469 Motorsports’ Post

Eight reasons MotoGP will be even better in 2024 https://lnkd.in/eyiaskAW MotoGP 2023 had its flaws, but it grew into the championship’s greatest title fight in years as Pecco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin’s battle ebbed and flowed through twist after twist in the final three months of the season. And it was equally good value off-track too, thanks to Marc Marquez and the machinations over his future. OK, I can hear the sceptical voices as I type. Some of the loudest probably come from my colleagues on The Race MotoGP Podcast, where I’m happy to be the Tigger to my fellow pundits’ Eeyores at times. Yes, there is the possibility that once back on a competitive bike Marc Marquez will reveal that everyone who's won titles during his compromised years was just an inferior pretender. Yes, Ducati may still be near-unbeatable. Yes, the season is punishingly long, especially with sprints added, and the injury rate last year was unacceptable and couldn’t be shrugged off as a coincidence. Yes, the tyre pressure rule situation risks causing farces. Yes, it’s a huge shame that ‘dirty air’ is invading even motorbike racing and aero has been allowed to get out of control. I get all that. MotoGP 2024 will be flawed, too. But here are eight reasons why it’s also going to be even better than a 2023 season that will still be remembered as a classic (...).

MotoGP™ sensation Jorge Martin points out the key area for Ducati Motor Holding’s 2024 model improvement: front locking. ❝I think we're struggling quite a lot comparing to the other brands in terms of front locking. I think we are used to it, but it's not easy to ride when the front is locked in every corner.❞ ❝I feel like this year my biggest step was in managing this front lock, but I think it’s the point where we have to improve and to make a much more stable bike in braking.❞ ❝Pecco did an amazing first part of the season. I did an amazing second part, I think,❞ Martin said. ❝We [finished the season] as the strongest, but we weren't at the beginning of the season, so that's why we arrived behind❞ ❝But I think that being a satellite team, what we are doing is amazing, and hopefully next season also we are going to start in this form and will arrive in a different situation at the end of the year.❞ ❝I don't know what more I can do to show my potential,❞ Martin said of his rumoured factory team chances in the closing stages of last year’s world championship. ❝I mean, making more than this is quite complicated: [Fighting for the MotoGP title] down to the last race, finishing second.❞ #MotoGP #JorgeMartin #Ducati2024 #MotorcycleRacing #PramacRacing #FrontLockingChallenge #RacingNews #469Motorsports

Marquez's benchmarks: 5 seismic moves by MotoGP icons ranked https://lnkd.in/e7Xuz33W MotoGP's 'aliens' era is more or less over, but one of those aliens remains - and for 2024 he cooked up exactly the kind of move that the premier class had been a little starved of. A proven superstar pushing his chips in on a gamble that not only can alter the entire competitive landscape, but should do so, is always special. And when it comes to MotoGP, its modern era has been punctuated by those kinds of moves every half-decade or so. Marc Marquez swapping his Honda for a Gresini-run year-old Ducati is the latest example. For it to be the greatest, it has to surpass the five team switches below - a task ranging from a virtual given for the earlier entries to being almost mission impossible when it comes to the saga in the number one spot.

UNPRECEDENTED SEVEN-YEAR DEAL SHOWS PRAMAC'S WORTH TO YAMAHA https://lnkd.in/ed7asS2V Yamaha’s new satellite MotoGP team deal with Pramac starts with an unprecedented seven-year commitment, highlighting how vital Yamaha felt it was to restore its presence on the grid to four bikes. Reigning teams’ champion Pramac’s switch from Ducati was officially announced after Friday practice at the Dutch TT, but both it and the startling duration of the initial deal were confirmed by Pramac CEO Paolo Campinotti in an interview with Italian publication GPOne during track action at Assen. Though long manufacturer/satellite relationships are far from uncommon (Pramac has been with Ducati for two decades), they are usually agreed on a rolling basis with much shorter-term contracts.

