2021 MotorLand Aragón SPAIN

Keshav · Sep 9, 2021

Last year was a typical event where, every decade or so, Suzuki gets a championship when everything falls into place. Last year Marquez wasn’t around much, and Fabs was floundering on the “improved” chassis. Not saying they won’t win a race this year, but I wouldn’t make any bets this year based on last year’s results. Yamaha, Ducati, Aprilia and KTM have all stepped up their game, while other than the lowering device, Suzuki seems about the same as last year. And after all his screw-ups this year, I expect Marquez is really determined to prove he hasn’t lost his mental prowess. At this point that seems to be what he needs to work on: his physical self, not so much. And this would be a good track for Marquez to prove himself at.

PRS717 · Sep 9, 2021

#22 said:
Suzuki win or lose races on Saturday. Now they have the rear holeshot device if they are on the front two rows they have a good chance at winning. However that seems to be a big IF.

Didn't they remove it for Silverstone? I know they are saying it's not really needed for that track but others have speculated the only reason to remove it is because it's not working correctly. Keith Huewen said that. I dunno, guess we'll see at Aragon.

michaelm · Sep 9, 2021

Keshav said:
Last year was a typical event where, every decade or so, Suzuki gets a championship when everything falls into place. Last year Marquez wasn’t around much, and Fabs was floundering on the “improved” chassis. Not saying they won’t win a race this year, but I wouldn’t make any bets this year based on last year’s results. Yamaha, Ducati, Aprilia and KTM have all stepped up their game, while other than the lowering device, Suzuki seems about the same as last year. And after all his screw-ups this year, I expect Marquez is really determined to prove he hasn’t lost his mental prowess. At this point that seems to be what he needs to work on: his physical self, not so much. And this would be a good track for Marquez to prove himself at.

Sure, after the 4 early on in the modern era.

KRJR said something along those lines after his title, the other manufacturers improved their bikes for the following year while Suzuki did little or nothing. Their achievements are still impressive, other manufactures expend more resources, including Ducati who didn’t win a title in their second decade or so far in a 3rd decade.

#22 · Sep 9, 2021

michaelm said:
Sure, after the 4 early on in the modern era.

KRJR said something along those lines after his title, the other manufacturers improved their bikes for the following year while Suzuki did little or nothing. Their achievements are still impressive, other manufactures expend more resources, including Ducati who didn’t win a title in their second decade or so far in a 3rd decade.

I loved the soupkast with him, the famous "If you're already pinned, you can't pin it more"

PRS717 · Sep 9, 2021

Looks like Suzuki's ride-height device is back for Aragon.

https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/9...ight-back-aragon-mir-seeking-stable-tyre-grip

Keshav · Sep 9, 2021

Good article. It's pretty clear the device is still in development.

The more I hear about the poor quality of Michelin race slicks, the less I'll be surprised when one of their tires has massive failure mid-race. Only a matter of time. It's a shame. Back in the '80s if you were a club racer or a full-on pro, Michelin slicks were the way to go.

evo9 · Sep 9, 2021

Keshav said:
Good article. It's pretty clear the device is still in development.

The more I hear about the poor quality of Michelin race slicks, the less I'll be surprised when one of their tires has massive failure mid-race. Only a matter of time. It's a shame. Back in the '80s if you were a club racer or a full-on pro, Michelin slicks were the way to go.

Michelin Respond To Allegations Of Favoring Fabio Quartararo. Are they back to their old ways of SNS, but baking them a week in advance?

Keshav · Sep 9, 2021

evo9 said:
Michelin Respond To Allegations Of Favoring Fabio Quartararo. Are they back to their old ways of SNS, but baking them a week in advance?

Most of his replies sound like generic PR softsoap stuff. But the fact of the tires being distributed by lottery, does pretty much discount that possibility. If Michelin were somehow specifically putting tailor made tires in the hands of Fabio’s crew, it sure wasn’t apparent last year. If they were making a tire that favored the Yamaha - there’s been no evidence of that in the results of the other Yamaha riders. This claim is reminiscent of Marquez’s last season in Moto 2 when a lot of people were sure that HRC were hooking him up with superior bike, with magical electronics or whatever, and of course it just turned out, he was winning because he’s so talented. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the people making this accusation were Spanish fans. Like, How dare a French guy possibly win a championship in a sport dominated by Spanish riders?

michaelm · Sep 9, 2021

Keshav said:
Most of his replies sound like generic PR softsoap stuff. But the fact of the tires being distributed by lottery, does pretty much discount that possibility. If Michelin were somehow specifically putting tailor made tires in the hands of Fabio’s crew, it sure wasn’t apparent last year. If they were making a tire that favored the Yamaha - there’s been no evidence of that in the results of the other Yamaha riders. This claim is reminiscent of Marquez’s last season in Moto 2 when a lot of people were sure that HRC were hooking him up with superior bike, with magical electronics or whatever, and of course it just turned out, he was winning because he’s so talented. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the people making this accusation were Spanish fans. Like, How dare a French guy possibly win a championship in a sport dominated by Spanish riders?

