A near perfect weekend for defending champ Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati). Edged out for pole position by a surprising Marc Marquez (Honda), Bagnaia took his front row starts in both the Sprint race on Saturday and the full GP race on Sunday to victories.
Saturday’s Sprint saw an aggressive pack of riders unconcerned about fuel or tires attack the Portimao circuit. Several riders bounced off one another and a few went down during the race. Marquez was shuffled back from an early lead and eventually finished third behind Bagnaia in first and Jorge Martin (Ducati) in second.
In Sunday’s full GP event, Bagnaia again quickly worked his way to the front and kept a small but reasonable gap over Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) all the way to the flag. Vinales finished well ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati) who took third place.
After a poor start in Sunday’s race, Marquez hit several riders in the first few laps before a major impact with local favorite, and early front runner, Miquel Oliveira (Aprilia). Oliveira and Marquez both went down and both were injured. At the time of this writing, Oliveira appears to have a severely bruised thigh with no broken bones, while Marquez had his right hand casted with an apparent fracture of a metacarpal.
On Saturday, just prior to the Sprint race, Pol Espargaro (GasGas) had a very serious accident that resulted in his hospitalization. Reports indicate that he suffered chest trauma, back trauma (including broken vertebra) and a broken jaw. Fortunately, Pol was not experiencing any paralysis or loss of feeling/movement in his extremities. He is expected to be out of racing for an extended period.
Bagnaia takes a healthy points lead into Round Two next week in Argentina. For full results of the Sprint race, take a look here, with Sunday’s GP results here.
Does anyone have a good idea why Honda’s MotoGP team sucks so bad the last 3 seasons and counting? How did they go from constant Championship threat to solely threatening to have MM kill himself and maybe other riders?
How can Honda not have any idea how to win?
On a personal note, it’s weird that as happy as I am to see MM eat dirt every MotoGP race I am delighted to see Honda kick arse and take no prisoners in F1 with Max Verstappen.
It’s also strange that as much as I dislike MM I would love to see Rins and Mir do well, though chances appear slim of that happening at team Honda.
MM is becoming the Charles Bronson of MGP, as he’s obviously got a death wish. I’ve never seen anyone that talented who is totally oblivious to wadding his own self up, and not really caring who he takes with him. It’s a wonder HRC doesn’t roll an extra transporter to each race, fitted out as a field hospital.
I once heard Richard Petty remark about some days, the best you can do is take what the car and the track will let you have, take it, and look to do better next week, rather than push in over your head and lose the whole race and the points you would have made, even if it wasn’t going to be a win. MM needs to come to that same realization, before he puts himself or someone else in a wheelchair.
It was insightful to see the quick shots back in the pits and see the look on the face of the Japanese HRC crew, who looked completely at their wits end waiting for this clown to throw himself and another bike away . . . and sure enough he did. Thank God Olivera will live to tell about it, along with his other victims.
I know this will not be popular with many, but MM should have been willing to settle for second or third before crashing and breaking his arm. THAT was the decision/mindset that started this whole debacle.
Ya, ya, MM is a RACER, but that should not be a substitute for recognizing the reality of the on-track situation.
The MotoGP press does MM, the fans and the sport no favours by puffing up MM’s “heroic rider” mythos. MM is now at a point where he needs a sober look at what his legacy will be. As ONE of the GP GOATs or a great rider who blew his own chances at being the absolute GOAT with his adolescent impatience, being unable to face the fact that somedays it is not your day to win or even make the podium.
MM needs to grow up, and that means more than just moving out of Mom and Dad’s house.
Has everyone seen the self promoted documentary ALL IN? This looked like an attempt at Marc Marquez to spin a come back tour of good vibes. This video has all the look of a documentary but its been exposed as a self promotion video. Possibly to gain some favor from fans and to raise his net worth when it comes to contracts. It actually had me feel bad for the guy and start pulling for him to do well. Well I was happy to see him make pole on that Honda which is not a front row bike. Then this race… What a club racing move. He blames the brakes locking and shooting him off line and up the inside. Come on man! That is what we call “out of control riding”. Own it. Ego’s are fully engaged and I know the guy wants to be loved by fans. It kind of sucks that he displaced Rossi and took on the wrath as the villain of the story. Had he showed up a few years later and dominated post Rossi he would be worshiped. Now he is banged up, on a bike that can’t support his desire to be in front and recklessly he ride it. I don’t think this ends well for him. My race hero was Maverick Vinales. What a great job he did. Great to see him get some success.
