LeMans, France | MotoGP 2014 (spoilers)

Is this fact? The Yamaha press release before the start of the weekend pointed to Rossi using the new frame.

"Rossi will be looking to make best use of the new chassis for the hard braking areas..."

"Rossi: At Le Mans I will have only one new chassis but I am confident that Yamaha will bring me the second chassis as soon as possible."

 

LeMans only served to reinforce my belief that Marquez needs only to stay upright and not get punted by another rider and will win EVERY SINGLE RACE this year.

He pretty much knows at this point that he's got at MINIMUM a half-second on everybody, and with a little push can pull out more. Didn't even look like he was trying that hard on Sunday and methodically push his was through the pack, got the lead and easily maintained a comfortable cushion.

Don't see Yamaha coming up with some magic pill, especially with the development freeze.

Mugello would have been interesting if Rossi can find any home track magic, but I just don't see it happening........

 

Most laps, Marquez was pulling .2 or .3 out of Rossi, not .5. Rossi will win a race this year. Maybe even the next race actually.

 

Only because that's all he needed. You can tell when Marquez is riding hard, and he still had some in reserve.

Rossi will not win a race unless Marquez goofs or gets caught up by somebody.

 

This season has really given some spectacular first 4-5 laps.

I was nail biting the entire time when VR took the lead. Fan boy moment.

But lets keep everything honest, MM is on fire and there's no water source in sight that can put it out. I am truly in awe. I never was able to see VR in his prime, winning races/titles/celebrations (didn't get into GP until 2010), but seeing MM completely dominate thus far this season is more than I can handle from my office chair.

I am hoping VR can pull off some magic at Mugello (pending to not be punted into an air fence) & Assen. #fingerscrossed.

 

I think that the discrepancy in tire allocation is helping make the opening laps of the races more exciting. You have guys like Dovi, and in other races, A. Espagaro, setting fast qualifying times on softer tires that the top factory guys don't have access too. Then, if they get a good start, they can help bunch up the field for a few laps.

 

Nice 3rd place for Alvaro Bautista! After his recent bad luck, he needed this result.

 

Yes, it's fact. Rossi switched back to the old chassis after Friday practice. Was discussed by Harris and company during Saturday morning practice.

 

If it stays dry, Rossi vs MM93 at Muguello might be one for the ages.

 

That's what I'm hoping for!:up:

 

I really can't believe that Jorge didn't do his job better. Isn't it the primary role of the 2nd rider to hold up the competition so that the lead rider can create a gap? I can't believe he just let MM go pass him like he was standing still and didn't even try to hold MM up at all. If I was Rossi I'd be pissed

 

LOL....perfect. He looks broken.

 

MM has been lucky this year. Don't get yer panties in a bunch...read on. A few of his mediocre starts have put him back a few (last weekend, quite a few) spaces and caused him to fight through the pack. He's been lucky that he hasn't been caught up and taken out due to someone else's mistake.
As good as he is, a few of his starts haven't been that great. But, with all of the electronics nowadays, I don't know how much of that is him and how much of that is the bike. For those in the know, in regards to the starts only, is it 100% electronics (wheelie control, launch control, etc) or is there still some rider involvement in getting from the lights out to T1 (not talking about reaction time)?

 

The light guesstimation game is still a crap shoot as there is no standard elapsed time before they go out unlike drag racing crossing the staging beam. Still takes a good degree of rider launch skill on top of the electronics...Lorenzo would be a perfect example up until the past few starts.

 

Nor should you. I find these threads to be pretty whimsical, and reflecting only what happened in the last week or so. There is a lot of water yet to flow by the bridge, and like I said before, when Vale is running up in the front (either at the pointy end or near), we all win.

That little smiling joker is almost too good (in all senses really) to be true. People coined the bot term on Dani, mostly for what is a very common human attribute -- shyness. MM suffers from almost no downside. To have his ability, and sense of control, is really remarcable.

 

I get the light guesstimation which is why I said that I wasn't talking about reaction time (if you watch the replay). What I'm wondering is, do the riders simply pin the throttle to the stop, dump the clutch completely, and keep it pegged until it's time to shift or is there some rider involvement required?

 

Just started watching the moto3 race. I never noticed that those guys push off with their feet on the start

 

There has to be quite a degree of human involvement because some riders are great and others are not. Starts are probably Marc's only flaw. I also remember that last year Cal never started well. Meanwhile, when Pedrosa starts further down the order he always manages to grab a handful of positions before turn 1.

 

Marquez is reaching a point that all other riders should be terrified of, in that he now knows he doesn't need to win the start in order to win the race. Worse, he's becoming patient enough to wait for the right moment to strike, instead of getting red mist in the early laps and making mistakes.

I suspect the Honda is giving him an equipment advantage over the Yamaha, much like the Ducati did in 2007 for Casey Stoner. It doesn't change the fact that Marquez is riding the wheels off of it, just as Casey did in 2007, but it is reality. At this level though, even a 1% difference in performance between the bikes going to be HUGE for these guys.

I really believe it's going to take something happening outside of Marquez's control for him not to win. It's a scary and yet exciting time in MotoGP.

 

LOL Wuut?