Having absolutely been far more exhilarating vs. thee
“Dutch Tsunami” show!
This year’s MotoGP Championship saw the
introduction of Sprint races being held every Saturday, preceding Sunday’s main
event, giving a maximum of 37-points on offer each of the twenty race weekends.
Yet with these extra races, came the chances
for more riders injuries, which have occurred in droves this season!
Case in point is newly minted Werks’ Ducati
rider Enea Bastianini, whose nickname is The Beast! Yet Bastianini was taken
out by fellow Ducati rider Luca Marini in the season’s opening Sprint race at
Portimoa, suffering a separated shoulder! Before Bastianini would have surgery
for more broken bones later during the season!
While it seemed to Mwah that satellite KTM GasGas
Tech 3 rider Pol Espargaro suffered the worst injuries of the year! Suffering
multiple fractures during a scary accident on the first day of action in
Portugal!
http://www.nofenders.net/2023/04/moto-gp-2023-season-starts-with-new.html
And then there’s the well documented maladies
Marc Marquez’s endured this season, including some 27-plus crashes! Along with
a broken hand all leading to His leaving Repsol Honda a year early to join His
brother at the satellite Gresini Ducati squad next season…
As I don’t know if any MotoGP rider has escaped
some form of injury this year? Due to the extra twenty Sprint races, which
unlike Formula 1, seem to have an actual impact upon the Championship!
Thus it’s obviously been a far more fascinating
and exciting season vs. Formula 1! With the two main title protagonists being
reigning MotoGP World Champion Francesco Pecco’ Bagnaia, racing for the factory
Ducati concern and riding with the No. 1 plate. With thee “Martinator”, aka Jorge Martin proving a
worthy rival on the satellite No. 89 Pramac Racing Duc’.
As Martin found Himself nearly two race
weekends adrift pointswise of Bagnaia. Before whittling a 66-points deficit
down to an advantage of plus seven following Round 15’s Indonesia Sprint race.
And what’s that ‘Ol Wide World of Sports iconic
slogan about the Thrill of victory and the Agony of Defeat!
Since just 24hrs later while leading, Martin
inexplicably crashed out of the lead! With Pecco’ sniffing Blood and taking an
unlikely win to retake the points lead, vaulting 18-points ahead of Jorge!
Following a wild ‘n wooly weekend Down Under on
Phillip Island. Where I missed All of the action, including Johann Zarco’s
maiden MotoGP victory! As the Australian Grand Prix race was pushed forward to
Saturday with the Sprint race on Sunday being cancelled due to inclement weather.
Presumably Bagnaia was content with Zarco
winning, while finishing runner-up. Whilst Martin finished fifth, Seeing
Bagnaia’s points lead mushroom to +27-points
Martin won at the next round in Thailand with
Bagnaia third. Seeing Martin clawed back 16-points to bring the gap down to minus
eleven following the Malaysian Sprint race. Before Bagnaia finished one place ahead
of title rival Martin in third during Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix.
As the two Ducati riders were locked into a fierce
battle with just two rounds remaining, i.e.; Qatar and Valencia. With 74-points
still on offer with Bagnaia leading by 14-points.
Saturday’s Sprint race at the Losail International
Circuit in Qatar saw Martin go from fifth to P1 and win His eighth Sprint race
of the season. Coupled with Bagnaia’s fifth place finish, Martin cut the point’s
deficit to seven markers.
But once again in a repeat performance, 24
hours later things went horribly Pear-shaped for Martin! Starting fifth, Jorge
suffered massive wheelspin when the flag dropped and found Himself in a lowly
eighth! While Bagnaia went from P4 to leading!
Martin could only work His way up to sixth
before His underperforming Michelin tyres saw Jorge finish a lowly tenth!
Meanwhile I love how Gresini rider Fabio di Giannantonio,
then without a ride next year, due to Marc Marquez taking His seat. Ignored
team “orders” to hold station behind Ducati’s Factory rider Pecco Bagnaia. And
instead went for victory by passing Bagnaia, who then almost threw His points
lead away!
As di Giannantonio held off the hard
charging Bagnaia to claim His maiden MotoGP victory, while Pecco settled for
second, taking a 21-point lead to the season finale at Valencia a week later.
Saturday’s Sprint race did little to fail for excitement,
with Maverick “top Gun” Vinales leading from Pole. With Martin in third and KTM’s
Brad Binder the “sausage” in the Italian Scooters’ sandwich, whilst Bagnaia ran
behind…
With Jorge feeling pressure from Countryman
Marc Marquez, Martin soon passed both Binder and Vinales for a lead He would
not relinquish, while Maverick fell backwards to fourth.
Yet it was Martin and Marquez on the Sprint
podium with Binder on the boxes middle step. With Vinales keeping Bagnaia in
fifth, seeing the partisan Spanish crowd Happy over Martin’s ninth Sprint victory
cutting the Championship deficit to 14-points.
Thus I was certain that the Championship’s
points permutations would be discussed Ad Nausea, keeping us glued to them!
Which if I’ve done my calculations correctly, Ci? Martin obviously needs to win
and score the maximum 25-points. With Bagnaia finishing fifth and being equal
on points, I believe Martin has more wins, ci?
Nope! Bagnaia led six wins to Martin’s four
prior to Valencia, and therefore would need Pecco’ to finish sixth if He wins
the race Sunday
Maverick Vinales gifted Bagnaia Pole position Sunday
by ignoring a Black and Orange Flag and failing to stop immediately due to
mechanical issues, dropping three places for the start.
Thus Pecco held the lead exiting Turn-1 with
Jorge shooting into second from His sixth place start, seeing the two title
protagonist in lockstep, Again! Yet Martin got sucked into Bagnaia’s Slipstream
and almost took the pair out when being caught in the Aerodymanic vortex!
Martin was forced to run wide and dropped to
eighth place some two seconds adrift! Before beginning His frenzied march
towards the front. Yet on lap-6 Me Thinks? Martin misjudged His overtaking maneuver
on Marc Marquez. With Martin plowing into Marquez’s rear wheel and sending the Honda
rider skywards! Seeing both riders crashing out of the race, and thus the title
fight was over.
And although the Box Score says Bagnaia won the
race, it wasn’t as straightforward as that. Especially with both KTM riders making
costly errors while running 1-2 ahead of Pecco! Whilst the star of the Show was
Di Giannantonio who came from 11th to harry Bagnaia on the final two laps
before settling for second!
Yet following the race, Di Giannantonio was assessed a three second penalty for low tyre pressure and dropped from second to fourth overall. With Johann Zarco and Brad Binder moving up one place apiece on the podium.
