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Post by truenorth on Oct 3, 2023 7:40:14 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Oct 3, 2023 7:46:16 GMT -8
From a Deckchair on the Iceberg Oct 2 Augusto Fernández didn't lose his ride. He gained a full scholarship to the esteemed Pedrosa Samurai Academy. Tons of track time, 6X wildcards, money in the bank, and a true master to study under. There are worse paths to becoming a title threat in '25.   |
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Post by truenorth on Oct 4, 2023 7:11:54 GMT -8
Honda and Marc Marquez to end collaboration early by mutual agreement  Honda Racing Corporation and Marc Marquez have mutually elected to terminate their four-year contract prematurely at the end of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season With a year still remaining on the four-year contract between HRC and Marc Marquez, both parties have mutually agreed to end their collaboration upon completion of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season. Both parties agreed it was in their best interests to each pursue other avenues in the future to best achieve their respective goals and targets. This brings an end to 11 years of collaboration between the #93 and HRC in which they achieved six premier class World Championships, five Triple Crowns, 59 wins, 101 podiums and 64 pole positions together. Marquez took his debut victory in the premier class aboard the Honda RC213V at the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas in 2013 to become the youngest premier class winner and would become the youngest premier class World Champion later that year. In 2014 he defended his title and won the opening 10 consecutive races of year, going on to also claim titles in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 as an HRC rider with the Repsol Honda Team. Both parties will continue to give their full support for the remaining rounds of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season. HRC wish Marc Marquez the best in his future endeavors. |
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Post by truenorth on Oct 4, 2023 7:33:40 GMT -8
Wednesday, October 4th 2023
Honda Racing Corporation and Marc Marquez to end collaboration early by mutual agreement
Honda Racing Corporation and Marc Marquez have mutually elected to terminate their four-year contract prematurely at the end of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season.
With a year still remaining on the four-year contract between HRC and Marc Marquez, both parties have mutually agreed to end their collaboration upon completion of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season. Both parties agreed it was in their best interests to each pursue other avenues in the future to best achieve their respective goals and targets.
This brings an end to 11 years of collaboration between the #93 and HRC in which they achieved six premier class World Championships, five Triple Crowns, 59 wins, 101 podiums and 64 pole positions together.
Marquez took his debut victory in the premier class aboard the Honda RC213V at the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas in 2013 to become the youngest premier class winner and would become the youngest premier class World Champion later that year. In 2014 he defended his title and won the opening 10 consecutive races of year, going on to also claim titles in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 as an HRC rider with the Repsol Honda Team.
Both parties will continue to give their full support for the remaining rounds of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season.
HRC wish Marc Marquez the best in his future endeavors
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Post by truenorth on Oct 4, 2023 7:33:56 GMT -8
Martin Raines
The MotoGP race in Japan was the 381st since the class was introduced in 2002 (not including Sprints). The 5 riders: Rossi, Lorenzo, Pedrosa, Marquez & Stoner have between them taken 572 MotoGP podiums. The remaining 571 podiums have been shared among 51 riders.
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Post by truenorth on Oct 4, 2023 7:36:05 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Oct 4, 2023 7:53:05 GMT -8
Alberto Puig, HRC's team manager, has worked in recent weeks on a plan that had no other objective than to try to avoid the departure of Honda's main claim. However, the little room for manoeuvre that the executive had - he did not receive the green light from the top brass at Honda to the hiring plan until the Austrian Grand Prix - and the refusal of the most renowned European engineers to join the fold, played a major role in the outcome of this soap opera. from www.motorsport.com/motogp/news/marc-marquez-will-leave-honda-motogp-team-for-gresini-ducati-in-2024/10528508/This seems to suggest that leaving the team was not entirely MM's choice. That HRC apparently could not hire chosen engineers suggests that HRC is on their own and I'm not sure they are unhappy about that. Maybe they are glad to be rid of MM's influence in oreder to allow thier own engineers to innovate new directions. I still think only a fool would count HRC out. |
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Post by truenorth on Oct 4, 2023 7:59:29 GMT -8
David Emmett
Oriol Puigdemont, who is usually very well informed about these things, says Marc leaves Honda on his own. Nobody goes with him, not even Santi Hernandez. Ducati don't want engineers who could go elsewhere seeing the insides of their bike.
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Post by truenorth on Oct 4, 2023 9:01:17 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Oct 5, 2023 6:58:41 GMT -8
Marc Marquez will not be leaving the village to bring his entire Technical Crew including Santi Hernandez to Gresini Racing. While saddened, he said on his Instagram Story that his decision was taken without involving the heart:
Marc Marquez: "It was the hardest decision of my life, guided by the head and courage, but not by the heart. You will always be my favorite team, the team I've always had, the team that supports me, the team that will support me. "
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Post by truenorth on Oct 5, 2023 8:06:45 GMT -8
Mat Oxley Had dinner with the legend that is Carlo Pernat at Misano. He told me if MM leaves Honda before the end of his contract he will retire. "To be a rider manager now is impossible. You work for four months to make a contract and after... In the past you made a contract and the contract was the contract. Now you make a contract & riders and factories change halfway through. For me, it's bullshit." He does have a point  |
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Post by truenorth on Oct 5, 2023 8:40:20 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Oct 6, 2023 7:56:56 GMT -8
 Pol is out, Pedro is in for 2024 with Augusto. |
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Post by truenorth on Oct 6, 2023 8:29:19 GMT -8
David Emmett
Augusto Fernandez stays at GasGas, joined by Pedro Acosta, Pol Espargaro to take on vague role "supporting riders", and it sounds like he will be replacement rider too.
Right decision. Right for Pol too, I think.
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Post by truenorth on Oct 6, 2023 8:44:08 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Oct 6, 2023 9:08:04 GMT -8
Mat Oxley 2024 may turn out to be an excellent year for MotoGP. But don't expect too much from Pedoo Acosta overnight - he will have a lot to learn, going from a normal motorcycle to a very abnormal motorcycle.  |
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Post by truenorth on Oct 7, 2023 7:20:56 GMT -8
Gresini Racing
alex marquez 73 will fly to Indonesia with the aim of taking part in the 15th Grand Prix of the season, should he be deemed fit to race after next Thursday's medical checks
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Post by truenorth on Oct 7, 2023 7:23:43 GMT -8
Lucio blocked a possible move by Johann to HRC and it will be difficult for Honda to force his hand: the contract with LCR expires at the end of 2024 and KTM has already contacted him  |
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Post by truenorth on Oct 7, 2023 7:32:14 GMT -8
Mat Oxley Dragon's teeth kerbs in situ in Qatar, for the F1 GP. These are much more aggressive than the so-called Misano kerbs used by MotoGP & the same as the kerbs recently installed at Jerez, then hastily replaced by Misanos. I assume these will be replaced by Misanos for MotoGP next March. I thought the recent increase in cooperation between the FIA & FIM was to avoid these differences, increased costs etc. (Not that money is a problem in Qatar). Thanks  |
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Post by truenorth on Oct 8, 2023 2:00:46 GMT -8
David Emmett
Suspected collarbone fracture for Marco Bezzecchi. Either a bad time - a week before a triple header - or a good time - a week to get it fixed, maybe miss just one race. No confirmation yet
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