MotoGP 2023

Well Jeff seeing as you haven't started a post yet, I thought I would. I can't see the point of the Sprint event on the day before the main race, it's possible that one or more of the riders could come off during the sprint and be unable to compete in the main race. The first race of the season had no real surprises apart from the fact that Yamaha don't seem to have improved their bikes as much as Aprilia have, Jack Miller was doing well on the KTM. Marquez looked to be back to form until his horrific mistake, but it looks like Ducati are going to be the ones to beat this year.

Well it looks like Moto GP has lost it's popularity, even Jeff has stopped posting. The crowds are definitely smaller but the racing is just as exciting and picking a winner is pretty unpredictable. This weeks racing in Spain the KTMs were the ones to beat and the reigning champion Bagania left it late in the day to take the checkered flag. Good to see Dani Pedroza finish well up shows he's still got it.

Sorry I was overseas on work for an extended period. My MotoGP tv thing didn't work in the country I was in. And it didn't feel right commenting just of the race reports.

Anyhow, I saw the French GP today.

The Bugatti Circuit is made for MotoGP - one of my all time favourites.

Marco Bezzecchi won the French GP from Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco. But this was crazy race. Pecco Bagnaia once again crashed out, this time taking out an irate Maverick Vinales. Luca Marini crashed and wiped out Alex Marquez(an incident that nearly wiped out Bezzecchi as well). Marc Marquez on his return crashed late on after a really good effort to hold second place from Martin.

Top 10:

1. Bezzecchi
2. Martin
3. Zarco
4. Fernandez
5. A Espagaro
6. Binder
7. Quartararo
8. Di Giannantonio
9. Nakagami
10. Morbidelli.

With the performance benefit the factory Ducati has - also factoring in Bastianini hasn't raced yet in 2023. Bagnaia continually binning it proves he's not actually on the level of M Marquez or Quartararo.

Good to see you back Jeff. Yes, the French GP was an exciting race, and all credit to Marco Bezzecchi for hanging on to win. Bagnaia must be gutted sliding off so close to the end, also Marquez and Miller too, both looked like finishing on the podium at one time.

So we had a double header over the past two weekends.

Firstly we had the Italian GP at Mugello:

Pecco Bagnaia won both the sprint and feature race. Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco completed the podium in the feature race.

Then we went to the German GP at Sachsenring:

Jorge Martin kick started his title push by winning both the sprint and feature races. Pecco and Zarco again completed the podium in the feature race.

Jorge Martin in particular is still irked he was overlooked for the factory Ducati team.

Marc Marquez had a terrible weekend at his favourite circuit Sachsenring, falling multiple times. He suffered a break in his hand. Despite being cleared to race, he withdrew from the feature race. There will be a divorce between Marquez and Honda. Make no mistake about it.

Title standings:

1. Bagnaia 160pts (3 wins + 3 sprint wins)
2. Martin 144pts (1 win + 2 sprint wins)
3. Bezzecchi 126pts (2 wins)
4. Zarco 109pts
5. Binder 96pts (2 sprint wins)

The Dutch TT at the ‘Cathedral of Speed’ in Assen the weekend just gone.

Marco Bezzecchi won the sprint ahead of Pecco Bagnaia and Fabio Quartararo completed the podium.

In the main race Pecco Bagnaia got his revenge as he beat Bezzecchi to take possibly a key victory in his pursuit of a second world title.
Aleix Espargaro completed the podium.

Marc Marquez’s woes continued as he withdrew from the main race. Fabio Quartararo, not to be outdone, wiped out his buddy Johann Zarco for good measure.

Title standings:
1. Bagnaia 194pts (4 wins + 3 sprint wins)
2. Martin 159 pts (1 win + 2 sprint wins)
3. Bezzecchi 158pts (2 wins + 1 sprint win)
4. Binder 114pts (2 sprint wins)
5. Zarco 109pts

British GP at Silverstone after the summer break:

Alex Marquez won the sprint race with arguably the ride of his MotoGP career. seeing off Marco Bezzecchi and Maverick Vinales completing the podium.

In the race, Aleix Espargaro brilliantly passed Pecco Bagnaia on the final lap. In the drizzle, Espargaro made the move into Maggots and showed balls of steel! What truly incredible. For many years Aleix told us he was great, well on this day he showed the world his greatness.

