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2023 Cota - Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas

mikesbytes said:
I've put up a prediction on another forum prior to practice, I've put my neck out and chosen Vinales. I also predicted M Marquez to be on the podium and he as subsequently pulled out

I'll pick Pirro to be the first test rider :)
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Be careful sticking your neck out for Mav, you could end up like Louis XVI. I've made this mistake in the past in always been disappointed.
 
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Fabio is a hot mess. Only 1 podium in his last 9 races, and only 1 sprint race point in 3 tries.

In this sprint he put his front tire in to Rins rib cage, ran wide at the final turn before losing the front (and his points at Turn 1).

Last season he was on the verge of breaking down and it cost him the championship, imo. This year the world champion is long gone. He’s just riding like another mid pack marauder and blaming his bike.
 
mylexicon said:
Fabio is a hot mess. Only 1 podium in his last 9 races, and only 1 sprint race point in 3 tries.

In this sprint he put his front tire in to Rins rib cage, ran wide at the final turn before losing the front (and his points at Turn 1).

Last season he was on the verge of breaking down and it cost him the championship, imo. This year the world champion is long gone. He’s just riding like another mid pack marauder and blaming his bike.
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He seems to lack long-term vision. There was no need to force so much when there aren't that many points to gain in a sprint race. He could've won last year with a more serene mindset. 3rd race in a row behind Morbidelli too, oof.

I jinxed Alex Márquez it seems. The other Alex did very well, Joan not so much. Pecco cannot ask for an easier year to win the championship given the circumstances, he's untouchable and the ones who should be his direct rivals are facing all kinds of problems. I don't see the Aprilia riders challenging him consistently throughout the season. Four first bikes in the overall standings, four Ducatis. Starting to remind of the late 90s Honda domination.
 
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evo9 said:
Rins is the dark Horse of Honda. We know he is good at COTA but, to beat the other duck boys speaks volume about the young man. I hope Honda start treating all 4 riders equal with material.
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Didn't watch the race at 4;00 am Sydney time.

I have aways considered Rins to be a major talent, more so than Mir who was however steadier in his title year.

This has always been a good circuit for MM so may suit the Honda in general, but Mir getting results this early on speaks for him. One thing with MM great though he may be is that I have never seen much evidence he has talent out of the ordinary for setting up or developing bikes, and if Rins can help lead Honda out of the wilderness they have inhabited these last several years all power to him.
 
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MichaelBolton said:
The comments in The-Race dot com are so ....... toxic. Rins does well and you see people calling Marc a one trick pony and overrated. Yeah, it only took several years to see a single Honda that isn't him do well in a practice session in a favorable circuit.

This place is the only oasis for Grand Prix motorcycling discourse.
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Is it too early to say Alex Márquez is the most consistent rider this season so far?
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There is also talk in other places asking whether HRC signedt he right ex-Suzuki rider.

Amazing with many people andp laces how one race, one bout of success all of a sudden means brilliance.

There is a lot of people that seem to overlook that champions and championships are crowned based on a number of results across a wide range of time, not a single occurrence.



That all said, I have rated Rins better than Mir for a while and for a reason over the years. Rins can ride where Mir who can ride also to me panics in teh way in which he has ridden and will happily use riders as berms to make corners and feel it ok, except when done to him where Rins is primarily clean.
 
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I don't rate either of the two factory Aprilia riders. Aleix is the definition of average and he's coasting on experience, he can be solid but lacks the extra humph needed. Maverick is not going to change his ways all of sudden, he's easily the most inconsistent rider of the entire paddock and yesterday had one of his signature woeful starts. Aprilia has the bike to compete with Ducati but not the riders.
 
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mikesbytes said:
Based on the sprint race I haven't back the right pony with Mav LOL
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I decided it was his year the year he treated his yamaha like it was a local tuesday bike night in Austria. Never again will I back him. He has a track record of quitting on teams. He always seems so happy the first year after a switch and then it is all downhill from there.
 
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michaelm said:
Didn't watch the race at 4;00 am Sydney time.

I have aways considered Rins to be a major talent, more so than Mir who was however steadier in his title year.

This has always been a good circuit for MM so may suit the Honda in general, but Mir getting results this early on speaks for him. One thing with MM great though he may be is that I have never seen much evidence he has talent out of the ordinary for setting up or developing bikes, and if Rins can help lead Honda out of the wilderness they have inhabited these last several years all power to him.
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I have been saying the same. I felt Mir made a horrible mistake going to honda. He would be better suited for any of the other bikes on the grid. Rins however I felt was the best fit for the current state of the Honda.
 
MdubSTYLIE said:
I have been saying the same. I felt Mir made a horrible mistake going to honda. He would be better suited for any of the other bikes on the grid. Rins however I felt was the best fit for the current state of the Honda.
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I am impressed by Rins myself so far this season, if he is for real on the Honda then they have scored a winner for sure. I am waiting to see his results for the next few races before I form my conclusion.

As for Mir, he reminds me of Nicky Hayden, a good rider who did not win much but got lucky with consistency at least once. If Rins continues to do well, and MM comes back and does his usual thing, then Mir will have to step up or become irrelevant.

Personally I hope that there is a good mix of manufacturers on the podium this year to keep things interesting, not just a Ducati free for all, we shall see. I am a Ducati fan though, without Ducati MotoGP would not be the same.
 
I get the feeling Honda and Yamaha aren't feeling it anymore...maybe looking for a way out, like Suzuki, the rules are stacked against them.
 

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