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Round 1 in Portugal next weekend. Alex Marquez looks pretty good on the Ducati in testing. His teammate, Di Giannantonio (Diggia), also looks promising in pre-season testing. Joan Mir's old crew chief from Suzuki is Diggia's new crew chief this season, and it seems to be working well so far.
The biggest news of the week (and possibly the month) is that HRC have asked Kalex to build a complete chassis for the Honda RC213V. The well-informed German language website Speedweek is reporting that after the positive experiences with the aluminum swingarm Kalex built for Honda, and which made its appearance at the Aragon round of MotoGP last September, HRC asked Kalex to produce a complete frame...
It is a sign of the deep hole which Honda finds itself in that they have turned to Kalex for a complete frame. HRC brought two new frames to the Sepang test, one based on the Valencia frame and a new one, and then brought a second new chassis to the Portimão test. The fact that Marc Marquez quickly discounted the new Portimão frame to focus on the Sepang frame is a sign of just how much work there is to do in the factory.
The bigger issue for Honda is that the frame is only a small part of HRC's problems. Honda has been reluctant to invest heavily in aerodynamics, despite the fact that the tests this year have made it clear that aero is a fundamental part of MotoGP motorcycle design (whether fans like it or not).
Honda have also struggled with electronics, Joan Mir pointing to the power delivery of the RC213V as one area which he was having problems with. Honda riders are all too familiar with highsides, the RC213V having a tendency to flick its riders into the air....
Ruh Roh, none of that sounds good. I didn't even know who Kalex was until reading about the swing arms for HRC last year. Also very surprising that Honda is struggling with the ECM programming, I remember they were not happy with the number of sensor input when the standardized Marelli ECU came out.
The biggest news of the week (and possibly the month) is that HRC have asked Kalex to build a complete chassis for the Honda RC213V. The well-informed German language website Speedweek is reporting that after the positive experiences with the aluminum swingarm Kalex built for Honda, and which made its appearance at the Aragon round of MotoGP last September, HRC asked Kalex to produce a complete frame...
It is a sign of the deep hole which Honda finds itself in that they have turned to Kalex for a complete frame. HRC brought two new frames to the Sepang test, one based on the Valencia frame and a new one, and then brought a second new chassis to the Portimão test. The fact that Marc Marquez quickly discounted the new Portimão frame to focus on the Sepang frame is a sign of just how much work there is to do in the factory.
The bigger issue for Honda is that the frame is only a small part of HRC's problems. Honda has been reluctant to invest heavily in aerodynamics, despite the fact that the tests this year have made it clear that aero is a fundamental part of MotoGP motorcycle design (whether fans like it or not).
Honda have also struggled with electronics, Joan Mir pointing to the power delivery of the RC213V as one area which he was having problems with. Honda riders are all too familiar with highsides, the RC213V having a tendency to flick its riders into the air....
The Grande Prémio de Portugal from 24th to 26th March, 2023 at Portimão marks the start of an anniversary season for BMW M, the 25th season as Official Car of MotoGP™. The close partnership with MotoGP™ rights holder Dorna Sports dates back to 1999. The start of the anniversary season in Portugal will see the new BMW M safety car make its debut. The new BMW M2 MotoGP™ safety car is based on the new BMW M2, which made its world premiere in October 2022.
"We are delighted to be joining BMW M in celebrating the 25th anniversary season of our partnership in 2023," said Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports. "In BMW M we have had a strong partner at our side for a quarter of a century; a partner with whom we have enjoyed superb collaboration in many different areas. We are very proud of this long-standing partnership that is never at a standstill, it gives plenty of fresh momentum each year. With the most innovative technologies, BMW M is taking care of safety in our sport for the 25th year now, and is a firm fixture in the MotoGP paddock with a wide range of activities. Here's to a fantastic anniversary season in 2023!"
"2023 is our 25th season as Official Car of MotoGP - a long-standing, close partnership like this is special in international racing," added Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH. "We would like to thank Dorna Sports for the great trust they have placed in us for a quarter of a century now. Since 1999 we have been striving to incorporate our values such as innovation, technology, emotion, and passion into our partnership with Dorna Sports as well. Our new BMW M2 MotoGP safety car is just one example of this. With it we are continuing our tradition of putting the latest BMW M high-performance automobiles at the service of MotoGP safety. Be it the safety car fleet, the BMW M Award, or our many other activities in the top level of motorcycle racing - we are proud that Fascination M has become an important part of the MotoGP."
The new BMW M2 impresses with the traditional characteristics of a high-performance sports car - in a concentrated form and with state-of-the-art technology. With its compact dimensions and the 460 hp TwinPower turbo in-line 6-cylinder engine, the new BMW M2 is the perfect basis for a BMW M safety car. The BMW M2 was kitted out with various safety car elements for its deployment on MotoGP™ racetracks. These elements include a roll bar, RECARO seats, 6-point racing harness, a fire extinguisher, the safety car roof bar, and the matching front light. Several M Performance parts, such as exhaust system, chassis, carbon wing mirror covers, diffusor, and rear wing have also been installed. The BMW M2 MotoGP™ safety car will have the standard BMW M safety car livery. In addition to the new BMW M2 MotoGP™ safety car, the safety car fleet of 2023 also includes many other BMW M safety, medical and official cars, as well as BMW M 1000 RR safety bikes.
Bagnaia looked set to top Q2 for pole position. His new teammate, Bastianini, ended up giving 93 a tow at the very end. Marquez broke the lap record for pole.
