MotoGP 2021

[GORDON STREETER]

Well it looks like the rider line up is sorted, however things can alter in this world as we all know.

Rider Bike Contract until
Monster Energy Yamaha
Maverick Viñales Yamaha M1 2022
Fabio Quartararo Yamaha M1 2022

Repsol Honda
Marc Márquez Honda RC213V 2024
Pol Espargaro Honda RC213V 2022

Suzuki Ecstar
Alex Rins Suzuki GSX-RR 2022
Joan Mir Suzuki GSX-RR 2022

Ducati Factory
Jack Miller Desmosedici GP21 2021 (option for 2022)
Pecco Bagnaia Desmosedici GP21 2022

Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
Aleix Espargaro Aprilia RS-GP 2022
Bradley Smith or Lorenzo Savadori


Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Brad Binder KTM RC16 2021
Miguel Oliveira KTM RC16 2021

Red Bull KTM Tech3
Danilo Petrucci KTM RC16 2021
Iker Lecuona KTM RC16 2021

Petronas Yamaha SRT
Franco Morbidelli Yamaha M1 2022
Valentino Rossi Yamaha M1 2021

Pramac Ducati
Jorge Martin Desmosedici GP21 2022
Johann Zarco Desmosedici GP21 2021 (option for 2022)

LCR Honda
Alex Márquez Honda RC213V 2022
Takaaki Nakagami Honda RC213V 2022

Avintia Ducati
Luca Marini Ducati GP19 2021
Enea Bastianini Ducati GP19 2021

[S griffin]

Biggest question mark is when Marquez will be fit enough. Dovi has put his hand up to stand up for him if need be

[justracing]

Well done Gordon, what chance of a Suzuki or KTM overall win?

[justracing]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Biggest question mark is when Marquez will be fit enough. Dovi has put his hand up to stand up for him if need be

Highly unlikely from what I've read.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Biggest question mark is when Marquez will be fit enough. Dovi has put his hand up to stand up for him if need be

The word on the street from someone that I know is that he hasn't been on a motocross bike at all. Normally he would be out most days at this time of year with his brother riding something, and I wonder if we will see him out on a GP bike at all this year !
It will be a shame but he won't be the first top rider to retire from racing with serious injuries and to be quite honest I am surprised that he has managed to get away with less in his career, considering the amount of times he has crashed when pushing the limit in practice and qualifying ! However I don't think that we will see another rider that can pull off those amazing low side "saves" that kept us on the edge of the sofa

[GORDON STREETER]

Actually he doesn't look like he had a very merry Christmas !

[Kato]

Marc is in the Australian Vocabulary - rooted. Sorry dude, thanks for coming, enjoy your hard earned retirement.

Just a shame that Jack Miller doesn't have the whiff of Doohan about him.

Not that I am in any way biased.

[S griffin]

I still think it is just as much a matter of if as well as when Marques will be back

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Kato

Marc is in the Australian Vocabulary - rooted. Sorry dude, thanks for coming, enjoy your hard earned retirement.

Just a shame that Jack Miller doesn't have the whiff of Doohan about him.

Not that I am in any way biased.

I like jack, especially after he was the only one that wanted to race on slicks when it was raining

[E.B]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

I like jack, especially after he was the only one that wanted to race on slicks when it was raining

Was not so keen in earlier years but he has become a very likeable bloke and yeah I would rate him as one of my favourites. He is always keen to give it a go which I like..

[Dani Filth]

shall we do a guess the top 5 riders in 2021 already?
would be a bit harder now as we wont have testing in Sepang this year.

[Kato]

Difficult to do with any sense or enthusiasm. Really left field then. Valentino in his "walking dead year" clinches the title by fifty points as Marc thinks that he had one operation on that arm too many.

[S griffin]

Hernandez has said that Bradl would be a better replacement for Marquez. Not sure about that. Bradl was very good when he first ended MotoGP, but went off the boil quickly

[GORDON STREETER]

With engine and aerodynamic development frozen in the wake of the pandemic-hit season, there is not much room for designers to move. But with Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati and KTM all winning races in 2020, it is only Honda with plenty to prove. And their biggest concern is whether their top rider Marquez will be able to do it for them. Spectators or not, truncated calendar or not, the prospects for 2021 are alluring.

[Kato]

I am not so sure, someone needs to literally get their shiite together and string some wins. Seemed too hard for anyone except Marc. Bring back Casey Stoner, just hide the milk and ice creams.

[S griffin]

Last year was like a breath of fresh air. It was unfortunate what happened to Marquez, but he's been so dominant since he came into the championship in 2013, so it was nice to have a completely open championship fight last year. Plenty of talent on the grid, it's just Marquez has been on another level

[GORDON STREETER]

Stefan Bradl Jerez Honda test last week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j-qMhpok9o

[ghinzani]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

I like jack, especially after he was the only one that wanted to race on slicks when it was raining

Jack now he has matured is one of the most interesting and well thought out guys in racing full stop. I have really warmed to him. Although as I understand hes not a pure bred convict and family have an NZ background? Which probably explains why his middle name isnt Bruce.
If Ducati produce a decent bike this year or next him and Zarco could be battling for the championship.

[ghinzani]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Last year was like a breath of fresh air. It was unfortunate what happened to Marquez, but he's been so dominant since he came into the championship in 2013, so it was nice to have a completely open championship fight last year. Plenty of talent on the grid, it's just Marquez has been on another level

Last year was my favourite year since the days of Nicky at Honda or maybe Jorge versus Vale, but what made it different was the openness of the field.

[S griffin]

It was a great season just gone. It’s hard to compare seasons, but we’ve had great seasons in the past like Rossi vs Lorenzo or Rossi vs Stoner etc. Certain riders have been knocking on the door for a while and it could have gone any which way in the title last year and that was nice to see. Still, was a big shock for Mir. How must riders like Dovi and Vinales feel, they probably thought this was their time

[GORDON STREETER]

Fabio Quartararo hopes he and Maverick Vinales have a rivalry like that of former Yamaha MotoGP team-mates Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo as he joins the factory team in 2021.
Three-time MotoGP race winner Quartararo steps up to the factory Yamaha squad from Petronas SRT for this season in a straight swap with SRT-bound Rossi.
When asked during his first official appearance as a factory Yamaha rider at the team's launch event how he thought his rivalry with Vinales may develop, Quartararo said: "With Maverick, I hope it will be like Valentino and Lorenzo because they fought 1-2 in the championship until the last race.

Yes it sounds OK and friendly (at the moment) will will see as the year goes on

[S griffin]

We’ll see if they can push each other. Easier said than done to replicate the greats Jorge and Vale. Fabio still has a lot to prove. Vinales is still a top rider. But we’ll see

Vinales will probably be fired up and show he has still it in him to take a title. It’s hard to predict how Fabio will do. But then it’s hard to predict which riders will come out on top this year overall. Although Maverick and Mir will be ones to watch

[GORDON STREETER]

I read an article that Jonathan Rea doesn't have a full motorcycle road licence, I wonder if they will make him put L plates on the Kracker at the first WSB ?

[justracing]

Fausto Gresini Moto 2 boss in induced coma https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/56120673

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by justracing

Fausto Gresini Moto 2 boss in induced coma https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/56120673

It doesn't sound good, having lost some of my ex racing friends and best mate to covid please be safe everyone !