Round 4: Gran Premio Red Bull de España 2017

Hard to believe we are already coming up on the 4th race of the year!

Last year's race was about who could manage their tires best in the heat of Jerez, and Rossi excelled in the conditions as was to be expected. What this race weekend brings for track conditions is unknown. This track since 2010 has seen Yamaha take the victory in 2010, 2015, and 2016 while Honda has won in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. The M1 should be favored around here in 2017, but stranger things have occurred.

Championship leader Valentino Rossi is still looking for that first victory of 2017, and this would be as good of a place as any to get a win since it will further increase his lead in the title battle. While everyone keeps waiting for the Vinales/Marquez showdown that has yet to happen, my prediction is we will still be waiting for that. Instead we will get the long-awaited Vinales/Rossi showdown and this will probably dictate the rest of the season internally for Yamaha. MM is my dark horse pick for the race. I don't know what to expect from the RC213V here. They tested here already recently so it will remain to be seen what they learned from that test, and if they can translate the data into a race setup for their riders that will put them in contention for a victory.

Podium Prediction:

1) Rossi
2) Vinales
3) Marquez

High Satellite Rider:

Johann Zarco

Marquez
Rossi
Vinales
Pedrosa
Iannone
Zarco
Crutchlow

Dani
Vale
Jorge
Edit. Looking forward to seeing the special livery for the Yamaha team, seems ages since the last one.

danski said:

Dani
Vale
Jorge
Edit. Looking forward to seeing the special livery for the Yamaha team, seems ages since the last one.

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They ran a special livery at Sepang last year. As uninspired as it was, it does qualify as a special livery.



I was more disappointed they never ran the 60th anniversary scheme for the factory riders in 2015 when they chose only to run that livery on Nakasuga's bike at Motegi.



I just hope it doesn't look like the 2007 Assen special abomination.

JPSLotus said:

They ran a special livery at Sepang last year. As uninspired as it was, it does qualify as a special livery.

I was more disappointed they never ran the 60th anniversary scheme for the factory riders in 2015 when they chose only to run that livery on Nakasuga's bike at Motegi.

I just hope it doesn't look like the 2007 Assen special abomination.

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In an unprecedented statement...
I agree with everything you said there.

danski said:

In an unprecedented statement...
I agree with everything you said there.

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Guess hell finally froze over.

Stoner (if he ran)
Marquez
Rossi
Vinales
Iannone
Pedrosa
Zarco
Lorenzo

BTW - 60th anniversary - most def! Saw an R6 when I stopped up at Bear Mountain on Sunday in that livery and they never fail to grab me. Below - a pic I took of the original (Ridden by Roberts) at Laguna.

JPSLotus said:

I just hope it doesn't look like the 2007 Assen special abomination.

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Astonishingly, I knew someone that paid a lot of money to have this livery on his R6.

Even though blue is the corporate colour I liked Valencia 2005 for the 50th anniversary of Yamaha's founding. They did the KR style yellow and black speed block for Vale and Colin at Laguna and then the red & white for Valencia.



The commemoration of 50 years of racing at Assen in 2011 precipitated a mass ejaculation in the paddock almost on the scale of Rossi's ninth.



Utterly orgasmic.

Yamaha YZR-M1 WGP 50th Anniversary Edition - Asphalt & Rubber

Arrabbiata1 said:

Astonishingly, I knew someone that paid a lot of money to have this livery on his R6.

Even though blue is the corporate colour I liked Valencia 2005 for the 50th anniversary of Yamaha's founding. They did the KR style yellow and black speed block for Vale and Colin at Laguna and then the red & white for Valencia.

View attachment 12486

The commemoration of 50 years of racing at Assen in 2011 precipitated a mass ejaculation in the paddock almost on the scale of Rossi's ninth.

View attachment 12487

Utterly orgasmic.

Yamaha YZR-M1 WGP 50th Anniversary Edition - Asphalt & Rubber

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By chance, the person who paid to put that livery on his R6, are they of the sort that rides around on a sport bike wearing a chrome, German helmet that also happens to not be street legal? Seems like bad taste should carry into all facets. I happened to have someone pull up next to me on Friday when I was in the middle of PA riding, astride a K5 GSX-R 1000 wearing that style helmet. Of course in Pennsylvania, no helmet is actually required...or as I like to call it "Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection in the Wild".

I've long been a fan of most of Yamaha's special liveries they have run on the M1 over the years. Assen 2007 was their worst obviously. But the Yamaha America black and yellow colors and the 50th anniversary livery you posted up there are two of the best they've ever done. Another of theirs that I liked a lot was the 2009 Estoril livery.



I generally dislike silver on bikes and vehicles, but always felt this one was particularly sublime, and liked that white was the dominant color with the silver being used to provide some contrast. Having the gold Ohlins forks adds another nice bit of contrast on the front end as well. Not the 50th or 55th or 60th liveries, but still respectable.

