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I'm throwing I'm a prediction. Not champion, but top rider per manufacturer.

Yamaha is easy. Fabio.
Honda. Mir.
Aprilia. Miguel.
Ducati. Martin.
KTM. Binder, with Pedro running him all the way.
 
So every professional rider has moved half way across the world, with relatively little money, next to no contacts, no financial backing, no guaranteed entries into any series at 14 years old?
Please give me a list of riders who have done that.
I think Stoners parents should get a shout out at this point. They sold everything including their house in Aus and invested In Caseys career by bringing him to the U.K. and Europe. I did feel it was a little silly and selfish of Stoner to quit the sport when he was earning proper money. But also remember Ducati practically calling him a liar over his illness so it couldnt end well. Just like to think his parents were looked after.
 
I'm throwing I'm a prediction. Not champion, but top rider per manufacturer.

Yamaha is easy. Fabio.
Honda. Mir.
Aprilia. Miguel.
Ducati. Martin.
KTM. Binder, with Pedro running him all the way.
You won’t be far wrong methinks.

Imo Zarco is a chance for Honda. Looks like they are going to throw plenty of resources at the bike this year and I don’t think they will stint on the satellite bikes. They seemed to decide the Ducati method was the way to go and reputedly tried fairly hard to get Gigi.
 
I think Stoners parents should get a shout out at this point. They sold everything including their house in Aus and invested In Caseys career by bringing him to the U.K. and Europe. I did feel it was a little silly and selfish of Stoner to quit the sport when he was earning proper money. But also remember Ducati practically calling him a liar over his illness so it couldnt end well. Just like to think his parents were looked after.
They absolutely do deserve a shout out for their faith in their son. Huge leap of faith. But it also meant that Stoner was the families bread winner from the age of 14 or so.That is a decent chunk of pressure. I very much doubt that his parents were wanting for anything by the time he retired.
Casey was a resident of Monaco by 2007. He was paid $200k in 2006 by LCR if he was living in Monaco by then which is likely, then he would have been able to keep all of that. Paid over a million by Ducati for 2007, probably more from 08-10 and again even more once he landed at Honda. By 2009 his parents had moved back to Australia and owned a new farm, presumably bought by Casey or proceeds from managing Casey. His parents are doing better than fine and better than most people will ever be doing.
I do think you are drawing a long bow by calling hi retirement selfish in regards to paying his family back though. He did that and them some IMO.
 
it has to be aero improvements causing these times doesn‘t it? Favourable conditions could play a part as well? Pecco sat on pole a few months ago with a 1.57.491, he just set a new record with 1.56.682 that’s 8/10s of a second improvement over like 3 months.
Alex Marquez’s average race pace is 1/10th faster than the fastest lap he set during the race last year.
10 riders went under Pecco‘s pole lap from last year. Mav and Fabio were a bees .... over it, about 1/10.
Race pace of the first 9 or so guys is also very close as well.
There is still potential improvement both with riders coming to grips with their new bikes and the factories implementing any changes they can from the data collected over the last week or so.
 
I'm throwing I'm a prediction. Not champion, but top rider per manufacturer.

Yamaha is easy. Fabio.
Honda. Mir.
Aprilia. Miguel.
Ducati. Martin.
KTM. Binder, with Pedro running him all the way.
A brave prediction
Yamaha is easy. Fabio. - Agree
Honda. Mir. - probably, suppose it depends on how Marini adapts. Zarco is in the satellite team
Aprilia. Miguel. - brave prediction for the satellite team to beat the factory team, however the factory riders are past their prime
Ducati. Martin. - agree even though its a close call and I'll go for Martin for world champion
KTM. Binder, with Pedro running him all the way. - agree
 
I have a busy morning so more detail later, but main takeaways from the final day:

Looks like another season of Bagnaia Vs Martin
Martin made the new fairing 'work' on the final day, and therefore will use it going forward.
The Beast is back, and will likely be in with the above.
Pedro Acosta is going to be fast, very fast
Vinales/Oliveira seem to be struggling with the 24 Aprilia
Marini struggling with the Honda
Yamaha will be slowest factory
Marquez will be competitive from round 1 (Martin predicts him to fight for the win)
About a dozen riders, including Diggia and the Gresini bikes, are close to the front on sprint lap simulations.
 
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Sprint lap simulation average lap time

1707397954498.png

For the outright lap time, the top 10 are under Bagnaias lap record from last yr.
 
Espargaro: "24 bike is much better, but needs more power"
Espargaro: Aprilia needs to improve MotoGP engine to fight at the front

Martin: Fairing issue solved, Marquez will be fighting for victory in Qatar.
Jorge Martin’s ominous prediction for Marc Marquez’s first race on a Ducati

Marini: Struggling for rear grip.
Luca Marini “struggling" but "don’t try to transform Honda into Ducati, not the correct way”

Quartararo: We need more than just setup changes:
Fabio Quartararo: ‘What we need is more than just set-up’

Alex Marquez: Marc is too close to me, he doesnt need help!
Alex Marquez sharing Gresini secrets? “Marc Marquez close, doesn’t need help!”

Pedroa Acosta: These guys know how to be fast, they are not stupid.
Pedro Acosta: ‘These guys know how to be fast, they are not stupid’

Vinales: I have an unstable bike.
Maverick Vinales: ‘I have a very unstable bike, it is riding me’

Marc Maquez gives more insight into his Ducati transistion.
Marc Marquez ‘instinct’ with Ducati? “Everyone said Jorge Lorenzo won’t adapt…”
 
Looks like the 24 Ducati is a monster and the rest are just gonna fight for the scraps. Luckily neither Bagnaia nor Martin are the most reliable finishers, so the rest will need to have consistency and not accumulate crashes. Let's see if Bestia recovers his form too, he's been fast this test too.
 
Honestly, I'm excited about the Beast. I had high hopes for him last yr and just never seemed to gel with the 23, even in preseason. I've rated him higher than Pecco and if he has a season he looks like he could have, then I can see him winning the title if last two protagonists fall off like they did last yr.
I think this season is really going to be make or break for Bagnaia in terms of his legacy.
 
Honestly, I'm excited about the Beast. I had high hopes for him last yr and just never seemed to gel with the 23, even in preseason. I've rated him higher than Pecco and if he has a season he looks like he could have, then I can see him winning the title if last two protagonists fall off like they did last yr.
I think this season is really going to be make or break for Bagnaia in terms of his legacy.

Same. This is what I hope to see. Marc and beast fight it out for the title sending Jorge packing to yamaha to replace fabio.
 
Is Digi on a one year deal? I'd like to see him continue his late-season form from last year. Maybe he won't wait so long this time around?
 
Is Digi on a one year deal? I'd like to see him continue his late-season form from last year. Maybe he won't wait so long this time around?
The only ones contracted beyond the end of this year are Marini, Binder and Zarco. Acosta can become a free agent if KTM doesn't promote him to the factory team.
 

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