“Marquez hit several riders in the first few laps,” tells me I missed a rules change. Are we now awarding points, as we do in boxing, for the most direct hits per round? “Winner by knockout in third round.” Either that or the podium is for the most fearless rider in this game of chicken. “MotoGP Last man standing” would be a good video game, too.
Interesting punishment for MM’s NASCAR short-track riding style. Two long laps at his next race will likely put Honda and Repsol corporate logos in front of a camera more so than if he were racing. A more fitting penalty would be a complete ban at his next race. Maybe that would prompt his employers to reign him in and/or improve the bike so he doesn’t need to ride over his head (yeah, right).
Planking might be useful, or extreme ironing. Motorcycle racing at this level should show at least a modicum of gracefulness, along with tactics and execution. Methinks MM has and is a loose marble.
indeed MM should tell Honda to stuff it. Honda is promising MM a better bike …’real soon now’ just do your best for now.
MM should walk.
Wow, you guys take no prisoners! I thought it was pretty bad, feel big time for Oliv. but I had no idea the pent up anger for MM. Maybe he deserves it, I don’t know as much about Moto Gp as others, but man.
well…no one here’s knowledge, or lack thereof, of MotoGP has anything to do with their hatred of MM.
they hate MM because he flushed their heros (Rossi) right down the proverbial toilet.
I don’t care about Rossi…I just flat don’t like Marquez. He acts like a toddler, can’t keep his tongue in his mouth, and rides like an idiot.
well he mysteriously won 8 championships so it should seem obvious to most that plenty others are now doing and will be trying to emulate his riding style.
Negative. I was actually warming to MM when he briefly slightly mellowed – and I really lost a lot of my love for Rossi when he flushed his OWN last real probable championship trying to psych MM out….
i would never suggest Rossi, jorge, and the other’s before them, are not only great racers but also upped the entire sport a level or two.
how i judge them above that as ‘celebrities’, is…would i enjoy having a beer with them.
Rossi…i doubt he’d ever stop talking about himself and detailing his well known and well deserved racing accolades and his celebrity status. I will guess he would allow for your adding worship sentiments to the one sided conversation (which I would have left already).
MM…i feel there could be two way conversation…likely about a topic other than racing. I don’t think MM is nearly stuck on celebrity status as others.
results on the race track should be the main concern of all racers.
great results on the track naturally engender celebrity status. nothing wrong with that.
it is rather obvious that a lot, a lot, of today’s racers are more concerned with celebrity status first and above all.
that is where MotoGP greed has now driven the sport…build vacuous hype and cash in on celebrity status.
dorna=spanish
repsol=spanish
marquez=spanish
puig=spanish
Oddly I’m not a big fan of MM , but he is the most talented rider on the track. No other Honda comes close to his lap times. Honda s simply not putting the money into development until they have to. Yamaha used this process in the early 90’s while Wayne Rainey was piloting the Yamaha. With three GP500 championships until his belt the Yamaha corporate felt no need to keep up with competing teams. They instead relied on Wayne’s huge riding efforts to make up the difference, unfortunately this ended rather badly for Mr. Rainey. Honda and MM are at these crossroads now.
I agree.
I’ll add that if pecca and others are actually as good, or even better, a rider than MM it’s due to them knowing where MM has raised ‘the bar’ to and them knowing they have to strive to reach that bar at a minimum. Same as Rossi and jorge and others have also done for the sport.
I’d truly like MM to simply walk away before his bike/Honda get’s him and others seriously hurt (or worse) again.
wow!!! i can literally feel the love for MM…hahahahahahahaha!!!
you folks know there were other riders whom were at the race right? Pecca did pretty good.
anyhoo…i’m glad to see several references to MM looking like a pinball.
that means you all know there is a huge problem in MotoGP right now.
When a top rider is riding like that, that is Honda’s problem and the people (MotoGp greed) allowing it to happen and not MM’s.
you all think MM needs the money? right!!!!
