Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya 2022

Keshav · May 30, 2022

Wondering if we'll see a KTM on the podium again at this track. No dog in the game manufacturer-wise, but I definitely don't want Ducati to do to MotoGp what it once did to WSBK. I'd be happy to see them finally get another championship. God knows they've put in the work. Tho, I haven't given up on FB. The guy has game.

mylexicon · May 31, 2022

Bradl Filling In For Marquez At Catalunya

I guess they only had a few days to find someone. Nothing against Bradl, but I hope HRC can come up with a more interesting replacement for the remainder of the season.

Bern1 · May 31, 2022

Yeah the “filling in for Marquez” is getting old. Is Pol going to step up and lead the team? Win some races? Hmmm…..

#22 · Jun 1, 2022

Bern1 said:
Yeah the “filling in for Marquez” is getting old. Is Pol going to step up and lead the team? Win some races? Hmmm…..

The problem is they have a bike that needs developing. It is well known that Marquez trusts Bradl's development skills and feedback. I agree that it would be fun to give someone a try but no way are Honda not going to maximise Bradl's track and development time on the 22 bike.

Bern1 · Jun 1, 2022

#22 said:
The problem is they have a bike that needs developing. It is well known that Marquez trusts Bradl's development skills and feedback. I agree that it would be fun to give someone a try but no way are Honda not going to maximise Bradl's track and development time on the 22 bike.

Got it. I didn’t know that about Marquez/Bradl.

Seems short sighted if Honda is still all in on Marquez as a virtual one man team.

I liked it when Pedrosa would occasionally beat Marquez. Was hoping Lorenzo would do the same then hoped for Pol to step up and do that too.

I’m kind of afraid that will not happen.

mylexicon · Jun 1, 2022

Catalunya MotoGP Class Schedule (Local Time GMT+2):

Friday June 3

08:55-09:40 Free Practice 1
13:10-13:55 Free Practice 2

Saturday June 4

08:55-09:40 Free Practice 3
12:30-13:00 Free Practice 4
13:10-13:25 Qualifying 1
13:35-13:50 Qualifying 2

Sunday June 5

08:40-09:00 Warm-up
13:00 Race

mylexicon · Jun 2, 2022

Fabio Signs 2 Year Extension With Yamaha

Happy to see that Yamaha have secured the only guy keeping their team afloat. Wonder how much they had to pay?

Bern1 · Jun 2, 2022

Great! I hope Yamaha gets him more power. Fabio is clearly the rider of the moment imo.

#22 · Jun 2, 2022

Bern1 said:
Got it. I didn’t know that about Marquez/Bradl.

Seems short sighted if Honda is still all in on Marquez as a virtual one man team.

I liked it when Pedrosa would occasionally beat Marquez. Was hoping Lorenzo would do the same then hoped for Pol to step up and do that too.

I’m kind of afraid that will not happen.

Kinda shows you just how good Marquez is, and how good Pedrosa was to run him as close as he did.

mylexicon · Jun 2, 2022

Paddock chatter says that Pol requested to use the new Honda frame that was intended for Marquez. HRC allegedly denied the request, but they will allow Taka Nakagami to use the new frame.

Make of that what you will

#22 · Jun 2, 2022

mylexicon said:
Paddock chatter says that Pol requested to use the new Honda frame that was intended for Marquez. HRC allegedly denied the request, but they will allow Taka Nakagami to use the new frame.

Make of that what you will

Obviously Pol is out, but by my understanding Taka is out too if Ai Ogura is promoted.

mylexicon · Jun 2, 2022

#22 said:
Obviously Pol is out, but by my understanding Taka is out too if Ai Ogura is promoted.

Suggests that Pol is out of HRC, but not MotoGP (at least this is HRC's belief currently). Nakagami is either staying at HRC for another season or he's out of the class completely.

