Moto GP 2023 Season

Infoanon

The 2023 season kicks off with testing tomorrow, February 10th until 12th February.

The season starts in Portimao on March 24th with the first ever sprint race on the 25th and race day on the 26th.

Initial rookie and test rider only testing has shown the Ducati has the pace albeit that Dani Pedrosa (KTM) has been circulating with his transponder switched off.

The big question marks before testing :

Have Yamaha solved their engine reliability issues that arose in Valencia ?

Have Honda developed a bike that Mir and Rins can ride ?

How fast is the KTM with Red Bull aero input?

Are the Ducatis untouchable for the WC or will the beast and Bagnia go to war and let Fabio win?

And finally the Aprillas - is Olivera going to steal the limelight and follow up his stunning initial test times on the RNF?

Scotty #

Ducati and Aprilia topping the times so far.

In other news... no racing in the North this year... Which I presume will mean no racing in the Rep. either.

Scotty #

Final times day one.

Infoanon

After 3 days of f testing the Ducatis, both the GP22 and GP23 dominate the top of the time sheets.

Luca Marini topped the time sheets on his GP22 but the new GP23s are already on the pace.

Next up was Aprilla with KTM,Yamaha and Honda the rest of the order.

Honda had 3 different bikes but Marc Marquez has made it clear that he does not have the bike to win the championship.

Yamaha engine woes appear to be solved and Fabio has said he is pleased with the power now available, his and Yamahas big issue is the Michelin tyres which Fabio can't get to work on a single lap, which as Fabio stated , makes going for wins difficult.

Next test is Portimao on the 11/12th of March , with the GP two weeks later.

Scotty #

Mondello have announced there will be no bike racing hosted this year. 😕

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/othersport/arid-41068946.html

It would seem that motorcycle racing on the island of Ireland is finished.

GavPJ

Heading to Portimao next month.

Last year flights and accommodation was €205.

This year the flight alone is €285.

XsApollo

Going to silverstone again in the camper this year and hoping to go to montmelo, the September time is perfect for that GP I think.

Im thinking Alex Marquez is going to do well this year, slow starter as he has shown previous but is a champion once he figures it out, and the Duc is pretty sorted and very stable.

If he does well I think we will see Marc on a Ducati in the next 2 to 3 years.

Scotty #

https://www.gofundme.com/f/mcuiucinsurance-shortfall-for-racing-in-2023

If all the 150,000 spectators at the NW200 paid just £3 each it would cover the insurance for the whole season. I know Skerries charged in last year for the first time. Something I have no problem with but I did hear a few complaints.

Insurance in Ulster has tripled this year to over £400k. There's £7m in outstanding claims (not sure over what timeframe). I'm sure I read the south can't even get a quote.

What irks me most is the likes of greyhound racing being subsidised to the tune of €18 MILLION a year for the same few hundred supporters at every event.

When sports COVID payments were being given out, Irish Motorcycling got €25,000. The same as Tug of War Ireland (I kid you not!), American Football Ireland, and Croquet Association of Ireland. By comparison, Table Tennis Ireland got €64,000. The Baton Twirling Sport Association of Ireland got €72,000 (seriously!!), and the Irish Judo Association got €112,000.

Of €15 million paid out to sports bodies for Covid, motorcycling get's just €25,000, despite being some of the largest annual sports events in the country.

sticker

Watching bt sport UK coverage but no sign of Gavin Emmet and team.. looks like the motogp.com dullard commentary.. anyone know if the BT Sport team are covering 2023 on BT Sport? Thanks

Gremlinertia

They are but cost cutting so Friday is just the world feed without commentary

Scotty #

Fingers crossed for Pol, that was a bad one. He's conscious but he was on the ground for a long time.

Scotty #

https://twitter.com/MotoGP/status/1639362133845499943?s=20

I hope he makes a speedy recovery!

Gremlinertia

Wow that's some set of injuries, best of luck to him. It was a frightening looking crash

kirk.

The BT commentary is so good I could listen to it without the racing

Gremlinertia

So that's two out for a while. That's a horrible start to the season for them, hope we don't see much more of it..

4Ad

Marquez would want to keep his head down in Portugal tonight after taking out local hero Oliveira in a bad (reckless) crash...

GavPJ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120402641#Comment_120402641

I was there. If the crowd had got hold of him his head would be on stick!

One "fan" in particular ran to the fence when Marquez was going by on the scooter after

the accident and was screaming and roaring at him. Lucky he didn't get over the fence.

kirk.

