2024 MotoGP Round 6: Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya - Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

MotoGP Forum

Help Support MotoGP Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
On MMs qualifying woes why was Alex allowed to go out in front and lead Marc for last session of P1? Was he planning for a tow? I was expecting them to swap places and thought it very weird that they didn’t. It looked at times that Marc was being held up but if he’d been up with Alex at the flag he’d have gotten another lap in as Alex did.
 
That's not how things work. A better traction at the rear forces the front in the corner, therefore you can't get "better corner speed" for free this way. You would need a soft on the front too. Also, he managed to hit 350.6 at the end of the race, with a very worn tire. And there isn't that big difference between the Michelin soft and medium.
Then how do you explain the way Marquez was out-cornering other riders on the medium front so close to the end of the race???
 
Like dropping Zarco for Morbideli.
Ducati didn't drop Zarco.

Ducati Corse didn't need Zarco when they had Pecco and Bastianini on their factory bikes, and Martin at Pramac.

Gresini choose their own riders, the same way VR46 does.

Ducati Corse didn't have a good option for this season, and when Zarco made it clear that he wanted a multiple year contract, they went for the free option of former Moto2 champion and MotoGP runner up, Morbidelli.
 
Ducati didn't drop Zarco.

Ducati Corse didn't need Zarco when they had Pecco and Bastianini on their factory bikes, and Martin at Pramac.

Gresini choose their own riders, the same way VR46 does.

Ducati Corse didn't have a good option for this season, and when Zarco made it clear that he wanted a multiple year contract, they went for the free option of former Moto2 champion and MotoGP runner up, Morbidelli.
They didn't drop him they just didn't offer him what he wanted?

Sooooo they dropped him?
 
Off topic but I don't get why Ducati was in such a rush to sign Aldeguer. He doesn't seem like anything special to me.
You should take a closer look.

He was the only rider to give Acosta any competition last season, when Acosta won the championship. He did that by going on an unprecedented winning streak once he gelled.

This season he both knows he will be stepping up a category come Valencia, and has new tires to get used to, they now have Pirellis.

Even now, he was quickest in the test going into the season, and has already won a race. His qualifying is mostly on the money, and when not, he progresses through the field.

Easy to forget that he is a teenager, not a machine.

For his pedigree, take a look at what he achieved before coming to Moto2.
He annihilated two CEV categories.

It is a very smart move by Ducati to take this talented rider before someone else will.
 
They didn't drop him they just didn't offer him what he wanted?

Sooooo they dropped him?
I personally wouldn't call a failed negotiation process for dropping. For me at least, dropping would mean Ducati not having any wish to retain him.

They disagree about how they could continue their professional relationship, and parted ways when Zarco was given a factory contract by Honda for two seasons.

I believe Simon Patterson made an interview with Zarco where he talks about this topic, while being given a massage 😃
 
You should take a closer look.

He was the only rider to give Acosta any competition last season, when Acosta won the championship. He did that by going on an unprecedented winning streak once he gelled.

This season he both knows he will be stepping up a category come Valencia, and has new tires to get used to, they now have Pirellis.

Even now, he was quickest in the test going into the season, and has already won a race. His qualifying is mostly on the money, and when not, he progresses through the field.

Easy to forget that he is a teenager, not a machine.

For his pedigree, take a look at what he achieved before coming to Moto2.
He annihilated two CEV categories.

It is a very smart move by Ducati to take this talented rider before someone else will.

Tony Arbolino also challenged Acosta from time to time. I'm not saying he isn't a good rider but he has shown me nothing that makes me think it was important for Ducati to sign him a year early. I don't see it as a smart move regardless of how it pans out. They put their money on a horse a year early when they pretty much are the desired choice of destinations. It's stupid unless he is some phenom like Marc or Pedro were. Which he is not.
 
I personally wouldn't call a failed negotiation process for dropping. For me at least, dropping would mean Ducati not having any wish to retain him.

They disagree about how they could continue their professional relationship, and parted ways when Zarco was given a factory contract by Honda for two seasons.

I believe Simon Patterson made an interview with Zarco where he talks about this topic, while being given a massage 😃
Which came first the chicken or the egg?

Its not mutual if Zarco wanted to stay but wanted two years. Ducati didn't want to do that therefore they dropped him. There is really nothing to argue about here.
 
A lot of hindsight but maybe Martin should have let Acosta go and burn up his soft tire? Pecco wasn't playing their game. He was at one point 1+ seconds behind them and not panicking. Pecco was playing the long game.

I get the feeling that no one really wants to let Pedro get too far out front lest he might actually get comfortable and win the race. Guys are racing him much harder than in the lower classes, and I think some of that is to let him know it won't be simply a cakewalk to have success.
 
Tony Arbolino also challenged Acosta from time to time. I'm not saying he isn't a good rider but he has shown me nothing that makes me think it was important for Ducati to sign him a year early. I don't see it as a smart move regardless of how it pans out. They put their money on a horse a year early when they pretty much are the desired choice of destinations. It's stupid unless he is some phenom like Marc or Pedro were. Which he is not.
Arbolino was talked about as being another rider making the step up this season, then he crumbled. Too much pressure on his shoulders, unfortunately.

The biggest difference though between those two riders are the speed they've shown.

Ducati Corse shifted their approach to the rider market after they failed with Valentino, Dovisioso, Iannone, Petrucci and (possibly) Lorenzo.

They've adopted the same approach as Real Madrid. Instead of Galacticos, they've gone all in on youth.

Pecco and Martin have validated their decision.


Apart from Acosta, Aldeguer, was the one turning most heads last year. With Acosta and Raul Fernandez not being available, Aldeguer is worth a few seasons for them.

Maybe Sergio Garcia will be signed soon as well, if he keeps his impressive form up? He in looking promising for a 2026 ride, or even a 2025 if Pit wants to twist both of his slowest riders.
 
Arbolino was talked about as being another rider making the step up this season, then he crumbled. Too much pressure on his shoulders, unfortunately.

The biggest difference though between those two riders are the speed they've shown.

Ducati Corse shifted their approach to the rider market after they failed with Valentino, Dovisioso, Iannone, Petrucci and (possibly) Lorenzo.

They've adopted the same approach as Real Madrid. Instead of Galacticos, they've gone all in on youth.

Pecco and Martin have validated their decision.


Apart from Acosta, Aldeguer, was the one turning most heads last year. With Acosta and Raul Fernandez not being available, Aldeguer is worth a few seasons for them.

Maybe Sergio Garcia will be signed soon as well, if he keeps his impressive form up? He in looking promising for a 2026 ride, or even a 2025 if Pit wants to twist both of his slowest riders.

Solid post. I am not saying he doesn't deserve a shot, I just don't see him as being anything special. Like Pedro and Marc. Maybe he is maybe he isn't.
 
Thanks for that, I didn't reply him bcoz if I come and say "I didn't say that", Keshav is ready to drop me in the trash bin lol.
You are probably both right, but the GP24 will have been designed and set up for maximum pace over a lap, not for top speed at whatever arbitrary point on the track they choose to measure speed, and as I have said I think you will be waiting a long time to see a GP23 use a speed advantage to pass a GP24 on a straight. MM was stuck behind Mirbidelli for several laps at Catalunya.
 
DiGia believes the GP24 is quite better than the GP23

He is actually riding well, better than Bezzecchi.

Interesting what he says about tyres, MM has been saying the same thing in regard to his qualifying woes, that the tyres don’t work for the first couple of laps.
 
Back
Top