OK, it’s Father’s Day and I’m really busy. Wishing all the best to the dads out there. Quit watching motorcycles go round and round and spend the day with your kids.
All I got today is three spoilers. In Moto3, Ayume Sasaki led for 298 out of 299 laps before finally surrendering the lead, and the win, to Turk Deniz “The Meniz” Oncu. I missed the beginning of the race; there was some drama that may have rendered that last sentence inaccurate. I’m staying with it. Dani Holgado finished in P3 to extend his championship lead. As expected, the Turkish national anthem was, um, somewhat unusual.
Moto2 was a repeat of Mugello. Pedro Acosta led every lap, coasted to the win, followed by Toni Arbolino and Jake Dixon.
MotoGP was another two man show. Pecco Bagnaia led early, yielded the lead to Jorge Martin on Lap 3. Martin led a merry chase until Lap 21 when Pecco took it back. Martin stayed with it and chased the championship leader down again on Lap 24. Pecco stayed directly on Martin’s ass until the final turn on Lap 29, when he finally made contact with Martin’s rear wheel, lost a few tenths, and trailed the Spaniard at the wire by 6/100ths. Martin is making a case for the argument that Ducati chose, last year, the wrong rider to team up with Bagnaia on the factory team. Martin reminds me of a young Romano Fenati, only less psychotic.
Marc Marquez’ fifth crash of the weekend in the Sunday morning warm-up was sufficient to have him declared unfit for today’s race. Fabio Quartararo finished in P13. This illustrates the psychological and metabolic difference between the two riders, both of whom find themselves saddled (lol) with terrible bikes. Fabio has accepted the obvious and looks ready to play out the string until such time as he can secure a European ride. Marquez refuses to go quietly into the night and has become a hazard to himself and those around him. People who mildly disliked him in the past are now hating on him for what he has become. People who actively disliked him in the past now seethe at the mention of his name. Me, I just want to see him on a Ducati or KTM and get back to riding like a normal person and winning a few more titles. Sorry, John Burns, but I refuse to hate him. He really can’t help being who he is.
Next week is Assen. I hope to have enough time to do a proper job of this. The mid-season report on Motorcycle.com should appear in early July.
Tags: Ducati, Honda, jorge martin, Marc Marquez, motogp, pecco bagnaia, Yamaha
Late-Braking MotoGP 
June 18, 2023 at 2:24 pm |
Ducati had a long slog since Stoner to get to champion again so I don’t begrudge them that. Starting 1/3rd of the grid I do. All 8 were in the top ten at one point. Boring. It’s a shame it’s come to this, but I now root for any one not on a Ducati. Today that was Binder and The Thriller, who I prefer, but doesn’t seem to have the drive of Binder, so Binder it is. This is Dorna’s fault for allowing Ducati 1/3rd of the grid. Just change the name to DucatiGp and be done with it.
“Me, I just want to see him on a Ducati or KTM and get back to riding like a normal person and winning a few more titles. Sorry, John Burns, but I refuse to hate him. He really can’t help being who he is.”
I blew off peer pressure long ago also. Well done.
I’m quite sure Antman didn’t want or plan to crash there. Zarco was unwise to exit pit lane on a turn in front of the sport’s most prolific crasher, who wears that title because he gives 110%, especially during qualifying. Which is the exact thing that makes him exciting to watch.
Amazing how easily the Honda made a eunuch out of the Ducati.
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June 18, 2023 at 8:07 pm |
I thought I would hate Ducati dominance more than I do. Four different teams and different riding styles and personalities among the eight helps a lot.
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June 18, 2023 at 6:32 pm |
Hello Bruce, I agree. Either Marc gets a better ride or he retires.
Old Mike in Canada.
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June 18, 2023 at 9:43 pm |
(Sorry if this is a repeat- not sure what happened). I’ve read that MMarquez was passed FIT for the GP but still sat out. Even more damning.
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June 21, 2023 at 2:38 am |
He was stopped by the team for been not mentally fit.