I think FQ is looking like the class of the field because he is the class of the field, and it will be interesting to see how even a fully recovered MM if this occurs will go against him.

I agree Michelin are not giving out dud tires selectively (they just give out dud tires non selectively), and Spanish fans may well see a motop title as their birthright given Spanish riders have won the last 9 titles as you say. It certainly wouldn't be unheard of for their tire development to favour an individual rider whether or not that rider was the best current rider though.

Bern1 · Sep 9, 2021

BarryMachine said:
Fabio

Thanks, that was a blast to watch!

#22 · Sep 10, 2021

FP1. Marquez was already quickets (albeit slightly) then went for a soft tyre attack. No one else did.

Pos Rider Nat Team Time/Diff Lap Max
1 Marc Marquez SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) 1'48.048s 18/20 343k
2 Joan Mir SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +0.971s 17/18 340k
3 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Team (GP21) +1.145s 16/19 343k
4 Alex Marquez SPA LCR Honda (RC213V) +1.158s 18/18 343k
5 Jack Miller AUS Ducati Team (GP21) +1.214s 16/21 346k
6 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +1.265s 15/18 343k
7 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP21) +1.324s 17/17 346k
8 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +1.403s 14/19 334k
9 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) +1.411s 8/21 345k
10 Pol Espargaro SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +1.541s 13/18 346k
11 Enea Bastianini ITA Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +1.604s 13/17 344k
12 Cal Crutchlow GBR Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +1.622s 14/17 340k
13 Danilo Petrucci ITA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +1.693s 15/18 340k
14 Alex Rins SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +1.736s 11/18 339k
15 Luca Marini ITA Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +1.888s 17/18 341k
16 Iker Lecuona SPA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +1.894s 12/13 341k
17 Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP21)* +1.899s 10/17 347k
18 Miguel Oliveira POR Red Bull KTM (RC16) +1.916s 17/19 344k
19 Maverick Viñales SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +2.139s 16/21 343k
20 Valentino Rossi ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +2.251s 11/12 335k
21 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +2.305s 14/17 346k
22 Jake Dixon GBR Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +3.140s 14/20 332k

El Guero · Sep 10, 2021

Keshav said:
Predictions?

I don't think we'll see two Suzukis on the podium again.
I think Marquez will do well if he can keep from crashing into other riders.

Tend to concur. I think FQ would happily(ish) accept a podium this weekend.

Good track this. Think it provides a bit of everything for each manufacturer.

michaelm · Sep 10, 2021

#22 said:
FP1. Marquez was already quickets (albeit slightly) then went for a soft tyre attack. No one else did.

I believe Mir did as well. He had a lap on the soft tire within 0.5 seconds of MM which was scrubbed for reasons of track limitation transgression. I think the fastest lap he kept was also on a soft though.

warthog1 · Sep 10, 2021

#22 said:
FP1. Marquez was already quickets (albeit slightly) then went for a soft tyre attack. No one else did.

How much quicker did the soft make him?
Just interested in removing that to get a better comparison to the others (bar Mir)

Keshav · Sep 10, 2021

El Guero said:
Tend to concur. I think FQ would happily(ish) accept a podium this weekend.

Good track this. Think it provides a bit of everything for each manufacturer.

Fully expecting Fabio to pull the pin in quali. Would be surprised if he’s not at the least on the front row. I have no doubt he’s anticipating this weekend as a showdown between him and Marquez.

michaelm · Sep 10, 2021

warthog1 said:
How much quicker did the soft make him?
Just interested in removing that to get a better comparison to the others (bar Mir)

1:49.171 vs 1:49.193 Bagnaia before the soft I believe.

warthog1 · Sep 10, 2021

michaelm said:
1:49.171 vs 1:49.193 Bagnaia before the soft I believe.

Thanks. Pretty close.
It is only the first session though

warthog1 · Sep 10, 2021

Keshav said:
Fully expecting Fabio to pull the pin in quali. Would be surprised if he’s not at the least on the front row. I have no doubt he’s anticipating this weekend as a showdown between him and Marquez.

Dunno if he would be too worried about that given he has such a lead and Marquez isn't a championship threat.

Hope he is not silly enough to take too many risks if it is the case though.

El Guero · Sep 10, 2021

Keshav said:
Fully expecting Fabio to pull the pin in quali. Would be surprised if he’s not at the least on the front row. I have no doubt he’s anticipating this weekend as a showdown between him and Marquez.

I tend to concur. I would also be surprised if he's not on the front row. He has been vocal about this not being one of his fav tracks and his last outing at this circuit wasn't great...But both have no real bearing on what could happen Sunday.

Looking forward to a punch up between MM and FQ on track - Not literally, well come to think about it, that would be good too

#22 · Sep 10, 2021

michaelm said:
I believe Mir did as well. He had a lap on the soft tire within 0.5 seconds of MM which was scrubbed for reasons of track limitation transgression. I think the fastest lap he kept was also on a soft though.

Thanks, I didn't watch the session as it was too early, so just read the report.

warthog1 said:
How much quicker did the soft make him?
Just interested in removing that to get a better comparison to the others (bar Mir)

Michael beat me to it.

2021 MotorLand Aragón SPAIN

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