MotoGP 2023

[justracing]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Yes indeed. Bezzecchi on another planet.

Yep, dominant ride, it would have been really interesting to see how his team mate performed as well had it not been for that lap 1 crashfest in the sprint race.Good to see MM and Quartararo in the picture. Given the strong spectator attendance at Budhh I'm just wondering if there's a marketing opportunity for Royal Enfield tuning parts?

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by justracing

Given the strong spectator attendance at Budhh I'm just wondering if there's a marketing opportunity for Royal Enfield tuning parts?

Who knows! Not only the crowd was huge but buoyant and noisy too. Every action was greeted with cries of admiration. Another good idea was to put mikes (I suppose) in the GS. Enjoyable and so authentic:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVVCWelBQyo

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by justracing

Given the strong spectator attendance at Budhh I'm just wondering if there's a marketing opportunity for Royal Enfield tuning parts?

In the 60s I had a Royal Enfield 700cc Constellation that was OK but was a heavy bike, I even rode it to the 1965 TT.
I seem to remember something happened to the engine and (as back then) they weren't the most popular bike and not worth a lot so I just left it in the garden until I scrapped it !
I then bought a brand new Bonneville for £265 in1967 that I then traded in for a Honda 4 cylinder K1 that cost £600 ! I had that for a while and had a job to flog it and I seem to remember that I got £350-£400 for it!
Oh to have the foresight into the future with old bikes and cars prices years later!

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Oh to have the foresight into the future with old bikes and cars prices years later!

Don't tell me about.

[GORDON STREETER]

Back to MotoGP, Jorge Martin wins the sprint race in Japan and closes the championship to 8 points behind Bagnaia, will he do the same in the GP tomorrow ? or will it be Martin's time to make a "mistake"? Whatever, it is not a one horse race this year

[justracing]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Back to MotoGP, Jorge Martin wins the sprint race in Japan and closes the championship to 8 points behind Bagnaia, will he do the same in the GP tomorrow ? or will it be Martin's time to make a "mistake"? Whatever, it is not a one horse race this year

It seems incredible that it's now so close at the front and we still have a lot more races to come, great viewing

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by justracing

It seems incredible that it's now so close at the front and we still have a lot more races to come, great viewing

Not exactly like F1 is it

[GORDON STREETER]

Well in appalling conditions and half points for a stopped race Jorge Martin won again!, with Bagnaia 2nd and Mark Marquez 3rd it now means 3 points between the top 2 contenders for the championship

[E.B]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Well in appalling conditions and half points for a stopped race Jorge Martin won again!, with Bagnaia 2nd and Mark Marquez 3rd it now means 3 points between the top 2 contenders for the championship

Gordon, I think you will find they got to half distance and therefore full points were awarded.

From the official MotoGP website:

With 13 of 24 laps completed, a restart would happen if conditions were to improve, but that was a big if. It seemed that conditions had cleared enough for a restart, but before they could complete the warm up lap, the red flag was waved once again, and a race result was declared. As over 50% of the race had been completed, full points were awarded.

https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2023/...hriller/479013

But the championship gap is 3 points.... 319 for Bagnaia 316 for Martin

Bagnaia scored 27 points for the weekend.... 7 yesterday and 20 today
Martin scored 37 points.... 12 yesterday and 25 today

Full championship classification: https://resources.motogp.com/files/r...NjA1MS4wLjAuMA..

[justracing]

Originally Posted by E.B

Full championship classification: https://resources.motogp.com/files/r...NjA1MS4wLjAuMA..

Yep, strange I think. Like everybody else i assumed they had to complete 75% to get full points. Certainly makes for a serious championship fight.

[Gerard C]

Strange too is what happened to Zarco.

[N Martin]

Another dramatic race. Shame the rain cut it short but a good call from race control for a change. Tight as you like in the championship. I'm going to declare my allegiance to Martin for the championship. Go on Jorge.

[Gerard C]

Why not? Go on Jorge. And some others too…

[GORDON STREETER]

Whoever wins it this year my money is that they will be riding a Ducati

[Gerard C]

[N Martin]

Just caught up with Indonesia. Great performance from Martin in the sprint. He was like a bullet off the line in the main race. Such a shame he binned it with a decent lead. Good luck falls Peccos way again. The championship has extended slightly in Peccos favour. But in all honesty it shouldn't be this close anyway. Pecco should have virtually wrapped up the championship by now.

[E.B]

Yeah, not sure Jorge Martin is the sharpest tool in the shed, pushing that hard with such a lead. Good to see Fabio Q looking the business again, and the finish was close between the top 3.... even if Bags was just being clever on the last lap and just doing what he needed to do to cross the line first. No bonus points for winning by more than a few metres.
Marquez had another horror weekend, ending both races on his backside. He must be longing for the season to end.

[justracing]

That one line on such a dirty circuit made it pretty treacherous and very boring.

[E.B]

Phillip Island had to bring forward the main race for the premier class.... now swapped with the Sprint race so the main race was Saturday. Sprint race now Sunday 13:00 local time. Reason is extreme weather expected Sunday pm.

I wont spoil the result but I have never, ever, seen a final lap like it. I will leave it at that . Just dont blink for the last two or three laps when you watch it if you havent already! If you have watched already you will know what I mean

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by E.B

If you have watched already you will know what I mean

[Gerard C]

When you think that some didn't want him to ride this bike anymore… Well done.

[N Martin]

Having the main race today has confused me. (Though that doesn't take much I admit) But quite a dramatic race. The tyre gamble almost paid off for Martin. So close yet so far away. And pipped by Binder in the final corner gives Pecco a big advantage at this late stage of the season. Absolutely chuffed for Zarco though. About time he got that win.

[E.B]

And Zarco joins that quite exclusive Club of French riders who have ever won a MotoGP race.

Fabio of course leads the way, but just three others until today

Pierre Monneret who won the 1954 French GP
Christian Sarron won the 1985 German GP
Régis Laconi won the 1999 Valencian GP.

And then Zarco today winning the Australian GP at P.I.

Plus he is the first Frenchman to win an Australian MotoGP race

[Gerard C]

He's been very clean and calm. Very clever to squeeze Martin when overtaking, like Valentino always did. Good to see him on the podium.

[justracing]

Originally Posted by E.B

Phillip Island
I wont spoil the result but I have never, ever, seen a final lap like it. I will leave it at that . Just dont blink for the last two or three laps when you watch it if you havent already! If you have watched already you will know what I mean

Thanks so much for not letting the cat out of the bag Sensational race and what a contrast to the Indonesian round, great racing on a great circuit with a surprisingly great result.