Round 5: 2024 Michelin Grand Prix de France - Le Mans Bugatti Circuit

Well... I was bummed to have accidentally viewed the results here before watching the race. Twould be nice if folks didn't post spoilers until 3 hrs after the race, especially for the sake of our California members hours behind - who don't get up at 5:30 a.m. to watch. But eh . . . what to do?

In spite of knowing the results I couldn't wait to watch the sprint. Definitely a good showing. Watching MM pass Numero Doce from 10 spots back on the grid, found myself thinking of him as Sleepy Vinnie. After Pecco limped off back the garage, I wondered for a moment if in retrospect, if Marquez and Martin might reconsider the practical value of moving to the full-factory team, knowing they'd likely be getting a perhaps lesser quality of attention than the Italian rider on the team. Yes, Acosta's save was impressive, but .... me, Marquez' front end save was . . . whut??? After the finish Marquez did that straight-arm salute to the crowd like a ....... Roman emperor. How could anyone not admire the .... out of him? Like a lot of people, I don't envy the guys who have to choose Pecco's 2025 teammate, tho if he keeps DNF-ing like this, maybe they won't have to.

Martin is looking better and better. I for one would not be adverse to the idea of Martin and Marquez on the Pramac team in 2025.

Aside from that, when everybody started crashing at the end of quali, I couldn't help wondering if there is something, something not so immediately apparent that was causing so many to crash all at the same time, the way it happened two weeks ago.

JPSLotus said:

The VR46 group are a bunch of clowns. I'm not sure there's a bus large enough for all of them collectively.

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They should seek sponsorship from the Commedia dell' arte revivalists in Rome.

MichaelBolton said:

Pecco tried to force a session stoppage by bringing out a fire extinguisher when there were no flames on his Ducati lol

I fancy Jorge for the sprint and Pecco for the race, unless it rains.

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Maybe the reason for peccos DNF was that he ...... his #1 bike with bathing it in foam from the fire extinguisher while trying to make a schumacher in qualifying. Apparently the #2 bike had some issues…could have backfired (see what i did there)

I really enjoy watching marc. God knows how many races we have left to watch him, he is imho one crash away from finishing his career for good and also not getting younger. .... he is the last one from the good old times and if he ends his career i will feel a little bit older again

ApriliaRS250 said:

I really enjoy watching marc. God knows how many races we have left to watch him, he is imho one crash away from finishing his career for good and also not getting younger. .... he is the last one from the good old times and if he ends his career i will feel a little bit older again

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I feel the exact same way and I'm 22.
If/when Aleix steps down at the end of the year Marc will be the old guy. Just crazy to think about.

As everyone has noted a fantastic first lap from MM

Shame about Bagnaia’s mechanical and Bezzecchi’s crash

Martin is certainly looking like he could win the championship

Zero points in the Japanese cup with Quartararo just missing out

JFM01 said:

If/when Aleix steps down at the end of the year Marc will be the old guy. Just crazy to think about.

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I believe Zarco is older than Marc.

Keshav said:

California members hours behind - who don't get up at 5:30 a.m. to watch. But eh . . . what to do?

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Avoid this place like the plague? I don't come here until after I've watched all 3 races as I'll see spoilers. I have to avoid Youtube as well. First world problems, I suppose.

mikesbytes said:

As everyone has noted a fantastic first lap from MM

Shame about Bagnaia’s mechanical and Bezzecchi’s crash

Martin is certainly looking like he could win the championship

Zero points in the Japanese cup with Quartararo just missing out

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Some are saying that Pecco had a malfunction but the bike was still ridable. But he just gave up.

MM and JM need to carry their sprint success to the main event. Otherwise it is all for not. I hope neither one of them crashes tomorrow. Sprints are easier for balls to the wall riders. There's no tire management.

TeamKoolGreen said:

MM and JM need to carry their sprint success to the main event. Otherwise it is all for not. I hope neither one of them crashes tomorrow. Sprints are easier for balls to the wall riders. There's no tire management.

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Tire management has never been an issue for MM. Getting from 13th to 4th on the first lap is something hard to repeat though, anf even then Martin will be gone. Rider error aside it should be Bagnaia vs Martin, and the Sunday race is Bagnaia’s forte just as the sprint race is Martin’s.

TeamKoolGreen said:

Some are saying that Pecco had a malfunction but the bike was still ridable. But he just gave up.

