Post by Big Blue on Apr 10, 2018 23:02:22 GMT
Well, we're two races in on two wheels as well and WOW! Sunday's race was just insane. Here's a list:
1. Aussie rider Jack Miller set pole on slicks in the damp; everyone else on intermediates. The race was then delayed start due to the rain and became a dry race but started under wet race rules (called flag to flag meaning riders should start on whatever tyres they were on in the formation) and everyone swapped to slicks. Miller was given the entire length of the grid as a head start which was bollocks as they should have been held back until he'd reached the pit lane exit at speed.
2. Marc Marquez ("MM93") stalled on the grid and bump started his bike but was then out of position . He should have been held back off the grid but instead he turned on the grid and took his position in the formation. He was then given a ride through penalty for riding the wrong direction on the grid and rejoined dead last. His bike was mega fast, however.
3. MM93 barges Aleix Espargaro out of the way on his way through the field. It wasn't fair and it wasn't necessary: his bike was a missile and would have pissed past him a corner later.
4. MM93 does the same thing to Valentino, forcing Vale onto the grass in the wet whilst leaned over. Vale's race effectively ends as he picks up his bike.
5. Cal Crutchlow wins the race on the satellite Honda (pretty much the same as MM93's showing how fast it was) becoming the first British rider to lead the Premier class world championship since Barry Sheene in 1979, which to be honest is fucking awesome and should be on the front page of the sports section.
6. MM93 is penalised 30s for the Vale incident and is awarded 0 points, same as Vale.
7. MM93 goes to Vale's garage to apologise and make his excuses but Vale's friend and confidante Alessio Salucci – otherwise known as “Uccio” - tells him to fuck right off and doesn't allow him in the garage. Uccio has been ever-present in Vale's career and what he says is what Vale says.
8. The media frenzy focusses totally on the Vale / MM93 incident, to the extent that the MotoGP media feed has the Vale interview and the MM93 interview in the hotlist (remember they both finished out of the points so normally you don't give a shit what they think) and the actual top three conference is pretty sparsely attended.
9. Cal Crutchlow berates the media for not being present and focussing on the handbags incident.
10. Vale says MM93 has destroyed the sport as there can be no more trust amongst riders; that he (Vale) is afraid when MM93 is on the track; that this type of riding is unacceptable (this is a rider that kicked MM93 off his bike three seasons ago).
11. MM93 says he overcooked it but saw a gap. I watched it live: if he hadn't rammed Vale he'd have been in the tyrewall the speed he was carrying.
Of course MM93 is a Spanish golden boy; MotoGP is essentially a Dorna Media championship (a Spanish company) and whereas the late, lamented Simonchelli (an Italian) was berated for his riding MM93 isn't being caned like he should be. Aleix Espargaro has ranted on Twitter about his fellow Spaniard (and also another rider he was bashed by, but that's another thing) and the Vale haters vs the MM93 haters are joined by the purists.
The next race weekend should be......interesting.
1. Aussie rider Jack Miller set pole on slicks in the damp; everyone else on intermediates. The race was then delayed start due to the rain and became a dry race but started under wet race rules (called flag to flag meaning riders should start on whatever tyres they were on in the formation) and everyone swapped to slicks. Miller was given the entire length of the grid as a head start which was bollocks as they should have been held back until he'd reached the pit lane exit at speed.
2. Marc Marquez ("MM93") stalled on the grid and bump started his bike but was then out of position . He should have been held back off the grid but instead he turned on the grid and took his position in the formation. He was then given a ride through penalty for riding the wrong direction on the grid and rejoined dead last. His bike was mega fast, however.
3. MM93 barges Aleix Espargaro out of the way on his way through the field. It wasn't fair and it wasn't necessary: his bike was a missile and would have pissed past him a corner later.
4. MM93 does the same thing to Valentino, forcing Vale onto the grass in the wet whilst leaned over. Vale's race effectively ends as he picks up his bike.
5. Cal Crutchlow wins the race on the satellite Honda (pretty much the same as MM93's showing how fast it was) becoming the first British rider to lead the Premier class world championship since Barry Sheene in 1979, which to be honest is fucking awesome and should be on the front page of the sports section.
6. MM93 is penalised 30s for the Vale incident and is awarded 0 points, same as Vale.
7. MM93 goes to Vale's garage to apologise and make his excuses but Vale's friend and confidante Alessio Salucci – otherwise known as “Uccio” - tells him to fuck right off and doesn't allow him in the garage. Uccio has been ever-present in Vale's career and what he says is what Vale says.
8. The media frenzy focusses totally on the Vale / MM93 incident, to the extent that the MotoGP media feed has the Vale interview and the MM93 interview in the hotlist (remember they both finished out of the points so normally you don't give a shit what they think) and the actual top three conference is pretty sparsely attended.
9. Cal Crutchlow berates the media for not being present and focussing on the handbags incident.
10. Vale says MM93 has destroyed the sport as there can be no more trust amongst riders; that he (Vale) is afraid when MM93 is on the track; that this type of riding is unacceptable (this is a rider that kicked MM93 off his bike three seasons ago).
11. MM93 says he overcooked it but saw a gap. I watched it live: if he hadn't rammed Vale he'd have been in the tyrewall the speed he was carrying.
Of course MM93 is a Spanish golden boy; MotoGP is essentially a Dorna Media championship (a Spanish company) and whereas the late, lamented Simonchelli (an Italian) was berated for his riding MM93 isn't being caned like he should be. Aleix Espargaro has ranted on Twitter about his fellow Spaniard (and also another rider he was bashed by, but that's another thing) and the Vale haters vs the MM93 haters are joined by the purists.
The next race weekend should be......interesting.