Sixteenth win of the season! Six of our bikes in the top 6 positions: another historic first to celebrate together. Another wonderful opportunity to thank all those who make up the great Ducati Corse family. An awesome Marc Marquez bags his third 2024 success to reaffirm, as if needed, that he is very much there, back at the top of MotoGP. And he does it in his inimitable way following an unbelievable comeback that took him immediately, and with disarming authority, close to the leaders and then on to the nail biting duel with Martin. A true masterpiece on a track most congenial to him. He went “wild”, as he does when he can scent victory, sparing himself nothing. Irrepressible. But the true measure of his strength, his specific weight, is all in his having immediately recovered from a very unlucky start, imposing himself over everything and everyone as the “winner-takes-all”. Even over a Martin who, truth be told, had undoubtedly more to lose than Marquez. Still, Jorge tried to prevail, with great merit but not at all costs; he got off to a good start and stayed there at the front until the last laps, not backing down when it was time to engage in a gripping fight with Marc, but giving due consideration, after having given everything, to the possibility of gaining points that were most important. Fast and with the right maturity, he thus moves up to +20 on Pecco. A Pecco who experienced a rather lacklustre weekend, always missing something on a track that is hostile to him: having never really found a feeling with either bike or track. Everything was also conditioned by Friday’s weather. Conditions that prevented him from carrying out tests that had been planned to optimise set-up on a track characterised by new tarmac, and to metabolise the automatisms he needs to best express himself. He raced defensively putting his all into it, fighting with the leaders as long as he could and then gradually losing ground, especially in the last part of the race. But it is precisely in these situations that the traits of a fighter come to the fore, of one who manages to limit the damage even when everything seems to conjure against him. He did very well, seizing an important podium: even though more could really not have been done today, he still wanted to have his say, he was there with the frontrunners ready to challenge for it. Special kudos to Diggia's great race, may it also bode well for what he has to face. An excellent performance, starting from the 12th grid position, he closed with a promising 4th place. In the leading group of contenders, fast and tenacious, with a better qualification, who can say... I remember him here last year with his first podium in premier class. Just enough time to muse on the race in Australia, and it’s already time to think of the Thai tarmac: another page to be written, anticipating a finale to be savoured. Come on, Ducati! #Ducati #DucatiLenovoTeam #ForzaDucati #MotoGP

Marc Marquez ends 1043 days of no wins. The 6 Time World Champion the last one in 2019 has endured a miserable 3 years. No this is not one of those superficial 'age is only a number' .... crap posts. 4 years ago, he crashed badly and broke his arm while chasing the race leader. He was out for the season and returned in 2021, but was not competitive partly because Honda was not competitive and partly his arm had not healed the way he wanted. That was the last time he won a GP. In 2022, he broke his arm to correct the original break and was out for most of the season - but despite that and having a less than competitive bike - he was the top Honda rider. He returned in 2023, but it was obvious that Honda - the giants of the sports for 20+ years was not in the same technology platform. He switched to Ducati. He has taken most of this season to learn how to ride LAST YEAR'S winning Ducati to compete with riders on this year's DUCATI. And despite that disadvantage of last year's tech - he is 3rd among the mix of riders using this year's 2024 Ducati. And he is finally coming to grips with the bike, without losing the grip. As the current world champion, Bagnaia, remarked on Saturday, Marquez was able to lean 5 degrees more than other riders - which he could not do before on the Ducati - and that gave him a huge lead every lap - a trademark Marquez win where the second rider is so far behind that he cannot hope to catch up and give up 5 laps before the end. It is hard to imagine that Marquez is only 31. And he will get a 2025 Ducati next season. But here is the thing: how does one keep's one self-belief for 6 years? How does one keep the committment to work the hardest when all feedback says that you are no longer the best? Or competitive. Support helps. Sure. But the fire and drive must be internal - more than external encouragement. Intrinsic motivation - obsessive self-belief must be the basis of sports people at the top.

𝗟𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵: 5.380 kilometres / 3.343 miles 𝗪𝗶𝗱𝘁𝗵: 12 metres 𝗟𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀: 6 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀: 10 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: 1.068 kilometres / 0.664 miles 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱: 2004 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 1m 51.762s (173.2km/h) Luca Marini (Ducati, 2023) 𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗽: 1m 52.978s (171.4 km/h) Enea Bastianini (Ducati, 2023) 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿: Jorge Martín (Ducati) 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿: Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati) Constructed in just over a year at a cost of $58 million for the inaugural MotoGP™ event in 2004. Designed primarily with motorcycling in mind, featuring a flowing 5.4km layout popular with riders. Became the largest lit venue in the world in 2008 with permanent outdoor lighting for night races. Hosted MotoGP's first night race in 2008, won by Casey Stoner on a Ducati. Hosted the MotoGP season opener for 13 consecutive years from 2007 to 2019. Daytime races experienced track temperatures over 45°C, motivating the switch to night events. In 2009, rain postponed the MotoGP race to Monday, showcasing the circuit's unexpected weather challenges. Features alcohol-free cava for the podium ceremony, respecting Qatar's Muslim majority. Noted as one of the circuits with the greatest fuel consumption in the season. Extensive lighting installed without creating glare for spectators or riders and minimizing shadows. The strong braking into turn 1 or the high speed turn 13 are highlights of this track. Lusail International Circuit #LusailCircuit #LusailCircuitSportsClub #LCSC #MotoGP #MotoGP2024 #MotoGP75 #QatarGP #Lusail #Qatar #LusailInternationalCircuit