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To be fair there is not much point for him in riding around outside the points risking a crash. Ducati also probably got enough brand recognition without him.

michaelm said:

To be fair there is not much point for him in riding around outside the points risking a crash.

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I went back and watched from onboard Pecco's bike. Yea, there was something going on from the jump. After he was passed by Binder he was falling even further. He was struggling to turn the bike and missed several pretty bad. Looked like he lost the front on the turn Alex M passed him and then he totally missed the next and went off. From the way he started, I thought he was having issues with his holeshot device?

michaelm said:

Tire management has never been an issue for MM. Getting from 13th to 4th on the first lap is something hard to repeat though, anf even then Martin will be gone. Rider error aside it should be Bagnaia vs Martin, and the Sunday race is Bagnaia’s forte just as the sprint race is Martin’s.

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MM is good at tire management. But he is crashing a lot because he's over riding the bike and tires. If he's close to a podium or win, he will overreach for it and crash. He has to stop doing that

PRS717 said:

I went back and watched from onboard Pecco's bike. Yea, there was something going on from the jump. After he was passed by Binder he was falling even further. He was struggling to turn the bike and missed several pretty bad. Looked like he lost the front on the turn Alex M passed him and then he totally missed the next and went off. From the way he started, I thought he was having issues with his holeshot device?

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I looked at Crash after I posted, Bagnaia himself said the same thing.

TeamKoolGreen said:

MM is good at tire management. But he is crashing a lot because he's over riding the bike and tires. If he's close to a podium or win, he will overreach for it and crash. He has to stop doing that

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Not really. He has settled for second in the last 2 races, and actually recognised his tires were shot after his pass didn’t stick at Jerez. Both times he crashed of his own accord he had gotten the lead mid race, and in the sprint crash there were abnormal track conditions which caught out several other riders, He also said he made no riding error in that instance; and usually doesn’t lie about such things. He wasn’t over riding at Portimao either unless attempting to pass Bagnaia in any circumstance constitutes over riding.

Nevertheless he probably needs a wet race to get a podium in the Sunday race.

PRS717 said:

I believe Zarco is older than Marc.

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Correct
Zarco 16th July 1990
MM 17th February 1993

I hadn’t realised that Zarco was so much older than MM, guessing his 2 year contract will see him done. Aleix Esparargp born 30th July 1989 so Zarco is only 1 year younger

ApriliaRS250 said:

Maybe the reason for peccos DNF was that he ...... his #1 bike with bathing it in foam from the fire extinguisher while trying to make a schumacher in qualifying. Apparently the #2 bike had some issues…could have backfired (see what i did there)

I really enjoy watching marc. God knows how many races we have left to watch him, he is imho one crash away from finishing his career for good and also not getting younger. .... he is the last one from the good old times and if he ends his career i will feel a little bit older again

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Now here is a whisper of a Rumour.

I think Pecco new he had problems in the warm-up lap, as when he got back to his start spot, he just looked down to see the spot, then he just set for the start. He didn’t pump up the clutch leaver times to set the clutch delay that they use to start, and you can see the results with the wheely he did.

Now the Whisper.
Was he either too worried to think about it, or did he not set it it on purpose, to fake bike trouble and pull out.
You read it here first.!!!

Havey said:

Now here is a whisper of a Rumour.

I think Pecco new he had problems in the warm-up lap, as when he got back to his start spot, he just looked down to see the spot, then he just set for the start. He didn’t pump up the clutch leaver times to set the clutch delay that they use to start, and you can see the results with the wheely he did.

Now the Whisper.
Was he either too worried to think about it, or did he not set it it on purpose, to fake bike trouble and pull out.
You read it here first.

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If his bike was ...... his bike was ......, whenever this became obvious.

Probably not a good idea to crash his number 1 bike so late in qualifying when he already had a good lap time though. He seems intent on proving things at the moment, definitely to his rivals and possibly to Ducati, neither a good nor a necessary way for him to operate imo. I expect normal service today, with a bike which is fine, Sundays are his specialty.

Moto2 was awesome!
Boscoscuro finished 1-2-3, when was the last time there was no Kalex on the podium?

mikesbytes said:

Correct
Zarco 16th July 1990
MM 17th February 1993

I hadn’t realised that Zarco was so much older than MM, guessing his 2 year contract will see him done. Aleix Esparargp born 30th July 1989 so Zarco is only 1 year younger

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Yeah, I forgot about Zarco because he's at the back of the field most of the time nowadays.
Marc will still be the most senior rider as Zarco only made his debut in '17.