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A rider's Character means more than just his performance statistics

S

SkaterDude

Joined Apr 2024
3 Posts | 2+
Cypress, Texas, USA
I'm new here, but I want to see if people agree with my opinion; The only reason Bagnaia won two titles is he had no rivals. I think Bagania never actually did anything to win except he was left standing there when his minor rivals fell all around him, so he was handed the title, by accidental default. Twice. NOW, if he just stays the same as he was, everyone else will leave him in the dust as they progress over and past him. Because NOW, for the first time (Surprise, Pecco!), He has at least three rivals: 1) Pedro Acosta is new and awesome, 2) Jorge Martin is more mature and noticeably improved, and 3) Marc Marquez was absent for 4 years but now he's back with a good bike. Bagnaia can't even match these guys, in my opinion. Then there's Vinales, Binder, others are all improving while Pecco stays the same, etc. See what I mean?
Who agrees with me?
 
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SkaterDude said:
I'm new here, but I want to see if people agree with my opinion; The only reason Bagnaia won two titles is he had no rivals. I think Bagania never actually did anything to win except he was left standing there when his minor rivals fell all around him, so he was handed the title, by accidental default. Twice. NOW, if he just stays the same as he was, everyone else will leave him in the dust as they progress over and past him. Because NOW, for the first time (Surprise, Pecco!), He has at least three rivals: 1) Pedro Acosta is new and awesome, 2) Jorge Martin is more mature and noticeably improved, and 3) Marc Marquez was absent for 4 years but now he's back with a good bike. Bagnaia can't even match these guys, in my opinion. Then there's Vinales, Binder, others are all improving while Pecco stays the same, etc. See what I mean?
Who agrees with me?
Click to expand...
I am far from a Bagnaia fan, but for both his titles he performed late season and got results including wins while FQ and Martin threw the titles away, and that deserves respect imo.

I would certainly prefer others including the 3 riders you mention win this year though.

I was thinking watching FP2 last night that perhaps the old adage still applies, that the season doesn’t get serious until iimmersed in the European schedule, although there has been a round in Portugal as well as fly away rounds already this season. This far this weekend the usual suspects from last year seem to be coming to the fore.

I am however encouraged that as well as Bagnaia breaking the outright lap record MM did as well on what is reputed to be an unimproved start of last season GP23.
 
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Agreed, Pecco withstood pressure and and stayed fast and consistent for both of his titles.
No huge fan either but he certainly can ride
 
There were 8 different race winners in 2023 and 7 different winners in 2022, if memory serves. This harkens back to the 2006 season which featured 7 different winners and a world champion who survived with a 5 point margin after holding a commanding lead headed into the summer break. The grid composition is similar to 2006 as well. Ducati is playing the role of Honda.

The knock against Bagnaia is that he falters at inappropriate times, like Motegi last year or Portimao this year, which increases pressure on himself and his team. However, he won 14 races combined during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, including 4 in a row during 2022 to put FQ under pressure. He has the longest GP winning streak and the most wins over the last 2 seasons.

Bagnaia’s race craft is a bit boring, his personality is mellow, and he’s gotten a few handouts, but he is the class of this field now. For the last 2-3 seasons, the teams are turning the bikes upside down to optimize ride height and aero. Bagnaia et al continue to find the limit faster and more consistently, even if it’s statistically unimpressive.
 
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My opinion remains: I think Bagnaia will fall by the wayside this year as other riders improve around him and outperform him. It's my fun way of participating as a fan who tries to predict the results; That's what we're supposed to do, right?

Add a big "LOL" to my happy mood, I am a big MotoGP fan!! ...I just can't figure out Bagnaia(?), and I choose other more interesting riders to support.

Thanks for your interest, anyone with a response!
 
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He won because of a superior bike. Had he been on equal machinery as the other riders he'd be like 4th at best. He is a two time Mir because of his rocket ship.
 
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Coming out of Moto2 Bagnaia was clearly the best rider coming out of that class, where he raced the likes of Oleveira, Alex Marquez, and Marini. Quartararo was in that same group, though its fair to say that the Yamaha is more adaptable for riders coming off a Moto2 machine. Post ....., the factory Ducati was superior to anything else on the grid, and his only real competition was from other ducati riders (mainly Martin). In his time in the MotoGP class, he has not had to go up against an elite leve rider, "aliens" as we used to call them.
 
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SkaterDude said:
I'm new here, but I want to see if people agree with my opinion; The only reason Bagnaia won two titles is he had no rivals. I think Bagania never actually did anything to win except he was left standing there when his minor rivals fell all around him, so he was handed the title, by accidental default. Twice. NOW, if he just stays the same as he was, everyone else will leave him in the dust as they progress over and past him. Because NOW, for the first time (Surprise, Pecco!), He has at least three rivals: 1) Pedro Acosta is new and awesome, 2) Jorge Martin is more mature and noticeably improved, and 3) Marc Marquez was absent for 4 years but now he's back with a good bike. Bagnaia can't even match these guys, in my opinion. Then there's Vinales, Binder, others are all improving while Pecco stays the same, etc. See what I mean?
Who agrees with me?
Click to expand...
You are asking questions and making premises that are opinions backed up with adjectives.
 
We all make predictions and sometimes our prediction turns out and other times it doesn't

This season so far we have seen Martin be consistent and in my opinion consistency at the pointy end will be the key to becoming champion. Not a case of Bagnaia falling by the wayside but being a little less consistent than Martin
 
mikesbytes said:
We all make predictions and sometimes our prediction turns out and other times it doesn't

This season so far we have seen Martin be consistent and in my opinion consistency at the pointy end will be the key to becoming champion. Not a case of Bagnaia falling by the wayside but being a little less consistent than Martin
Click to expand...
It’s still so early in the season that we can’t count anyone out yet either.
Unfortunately for Martin, I suspect that Pramac choice to stay with Ducati or not may impact his results as the championship goes longer.
I can’t see Ducati providing Pramac updates if they do decide to go with Yamaha.
Ducati seem to be on board with MM as well. Coming out and saying that he shouldn’t be compared to the guys on the 24 bikes because of the differences in the bikes is a company protecting a future asset.
 
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I think Bagnaia is an excellent rider. Yes he has run hot and cold at times but overall he has held the line. His results are impressive, like him or not.

There is a LOT of competition in modern MotoGP, perhaps more than there ever was in the class, between both riders and manufacturers. The field is tighter than it ever has been.

Somebody has to have the best bike. This year it might be Pecco and he seems to be getting results with it. More than his teammate is it seems.
 
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I mostly agree with your sentiment OP. Though it doesn't mean Bagnaia is any less deserving of his titles. The quality of the field/his rivals is no fault of his own, just like it was not Rossis fault the RC211V was so utterly dominant at the start of the 4 stroke era.

That said, I certainly don't feel that Bagnaia is equal to other double champions like Stoner for example. I also have long said that this yr would be the true test of his legacy.
 

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