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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.

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 (...).

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.

🥇 Pole Position: Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Official) steals the show with an electrifying lap time of 1:28.931. A monumental achievement for Viñales and the Aprilia team! 🥈 Pecco Bagnaia's Masterclass: The Ducati Motor Holding Lenovo Team rider showcases exceptional skill, grabbing 2nd place just 0.092 seconds behind the leader. Bagnaia's impressive comeback in Q1, setting a provisional all-time lap record, was a highlight, marking his resilience and focus in the championship battle. 🥉 Johann Zarco's Consistency: Rounding off the top three, Zarco from Prima PRAMAC Racing shows remarkable consistency and speed, just 0.213 seconds off the lead. A strong contender for the race day! Jorge Martin's Uphill Battle: Despite a strong start, Martin faced challenges in maintaining a consistent pace, eventually landing in P6. His determination in the face of adversity was evident, setting the stage for an intriguing race day. The Global Stage is Set: With top riders like Jack Miller and Brad Binder from Red Bull KTM AG Factory Racing in the mix, and the Marquez brothers securing respectable positions, the stage is set for an electrifying race day. Your Take? Who do you think will dominate the race? Let's hear your predictions and support for your favorite riders! #ValenciaGP #MotoGP #Viñales #Bagnaia #Zarco #MotorcycleRacing #Qualifying #MotoGPUpdate #469Motorsports

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

Dall'Igna: MotoGP concessions allow rivals to make mistakes Ducati can't make https://lnkd.in/e6_YxHSG On the 10th anniversary of his arrival at the Bolognese company, the engineer has been accumulating influence, in his team and in the championship, to the point of being seen by many as the Adrian Newey of the competition. After breaking most records last season, Ducati will face 2024 in full strength and with the extra asset of Marc Marquez, who has given up the last year of the million-dollar contract that linked him to Honda, to ride one of Dall'Igna's bikes. Luigi Dall'Igna spoke to Motorsport.com just a week before the start of the Ducati presentation events, which this year will compete for its third MotoGP title, the fourth in the history of the Borgo Panigale brand. Q. Many people compare you to Adrian Newey, the head of Red Bull's technical department in Formula 1, because of the influence you have in MotoGP. However, with your bikes it's not just one rider who wins, but many. Does that put you on a higher plane? LD: That's impossible. Newey is a legend. Just the fact that someone compares me to him is enough to satisfy me. But cars and motorbikes are two completely different universes. Q. Concessions can be a great help, as long as you are aware of what you have to change. Do you think Yamaha and Honda know that? LD: The big difference is that they have the possibility to make mistakes and fix them. For example, with the engine, which they can open and modify. We don't. Those who have the concessions can go back with the engine if they have a problem. We have to finish the championship with the engine we homologated at the start. That's why we have to be much more conservative. It's not just a question of testing, it's a question of being able to take a lot more risks. They, in terms of aerodynamics, have one more upgrade than us. If we get it wrong, we have a problem. Q. What factors made you stay at Ducati and not accept the challenge Honda offered you? LD: It has cost us a lot to get here. We didn't win the world championship from one year to the next. It would have been completely stupid to give up on a situation as positive on a technical level as the one that surrounds me now at Ducati. The team I have around me is wonderful, both from a technical and human point of view. At Ducati it's great. It's a place where you can talk, discuss. It's not easy to give up this sweet thing.

A splendid Ducati podium with a “poker” of our aces. A stratospheric Pecco triumphs, for the third year in a row, on a track that is imbued with the history of motorcycling, as prestigious as it is demanding, and this on a perfect weekend, putting his hallmark on everything possible: free and timed practice runs, Pole position, Sprint Race, MotoGP and record of the track. Simply fantastic! A moment of extraordinary form, his third victory in succession, after Barcelona and Mugello, which equals Casey Stoner for number of wins with Ducati: 23! A race that he literally dominated with impressive lap times: after an impeccable start, with disarming superiority, he managed a safety margin that never left any doubt. The only one to attempt some opposition was, as usual, a tenacious and solid Martin who, with a display of great generosity, tried to keep up the pace, only having to settle, so to speak, for an important second place: he was able to limit the losses, optimising his fine performance with important points: bravo! Equally valuable were his sportsmanship and objectivity, expressed in post-race declarations as well, which I greatly appreciated. An excellent 3rd place for Enea thanks to a great comeback in the second half of the race, a trait that is now in his DNA. He recovered from tenth place on the grid with an incisive and unstoppable race pace that rewarded him with an excellent podium spot. He could not catch up with Martin, but his was a ride that took him to successfully challenge even Marc Marquez. And how can we not underline the performance of Di Giannantonio who, after a faltering start, recovered with great determination to challenge for third place with the other protagonists. Victories like these are pure joy, but there is more: a Pecco always focused on the race is our best way to overcome the happenings of the riders “market”, letting us concentrate solely on the races, especially the next GP leading into the summer break. One last important reflection accompanies this Grand Prix: to the entire Pramac team and to Paolo Campinoti goes my gratitude and appreciation, as strong and true as is our friendship, as well as for the mutual professional and human esteem marked by the many meaningful and important moments shared in an ambitious and challenging project that, also thanks to them, has become firstly reality and then history: a Ducati path that has seen us grow and evolve, and with us the bike, and the young talents who have ridden it. Of course it is a shame to lose such a precious reality, but the joy and the memory of the great work we did together will always prevail! Come on, Ducati! #Ducati #DucatiLenovoTeam #ForzaDucati #MotoGP

The hype is real – at least for motorsport fans!   The MotoGP Grand Prix in Le Mans, France attracted 297,471 spectators over the weekend – a new attendance record. This is remarkable if you consider the ongoing debate around motorsports and its fuel consumption in light of sustainability. I am in favour of motorsport events and the figures show that these events attract more and more fans around the world. From my point of view this is due to the entertainment and excitement that these events consistently deliver.   Would you have guessed that #93 Marc Marquez would be on the podium after being 13th on the grid in Sunday's race and only 0.446 seconds behind race winner Jorge Martin and in front of reigning world champion Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia!!   I guess everyone is wondering how this season will evolve and who will be on top – but equally – who will become second? Besides the sporting aspect my biggest questions are: - Who will ride in the Ducati team next year? - Which bike will Marc Marquez ride in 2025? - Is the success of Marc Marquez only related to the Ducati Bike or is it also because of the team? It seems that at Gresini Racing it is all about the team and that the rider are part of a family. Maybe that’s the differentiating factor? Questions are good but how about predictions. Here are my three predictions for MotoGP: - Jorge Martin will become World Champion 2024 and will ride alongside Franceso “Pecco” Bagnaia for the Ducati team - Marc Marquez will stay at Gresini Racing in 2025 but will be given the newest specification of the Ducati, essentially riding a factory bike. - Liberty Media will produce a 'Drive to Survive' style documentary about the 2025 season which will lead to a significant increase in event attendance and viewership numbers overall. What are your top three predictions for the MotoGP? Share your thoughts in the comments. #motogp #sportfive #sportsmarketing

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 (...).

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