IT'S RACE WEEK!!!! Round 1 - PT Thai Grand Prix

[AnnoyingTwit]

Ogura for the championship 2025.

I'm now starting to worry about pressure being put on Ogura to achieve a standard that he might not carry through the year.

Also, I'm wondering why there isn't more discussion of Alex Marquez. Beat Pecco in qualifying and both races. He's doing very well indeed. His only problem is his brother, so far.

And, now I'm confused as to exactly which bike Pecco and Marc are riding. I thought it was a GP25 with a GP24 engine. But, is it just a GP24? I missed some news, it seems. EDIT: Explanation here: https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1...explains-satellite-gp24-bike-spec-motogp-2025

 

[PRS717]

Just a few weeks there were headlines about an interview were Vale gave Frantisek tips about how to beat Marc.
I just wondered how tf would he know how to beat him?

While many would say it’s all about how a racer uses his right wrist, Rossi would add judicious use of the left knee can pay dividends, at least in the moment.

 

[DavidSim]

To quote the wise old man #22, "Lets not start stroking each others cocks just yet."

I think I will pass on that.

 

[DavidSim]

Honourable mention: Nepa in Moto3.

 

[mikesbytes]

Looks like Ducati DID homologate a 2025 engine for the factory riders.

https://www.motorsport.com/motogp/n...-engine-three-motogp-riders-thai-gp/10700410/

From the article, it sounds like it was not the engine they assessed in testing, but a tweaked GP24 engine.

Sounds like the engine is a GP24.2

 

[#22]

My understanding is it is a GP24 with different electronics.

 

[MdubSTYLIE]

I think I will pass on that.

#22 will be very disappointed.

 

[#22]

I'm not the one with my legs up in the air in my profile photo....

 

[MdubSTYLIE]

I'm not the one with my legs up in the air in my profile photo....

just waiting for you bro

 

[JFM01]

I thought it was a GP25 with a GP24 engine.

They decided against using the 2025 engine, chassis and aero after the tests. At least for now.
I wonder if they're debut the 2025 package at all given how dominant they still are.

My understanding is it is a GP24 with different electronics.

A motorsport-Magazin article a few weeks ago quoted a Ducati executive stating exactly that.

 

[Barbedwirebikerr]

Marc's pole lap.
So smooth, that it looks slow.

 

[AnnoyingTwit]

Ogura hasn't finished outside the top 10 of a championship since 2019. I'm wondering how likely it is that he'll end up in the top 10 this year.

 

[Barbedwirebikerr]

Ogura hasn't finished outside the top 10 of a championship since 2019. I'm wondering how likely it is that he'll end up in the top 10 this year.

Has to beat 12 riders.

Should beat:

Mir
Zarco
Marini
Chantra
Oliveira
Vinales
Bastianini

Maybe beat:
Miller
Fernandez
Aldegeur
Bezzecchi


That would do it.

 

[mikesbytes]

Ogura hasn't finished outside the top 10 of a championship since 2019. I'm wondering how likely it is that he'll end up in the top 10 this year.

Reliability might play its part, Raul had to pull out due to a mechanical so perhaps Aprilia hasn't improved reliability enough? Otherwise I don't see why not

 

[Sennas_Caress]

Also, I'm wondering why there isn't more discussion of Alex Marquez. Beat Pecco in qualifying and both races. He's doing very well indeed. His only problem is his brother, so far.

His life in a nutshell....

Based on everything that has happened this year, he is the one to take the title if Marc gets injured for a prolonged time.
Yet, if the development cycles of new bikes are to be continued into this season, Pecco will have a slightly better machine by summer than Alex.

So 2nd - 3rd could be his potential this season.

If we look at his seasons on a Ducati, it has been filled with few highs (podiums) and plenty of lows (retirements and below 8th/9th). He managed around the 170 point mark both seasons, so no real development there.

 

[p4p1]

I think we are all waiting for Alex to have more than one good result before we start raving about him. People are raving early about Marc because he has scores on the board. Though I still think it is a bit early to say he will dominate the season based on one race + testing.
If this form continue, Alex will no doubt be a contender and will win race/s this year.

 

[#22]

Marc's pole lap.
So smooth, that it looks slow.

Exactly my point from earlier. I found Q2 somewhat underwhelming because it looked like he was cruising around, a la Jorge Lorenzo.

Maybe it's finally going to come out that bucking bronco was Honda...not Marc.

 

[MichaelBolton]

Rigamonti (Marc's crew chef) said the team didn't expect Marc to ride so smoothly and in control, to the point front tire pressure wouldn't go up, so now he'll take that into account for next races. Marc went from a guy riding wildly on the limit pushing the front to its physical limits on the Honda to a Lorenzo-like smooth operator.

Not too bad from the one trick pony, right?

 

[#22]

But Bird Bird said he was a ONE TRICK PONY....

 

[JFM01]

But Bird Bird said he was a ONE TRICK PONY....

Potentially a NINE TRICK PONY at the end of the year.