Photos by: Getty Images; Honda Mission Statement
In a memorable last round duel, the incomparable one Marc Marquez took the cheeky French rookie Fabio Quartararo‘s lunch allowance after threatening to take it for 26 rounds. He was able to check off all five boxes on his Sunday to-do list:
- Win a fight in the last round;
- Rain on an Italian parade, no Rossi or Morbidelli;
- If possible, put young Fabio in his place;
- # 20 Refuse an alien card if possible; and
- Extend his lead in the 2019 series to a staggering 93 points.
So that’s what I eat my Wednesday prediction that Yamaha wouldn’t finish four bikes in the top five in this race. Let’s agree that Yamaha fixed its acceleration problem and is no longer holding Maverick Viñales or Valentino Rossi return. Let’s note that the Petronas satellite bikes with the same engine are at least as fast as the 2019 version.
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Marc Marquez waited his time behind Fabio Quartararo before making a push on the final lap. The two swapped places a few times before the reigning champion came out on top of the rookie.
And let’s agree that Marquez played young Fabio today, made him feel the pressure all day, stayed on his rear tire and just watched. Saves its tires. Figure out where to attack. Turn 1 of the last lap, shortly afterwards a place swap followed, from which Marquez emerged with the lead. He blocked the young Fabio at every turn, so to speak, in order to secure another convincing victory in the second half of the round. Viñales made its way to the third step of the podium, now more Pop Gun than Top Gun. And Rossi finally found his way to # 21 Franco Morbidelli Late in the day, the teacher passed the student up to the flag. After dropping Viñales, I had either # 21 or # 46 on the podium.
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With a dramatic win, Marc Marquez moved past Mike Hailwood to fourth place on the All-Time Grand Prix victories list with 77.
Jorge Lorenzo is currently Just Another Rider
After 13 laps last year, factory then Ducati # 2 Jorge Lorenzo had 130 points and Danilo Petrucci, on the Pramac Ducati, 110. This year, Lorenzo has 23 points on the Honda, while Petrux has 151 on the factory bike. Don’t let anyone tell you that Danilo Lorenzo is on the Desmosedici GP19. It says here that Lorenzo is now cheering Honda RC213V. Have been saying it for a while. I think he would be slower on the Ducati this year than at the end of last year. Today he started as 18th and was 19th.
Alberto Puig who, I sense, has a Kleinmann complex, said that too. Cannot admit that he is afraid of the unpredictability of the RC213V and does not know that he was almost put in a wheelchair. In my unsolicited opinion, Jorge has to examine the things that are important in his life and withdraw from motorcycle racing, let go, be grateful for three world championship titles. While he can literally go on his own terms, Honda would no doubt be happy to forego its 2020 contract commitment with no penalty. Let Honda take care of Factory # 2; Lorenzo has to worry about Lorenzo. He has more than enough money for a life of leisure, which he has amply earned. Do Casey Stoner his role model. Withdraw as close to the top of your game as possible.
Practice and qualify
Friday 2019 belonged to ROY Lock Fabio Quartararo whipping his Petronas Yamaha M1 to the beginning of both timesheets. The hero of Saturday was Pol Espargaro, which went straight to Q2 on Sunday and from there to the middle of the front row, the very first qualifying in the front row for KTM in MotoGP.
The World Circuit Marco Simoncelli turned out to be a very friendly venue that was enjoyed by Honda, Yamaha, and KTM SuzukiLimping and, with Ducatis, despite their strong recent history Aprilia up the stream once more.
Q2 started with Viñales and Quartararo, who were favored for the Poles. Two Suzukis in Q2, 2 KTM. Yamahas took three of the top four and four of the top seven, followed by Viñales on pole, Quartararo in third and a strong-looking Morbidelli on the inside of row 2.
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Maverick Viñales took pole, Pol Espargaro finished second, giving KTM its first front row start in MotoGP. Fabio Quartararo qualified third.
Rossi finished seventh after a late second-quarter argument with Marquez (P5), which will see fans disagree about who was to blame. I couldn’t tell, but the moment it happened Marquez had two red bars, shot at the pole and it wasn’t Rossi, ergo Rossi had less to lose in a close encounter, ergo he took it upon himself, Punish, vigilante style, Marquez runs far after flashing Rossi on the inside by pushing him into the green, wrecking the lap completely for both drivers, then doing a little block pass, causing Marquez to hit the brakes and to raise his hand, no mas, no mas. Marquez saw it laughing a little later in his garage. Race management asked if they could stop by later to discuss the incident, which resulted in nothing but excellent beer, wine and cheese, Marquez beaming, Rossi listless and seething. Stripped of his crown by this insolent, disrespectful, selfish Spaniard; sick and tired of everything. In his house crib. As they say in Tennessee, “disgraceful”.
One wonders what would have happened if their match for victory on Sunday had taken place.
The race
Similar to my cheese sauce, today’s race was quickly divided into several groups of drivers, with the races within the race on Sunday being met with great interest. Marquez and Quartararo went off alone, leaving the Yamaha machines of Viñales, Morbidelli and Rossi fighting for the final podium. Viñales hasn’t really been able to use his first pole since then Qatar but had enough to take with the reigning GOAT and the young Franco, who is always looking better Andrea Dovizioso close to sixth place.
KTM’s Espargaro celebrated victory over an ascendant Joan Mir (SUZ) for P7, with Jack Miller and Petrucci close the top ten in their non-threatening Ducs. The riders who did not see the flag included the Ducati wildcard Michele Pirro, as well as pretenders Cal Crutchlow (SHE), Alex kidneys (SUZ) and rookie Pecco Bagnaia (DUC).
