Championship points leader Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) took pole position for the Jerez MotoGP race during qualifying earlier today. Starting on the front row alongside him will be Franco Morbidelli (Yamaha) and Jack Miller (Ducati).
Honda star Marc Marquez continues his comeback this weekend (his second race after a nine-month layoff). Marquez had a high speed crash in FP3 earlier today, impacting the air fence quite hard. He walked away with no physical ailments, apparently, and was examined both at the track and the local hospital before returning for qualifying later in the day. In at least one report, Marquez did complain of dizziness and confusion, possible symptoms of a concussion. Marquez ultimately qualified in 14th position (row 5).
Stay tuned to MD for race coverage tomorrow, and take a look here for full qualifying results.
Shouldn’t be cleared to ride if any hint of concussion exists, he would be a danger to himself and other riders.
Some of you are long winded and short on content.
Don’t read those comments. (Your) problem solved.
I enjoy reading the comments of others. Even if they can type faster than me.
MM was dizzy and confused after his FP3 crash, worrying signs of concussion. He’s cleared to race and we’ll see what magic is still in his bag for the race.
No comment.
Huh. I’ve been in the “just watch, MM will be basically unchanged from before and surprise us all” camp, but it certainly seems there might be subtle, but enough, effects/changes that the magic might indeed be over?
(If so – damn it! – I honestly couldn’t stand him for forever, but the last few seasons I objectively had to become a fan.)
MM was pretty much the old MM until that crash in FP3. It was a pretty wicked crash. Slid a long way, hit the fence, really tore up his bike. He said it affected his qualifying.
Quatararo is really on a roll.
Miller actually looked good as did Morbidelli. And A Espargaro has looked good all weekend.
Poor Suzuki’s qualified 9th and 10th. Guess Mir will be bumping people on his way to the front again.
You stole the characters off my keyboard.
Certain of the most elite athletes can return from horrible injury as good or in some cases even better than before. So far that’s not the case with our warrior MM93.
If someone knows the exact # of times that MM93 saved a tank slapper that would have resulted in a horrific crash for almost any other rider, please list it for us. On a bell curve of such “saves” surely MM93 occupies the rarified far right area if not the R-most point.
MM93 may have used up all his lucky charms in the above described saves. He could be “returning toward the mean” on this scale. He has had so many such insane saves that even trending back L a little may show in qualifying and race results.
Damn, his single-bike crash today looked awful; his bike may have hit him. And later his L foot came off the peg in a far R lean angle.
Further, even if his mental reflexes are as fast as ever, it’s likely if not surely the case that his physical reflexes are slower and less capable than prior. He may just lack the physical ability to make the “saves” he used to make. Will that capacity return to its former level? No one knows. He is about 9+ years older than his first World Championship.
Poor MM93 Crew Chief Santi Hernandez: after MM crashed today, Santi’s face reminded me of someone given the awful news that their loved one had died. He may have been there for all 8 MM93 Championships. I wonder if he sees some writing on the wall, not just for this 2nd consecutive season but for future seasons too.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, though this time with sadness for Marc. Surely hubris and only hubris caused Marc to attempt to pass Vinales with only 1-2 laps remaining to finish that first 2020 race 2nd instead of 3rd. Statistically there is virtually no chance that finishing the first race 2nd instead of 3rd could determine the 2020 Champion. Hubris is over confidence. The attempted pass came after Marc rode on on the gravel (saved it of course-see above), then reentered from last place and had 3rd firmly in hand. If Marc’s pass was successful it was not hubris. It not only failed but his front wheel caused major injury after Marc’s high-side sent him 8 feet high x 30 foot long. His fantasy that he would race the next weekend was even more hubris. Marc had nothing to gain by the attempted pass which so far cost him two full seasons.
On a related matter, IMO it’s crystal clear Quartororo is not only ready for hand to hand combat with anyone including MM93 at the front of the race, he almost seems to crave it. I am convinced that Fabio is one of those people who fully accepted and integrated the emotion of his failures in the last half of the 2020 season, learned and studied, and did everything humanly possible in the off season to avoid repeating those errors. Lesser persons would crumble and blame others from the stress. He looks like he’s as determined as Marc ever was to take the 2021 trophy.
I hope I’m wrong about Marc and we get to see him battle Fabio at the front, but I’d only bet someone else’s money on it.