Pecco Bagnaia took second and Brad Binder took third place.

Bezzecchi, Bastianini(whom also took out Quartararo) and Marc Maruqez crashed out.

Standings:
1. Bagnaia 214pts
2. Martin 173pts
3. Bezzecchi 167pts
4. Binder 131pts
5. Zarco 122pts

Also some house keeping:

Alex Rins will join the Factory Yamaha team for 2024, replacing Franco Morbidelli.
Marc Marquez confirmed his will respect his Honda contract for 2024.

Good race Jeff, it looks like Bagnaia isn't happy in wet conditions as he wasn't even in the points in the Sprint but looked like he had the GP won until there was a few drops of rain. Well done Espargaro and Binder, the European bikes are finally coming to the party.

rapidringsroad wrote:Good race Jeff, it looks like Bagnaia isn't happy in wet conditions as he wasn't even in the points in the Sprint but looked like he had the GP won until there was a few drops of rain. Well done Espargaro and Binder, the European bikes are finally coming to the party.

It’s somewhat strange both Bagnaia and Quartararo don’t really fancy it in the rain…
There’s normally when you see the men separated from the boys.
But in Bagnaia’s case the championship is pretty in his control so the sprint wasn’t worth crashing it in and risking an injury.

World super bike champion Alvaro Bautista will race the Malaysian GP at a wildcard entry. Bautista will race on a 2023 top spec Ducati.

So two weeks ago Pecco Bagnaia dominated the Austrian Grand Prix. The reigning world champion won both sprint and feature races.

This weekend we are at Barcelona. Aleix won the sprint race. But at the start of the feature race Bagnaia crashed and was subsequently run over. It was a bad moment for the sport.

Aleix Espargaro fulfils his dream by winning the Catalan Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Historic day for Aprilia has Maverick Vinales takes second to seal first ever double podium for the team.
Jorge Martin takes a third place.

Bagnaia is still leading the title race and doesn't have to start taking chances yet to make it sure thing. Good to see Dani Pedroza out there and trying to show Ducati that there are other European makes out there who are making bigger improvements than the Japanese. Binder was unlucky to finish outside the points after keeping going after is off.

So there was a double header India and Japan.

India in particular magnificent circuit and ideal for motorcycle racing.

Jorge Martin won the sprint race in India from Pecco Bagnaia, with Marc Marquez claiming third.

In the main race, Marco Bezzecchi romped home by over 8 seconds from Jorge Martin. Fabio Quartararo completed the podium.

Bagnaia binned it from second place.

On to Japan:

Jorge Martin dominated by he sprint as he won his third consecutive spirit race. Brad Binder was second and Pecco Bagnaia was third.

In the main race, Jorge Martin won a rain shortened race. Bagnaia was second and Marc Marquez took third at Honda’s own circuit.

Jorge Martin is in the form of his life right now.

Standings:

1. Bagnaia 319pts (5 wins + 4 sprint wins)
2. Martin 316pts (3 wins + 5 sprint wins)
3. Bezzecchi 265pts (3 wins + 1 sprint win)

You (along with others) did well to keep the F1 thread going following John leaving after the 2021 end of season debacle.   There are many subsections of this website that has fallen into dormancy and intermittency as people move on and pass on. The Rugby League and Tennis sports sections are now kept going by more or less one individual that has a passion for the sport, with irregulars contributing from time to time.

That looked to be a horrific accident suffered by Baignai a few races back and it seems a miracle that he was back racing in  the next race.   Prior to that race there had been a horrific accident in the Brazilian Moto 1000 GP series in which two riders died under similar circumstances.

Marc Marquez and Honda have agreed to part ways at the end of 2023 - Marquez lost confidence in that Japanese manufacture.

Marquez leaves Honda after 6 championships, 59 wins and 101 total podiums.

The Spaniard will join Gresini Ducati on a year old Ducati - Marquez previously rejected Pramac Ducati over contract length.

Johann Zarco will replace Marquez at Repsol Honda, Zarco only recently signed with LCR Honda but on a direct factory deal.

