Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) stepped into the driver’s seat for this year’s shortened MotoGP championship by taking another commanding victory today at Jerez. Finishing second to Quartararo was, once-again, Maverick Viñales, with veteran Valentino Rossi taking his first podium in a year-and-a-half to make it a Yamaha sweep.
Brutal heat at Jerez resulted in more DNFs than usual, with just 13 riders finishing.
The riders convene again in two weeks at the Brno circuit for Round 3. Quartararo will enter that race with a 10 point lead in the championship over Viñales. Defending champ Marc Marquez (Honda) is expected to return to action there following his recent injury and surgery.
You can find full race results here.
It was a good race. It’s a shame about all the trolls. Not just here, but on several of the motorcycle forums, the loonies have re-emerged.
Fabio did as well as could be done under the circumstances. Close to a “perfect” race.
Mav did well, and now has a firm grasp on 2nd in the Championship. Proof once again that it is hard to pass a skilled rider on equal kit.
Vale ran a great defensive battle. Not fast enough to challenge Fabio, but did a great job on the brakes.
Pecco ran a great race, but the Ducati let him down. I really felt for him & Franco both when the bikes died.
Brad was fast, but his mistakes hurt him and Miguel.
Alex improved and got well into the top 10.
Lots of other stories as well.
Quite a few “wait ’til tomorrow” stories as well. It should be a good season, though quite unconventional.
You are right about Boogie Men chasing all of the trolls. It must be a altered state to live in with ones head down the rabbit hole.
MM gave it a shot and it didn’t work. I take my hat off to him. I watched him doing pushups in the Dr. office 3 days after his operation and I think it hurt even me. Whew!
FabQ is a gifted talent that comes along every decade or so. I think the upcoming story is Yamaha’s engines swallowing their arses.
This damned sport makes me wish away time until the next race.
Next round is Brno in Austria? Did they move the city of Brno out of the Czech Republic?
Where does it say that Brno is in Austria?
I think it was corrected.
Praise God in heaven; no MM sticking out his tongue! WTH told MM how to celebrate winning?
MM and Honda Team Manager Puig suggested that Fabio Qaurtararo and Yamaha may not be “completely satisfied” because MM has 0 points after 2 races. Honda’s hubris and arrogance knows no bounds.
1. MM/Honda successes: 100% theirs. Anyone else’s successes: also 100% (or slightly less) on Honda.
The exact opposite of a Japanese samurai, who is to fall on his sword in defeat. Instead Honda and MM demand the winner accept blame for their success.
Fail, Honda; putrid, total, unequivocal fail.
If Puig was consistent, he would have publicly demanded, in the season when VR and MM fought to the last race, that Dorna not force VR to start the last race in last place.
A good champion knows how to lose gracefully. MM and Honda do not know how to do so.
You’re kind of a malcontent, aren’t you?
Thanks for agreeing with everything I posted.
Now there’s a stretch….. I do not think that word means what you think it means….
93 never intended to race. repsol claimed he would, and he only rode one lap so they wouldn’t have to put two bikes on the grid. even though they’re contractually obligated to do so.
well truthfully, he rode FP3 doing pretty well considering, passed the physical to continue, rode 10 laps in FP4, but struggled as his arm swelled, and rode one lap in Q1 before he knew he couldn’t continue. This is 4 days after breaking a major bone in his arm.
He really tried.
Someone said they saw MM’s arm after practice Saturday and this person said they saw no swelling. It’s bad form to post an unverified story, but I can’t help myself. I blame it on Honda’s unrepentant hubris (see my post above).
Honda: “We have to burn the village to save it.” Translation: Honda has to destroy the reputation of the 2020 MotoGP season, in order to save Honda’s face. Why? Honda’s prior golden boy (emphasis on prior) tossed the 2020 season in the toilet, solely because MM demanded to finish in 2nd place and could not emotionally tolerate finishing in 3rd place behind Vinales.
What does Honda spend on one season? $50M? $100M? I would be surprised, regardless of MM’s prior success, if Honda Japan has not called Puig on the carpet for MM’s arrogant failure and display at Jerez 7 days ago. No industry applauds when one of their employees tosses $75M into the fireplace for a completely avoidable reason.
Further, I’d be surprised if Dorna rules prohibit teams from outright bad mouthing Dorna product which is the race series itself. Honda and MM have either already broken Dorna rules (which may be private) or are right on the edge, with Puig’s disgusting rant that the series value is in question simply again, because MM flushed it down the toilet (at least it looks so now, and Puig apparently sees it that way too).
NFL journalists occasionally invite head coaches to complain about horrible officiating. If/when HC’s oblige, the NFL fines them tens of thousands of dollars.
Wow, you have so much disdain for Honda, Marquez and Dorna I’m suprised you bother to follow GP at all. Then again I dont think you do, if you watched the event you would have seen the swelling in his arm was very obvious and other racers commented on it as well.
Even without Marquez, Yamaha is in big trouble. Vinales has already gone thru his allotment of engines. I think Quatararo has 1 left, and one of the Petronas riders is low too.
This might be Dovi’s year to win it…or Miller s..or some other Ducati rider.
I agree with you mickey. Looks to me like Marquez broke his arm while doing what he does best…. riding the ragged edge, and Honda is trying to put the best spin on it.
Or you can go down the Rabbit Hole with the cheese man.
I have to wonder at your logic here… Marc Marquez is Honda’s “prior golden boy” for what reason exactly? Exhibiting the grit and determination in Jerez that has won six of the last eight Premier Class championships for Honda? Marquez couldn’t be more golden for Honda if he were shat from the ass of a magic goose.
I get that you don’t like him, but come on. This is getting a bit silly.
6 of the last 8? Marc has only competed in the top class for the last 7 years. This is his year #8, and there is no foregone conclusion.
Just an error on my part… Six of the last seven.
What a race. Mavericks comments? Fitness. Gutting mechanicals
What a race! The joy is back in MotoGP again for me. For the first time in over 6 years, I sit down to watch a race and feel that many riders can make the podium, and that maybe half the grid have a chance to win it. Gone is the maddening dread of a fait accompli win by a single rider. Now I can root for many different riders instead of rooting against just one! Pecco was awesome until the Duc blew. Jack Miller is a challenger; just felt bad for him going down. Sad for KTM because they have something going, but bad luck strikes that whole factory too often. Happy for Suzuki and Mir and Rins both top 10. Great grit and comeback from last week disaster. Dovi is in it! With Austria coming up in 3 weeks, he can take charge! This may be his year. I really hope so! 👍 Fabio? What can you say? Just perfection at a track he dominates. So happy for him. Also happy for Rossi, podium #199! Mav needs to get a few things sorted to stay with Fabio. Let’s see at Brno what happens.
Brutally cruel strokes of fortune for Pecco and Frankie, and also for Oliveira. Man….
Indeed. I especially feel bad for Bagnia. That podium would have been well earned.