Segfault

Well, the point about tennis was if you are not better decisively then you shouldn't complain when it slips away. In other words, don't put yourself into situation where such a call can make difference.

michaelm

Sure it is the luck of the draw rather than something to complain about, but my point was that tiebreakers can be a rather capricious way of deciding the outcome of a tennis set or match, and a wrong line call can decide the outcome of a match if you are one of the top 3 players all time playing one of the other top 3 players of all time with both of you at the top of your game.

Sure Dovi is not a top 3 MotoGP rider all time, and nor is it likely imo that he is racing anyone this particular week end who is/will be a top 3 rider all time.

Bern1

The comparison with tennis is apt, particularly at this level. The game is almost all mental when the mechanics are a given, or should be. Racing is the game as well in this case, although games are usually played with one ball....

I don’t understand Fabio revealing so much at this point in the proceedings. It makes me think he still has a lot to learn. It’s a little endearing certainly, but can also be seen as a sign of weakness. Why tell your opponents how you are playing the game?

Unless you’re sandbagging of course.......up it a level!

birdman

This is my understanding, common in nascar when one car gets out in front either two cars or the pack can catch up without actually being faster drivers. Thing is, the draft from a few lengths further back doesn’t help the lead rider, only when they are nose to tail. In fact I have heard rider reports a rider in front can feel the effects of another bike a couple lengths back on the engine in 5th and 6th gears, holding it back. I don’t have an understanding of the physics why.

birdman

Tennis these days is as much about the physical. The men look like grey hounds. A millisecond of time gained in physical speed and agility allows that player a millisecond extra time mentally over their opponent Which just slowly adds up and wears the other down. Bikes though, nothing like same ball court racket tennis far more variables. Most say Marquez has the worst bike so is behind in mechanics from the beginning. My theory has always been Marquez mostly just leaves the bike as is and concentrates on getting maximum understanding and thus benefit from the tires. Yes this does require simulated and actual crashing, but you can’t save a crash in a race if you can’t anticipate when it could occur or know how to actually save it.

michaelm

Sure, I agree, it is more like squash these days, superior physical endurance wears the other player down, certainly for the likes of Djokovic and Nadal, and perhaps also Murray in his pomp. Federer has had to get very fit to compete in his old age, but is perhaps more of a throwback to older days where skills were more paramount, particularly when rackets were made of wood long ago though those days were.

michaelm

There is a piece on it on crashnet. Dovi’s complaint seemed to be that for all 3 of his fastest laps Petrux deliberately waited for a tow from Dovi, which resulted in a lap beyond his actual true pace and put him in Q2 ahead of Dovi rather than that Petrucci slowed him down. Dovi said he wasn’t looking for any help from anyone but thought it was a strange way for a Ducati rider not in contention to behave towards one who was, and harked back to lack of help from a previous team-mate when that team-mate was a ‘Spanish rider’.

Could have been obviated by him being faster than Jack Miller or not in Q1 in the first place I guess, but 3 tows is perhaps excessive and I have never been much of a Petrucci fan in any case.

p4p1

2 excellent weekends for Alex Marquez in a row. Strongly starting to think that HRC made the wrong call replacing him with Pol.

p4p1

Mir looking great for the title now. But it’s closed up so much that it’s still anyone’s game.

Woodstock

Amazing race. I said I predicted Nakagami for a podium and he was 5th so I wasn’t too far off. Alex Marquez is really impressive.