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Jerez 2019 - Gran Premio Red Bull de España

The track's newly resurfaced and very grippy. Lap records waiting to be broken. Expecting MM to be the quickest to adjust as usual.

Very cool to see Bradl on the HRC bike done up in old school traditional HRC red, white blue.

Not expecting a lot from Dovi who's never been on the podium here. Last Ducati to win here was ridden by Capi.
 
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Yep - two satellite Yamahas in first and second with Vinales back a ways and Rossi not making it into Q2 - but there's miles of difference between a hot lap and being on the podium. How much do you want to bet neither Petronas riders ends up on the podium? You can bet the house that Marquez is playing it safe and not overmuch risking an arm injury just so he can add an 83rd pole position - all the previous ones having been accomplished on Hondas. Dovi has rarely put all his energy into going for poles: being less flashy, he focuses on set-up and race pace.

Pole position is a great shot in the arm confidence-wise, confers prestige on the team and looks great on your resume - but it ain't winning the race. Look at how many riders have started from pole and ended up 4th or 5th (or worse) at the end of the race.
 
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You can bet the house that Marquez is playing it safe
Click to expand...

I wouldn't bet anything when Marc is involved, but then again, I'm not British and betting is not in my blood.
 
The only thing MM can hope is that both Quatararo and Morbidelli stay in front of Dovi and Cal can get up there as well.
What beats me is that Vinales and Rossi on factory bikes are so far from the front, could it be their engineers aren't as good?
 
Segfault said:
Vinales was two tenths slower than pole position, how this is "so far from the front"?
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Multiply two tenths a second by 21 laps and you get . . .

Remember that's two tenth while on a soft tire that doesn't need to be conserved for the length of the race.
Given Marquez's and Dovi's ability to be insanely competitive on a worn tire, that gap will increase by end of day.

BTW Mate - if you're going to debate me - quote me accurately please. I said back aways - which doesn't connote horribly far away.
It just means what it says. ;)
 
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For sake of truth, I quoted Theo. Yet, being in second row is not a sign of slow bike. The grid is 24 bikes. And race pace is something else, losing two tenth in qualifying does not mean Vinales is going to lose two tenths per lap.

Edit: There are 3 Yamahas in top five. That's a fact.
 
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Yamaha is certainly a fast bike but it didn't glue on with Michelin since the beginning. No matter what, only Rossi can make that thing last long enough to aim for a podium. Tomorrow will be hard for him but top 5 will have Rossi for sure. Both 12 and 46 are concerned with race pace since long, long time, so they aren't focusing on fast laps and pole positions anymore. On the other hand, the satellite guys aren't compromised with race result as much, so the tendency is they are playing fast shots, it's their only chance to party a bit.

The battle for the win will undoubtedly be between 4 and 93, unless one of them crashs (or both). Right now I can't choose a favorite for the win, but Marquez is Marquez. But wait...Dovi is Dovi too. Oh.. ...., whatever. I don't know.
 
Congrats to the Petronas Team. They should be over the moon as I'm sure they are. The Yamaha team should feel quite silly as they just has their pants pulled down. I would have to think its still a 1 horse race, but adds some excitement to the weekend.
 
gui22a said:
Yamaha is certainly a fast bike but it didn't glue on with Michelin since the beginning. No matter what, only Rossi can make that thing last long enough to aim for a podium. Tomorrow will be hard for him but top 5 will have Rossi for sure. Both 12 and 46 are concerned with race pace since long, long time, so they aren't focusing on fast laps and pole positions anymore. On the other hand, the satellite guys aren't compromised with race result as much, so the tendency is they are playing fast shots, it's their only chance to party a bit.

The battle for the win will undoubtedly be between 4 and 93, unless one of them crashs (or both). Right now I can't choose a favorite for the win, but Marquez is Marquez. But wait...Dovi is Dovi too. Oh.. ...., whatever. I don't know.
Click to expand...

Dovi has never really done well here, but there are signs that Jerez's time as a Ducati bogie track are coming to an end.
 
Segfault said:
Vinales was two tenths slower than pole position, how this is "so far from the front"?
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So Vinales 2/10ths from the front, full fuel tank, 5th place after 1 lap =9th or 10th, where he's been swanning about for much f the previous races, until last 1/4 and then he might get 2 or 3 max places further up. He's consistently pathetic at the moment.
Rossi 1 podium in how long? BTW he surrendered to Rins the last race with no attempt at recovery (bar a wild attempt at I think turn 11), the sort of manoeuvre chanced by a rookie. He really needs to give up his seat to a more worthwhile rider, he will never get his 10th, in fact I predict he will never win another race.
 
Theo said:
So Vinales 2/10ths from the front, full fuel tank, 5th place after 1 lap =9th or 10th, where he's been swanning about for much f the previous races, until last 1/4 and then he might get 2 or 3 max places further up. He's consistently pathetic at the moment.
Rossi 1 podium in how long? BTW he surrendered to Rins the last race with no attempt at recovery (bar a wild attempt at I think turn 11), the sort of manoeuvre chanced by a rookie. He really needs to give up his seat to a more worthwhile rider, he will never get his 10th, in fact I predict he will never win another race.
Click to expand...

To be fair - the discussion wasn't focused on Vinales per se - but on the competitiveness of the Yamaha.
 
Well... ‘twas a bit of a parade... but... some really good performances as well... and, maybe, a better indication of things to come.

MM - is ....... MM. Only Mark can beat Mark and, again, the championship is his to lose.

Rins - he will be a “contender” all season long, barring injury.

Mav - well done!! Have u mastered the start?

Dovi - hang in there. Use the bike like a prof and crush when u get the chance.

Petrux - you deserve the seat more than Miller.

Rossi - .... off anyone who says he doesn’t deserve a seat.

Morbidelli - ....... awesome!!

Cal - as always... talented and always a threat... but always a potential crasher.

Quatararo - damn kid... twice now... once u... once the bike... I really want to see what u can do.

Special mention:
Nakagami and Bradl.
 
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