I didn't mind the white and blue when Fiat was still the title sponsor, but Yamaha's livery went to .... when Movistar became their title sponsor IMO. That green M is ghastly to look at on the side of the bike. There's no contrast of colors. I hope they find another title sponsor in the coming years.

JPSLotus said:

By chance, the person who paid to put that livery on his R6, are they of the sort that rides around on a sport bike wearing a chrome, German helmet that also happens to not be street legal? Seems like bad taste should carry into all facets. I happened to have someone pull up next to me on Friday when I was in the middle of PA riding, astride a K5 GSX-R 1000 wearing that style helmet.

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Fortunately very rare in the UK.

JPSLotus said:

I didn't mind the white and blue when Fiat was still the title sponsor, but Yamaha's livery went to .... when Movistar became their title sponsor IMO. That green M is ghastly to look at on the side of the bike. There's no contrast of colors. I hope they find another title sponsor in the coming years.

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I was referring to their inception. Although the first Yamaha motorcycle was red and white the original corporate colour synonymous and identified with Yamaha was as they term it 'pearl blue'.

Arrabbiata1 said:

Fortunately very rare in the UK.



I was referring to their inception. Although the first Yamaha motorcycle was red and white the original corporate colour synonymous and identified with Yamaha was as they term it 'pearl blue'.

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Ahhh thank you for the correction, didn't realize that!

1. Mav
2. Rossi
3. MM
4. JLo
5. Zarco

This track has always seem to favor riders/bikes with a clean riding style. If its going to happen for JLo and Ducati, this is the track for it to happen on.

Much cooler temps than last year, not sure anymore who that favors. Seems like every year bike characteristics flip flop as to who does what in cool or hot temps. Still don't think the Honda is anywhere near the Yamaha and the next few races will show it.

povol said:

Much cooler temps than last year, not sure anymore who that favors. Seems like every year bike characteristics flip flop as to who does what in cool or hot temps. Still don't think the Honda is anywhere near the Yamaha and the next few races will show it.

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I'm not sure if even the riders know anymore. Every time Marquez has been asked about winning he always now seems to mention the temperature during the race. It's clear that the riders aren't happy with Michelins terrible operating range and it's not instilling confidence in the riders about their chances on Sunday if the conditions change.

p4p1 said:

I'm not sure if even the riders know anymore. Every time Marquez has been asked about winning he always now seems to mention the temperature during the race. It's clear that the riders aren't happy with Michelins terrible operating range and it's not instilling confidence in the riders about their chances on Sunday if the conditions change.

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Who said the riders aren't happy with the temperature range? I've read reports about compounds, profiles etc being complained about and they even seem to be fading away .

Mv
MM
Vr
JLo

Marky Mark
Vinnie
Rossi

JLo about 9th

I've changed that 2nd place lots of times. Think it might be a random.

Am rooting for Zarco to be best satellite.

danski said:

Who said the riders aren't happy with the temperature range? I've read reports about compounds, profiles etc being complained about and they even seem to be fading away .

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There had been reports about the small 'operating range' of temperatures required to get the best from the tyres, and how difficult it could be under some circumstances to achieve the required temperature without risk of damage to the tyre (ie. to low a pressure or to high a pressure can damage tyres but may be the ideal pressure to achieve the temp).

Bit of a catch 22 in some ways

Rossi,
MM
Vinales
Zarco
Dani
Crutchlow

I'd like to see Zarco on the podium but doubt it with the honda and yamaha going like they are.

Circuit Information

Laps: 27
Total distance: 119.4 km / 74.3 miles
Circuit Record: 1'38.735 Jorge LORENZO (SPA) 2015
Average Speed (km/h): 157.5
Top Speed (km/h): 295.9

MFC on Pay-Per-View

MIKE: Good evening fight fans, and welcome to MotoFC. Presented to you tonight by Dave and Busters. Dave and Busters: eat, drink, play sports. We have a wonderfully stacked card this evening and joining me trackside is my veteran co-host, Joe Rogan.

JOE: Thanks, Mike. It's really great to be here in Spain. It's always a great atmosphere here, the fighters love and I think that this is going to be a really great show.

MIKE: Yes it is, and speaking of fighters, let's take a look at our first match up tonight: Jorge Lorenzo vs. Andrea Iannone.



JOE: Mike I think that this is going to be a really great fight. Iannone is a veteran of the Ducati camp and really shined on that bike, but things are different this year. Lorenzo took his seat and he definitely feels like he has something to prove.

MIKE: That's right Joe. And he has certainly been riding like he has something to prove as well.

JOE: Definitely Mike. We saw it in Qatar, he crashed out there. Then he got the double-whammy in Qatar, coming together with Lorenzo and then getting hit with the ride through penalty.

