As it seems really sublime that a Ducati Rider Hasn’t
won the Title in 15 years…
“My, Oh, My!” How ‘bout them Mariners, Eh!
Finally having Broken the longest Playoffs Drought of 21 years for Any of the
Major league Stick ‘N Ball sports leagues! As where’s ‘Ol Dave Niehaus when Yuhs
need him?
Stee-rike! As I was just trying to say how time
has flown bye-Bye for Mwah lately, especially after Galavanting about the
Countryside, but I digress…
Yet the second Half of the MotoGP season is
slightly a Blur to Mwah, having last scribbled about racing at Bloody
Silverstone, before either missing or falling Asleep during the Austrian ans
San Marino rounds, Butterfingers!
As the next round I paid Attenzione to, and
took scant notes for was Round 14 of 20 at Motorland Aragon where Ye Pinball Wizard,
nee Marc Marquez made an unexpected return, albeit appropriately on Home Soil.
As it had been 112 Days since Marquez last raced at Italy’s Mugello circuit on May
29th, when some 500 miler’ at Mother Speedway was also going on! Plus
some F1 race in thee Principality, before undergoing His fourth Surgery to
repair His right Humorous at Minnesota’s Mayo Clinic that wasn’t set correctly,
and was growing at some 30 degrees off kilter, Yikes!
As Marquez made a Cracking start, making up
seven positions on the start before sliding His rear tyre into the path of the oncoming
Fabio Quartararo’s Monster Yamaha, who crashed into Marquez’as rear tyre! With
the Frenchman Going down Hard and ultimately crashing out of the race!
And while Marquez was limping back to the Pits
with pieces of His Repsol Honda Falling Off, Marquez managed to also take out
Satellite LCR Honda rider T-Squared’, aka Takaaki Nakagami.
Really started wondering if Enea Bastianini was
just making it look “good” and ultimately Holding Station in order for His future
Ducati Corse teammate Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia to take the win and trim Qartararo’s
Points lead to a razor thin five points?
But I was Happy when “The Beast” (Bastianini) powered
by the unsuspecting Bagnaia on the final lap at Turn-7! And raced home to His
fourth win of the season! Denying Pecco His fifth consecutive MotoGP victory.
As Bagnaia settled for second place and thus Had
trimmed a remarkable 81 points off of Quartararo’s Championship Points lead!
Thus trailing Fabio by only 10 points with five races remaining!
And it’s funny How every major racing
Championship has a Different Points Scoring system, for which I’ve never really
been curious about MotoGP’s before the end of this season. Although knowing a
win was worth 25 points and second = 20. But third thru P15 were totally
unknown to Mwah, and different than what I’m accustomed to in Formula 1.
As third = 16, fourth = 13 and fifth = 11.
Positions six thru fiftheen reduce by one point apiece from 10 points to One.
Whilst having missed the Japanese and Thailand
rounds when on Holiday, Fast forward to MotoGP’s return Down Under to Phillip
Island for the first time in three Bloody years!
As that was a proper ‘Ol School Motor race! An
absolute donnybrook reminiscent of past IndyCar Drafting Duels at Michagan or
Indianapolis. Or Formula 1 at Monza!
And No, we’re Not talking Hanford Devices Here!
Just Out ‘N Out Raw Power and Mega Cornering Speeds!
Pole sitter Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez took
off like Scalded Cats, with the Ducati Corse Boyz’ lurking behind. While the
biggest mover was Suzuki’s Alex Rins, who’d started P10.
And it was another Nightmare for Quartararo,
with the Yamahopper’ rider first having a Big moment and dropping to 22nd.
And then next, summarily Crashing Out again!
As it became a four Bike train with Martin,
Marquez, Bagnaia and Rins playing Leapfrog! As unbelievably Rins moved All the
way to the lead from 10th! Before being Dropped like a Stone with
Bagnaia moving to the front and Martin and Marquez usurping Rins, now back in
fourth.
And then Martin made another mistake with two
of the other Duc’ riders capitalizing. But Rins quickly resumed in third before
Boldly overtaking both Marquez and Bagnaia on the race’s final lap! Giving
Suzuki it’s first win of the season.
Thus Bagnaia lost nine points by dropping from 1st to 3rd
on the final lap. As the announcers kept prattling on ‘bout His lead would have
been 23 points. But instead He was only
14 markers ahead of Quartararo heading to Sepang.
Still massively impressive that Pecco’s Hauled Himself up from
being 91 points behind following Germany to leading the Championship! While the
Top seven riders finish 0.8 second Adrift, Crikeys!
As Rins became the seventh different winner of the season, while
Marquez scored His 100th Podium.
Malaysia’s Penultimate round was a Nail biting Adrenaline rush,
albeit I Don’t think either of the Werks’ Ducati Corse or Satellite Gresini
Ducati Team Bosses Had any Fingernails left! And although Jorge Martin started
from Pole again, All Attenzione was upon Championship rivals Bagnaia and
Quartararo.
As Pecco’ Had the Hole Shot “launch” of the year, catapulting from
ninth to second by Turn-2! While Fabio went from P12 to sixth, before
dispatching teammate Franco Morbidelli who needed to serve two long lap penalties
and effectively “Gifting” Fabio P5.
After Martin Crashed Out again, Bagnaia found Himself in the lead,
albeit under intense pressure from His next year’s teammate Bastianini on His
year Old Gresini mount! As “The Beast” even had the audacity to overtake Pecco’
for the lead!
As the Announcers prattled on about how Bastianini couldn’t afford
to do anything reckless, i.e.; take out Ducati’s Championship leader Bagnaia,
and any passes would have to be “Clinical!” And would Team Orders be needed to
ensure that Bagnaia won the race in order to maximize His Points advantage?
Yet Bagnaia managed to repass Bastianini an motor Home to His
seventh MotoGP victory of the season. Although Bastianini made everybody sweat
when apparently getting way to close to Pecco’s rear tyre in the dying stages
of the race! And with Quartararo finishing third, Bagnaia increased His Championship
Points lead back to 23 markers Ahead of Fabio with just the Valencia Season
Finale round remaining.
Thus following the Sepang “Screamer,” Bagnaia has
essentially been crowned this year’s MotoGP World Champion. As mentioned,
leading Quartararo by 23 points: 253-235 with a maximum of 25 points on offer.
Meaning that Bagnaia needs to only finish 14th or better to clinch
the title!
And Hopefully this won’t be putting a “Jinx” upon the Italian rider, whose trying to claim the first MotoGP Championship since Casey Stoner won for Ducati Wayback’ in Gory 2007, Aye Karumba!