🏁Marc Márquez opens up about his first week racing outside the Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) team, marking a new chapter in his illustrious career. Here's what he had to say about his performance: "Of course, we tried and we pushed [for the podium], but it was not possible. They were faster than me. But it's not a frustration because I already said on Thursday; Our position is 4th-5th-6th. In fact, yesterday 5th [in the Sprint] today 4th" His determination shines through as he continues to aim high, "Always the podium was close. But it's true that still I don't feel 100% comfortable to ride like I want. But let's see if we can improve for the next races." Marquez remains optimistic about the future, highlighting the importance of persistence and adaptation. As he adjusts to his new team dynamics and the feel of a different bike, there's a journey of adaptation ahead. "But let's see if we can improve for the next races." As Marquez navigates this transition, his resilience and relentless pursuit for improvement remain evident. The road ahead may be filled with new challenges, but his focus on progress and adaptation suggests exciting races are on the horizon. Here's to seeing how this new chapter unfolds for one of MotoGP's greats. 💪🔥 #MarcMarquez #NewChapter #MotoGPPassion #Marquez #MM93 #GresiniRacing #Ducati #MotoGP #MotoGP75 #469Motorsports

It was a long and gripping race, lively and vibrant, on a track that is most demanding in physical terms. Many duels and much overtaking that saw us as protagonists in a no-holds-barred contest marked by tracts of chiaroscuro, lights and shadows.
 For Enea this is an important podium, confirming that he is among the key figures on the track, race after race, with a constancy that he is gradually regaining. His was the first Ducati under the chequered flag, with a finish that reached a crescendo after a tentative start, now placing him second in the world championship standings. What he needed was greater continuity, and this is another essential step in the right direction.
 With a totally different flavour, instead, was Pecco’s race: unlike Enea he had a good start in the first third of the race, but then his pace became less effective, having therefore to defend himself to secure a fifth spot, which certainly couldn’t have satisfied him. A very meagre haul between Sprint and GP, with no podium, and a weekend to let slide, keeping the next challenge in mind.
 Even though he crashed, Marc proved to be an extraordinary interpreter of the race, even taking the lead and this says a lot about his skill and experience as well as his determination and enthusiasm.
 Not a particularly positive weekend for Jorge either, although he managed to secure some precious points that keep him at the top of the world championship standing.  The championship is long and difficult, and there will be no shortage of ups and downs for everyone. We have to give of our best to provide our riders with the chance to express their top performance. That's why the next test with Michele in Barcelona will be of great importance: there we will be testing some changes to the bike’s set-up, to then be reconfirmed with the factory riders during the tests scheduled for the day following the Jerez Grand Prix. Congratulations to our opponents, fast and talented riders: this will prove to be a wide open challenge for a world championship contest that promises to be even more exciting and interesting: and so it will be, through to the last curve. Come on, Ducati! #Ducati #DucatiLenovoTeam #ForzaDucati #MotoGP

Acosta stars, crazy aero - What we learned from MotoGP shakedown https://lnkd.in/eANvTGz3 The first major track action of the 2024 MotoGP season has come a little earlier this year - thanks to new concession rules that allowed for the three-day Sepang shakedown to be attended not just by factory test riders and rookies, but the actual race teams of struggling manufacturers Honda and Yamaha. And while the Malaysian outing was largely closed off to the media and with riders mostly (more on that later) not speaking about their experiences until the main three-day test early next week, there was still plenty to notice from trackside - and from the timing screens. Without the full grid, it’s of course still hard to piece together too much of what the season will look like - but that doesn't mean that there weren't still some interesting things on show. We always knew that rookie sensation Pedro Acosta was going to get on pace in MotoGP, given his remarkable progression through the ranks of Moto2 and Moto3 over the course of only three seasons. Ending the final day of the test fastest overall, he was only a tenth of a second away from the qualifying time set by top KTM racer Brad Binder at October’s race. Among the most noticeable things on show was KTM’s continuing aero push - and the lengths to which it's gone in hiding its various developments. Designed with the full might of partner Red Bull's F1 aero team, it’s quite obvious that there’s been an injection of new thinking (...).