Wonder will they reconsider them it's a bit mad

Scotty #

I see FIM have changed their mind from Marquez being penalised at Argentina (which he said he wasn't fit to race) to being penalised at the next race he does attend (which Honda are appealing). So I suspect we'll see Marc at Argentina, do two long laps, and retire.

Scotty #

I'm sure Simon Crafar is a lovely man but jeez he's hard to listen to. How did he ever get a job in commentary!?

Gremlinertia

Folger in for Pol Espargaro, be interesting to watch

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120424091#Comment_120424091

What's he on ?

I think laverty and hodgson are great on BT sport

Dunno about the French guy he seems typical french. I wouldn't be the most well up on it.

legrand

Using Dorna's video pass. Renewed on raceday. Commentary as bland as a wet bag of chips. Left me stone cold and the racing was meh in general (not got to moto3).

Wondering if I'm loosing faith in this race series 😏

Infoanon

Dornas commentary leaves a lot to be desired - they completely missed the move of the season last year , Aleix passing Miller and Binder on the last corner.

BT Sports commentary is far superior greatly enhanced by Michael Laverty and Sylvan GuintoilI insights.

The racing at Portimao was excellent imho , the sprint race was a cracker while Zarcos last lap in the main race was superb. Maverick went for the win , another lap he would have passed Bagnia.

Moto 2 was a battle at the front but behind Dixon and Lowes were cutting through the field.

Argentina Q2 has just ended , Aleix from Maverick followed by Bezzachi and Marini ! ,Morbidelli delighted to say is 7th, Fabio down in 15th.

Also positive news on Pol , out of ICU and walking today , recovery will be long but a full recovery is expected.

Adrian Fernandez is performing surprisingly well for a rookie , while Jonas Folgers return hopefully gives him a second chance after illness forced him out of the paddock.

legrand

yea watched all that - but frankly I just remained unmoved by it all. Just me I guess.

Gremlinertia

I enjoyed that race, when I woke up to see a wet track I reckoned it would throw a spanner in the works. Thankfully no injuries, enough attrition already.

Scotty #

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120424425#Comment_120424425

He's on the Dorna feed (and he's the guy who interviews the podium immediately after the race). He's an ex racer and was pretty good but very monotone and robotic voice. BT have been using the Dorna feed on the Fridays for commentary this season. It has not gone down well with viewers! Hodgson is a 1st class commentator and Laverty is great at explaining the tech side of things. I do miss Colin Edwards a bit though, he was better than Silvan.

I was glad to see Pecco not score points in the main, it'll keep the season a bit lively. Very impressed with Alex M this weekend!

It's hard to believe that Johann Zarco has never won a MotoGP race!

GavPJ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120432340#Comment_120432340

Great race yesterday. Hopefully all the rest of the races this year are as entertaining.

Was hoping Miller would be near the top step. Thought Pecco would have kept a cooler

head. He was raging with himself.

Gremlinertia

Watching COTA qualifying in the pub. The beauty of being between contracts

Chantra surprising to me and Porta disappointing thus far.

4Ad

Sprint race about to start..Really enjoying these races...

4Ad

MotoGp3 race was brilliant..

Gremlinertia

The main race is 20:00 right?

Gremlinertia

The Moto 2 was fantastic.

4Ad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120485083#Comment_120485083

Yep...

MotoGP2 was a great race also..

Gremlinertia

Kazakhstan race pulled, not had a chance to read press release yet.

Scotty #

Danni Pedrosa ftw!!

Gremlinertia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120532337#Comment_120532337

Unreal isn't it?. Had to pinch myself when I saw the reports

kirk.

The commentary makes it

I learn loads from the bt team

Infoanon

A dominant weekend for Bagnia ,the first sprint and race winner on the same weekend.

Disaster for Yamaha and Honda.

Hopefully Alex Rins makes a quick recovery, Joan Mir is also on the injured list.

Germany next - normally a Marquez win is guaranteed, Bez will be hoping for a better weekend - and the new swing arm that Bagnia has !

The silly season is in full swing - Frankie Morbidelli dropping the unexpected quote 'why do you think I want to spend another season with Yamaha '.

Pramac have made it clear that while Jorge Martin has an option to leave for Yamaha , Ducati can retain Martin by simply matching the offer !

Pramac also clarified that they expect to keep Zarco.

If Martin was to leave ,expect Bez to replace him with Frankie going to VR46.

Arbolino going to Gresini looks a done deal , Acosta could land anywhere - his management indicating that he is not tied to KTM.