Also, I HATE THE SPRINT RACE. AFAIK, NBC is not showing the sprint race, which means viewers in the US are missing out on half of the points championship.
Overall, it was bad weekend for riders. Marini lost the front in a corner during the sprint race. His bike slid into Bastianini's bike and the Beast crashed out too. Bastianini ended up with a fractured right shoulder blade, which is why he wasn't in the race on Sunday. Pol Espargaro had a nasty crash during free practice 2. MotoGP said in a medical update that Espargaro had a pulmonary contusion, jaw fracture, and a fractured dorsal vertebra. Marquez and Oliveira will both be out of the Argentina race due to injuries.
I watched the sprint. I think they should be limited to a small number of race weekends each year instead of every weekend. 93 finished 3rd in the sprint and said that he was able to compensate for the Honda's shortcomings by making up time in the braking zone. He said that wouldn't be a viable strategy in a full race because the tires probably wouldn't last.
The Ducati rider is still recovering from a shoulder injury picked up in the opening round of the season
After completing a few laps at Misano with the Panigale V4S, the Ducati Lenovo Team rider underwent a further check-up in Forlì at Dr Porcellini's clinic, who confirmed that Bastianini will still need a few more weeks to fully recover from the right shoulder injury sustained in the Portuguese GP.
Enea will therefore continue his rehabilitation with the aim of returning to the track in Jerez and will be replaced in Texas by Michele Pirro.
I thought Alex Marquez would have a better weekend. He crashed out of the sprint because he inside his helmet while braking into turn 12. Yuck. Apparently, something he ate or drank upset his stomach. He was taken out of the Sunday race by Martin on lap 1. Definitely a race of attrition. Nine riders crashed out.
MotoGP is no longer on course to have its longest-ever season in 2023, following its announcement that the inaugural Kazakhstan Grand Prix has been called off.
A new venue, the Hermann Tilke-designed Sokol International, was due to host the ninth round of the campaign this year on July 7-9 as part of a five-year deal.
But doubts have long persisted over the viability of the race for 2023, and MotoGP has now announced its cancellation due to “ongoing homologation works at the circuit, paired with current global operational challenges”.
The series says it intends to debut in Kazakhstan in 2024 instead in Sokol, located 76km off Kazakhstan’s largest city Almaty.
While there have also been questions about the state of the 2023 season’s other planned new race, the Indian Grand Prix at ex-Formula 1 venue Buddh, assuming that goes ahead the MotoGP campaign will span 20 weekends, albeit 40 races thanks to the introduction of the Saturday sprint.
And with Kazakhstan not replaced, its cancellation has established what is now a five-weekend summer break.
Interesting read. The list below shows the Moto 2 Championship winners since 2011. No surprise that the only rider to win on a non-Kalex bike in that time is 93. The Suter was supposedly an inferior chassis.
Kalex was the obvious place for HRC to go. The tiny German company – which employs less than ten staff – has dominated Moto2 for more than a decade and if Kalex wins Sunday’s French Moto2 race it will become the second most successful intermediate-class constructor, after Honda.
2022 Augusto Fernandez, Kalex
2021 Remy Gardner, Kalex
2020 Enea Bastianini, Kalex
2019 Alex Marquez, Kalex
2018 Pecco Bagnaia, Kalex
2017 Franco Morbidelli, Kalex
2016 Johann Zarco, Kalex
2015 Johann Zarco, Kalex
2014 Tito Rabat, Kalex
2013 Pol Espargaro, Kalex
2012 Marc Marquez, Suter
2011 Stephan Bradl, Kalex
93 made the Saturday sprint race more exciting too. He had a good battle with Bagnaia but ended up finishing 5th.
Not sure which of the two is in worse shape at this point, Honda or Yamaha.
They seem to be in the same shape, but Honda has the alien in Marquez that can wring results out of the bike. Oh, and Rins already scored a win out of nowhere.
I wasn't that surprised the MotoGP bike had the worst 100-0 braking as Pedrosa explained the brakes and tires need to warm up in order to get good performance out of them.
Going back to my earlier post, Honda are in worse shape than Yamaha.
Marquez had 5 crashes this weekend. The one he had during warm up this morning was particularly bad, a nasty high side crash. Apparently, he suffered a minor fracture at the end of his left thumb and his ankle was badly bruised. He opted not to race today. He had a moment in free practice 2 where he lost control and actually gave his RC213V the middle finger for everyone to see. I've never seen him so frustrated before.
Mir crashed during the sprint last weekend and hurt his hand. He didn't race this weekend either.
Rins had bad crash during last weekend's full race, breaking the tibia and fibula in his right leg. It sounds like he could be out for a while.
Haven't watched the German race yet, but saw some practice highlights. Zarco's a lucky guy. MM lowsided & took the front wheel & fork off the Ducati. A few feet further back & that would've been disastrous.
I think he's wrecking the bike's primarily due to a poor performance chassis design and some due to perhaps trying too hard. Would be interesting to see him on another manufacturer.
KTM might be another manufacturer that 93 could ride for. He is already a Red Bull rider.
He had a meeting with senior Honda/HRC leadership during the Mugello race. If Honda cannot fix their issues soon, then he is risking serious injury while riding for non-podium finishes. I believe there is a test day after the Misano race in September. Maybe he'll make a decision regarding his future after that.
inside his helmet while braking into turn 12. Yuck. Apparently, something he ate or drank upset his stomach. He was taken out of the Sunday race by Martin on lap 1. Definitely a race of attrition. Nine riders crashed out.
