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Sepang Test

Marc Marquez concedes rival Yamaha has a one-second advantage over Honda in terms of race pace after three days of MotoGP testing at Sepang.

The Spanish rider was unable to match the pace of Yamaha duo Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi as Honda continued to struggle with the new mandatory electronics to be used this year.

Marquez admitted the gap, especially in race conditions, was worrying.

"For one lap maybe not, but for the [race] rhythm yes, [the gap] is 0.9 to one second per lap, and that is a lot," Marquez said.

"We made a bit of progress. It's a little bit easier to keep the pace, but anyway we are struggling and we are far from where we want to be.

"I haven't pushed 100 percent. As you can see I haven't crashed during the three days (laughs).

"The bike is still not ready to on a time attack. I didn't push 100 percent, but even when I pushed it looked like we were far from the Yamaha riders."

When asked what Honda needed to improve its pace, he said: "That's a big question mark even for us. The problem for me is that with the electronics we are too far from the level.

"It's what I said at the end of last season: with the new electronics maybe some manufacturers will arrive in the first test and fix them, and maybe others will struggle more.

"Maybe we chose the wrong way, but now we are trying to go in the right direction."
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Marquez says Honda a second behind Yamaha
 
JPSLotus said:
Don't kid yourself with Rossi. Stoner was the biggest threat he ever faced in his career, and his career trajectory took a completely different direction once Stoner showed up in MotoGP.

To say or imply Rossi doesn't have any concern about Stoner on some level isn't accurate. He's a competitor and having to look at Stoner's name above his even in testing would not sit well with him.
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Debatable if Stoner was the biggest threat he ever faced. Any concern Rossi currently has for Stoner pales in comparison to his concern for the potential of his current rivals in the championship.

The Rossi & Marquez fued is greater than anything between Rossi and Stoner.
 
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Arrabbiata1 said:
He appears to be a threat to you.
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How so? I only wanted to comment on how impressed I was that Stoner was able to hop on the bike and get up to speed so quickly. He is a remarkable talent. It was Jums who wanted to stir up a debate by suggesting that a lap time shootout between Rossi & Stoner was taking place.
 
moto vudu said:
How so? I only wanted to comment on how impressed I was that Stoner was able to hop on the bike and get up to speed so quickly. He is a remarkable talent. It was Jums who wanted to stir up a debate by suggesting that a lap time shootout between Rossi & Stoner was taking place.
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Jums??? - stir up a debate??

Now you're being ridiculous.
 
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moto vudu said:
Debatable if Stoner was the biggest threat he ever faced. Any concern Rossi currently has for Stoner pales in comparison to his concern for the potential of his current rivals in the championship.

The Rossi & Marquez fued is greater than anything between Rossi and Stoner.
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Hilarious, you actually believe the Rossi/Marquez thing is a feud?

It's not.

I think we should check the definition first of what feud is.

Definition of feud

: a long bitter quarrel between two people, families, or groups
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A long bitter quarrel between two people.

Fairly straightforward.

Marc still expressed a desire to see things go back to normal and that he had no ill-will towards VR. However VR harbors an incredible amount of ill-will towards MM. In fact, MM has said nothing bitter, or done anything that could be defined as quarrelsome.

You're engaging in the same piss-poor thinking that most of the media has, and it's highly irresponsible to call it a feud. Anyone calling this a feud can't even grasp the basic concept of what a feud is.
 
JPSLotus said:
Hilarious, you actually believe the Rossi/Marquez thing is a feud?

It's not.

I think we should check the definition first of what feud is.



A long bitter quarrel between two people.

Fairly straightforward.

Marc still expressed a desire to see things go back to normal and that he had no ill-will towards VR. However VR harbors an incredible amount of ill-will towards MM. In fact, MM has said nothing bitter, or done anything that could be defined as quarrelsome.

You're engaging in the same piss-poor thinking that most of the media has, and it's highly irresponsible to call it a feud. Anyone calling this a feud can't even grasp the basic concept of what a feud is.
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The way MM battled with Rossi early in the Sepang race suggests to me that the feeling between them is mutual. IMO, they're bitter rivals and it's going to make for an entertaining season.
 
moto vudu said:
The way MM battled with Rossi early in the Sepang race suggests to me that the feeling between them is mutual. IMO, they're bitter rivals and it's going to make for an entertaining season.
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By that measure, Iannone and Rossi are bitter rivals. Rossi’s fans were ready to eat Iannone's children. It took an executive order by Rossi himself to stay Iannone's execution.

Marquez held Rossi as a hero, and modeled himself after him. When you're passed, retake immediately. This was Marc's crime.
 
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moto vudu said:
The way MM battled with Rossi early in the Sepang race suggests to me that the feeling between them is mutual. IMO, they're bitter rivals and it's going to make for an entertaining season.
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Oh good god.

You are peddling a false narrative again as usual.

Rossi has been whining about MM nonstop since October.

MM has said nothing other than to express the hope that they can be friends again.

That isn't even remotely close to being what bitter rivals do. One doesn't express a continued incredulity and disbelief over where things are at the given moment, as well as say things that are the complete antithesis of what bitter rivals would do.
 
littlesparrows said:
hey guys - remember when you all hated Marquez?
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Yes, we hated on Marquez because he was creating an unsafe and unsporting environment in which all of the riders had to compete in.

Coincidentally, these are the two things Valentino Rossi has done among many others, that we are discussing.

While I know you were attempting to undercut the whole thing, we're (Jum and I) remarkably consistent.
 
Jumkie said:
Sorry to change subject, but what's up with Pedro and Dovi?
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Dovi will pick it it up more once we get to Losail.

The RCV is having trouble hooking up out of the corners. Pedrosa has also said the new engine is really no different from last year's engine. Electronics problem no doubt is partially to blame.
 
i don't know...i'm puzzled by Dovi because he seemed to be strong in the beginning of the 2015 season then fell off toward the end.

obviously Pedrosa was the opposite, due to surgery etc...however he seemed strong at the end of the 2015 season.

i'm really excited to see what 2016 holds.
 
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littlesparrows said:
i don't know...i'm puzzled by Dovi because he seemed to be strong in the beginning of the 2015 season then fell off toward the end.

obviously Pedrosa was the opposite, due to surgery etc...however he seemed strong at the end of the 2015 season.

i'm really excited to see what 2016 holds.
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Dovi isn't that good.

Well let me expound.

He occupies a gray area of talent where he is better than midfield riders, but he isn't good enough to be considered a true top tier rider. If everything goes his way he can challenge for a victory, but he's missing that last couple of tenths and is reliant on a high quality bike to close that gap.
 
JPSLotus said:
Dovi isn't that good.

Well let me expound.

He occupies a gray area of talent where he is better than midfield riders, but he isn't good enough to be considered a true top tier rider. If everything goes his way he can challenge for a victory, but he's missing that last couple of tenths and is reliant on a high quality bike to close that gap.
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thanks for your on-going negative input, i totally appreciate it.
 
JPSLotus said:
Negative input?

Haha.

Let's see, when he had a great bike in 2011 at Honda, he couldn't manage a single win.

Facts speak for themselves, it has nothing to do with negativity.
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you bash every ....... rider except lorenzo & stoner.

i personally just find it annoying & negative because it's not up to your elite standards.
 
I am with JSP, Dovi had his chances earlier in his career. He needs a perfect set up to be confident enough to push and even then he seems to lack agressiveness to make that final pass or nit let himself get passed. He is, however, a good test rider to develop bikes. And a likable guy as well.
He should have won at Qatar last year.
If he doesn't adjust to the new bike I am not sure GG sticks with him the whole year.
 

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