Fun times ahead in what was supposed to be a quiet silly season.

jonnreeks

2023 MotoGP Sachsenring, German Grand Prix

Friday June 16th

• 8.55 am: free practice 1 Moto3
• 9.45 am: free practice 1 Moto2
• 10.40 am: 1 MotoGP free practice
• 1.15 pm: free practice 2 Moto3
• 2 pm: free practice 2 Moto2
• 2.55 pm: 2 MotoGP free practice sessions

Saturday June 17th

• 8.35 am: free practice 3 Moto3
• 9.20 am: free practice 3 Moto2
• 10.05 am: 3 MotoGP free practice sessions
• 10.45 am: MotoGP qualifying
• 12.05: Moto E – Race 1
• 12.45: Moto3 qualifying
• 1.40 pm: Moto2 qualifying
• 2.55 pm: MotoGP Sprint Race
• 5.30 pm: Moto E – Race 2

Sunday 18 June

• 9.40 am: MotoGP warm-up
• 11 am: Moto3 race
• 12.15: Moto2 race
• 2.00 pm: MotoGP race

jonnreeks

Bennett's British Superbike Championship

The Bennett's British Superbike Championship returns this weekend (June 16/17/18) after the opening three rounds as the series reaches Knockhill in Scotland. Seven different riders have celebrated podium success from the opening nine races, with five of those securing race wins.

XsApollo

What a crash that was today, Zarco is a lucky man.

I was at that corner years ago , 2010 I think, Rossi return after the leg break. where lorenzos Yamaha blew an engine and dropped oil on the track, Ben spies I think and Randy depuniet came off braking into that corner and the speed at which the bikes went into the fence the other side of the gravel trap was insane

if zarco was half a metre further who knows what would of happened,

shades of that Austria race where the bikes flew between Rossi and vinales.

Infoanon

Glad that Johann and Marc are ok after that crash,.

Marquez lost control of his bike and torpedoed Zarcos Ducati which such force that the front was ripped clear, chassis destroyed.

Dissapointed that Marc didn’t go over to the stricken Zarco, Far more dissapointed to find later that Marc was blaming Zarco for the accident .

It was a racing incident , against a background of Marc being on the verge of a crash every lap.

Clearly the Honda is difficult, Rins and Mir out , Taka crashing earlier and Marc crashing after a few 'moments ' prior to the big crash.

But Marc doesn't seem to want to accept the situation and continues to override the bike which leads to incidents like today and of course the Olivera collision in Portimao.

Bez fastest but he did get a great toe from Pecco.

Fabio in the top 10 was probably the highlight of the afternoon.

kirk.

Marquez how is he even allowed back on track

XsApollo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120724363#Comment_120724363

Well to be fair to Marc, anybody can go down there, regardless of wether they are having a bad time or not, it’s a horrible corner.

I wasn’t watching today so far, but I saw short on YouTube of vinales and Alex Marquez of the exact same thing happening?

the pit exit is not the safest, they will probably introduce a traffic light there or something.

Marc has done many shocking things but that wasn’t one of them.

he has a nasty streak for sure, a lot of his actions are questionable, and just hopping on the moped and riding off shows that.

you could of gave him the benefit of the doubt that he was just getting off the track , but then he hopped on the moped 😁

Infoanon

Marc crashed 3 times in quali today.....

Marc with two rebuilt bikes could not compete in what was a very competitive sprint race.

Great racing between Pecco , Martin and Miller and between Martin and Marini , and between Marini , Binder and Zarco !!

Martin double over take was only equalled by his save !

Sasaki dominating Moto 3 quali , Moto 2 super competitive between Acosta, Arbolino and Dixon .

XsApollo

Marc is out again.

Infoanon

I was happy that common sense intervened and Marc missed the race after 5 crashes.

Danilo Petrucci probably very happy to have declined the LCR ride.

What a race !!

3 excellent races today , Moto E first race was also good btw.

The Moto GP championship is on !!

And Dani is back at San Marino for another wild card !

Magown3

What are the chances Marc stays with Honda for the last year of his contract?

Could he go elsewhere? I think the only seat that's available might be on a yamaha beside Fabio. Would love to see Marc strangle the Yam around a circuit.

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120732194#Comment_120732194

He's too fast for the honda anyhow

Putting himself and others at risk pushing it

XsApollo

If he is going anywhere it will be KTM I reckon.

KTM’s rider are contracted to the end of 24?

Marc on a factory KTM in the GAS GAS Brand would be cool, Catalan rider and Catalan bike.