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DavidSim said:
Argentina currently going through a transformation under new leadership, hopefully they will make it through and get the Country back on track.
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I think it's understandable that with the huge spending cuts, government funding for a MotoGP race wasn't justifiable.
I'll miss Termas de Rio Hondo though. It's a great track and I love watching races in the Americas that air on primetime in our time zone .

The Trackhouse bikes look great btw.
I just hope they won't run 5 races in the states now. The schedule is already full and there is no "boom" similar to F1 in sight to justify such an expansion.
#22 said:
Honda's aero updates are looking good, apparently.
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Maybe they're an improvement but they sure as hell don't "look" good. Every single manufacturer has found a way to make their bike even uglier.
 
#22 said:
Ducati
1000015899.jpg
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DUCt-Tape-I
 
Seems like they've followed Cal's instructions of "focus on engine and corner speed, not aerodynamics" to a T.
 
#22 said:
Depending on where you read, Zarco is claiming the 2024 Honda is 'working quite well' through to the bike is 7/10ths quicker.

2024 Honda MotoGP bike changes working "quite well", says Zarco

Johann Zarco: 2024 Honda “at least 0.7s quicker, big admiration for Marc Marquez”
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Interesting, saw that as well.

Most of us on here have thought for years that Honda needed a new engine. I saw something elsewhere regarding someone from Honda suggesting Honda may have retained MM if they had come up with the current new bike rather than the first iteration of the 2024 bike last year, but perhaps it is Catch 22 and his departure has given Honda the impetus.

We shall see, and positive comments are to be expected especially from new riders, but Honda riders were at least not crashing all over the place as has been the case for 2 or more years now. I would back a motivated Honda to build a good engine at least. I guess they likely no longer have the resources to overwhelm the other manufacturers if they so choose as in days of yore, with Ducati owned by VW and Red Bull backing KTM, but the worm has turned and they are the ones with concessions now.

As an MM fan I hope he hasn’t mistimed his jump. Gigi is claiming the 2024 Ducati is also significantly improved, and Marini commented the KTMs look strong.
 
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I think even if MM is on a disadvantaged bike, the mental break is going to do him good. It may very well be that Honda is improved in 2024 but I still don't see them making a huge leap in the short time they've had. While Zarco is claiming the bike is 0.7s a lap faster, Marini says it is nice to ride but not fast enough yet, and Mir (the only rider of the 3 who samples last yrs Honda) is saying there is improvements, but no clear step over the Valencia bike.

As I have stated before, regardless of how different the GP24 is, at the start of the season the GP23's will be competitive, as is always the case with satellite bikes. I personally feel that talking up the GP24 is a direct consequence of the fear of Marquez on a GP23. We never heard this about the GP23 vs the 22 and so on. The last time Ducati claimed to have made a big step was from the GP21 to the 22, and that step backfired such that Bagnaia opted to retain the 21 engine, and the Pramac boys, who where stuck with the full GP22, didn't have a great season.

As with anything, time will tell. Even if the GP23 is disadvantaged, it will still be good enough for MM to show his talents and if not other factory wants him, Honda will.
 
The GP23 is going to run circles around Hondas at least for the first half of the championship. Honda might get competitive after a few months of concessions, but I doubt it will be there at the season start. Marc's direct rivals will be Bezz, DiGia and his brother. I still contend Marc probably won't win the championship, but I believe he'll be competitive and prove his value and that he's not that washed up.
 
#22 said:
I think even if MM is on a disadvantaged bike, the mental break is going to do him good. It may very well be that Honda is improved in 2024 but I still don't see them making a huge leap in the short time they've had. While Zarco is claiming the bike is 0.7s a lap faster, Marini says it is nice to ride but not fast enough yet, and Mir (the only rider of the 3 who samples last yrs Honda) is saying there is improvements, but no clear step over the Valencia bike.

As I have stated before, regardless of how different the GP24 is, at the start of the season the GP23's will be competitive, as is always the case with satellite bikes. I personally feel that talking up the GP24 is a direct consequence of the fear of Marquez on a GP23. We never heard this about the GP23 vs the 22 and so on. The last time Ducati claimed to have made a big step was from the GP21 to the 22, and that step backfired such that Bagnaia opted to retain the 21 engine, and the Pramac boys, who where stuck with the full GP22, didn't have a great season.

As with anything, time will tell. Even if the GP23 is disadvantaged, it will still be good enough for MM to show his talents and if not other factory wants him, Honda will.
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My view as well, I still consider it likely he doesn’t need a dominant bike or even the best bike. Saw Marini’s comment as well, and he knows what a Ducati is like. Also share your view that spruiking the 2024 Ducati is a reaction to MM being on the 2023 bike now.

And sure many things have changed, and Honda can’t just roll out bikes like the V5 990 Honda, or build a V2 road bike because they feel like beating Ducati in WsBK.
 
MichaelBolton said:
The GP23 is going to run circles around Hondas at least for the first half of the championship. Honda might get competitive after a few months of concessions, but I doubt it will be there at the season start. Marc's direct rivals will be Bezz, DiGia and his brother. I still contend Marc probably won't win the championship, but I believe he'll be competitive and prove his value and that he's not that washed up.
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Sure. He has signed a 1 year contract for a reason, the Pramac team owner wanted him which would have put him on a 2024 Ducati but only if he would sign for 2 years.
 
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michaelm said:
My view as well, I still consider it likely he doesn’t need a dominant bike or even the best bike. Saw Marini’s comment as well, and he knows what a Ducati is like. Also share your view that spruiking the 2024 Ducati is a reaction to MM being on the 2023 bike now.

And sure many things have changed, and Honda can’t just roll out bikes like the V5 990 Honda, or build a V2 road bike because they feel like beating Ducati in WsBK.
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I also think people conveniently forget that many of the Honda's that Marc won titles on, were not the best bike. I certainly think the 2018 and 2019 bikes were flattered by him, and that the Ducati (and arguably the Suzuki) were better.
 

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