The MotoGP championship series visited Thailand this weekend, and the two title contenders, Jorge Martin (Ducati) and Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati), had results that moved Bagnaia just three points closer to Martin with two rounds remaining. Martin’s points lead now stands at 17.
On Saturday, Enea Bastianini (Ducati) took a convincing win in the Sprint race ahead of Martin in second and Bagnaia in third.
Sunday’s full-length GP was run on a wet track with Martin initially taking the lead before a mistake pushed him back to third place behind Bagnaia and Marc Marquez (Ducati). Marquez eventually crashed out (unhurt), and the title contenders proceeded to finish first and second with Bagnaia leading Martin across the line. Pedro Acosta (GASGAS) finished strong to take the third spot on the podium.
Next weekend the riders compete at the Sepang circuit in the penultimate round. For full results and points for Saturday’s Sprint race, visit the MotoGP site here. For full results and points for Sunday’s MotoGP race, visit the MotoGP site here.
Don’t know why my cell phone gives me fits when posting which is why I’m posting on top vs directly to Mick.
Agree with the sentiment and I think you are right about Ducati’s secret sauce. But also there are so many points of adjustment I think it adds complexity compared to the no or rudimentary TC days.
Motoman
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Really not a fan of the large popup and other ads on this site.
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Too right! I’ve now installed an ad-blocker just to get rid of the junk here.
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Sprint day – Ducatis 1st through 8th.
Long day – Add rain, lottery ensues.
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indeed.
far less opportunities on a wet track to simply open throttle to full stop and rely on pure top speed advantage to net podium position.
rain levels the playing field machinery-wise.
Pecco stated this was his, finally, first ‘rain’ win…wow!!!…6 years(?) in.
*I don’t know if Pecco’s statement regards only the premier league.
Martin stated that had he not been ‘following’ MM he 100% would have crashed.
I find it interesting that even when the many suggested MM won because his Honda was the best bike on the grid, MM, in those same times (same as now) was always happy to have rain in the forecast.
that seems to suggest that MM in fact did not have the best bike on the grid to rely on…no?
let alone that it was normal watching MM ride the Honda through most corners…looking like he was atop a fish out of water flopping/wiggling around while most other pilots smoothly railed through the same corners right before/after him at the same speeds.
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I wonder what year Ducati is on par with the rest of the field. Is Honda still struggling to achieve GP20 level performance? GP19?
It must be difficult to design a race bike to preform well within the limitations placed on it by the electronics package. Maybe that is Ducati’s secret sauce. Perhaps the other teams are trying to get the most out of their motorcycles while Ducati is trying to get the most out of the electronics package.
It wasn’t long ago that the Honda riders were all crashing more often than average. Clearly the bikes and the electronics were not one.
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RAINSUITS ARE FOR WIMPS !
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