MM is doing the best he can which is stupid of him too…he needs to quit….he doesn’t need the money and Honda is only going to get him(others) hurt and MotoGp is fully supportive.
Puig is 100% correct…the accident was unavoidale…after MM pinballed off of Martin (again)…he had no control of his bike.
Of course I am being sarcastic with that last point….it proves that the issue is Honda’s and MotoGp’s. MM needs to quit…let the rookies crash out for money and blood.
MotoGp is now a cheap spectator blood sport.
King Kenny must’ve had a hearty chuckle when he saw freddie spencer’s signature on marquez’s NOTIFICATION OF SANCTION for rough riding…
I really despise MM93. For years, it has been evident that his “style” needlessly endangers other riders. His penalty for this latest infraction? A double long lap. Big deal. How about a two race suspension. He’ll never learn.
And there we have it, the inglorious return of Marc the Menace….
Wow. That was absolutely brutal. When he didn’t knock himself or anyone else down on his first reckless pinball soiree, hey, let’s give it another go a lap or two later!
Alberto Puig reminds me of Baghdad Bob, Saddam Hussein’s Minister of Disinformation.
“Alberto Puig reminds me of Baghdad Bob, Saddam Hussein’s Minister of Disinformation.”
Just spit out my coffee. That was funny. 🙂
Pretty spot on assessment.
I don’t know what Marquez and Puig have on the FIM, it must be big because they’ve let him ride like a dangerous raging a-hole his entire career and done nothing about it.
The guy is going to maim or kill someone. He cares nothing for his own safety, but more importantly, he cares nothing for the safety of his competitors.
Puig is reprehensible, a true dirtbag.
The battle for fourth was amazing. Binder is a Sunday stud and Miller was impressive.
When they announced the new format with the sprint races, I said it was going to be pure carnage. It looked like the middleweight class in my local club series, a bunch of nutcases bouncing off each other. Only the first round and there’s already bodies on the ground with one man out for quite a while. How many more riders will fall next round? How many bikes will be damaged, even losing a perfectly good engine except for a cracked water pump or something stupid? I’m guessing the title winner will be the one who stays out of the way of everyone and doesn’t run out of damaged engines or whole bikes.
and the commentator had the nerve to say “uncharacteristic mistake by marc marquez”.
From motogp.com: “The crash saw the eight-time World Champion massively out-brake himself in the early stages of the race…”
What putrid, ridiculous tripe! Tell me again you pathetic Honda/MM boot-licker what the “crash saw?” Was MM just an innocent observer too? And what is to “out-brake” one’s self? Is that vaguely like exceeding one’s braking ability, causing an inevitable crash?
And: “It was impossible for Marc to avoid the crash” – Puig 26/03/2023
To quote the liar Puig without contradicting his drivel is just more Honda/MM boot-licking of the highest order. What exactly prevented MM from braking 20′ prior to his chosen brake point, Mr. Puig? Then you disagree with the coming race sanction, right Puig? Was MM and innocent bystander to the crash?
If Honda can’t compete and they surely have not for 3 years plus, they need to quit. MM has not competed for 3+ years and I agree, it’s time to hang up the leathers.
Several years ago those who predicted MM would eventually own every record were a bit premature.
Was it 2015 when Dorna sanctioned Rossi to start last in the last race, thus handing the Championship to then-golden boy MM? Rossi’s error was not even half as bad as MM’s error Sunday. And Dorna gives their MM golden boy 2 long-lap penalties?
100% correct!
I concur. Dude is out of control.
I also agree. MM is out of control.
so what does watching a top level racer, MM, ride his bike like a toddler learning to ride a bicycle, tell you?
seems many of the armchair experts here prefer to think only that MM is a; this, that, everything else, and so on?
i think Honda should not allow that bike on any tarmac other than for testing/developmental purposes.
i think MotogreedGP most certainly should not allow that bike on their tarmacs.
and for the twelve time…I think MM should just walk away…tell HRC to stuff that bike where the sun don’t shine. it’s been what 5 years of this MM trying to tame this bike nonsense.
Concerning the actual race, it was a bit of a fustercluck but I’m happy to see Aprilia breaking up a sweep. MM is impressively fast on a Honda no one else can ride, but like last year it’s time to hang up the leathers.