We have expressed our belief that no one, not even the young heartthrob Fabio, can get their alien card until they beat a Marquez or a Rossi or a Dovizioso etc. to take their first MotoGP win. (Danilo Petrucci did that in Mugello and no one wanted to make him an alien.) Today Quartararo might have become a full-fledged alien if he could have stopped Marquez on this eventful last round.
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While Fabio Quartararo is still looking for his first MotoGP win of his career, his four podiums and strong qualifying performances suggest that it might only be a matter of time. The findings from today’s fight with Marc Marquez will serve him well in the future.
Despite Marquez’s difficult last-round encounters with Rins and Dovi, I don’t think # 20 had a prayer today. Today I think was “On behalf of the aliens and me, welcome to MotoGP, Fabio, please find a way to be happy, to finish second. Let me know when you feel able to win. “
Tranches
After Silverstone:
Stage 1: Marc Marquez
Installment 2: Andrea Dovizioso, Alex Rins, Fabio Quartararo, Valentino Rossi, Maverick Viñales, Cal Crutchlow, Jack Miller
Installment 3: Danilo Petrucci, Pol Espargaro, Joan Mir, Takaa Nakagami, Franco Morbidelli, Miguel Oliveira
Tranche 4: Johann Zarco, Aleix Espargaro, Pecco Bagnaia, Andrea Iannone
Installment 5: Jorge Lorenzo, Karel Abraham, Hafizh Syahrin, Tito Rabat
To Misano:
Stage 1: Marc Marquez
Installment 2: Andrea Dovizioso, Alex Rins, Fabio Quartararo, Valentino Rossi, Maverick Viñales, Franco Morbidelli, Pol Espargaro
Installment 3: Danilo Petrucci, Joan Mir, Takaa Nakagami, Miguel Oliveira, Cal Crutchlow, Jack Miller, Johann Zarco
Installment 4: Aleix Espargaro, Pecco Bagnaia, Andrea Iannone
Installment 5: Jorge Lorenzo, Karel Abraham, Hafizh Syahrin, Tito Rabat
Next up: Aragon
MotoGP teams can’t pass GO, can’t collect $ 200, and have to head straight to dusty Aragon for round 14 of an increasingly daunting 2019 season. The route with its counterfeit 3,000-year-old stones in front of the gigantic video walls is an unforgettable sight. If there is one positive note on today’s result, it is that it eliminated any possibility that # 93 could take the title this time around. The chances of winning a title in Buriram rose to 35% while Motegi climbed to 65%.
We will be back in the middle of the week with a view of the Aragon circuit.
| MotoGP San Marino 2019 results | |||
| Item | driver | team | Time |
| 1 | Marc Marquez | Repsol Honda | 42: 25.163 |
| 2 | Fabio Quartararo | Petronas Yamaha SRT | +0.903 |
| 3rd | Maverick Viñales | Monster Energy Yamaha | +1,636 |
| 4th | Valentino Rossi | Monster Energy Yamaha | +12,660 |
| 5 | Franco Morbidelli | Petronas Yamaha SRT | +12,774 |
| 6th | Andrea Dovizioso | Mission Winnow Ducati | +13,744 |
| 7th | Pol Espargaro | Red Bull KTM factory | +20,050 |
| 8th | Joan Mir | Suzuki Ecstar | +22,512 |
| 9 | Jack Miller | Pramac Ducati | +26,554 |
| 10 | Danilo Petrucci | Mission Winnow Ducati | +31,456 |
| 11 | Johann Zarco | Red Bull KTM factory | +32,388 |
| 12th | Aleix Espargaro | Aprilia Gresini | +34,477 |
| 13th | Tito Rabat | Real Avintia Ducati | +35,325 |
| 14th | Jorge Lorenzo | Repsol Honda | +47,247 |
| fifteen | Hafizh Syahrin | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | +1: 02.280 |
| 16 | Miguel Oliveira | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | +1: 07.831 |
| 17th | Karel Abraham | Real Avintia Ducati | +1: 24,666 |
| 18th | Takaaki Nakagami | LCR Honda Idemitsu | +1 lap |
| Unclassified | |||
| DNF | Cal Crutchlow | LCR Honda Castrol | 5 rounds |
| DNF | Michele Pirro | Ducati team | 6 rounds |
| DNF | Alex kidneys | Suzuki Ecstar | 12 rounds |
| DNF | Francesco Bagnaia | Pramac Ducati | 16 rounds |
| MotoGP top 10 ranking 2019 after 13 laps | |||
| Item | driver | motorcycle | Points |
| 1 | Marc Marquez | Repsol Honda | 275 |
| 2 | Andrea Dovizioso | Mission Winnow Ducati | 182 |
| 3rd | Danilo Petrucci | Mission Winnow Ducati | 151 |
| 4th | Alex kidneys | Suzuki Ecstar | 149 |
| 5 | Maverick Viñales | Monster Energy Yamaha | 134 |
| 6th | Valentino Rossi | Monster Energy Yamaha | 129 |
| 7th | Fabio Quartararo | Petronas Yamaha SRT | 112 |
| 8th | Jack Miller | Pramac Racing Ducati | 101 |
| 9 | Cal Crutchlow | LCR Honda Castrol | 88 |
| 10 | Franco Morbidelli | Petronas Yamaha SRT | 77 |