So most recently we had the Indonesia/Australia/Thailand triple header:

Indonesia:

Jorge Martin won the sprint race, with VR46 boys Bezzecchi and Marini completing the podium. Bagnaia was down in 8th.

In the main race, Martin made a big mistake error as he crashed out from the lead. To compound his woes, Bagnaia won from 8th on the grid. Vinales and Quartararo completed the podium.

Australia:

Due to poor weather forecast - the actual Grand Prix was on Saturday and subsequently the sprint was planned for Sunday but was cancelled.

Johann Zarco finally registered his first win in MotoGP, long overdue at the 120th attempt. But that doesn’t tell full story. Martin gambled on the soft rear type, unfortunately for the Spaniard his ran out from grip 8 corners from the end. Following from 1st to 5th. The podium was completed by Bagnaia and Di Giannantonio.

Thailand:

Martin dominated the weekend. Firstly he won the sprint race - his 5th consecutive sprint win. Binder and Marini completed the podium.

In the main race Martin beat Bagnaia and Binder - Binder lost p2 after track limits penalty on the last lap.

Martin is undoubtedly the fastest rider right now, but that DNF in Indonesia might be costly.

Standings:

1. Bagnaia 389pts (6 wins + 4 sprint wins)
2. Martin 376pts (4 wins + 7 sprint wins)
3. Bezzecchi 310pts (3 wins + 1 sprint win).

We entered the closing stages of the 2023 with part 1 of another triple header.

Malaysian GP:

Alex Marquez won the sprint race ahead of Jorge Martin and Pecco Bagnaia.

In the main race, “The Beast” Enea Bastianini showed that paddock he’s still got it as he dominated to secure his first win as a factory Ducati rider. Alex Marquez continued his good weekend with second place and Pecco Bagnaia secured third. A frustrated Jorge Martin was fourth.

A rather key development also happened - Martin had been carrying a tyre pressure warning since the last race. Now Bagnaia has reached that warning as well. Any breach in the remaining races is an automatic 3 second time penalty.

We head to Qatar next weekend. The track has been resurfaced.

Standings:

1. Bagnaia 412pts (6 wins + 4 sprint wins)
2. Martin 398pts (4 wins + 7 sprint wins)
3. Bezzecchi 323pts (3 wins + 1 sprint win)

Also a key move in the rider market, Luca Marini seems set to join Repsol Honda for 2024. The team his brother won three consecutive titles with between 2001-2003.

Which would open a coveted Ducati seat at VR46 in 2024.

The championship goes down to the wire in Valencia!

Recap from Qatar:

Jorge Martin once again dominated the sprint race. The podium was completed by Fabio Di Giannantonio and Luca Marini.

In the main race Fabio Di Giannantonio secured a magnificent maiden MotoGP victory. Pecco Bagnaia was second and Luca Marini was third.

Big drama as Jorge Martin suffered from some sort of tyre issue and limped home in 10th.

At the conclusion of Qatar, Bagnaia’s lead was up to 21pts.

Valencia race weekend update:

Jorge Martin romped home to win the sprint race - his 9th sprint win of the season.

Brad Binder and Marc Marquez completed the podium.

Pecco Bagnaia was fifth and struggled a little.

We head into the last race with Bagnaia leading by 14pts - 5th place will be enough for the Italian.

Pecco Bagnaia duly retained his MotoGP title after Jorge Martin, showing his lack of experience, crashed out in Valencia.

Firstly Martin, running in second place nearly took himself and Bagnaia out. The Spaniard in fact touched Bagnaia’s rear tyre. Subsequently that dropped Martin down to 8th.

The Spaniard made some rough, and frankly desperate moves. Until today dream ended when he t boned Marc Marquez.

Bagnaia won the race, Zarco and Binder completed the podium.

For the achievement of Bagnaia becoming a back to back champion, he lacks the star appeal. Despite having the best bike in 2022 and 2023 he basically won the championships due to errors from other riders.

So panning forward to 2024.

Marc Marquez tested the 2023 Ducati at the season end testing and he was fastest…

If he’s 70% of what he once was, he’ll win the championship in 2024 - he’s just more talented than the others.

On that note I’ll also take my leave. I’ve enjoyed sharing the story of the season on here, but all good things must end.

Goodbye and God bless.