’t compare Rossi’s Ducati to any of the 8 on the grid this last season.
Capirossi spoke a bit about Ducati winning the championship this year and one thing that stood out to me was him talking about his Ducati leaking oil.

 

Agree with most. Though I don’t think Bastianini will go up, and I think Pol will go up significantly. I am optimistic that Miller will do well, but that is more ‘hope’ than likely outcome.

 

So what's the rule on chassis development and time lines? I'm missing something because clearly the dumb answer to me is that if they can't figure out an improvement, go back to known data that works? Obviously it's known HRC made it MM's bike, so sucks for the other guy, but at least it would give HRC a chance with their 'all [MM] eggs in one basket' mindset.