MIKE: And a lot of people were saying that wasn't his fault Joe.

JOE: That's right Mike. Initial thoughts were that Lorenzo had been another Iannone victim, remembering the shennanigans from 2016 but the replay really showed that Lorenzo was the one who impacted him.

MIKE: Iannone definitely delivered the knockout that time, but Lorenzo would seem to have the upper hand coming into this match-up.

JOE: 2nd in 2016. 1st in 2015. 4th in 2014. Mike, Lorenzo has had great success here. Iannone meanwhile couldn't even crack the top 5. 7th in 2016. 6th in 2015 and a DNF in 2014.

MIKE: But the Ducati is the dark horse this season Joe.

JOE: That's right Mike. The Ducati likes a brawler, someone who can just get down and dirty with it. But that is really the opposite of Lorenzo's style. The Suzuki meanwhile, seems to like a technician, and now Andrea is on that bike.

MIKE: So who gets it tonight Joe?

JOE: I'm going to give the nod to Iannone here, Mike. Lorenzo may like this track, but I think that he is still puzzling out the Ducati. I give him a top 10 finish, but I think Iannone cracks top 5 for sure.

MIKE: Alright Joe, moving on to the next fight of the night, Valentino Rossi vs. Maverick Vinales.



JOE: Mike, this is clearly one of those fights that MMA fans love to see. The grizzled veteran taking on the young up and coming fighter. We grew up watching this kind of match up romanticized on television and in the movies, and it's kind of a treat to watch it play out in real life.

MIKE: Maverick has had a pretty good training camp coming into this matchup, hasn't he?

JOE: He had a phenomenal camp over the winter Mike. Talking to his trainers, everybody was impressed by his performance. He dominated testing, fell back and then dominated Qatar, and then won again in Argentina.

MIKE: But then he had that fall. Is that the first sign of a crack in his armor? Does that show that there's a weakness in his game that Rossi can exploit?

JOE: I don't think so Mike. All of these guys at the top level, you have to give them a fall or two over the season. It's not like he's got stock in Shark Skinz like Iannone and trying to drive those stock prices up. That was one fall, he wasn't hurt and seems to be stepping into the ring healthy.

MIKE: What about Rossi though? This isn't exactly his first rodeo and he's taken charge of the standings. Can he keep that momentum going?

JOE: Mike, Rossi has been grinding away at the highest levels longer than anyone on the grid. He knows how it feels to be under this kind of pressure. He knows how to handle the pressure. The danger here is that he goes into limp mode like Hugh Hefner without his Viagra and tries to nurse the points lead. But I honestly don't see that happening tonight. It's too early in the season and he will be up for a scrap.

MIKE: End of the day Joe, who gets it when the bell rings?

JOE: It all comes down to youth, Mike, and Maverick has it. Age is the enemy in the fight game, and it has Rossi is its sights. Rossi won this last year and Maverick only pulled in 6th, but pound for pound I give it to Mav tonight. Both on the podium, but Maverick looking down at Rossi.

MIKE: And finally, the main event of the evening, Maverick Vinalez vs. Marc Marquez.



JOE: Mike, this one is going to bring the house... down! This is the fight that we've been waiting for.

MIKE: But that's not the first time that we've heard that from these fighters. We were promised fireworks in Texas the last time that these two met, but that's not what happened.

JOE: That's right Mike. There was a lot of talk during the weigh in at Qatar, and then the actual match proved to be excellent. It wasn't the all out brawl that we expected, both men engaging in a very technical fight that ended with Maverick on the top step. Argentina had some really good promised, but then Marquez pulled out of the fight so we had to wait until Austin. Then in Texas Maverick pulled out, leaving the fans waiting two rounds for the rematch of the fight all the way in round 1.

MIKE: This is a home race for Marquez, and he's usually very strong here.

JOE: On home soil you can't underestimate Marquez. That is a scary dude on track! 3 years, 3 podiums, 3rd, 2nd and 1st going backwards from last year. Not as dominant as his performance in the states, but very, very strong.

MIKE: That would seem to give the advantage to Marquez.

JOE: Don't sleep on Maverick though. That dude is for real. On the Suzuki he was like Alyson Hannigan's character in American Pie. Looks harmless enough most of the time, but then all of a sudden she busts out the flute speech, ties you up and calls you her bitch while she's taking you.

MIKE: You sound kind of passionate about that, Joe.

JOE: Red heads be crazy, Mike. And Maverick looks like he has a little ginger in him.

MIKE: Final prediction Joe?

JOE: I give it to Maverick, but only because Marquez seems to be struggling so much with the Honda this year. Nobody understands how Texas happened. I think Maverick takes the top step late in the race with Marquez finishing just behind.

MIKE: There you have it folks. Now we'll take it to our veteran announcer, Bruce Buffer, ringside.

JOE: Gingers, call me!