We'll have to see how it shakes out. Maybe I should have put this in silly season, but the info about Nakagami getting the new chassis for Catalunya seemed relevant.

Bern1 · Jun 2, 2022

You don’t get much time for a chance to shine in the factory Honda team. You’ve got to bring it right away.
I’m surprised if they don’t have a 3 man team next year. I would think a Marquez contingency would be in order. Somebody who can win races.
Somebody has to take some chances. The team and a rider.

warthog1 · Jun 2, 2022

#22 said:
Kinda shows you just how good Marquez is, and how good Pedrosa was to run him as close as he did.

What a mistake it was getting rid of Dani [emoji849]
Seems he wasn't too bad at bike development either.
Gee I wonder if that could have come in handy of late.

Bern1 · Jun 2, 2022

mylexicon said:
Paddock chatter says that Pol requested to use the new Honda frame that was intended for Marquez. HRC allegedly denied the request, but they will allow Taka Nakagami to use the new frame.

Make of that what you will

Why wouldn’t they let the #2 factory rider use that frame?

I wonder if Zarco has ever had second thoughts about not signing with Honda.

Is MM allowed to reject any rider who might threaten him?

I don’t feel sorry for Honda as the big gun but I do wonder what is going on there, because not very much makes sense to me.

MichaelBolton · Jun 2, 2022

Bern1 said:
Why wouldn’t they let the #2 factory rider use that frame?

I wonder if Zarco has ever had second thoughts about not signing with Honda.

Is MM allowed to reject any rider who might threaten him?

I don’t feel sorry for Honda as the big gun but I do wonder what is going on there, because not very much makes sense to me.

If they think Pol is a goner, they might be doing this to prevent Pol from leaking info to other manufacturers in the future. Would be petty but not surprising, you know, Japanese way of doing things and all that.

#22 · Jun 3, 2022

Bern1 said:
Why wouldn’t they let the #2 factory rider use that frame?

Because they clearly aren't retaining him for next year so what's the point. I also expect they are less than impressed that after pre season and round 1 he was saying how great the bike was and he got the bike he asked for, then 3 races later is saying it's a piece of .....

Is MM allowed to reject any rider who might threaten him?

No, Jorge Lorenzo said that Marc could have veto'd HRC signing him in 2019 but didn't. I honestly think Marc is intimidated by nobody as a team mate.

Bern1 · Jun 3, 2022

#22 said:
Because they clearly aren't retaining him for next year so what's the point. I also expect they are less than impressed that after pre season and round 1 he was saying how great the bike was and he got the bike he asked for, then 3 races later is saying it's a piece of .....

No, Jorge Lorenzo said that Marc could have veto'd HRC signing him in 2019 but didn't. I honestly think Marc is intimidated by nobody as a team mate.

Yes, Pol’s flip flop on the performance of the bike (or just as likely his own lack of performance) is unlikely to have enhanced his standing with HRC.

It’s amazing to me how these guys will say derogatory things about their team and bike out in the open then seem to be surprised when they get blowback.

I remember the Lorenzo comment, but wondered if things had changed post MM’s change of form.

#22 · Jun 3, 2022

FP2 results:

Cla # Rider Bike Laps Time Gap Interval km/h Speed Trap
1 41 Spain Aleix Espargaro
Aprilia RS-GP Aprilia 19 1'39.402 171.195 0
2 12 Spain Maverick Viñales
Aprilia RS-GP Aprilia 19 1'39.705 0.303 0.303 170.675 0
3 23 Italy Enea Bastianini
Ducati Desmosedici Ducati 18 1'39.890 0.488 0.185 170.359 0
4 63 Italy Francesco Bagnaia
Ducati Desmosedici Ducati 19 1'39.950 0.548 0.060 170.257 0
5 89 Spain Jorge Martin
Ducati Desmosedici Ducati 18 1'39.989 0.587 0.039 170.190 0
6 33 South Africa Brad Binder
KTM RC16 KTM 19 1'40.083 0.681 0.094 170.030 0
7 43 Australia Jack Miller
Ducati Desmosedici Ducati 21 1'40.095 0.693 0.012 170.010 0
8 20 France Fabio Quartararo
Yamaha YZR-M1 Yamaha 18 1'40.123 0.721 0.028 169.962 0
9 42 Spain Alex Rins
Suzuki GSX-RR Suzuki 20 1'40.126 0.724 0.003 169.957 0
10 21 Italy Franco Morbidelli
Yamaha YZR-M1 Yamaha 20 1'40.204 0.802 0.078 169.825 0
11 44 Spain Pol Espargaro
Honda RC213V Honda 18 1'40.237 0.835 0.033 169.769 0
12 30 Japan Takaaki Nakagami
Honda 19 1'40.256 0.854 0.019 169.737 0
13 49 Italy Fabio Di Giannantonio
Ducati Desmosedici Ducati 16 1'40.346 0.944 0.090 169.585 0
14 72 Italy Marco Bezzecchi
Ducati Desmosedici Ducati 18 1'40.428 1.026 0.082 169.446 0
15 10 Italy Luca Marini
Ducati Desmosedici Ducati 18 1'40.448 1.046 0.020 169.413 0
16 36 Spain Joan Mir
Suzuki GSX-RR Suzuki 19 1'40.650 1.248 0.202 169.073 0
17 5 France Johann Zarco
Ducati Desmosedici Ducati 19 1'40.752 1.350 0.102 168.901 0
18 73 Spain Alex Marquez
Honda 19 1'40.785 1.383 0.033 168.846 0
19 88 Portugal Miguel Oliveira
KTM RC16 KTM 20 1'40.821 1.419 0.036 168.786 0
20 40 South Africa Darryn Binder
Yamaha YZR-M1 Yamaha 19 1'40.871 1.469 0.050 168.702 0
21 4 Italy Andrea Dovizioso
Yamaha YZR-M1 Yamaha 20 1'40.943 1.541 0.072 168.582 0
22 51 Italy Michele Pirro
Ducati Desmosedici Ducati 16 1'41.051 1.649 0.108 168.402 0
23 6 Germany Stefan Bradl
Honda RC213V Honda 15 1'41.074 1.672 0.023 168.363 0
24 25 Spain Raúl Fernández
KTM RC16 KTM 18 1'42.074 2.672 1.000 166.714 0
25 87 Australia Remy Gardner
KTM RC16 KTM 18 1'42.286 2.884 0.212 166.368 0

mylexicon · Jun 3, 2022

Two really good sessions with perfect weather. Aprilia is looking good. Important info for the weekend:

1. Michelin has brought a new front tire for Catalunya. It's not a new spec to address the temperature issues, its a new symmetrical tire to replace the old asymmetrical tire. Left turns early in the race could catch people out (Bastianini?)

2. Jorge Martin is having surgery after Catalunya to address the nerve issue in his right wrist. He's targeting return as Sachsenring in two weeks. Not sure about that timetable.

3. Crafar was walking the pits and spying on Honda's chassis. He claims only Bradl is running the new chassis. Nakagami is not. Maybe Nakagami is not playing nice with HRC? or maybe they don't have enough chasses?

4. Vinales has changed strategy. His side of the garage is only going to focus on achieving the best times in free practice and qualifying. They will deprioritize race simulation and playing around with race settings. Makes sense since bad qualifying kills his weekends, but it could backfire spectacularly, if he loses 10 places on full fuel. The team are probably betting he will get stuck-in with the leaders and forget about whatever feel issues he's having.

5. Suzuki is experimenting with wheel colors and paint to control front tire temp. No idea if they are seeing results. The white and gray wheels are not visually stark on camera. I barely noticed.

6. Fabio spent all of FP1 running a race sim. He was using soft front and medium rear, IIRC.

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Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya 2022

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