Joined May 2021
56 Posts | 14+
Philippines
Fabio looking good, as is Bags and Miller. Looked cloudy, wonder what weather is supposed to be like tomorrow?
Joined May 2021
56 Posts | 14+
Philippines
Joined Nov 2015
872 Posts | 420+
Stratosphere
Joined Oct 2011
248 Posts | 112+
Adelaide
While following someone into the pits to get a tow isn't against any rules and could be viewed as excellent gamesmanship I think that race direction may have to act to stop something like that happening in the future.
While it was funny watching Vinales have a mini melt down and the meltdown online from you know who's fans has also been delightful, it could set a somewhat problematic precedent. Marc is probably 'king of the mind games,' though I would also say his mind games were a cause of the crash in 2019. At least the first one, his need to dominate his rivals, while shared by most great athletes is a mind game. Having said that Maverick might be the easiest guy on the grid to poke, he gets upset at just about everything and IMO has shown himself to be easily unsettled. If I was a rider I would probably get some guilty pleasure out of needling the guy. He's far from the only one, I thought it showed two things though:
1. Marquez is confident he will end up back on top.
2. Marquez doesn't have complete confidence in his own speed yet.
While it was funny watching Vinales have a mini melt down and the meltdown online from you know who's fans has also been delightful, it could set a somewhat problematic precedent. Marc is probably 'king of the mind games,' though I would also say his mind games were a cause of the crash in 2019. At least the first one, his need to dominate his rivals, while shared by most great athletes is a mind game. Having said that Maverick might be the easiest guy on the grid to poke, he gets upset at just about everything and IMO has shown himself to be easily unsettled. If I was a rider I would probably get some guilty pleasure out of needling the guy. He's far from the only one, I thought it showed two things though:
1. Marquez is confident he will end up back on top.
2. Marquez doesn't have complete confidence in his own speed yet.
Joined Feb 2020
979 Posts | 1K+
Bendigo Vic
"After FP4 I said to the team, 'I don’t feel the bike, I don’t feel anything, just we need to follow somebody'," Marquez said.
"We checked the list, the fastest guy was Vinales, so we chose him because he was the fastest guy [not to get into Qualifying 2 directly], but if it was another one [faster] we would choose another one.
"And then just I followed him, it was the tactic because it was the only way to improve.
https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/979234/1/marc-marquez-i-apologised-vinales-its-within-rules
Yeah I'd say he is not confident in his speed yet.
I hope he believes in his ability to return to his previous speed on the bike.
Certainly hope he gets there too, as it is amazing to watch.
"We checked the list, the fastest guy was Vinales, so we chose him because he was the fastest guy [not to get into Qualifying 2 directly], but if it was another one [faster] we would choose another one.
"And then just I followed him, it was the tactic because it was the only way to improve.
https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/979234/1/marc-marquez-i-apologised-vinales-its-within-rules
Yeah I'd say he is not confident in his speed yet.
I hope he believes in his ability to return to his previous speed on the bike.
Certainly hope he gets there too, as it is amazing to watch.
One could conversely argue that while it may not be ideal to follow someone to the pits for reasons of a tow, is it reasonable to run through the pits because you have a rider behind you?
To me, what the episode showed was how much rent space Marquez has in Vinales' head.
Joined May 2019
607 Posts | 459+
Where I am.
Not sure what race direction or Dorna can do about something like that. Looks like something for the riders to sort amongst themselves.
I tend to agree that Vinales' reaction by going through the pits to shake being followed is a mirror of Marquez's doggedness at staying behind him even while going through the pits.
I tend to agree that Vinales' reaction by going through the pits to shake being followed is a mirror of Marquez's doggedness at staying behind him even while going through the pits.
I would say that's also a fair assessment. Marquez himself IIRC has never been too bothered about someone getting a tow from him. I think that's confidence in your racing ability though. He believes as long as he is on the front row or even the second row that he will be able to get up into the top 2 or 3 within the first lap. Vinales knows he has the opposite problem though and can't afford to give anyone a tow.
Marquez is a smart competitor and we have seen him previously force tows from guys who either go out and get their fast lap or qualify 12th. The gamesmanship only looks good/ok when you're winning though IMO.
Joined Aug 2008
6K Posts | 748+
Thailand
Gaz... what is unreasonable about riding thru pit lane at the speed limit? Nothing that I can think of... tho u r a Marshall so u may think of something I didn't...
To me riding thru pit lane is infintesimaly less of a transgression than the slow/quick antics on track when weaker riders are trying to get a tow.
Rule changes and penalties are needed.
Joined May 2021
56 Posts | 14+
Philippines
Fabio was brilliant today. Zarco now second in the championship Yeh! Rins cant stay on the shiny stuff and may well be putting his seat at risk. Olivera rode a dam good race. Marquez gives the impression of being desperate. He is not fit and coming back is going to take the whole season, if ever. Bagnia, what can you say. Trying just a little too hard.
Joined May 2021
56 Posts | 14+
Philippines
Joined Feb 2020
979 Posts | 1K+
Bendigo Vic
He is way, way off his best.
Maybe he does need to get off the bike again and work on his strength .
Doesn't appear strong enough to ride at the pace needed to sort the bike.
Needs to sort his body first it appears.