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June 19, 2023 at 10:26 am |
I’m sure Fredo will be singing Honda Holiday on the MotoPG podcast. It appears Marc did not want to go on another one.
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June 19, 2023 at 11:14 am |
It looked like the Bag man might have let Martin take the win after running into him on the last corner. It probably saved him a penalty regardless of whether it was intentional. Not sorry to see Marquez out, he’s just reckless these days. Ducati definitely picked the wrong rider. It seemed like FDG and the Bastard were the only two Ducati riders to be beaten by a non-Ducati.
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June 19, 2023 at 1:22 pm |
I give MMarquez a lot of credit. The guy really tries.
Shame he punked out at the end. I suppose we wants to come back next year and perpetuate his “perfect” record. I call bullshit, but it’s a venial sin compared to all the guts he showed up until race time.
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June 19, 2023 at 8:33 pm |
I don’t blame him. That thing is a death trap. He crashed on the warm up lap. The mighty Honda is a total embarrasment. I’m not a huge Marc fan but he tries to run that POS at the front. He has a girlfriend now and probably wants to have a little fun rather than drinking his food through a straw.
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June 19, 2023 at 9:42 pm |
El Diablo congratulates Antman for his efforts on a terrible bike and still considers him the best on the grid on Crash.net. John Burns knows better though from all his time in MotoGp.
Out of the four Honda riders, only Naka doesn’t have broken bones from it this year, but not because he hasn’t been crashing, only luck. The Honda is masochistic at this point, not a good combo with Antman’s 110% effort.
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June 20, 2023 at 10:58 am |
“rather than drinking his food through a straw”. Lol. It’s funny cause it’s true.
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June 20, 2023 at 9:19 am |
HEY! I just posted somewhere else I’ve gone from hating him to feeling sorry for him and hoping he doesn’t hurt himself. Should we do a GoFundMe to get him a Ducati?
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June 20, 2023 at 9:48 am |
We’ve entered some type of alternate universe where no one wants a Honda and everyone wants a Ducati.
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June 20, 2023 at 1:10 pm |
War is peace. Freedom is slavery.
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June 20, 2023 at 9:55 am |
You may be joking, but Antman makes $30M a year, which is a bit more than myself, lol, so no, and I’m a fan. There’s limits to my sympathy. He’ll just have to suck it up for another year and a half or take a big pay cut to bail out to another bike for 2024. I know he’s under contract, but rules were made to be broken and all…..
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June 20, 2023 at 10:03 am |
I think he would gladly give up the big money for a chance to win another title. It was once said that the only man who could hold Michael Jordan under 30 points a game was Dean Smith. Honda is destroying the last few good years of his career. Jump, Marc–show the world you can win on a satellite Ducati or KTM. And stop skittling the other riders.
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June 20, 2023 at 10:15 am |
The Honda has been questionable for some time, not just recently, as evidenced by all other Honda riders futile efforts on it since Pedrosa. Even he is refered to as “Titanium Man” from the abuse the Honda dished out. The above shows that Antman has been working miracles for a long time on the Bucking Bronco.
It’s going to be interesting to see what he picks, money, (he’ll take about a $20M a year pay cut to go elsewhere), or another only potential, not guaranteed, championship. I think he’s got another one in him, and I’m sure he does too, but that’s a tough choice. I’d love to see him jump. It’d frankly be safer for all involved if he did.
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June 20, 2023 at 10:45 am |
By the way, I’d probably upvote all of you like Bruce does because I like hearing your opinions whether they agree with mine or not. (Shocking, I know). The thing is, WordPress doesn’t allow me to re-sign in, (talk about clunky!), even if I did remember my password, which I don’t.
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June 21, 2023 at 2:43 am |
I dont see any team waiting outside his house. No one wants a rider who can brake all his bikes in one day and even his teammate bike because he cant be on the podium.
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June 20, 2023 at 1:09 pm |
Ah-hahaha haha haha!
I love you, Man!
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