MM is impressively fast… until he has to turn or something, then he discovers how much that machine is unrideable. He looked like a pinball since the start, bumping into other bikes since turn 1. He should quit Honda, not hang the leathers. Heck, even his brother is fast on a Ducati now!
wrong!!!!!!
MM’s bike was fast on the straights years ago.
MM’s bike has long been slow on the straights…and the bike’s handling(turning) is obviously exponentially worse.
MM has to draft as best he can to keep up.
MM’s only hope is that he can use his experience and determination to keep/gain positions in/out of the turns…as all is lost in the straights.
although this strategy completely unexpectably awarded him a pole position last weekend and a Sprint podium it is most often going to fail miserably as we all witnessed.
doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand it when we all see it happening. some just prefer not to admit it.
pecca doesn’t even remotely consider MM a threat to a 2023 title repeat.
that alone should make the ridiculous situation abundantly clear.
Marquez has often been the MotoGP equivalent of James Stewart.
It’s my track so get the hell out of my way of I’ll knock you out of my way.
This is a completely absurd comment, Stewart was nothing at all like Marquez. Block passes are part of dirt bike racing, but Stewart was never a dirty rider. In fact, he was often the victim of Chad Reed’s dirty riding, because he had no other way of keeping up with or beating him. Barcia is a much better example. He’s dirty and for some reason nobody will do anything about it.
Oh yes!!! I’m quite sure that all of the riders are thinking that they’re going to use themselves on their bikes to ram others (and likely themselves along with them) off the race track at speed. Brilliant observation.
I’m sure all the riders have team orders too to go ahead and use their bikes as battering rams.
Cool Cool Cool.
I’m thinking that MotoGP wants a Dale Earnhardt. The NASCAR types loved him for “making the racing more exciting.” He died doing just that and they still worship his corpse.
It’s kind of nice to see by that it doesn’t seem to be working, judging by most of the comments here.
For me it’s just the world slowly responding to to corporate greed. First they made the series so expensive that they got nearly all the factory support and created a road racing monopoly. Then they put a pay wall around it. This ruined road racing as a marketing tool. Sport bikes went from best sellers to something scarcely work making. Eventually viewership started to dry up. Older guys watch out of habit. But younger guys? They are not out buying 600s anymore are they?
The response? “Make the racing more exciting.”
Fonzi jumped the shark on a motorcycle.
I wonder if MotoGP were to fail and factory support went back to series like the AMA and WSB if more racing at more venues would bring back the sport’s popularity. Or is it just too late for that. We are doomed to live in interesting times.
“We are doomed to live in interesting times.”
The world according to Mick.
“May you live in interesting times” is a Chinese curse.
My enthusiasm for road and motocross racing may have died abruptly over twenty years ago. But that doesn’t mean I have enjoyed watching road racing rot and now devolve into something worthy of an Idiocracy movie. You have the AMA resorting to bagger races staring Jeremy McWilliams to get butts in the seats, WSB results seem to be for sale to the highest bidder, and now MotoGP seems to be promoting hopelessly unprofessional behavior in their premier class in an attempt to generate some buzz.
They seem to be getting some buzz. I’m not so sure they are getting the kind of buzz that will do them any good.
Interesting times indeed. Next year I wouldn’t be surprised to see riding crops issued to riders so they can whack away at their armor clad opponents just for the spectical of it all.
“He died doing just that”
You mean, “racing?”
Jesus, you are a total Fig Newton.
After all this time, Marquez still shows no sign of patience and good judgment. It’s really a pity. Hopefully the teams will recognize this and have him step aside, before he seriously injures himself or someone else.
Too late. He’s already seriously injured himself and others. Will continue until he stops racing motogp.
Yep, I never really got on that MM is a loose cannon train, but I reckon I’m buying a ticket now.
Jumping on myself at this point too.
Rossi told us that back in 2015 because he saw up close how MM93 was riding and it was true then and now.
I don’t follow MOTOGP as much since its name change, do the math, but it seems clear Marquez needs to step away for a year or two to heal and evaluate his career. Even those who don’t like him, for what reasons they may have, don’t want him to have the big injury that ends his career and possibly life in a moment.
Perhaps Mr. Marquez could take up skateboarding.