MotoGP Round 12: Gran Premio de Europa (Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Valencia, Spain)

The abbreviated 2020 MotoGP season is winding to a close.  We are now at a dozen races.  This is the 12th race of the 2020 championship out of a 14-race schedule.  Welcome to the first of two back-to-back races at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain.  It is crunch time for the 2020 MotoGP World Championship.  Time is of the essence, no doubt, as we look at the starting grid for this motorcycle race.  Pol Espargaro for Red Bull KTM and their factory team, joined on the front row by Suzuki's Alex Rins, and by Takaaki Nakagami on the LCR Idemitsu Honda.  

Joan Mir, Rins' Suzuki team mate is in the middle of row two, and the Spaniard is leading the world championship at this juncture.  Fabio Quartararo, the Frenchman, who had a storming beginning to 2020, he has work to do if he wants to mix it up with the front runners.  He is starting from the middle of the fourth row inbetween both Brad Binder and Andrea Dovizioso.  Brad Binder, the South African, he is tenth on the grid, but he must serve a long lap penalty at some stage during this race.  Third place man in the World Championship, Yamaha rider, Maverick Vinales, from Spain, he is going to start the motorcycle race from pit lane.

Alex Rins aims for a hat trick of podium finishes.  This is something he's never done before.  All the talk is over.  It's time for the first of two races in two straight weekends at Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia, Spain.  We look to the lights, and away we go!  Red lights extinguished and the MotoGP riders are racing!  Pol Espargaro rockets away from his pole position spot, and Joan Mir, too, gets a flyer of a start.  Takaaki Nakagami is in the game too, as they scream towards turn one for the first time of asking.  Rins is trapped in second spot, so, Pol Espargaro is your race leader.

Nakagami and Mir nearly touch!  Miguel Oliveira, too, has a good start, moving up three places from his starting position of eighth, into fifth.  Now then, Maverick Vinales accelerates out of the pit lane and he will join the rest of the field.  Fabio Quartararo, too, is making up spots, a race winner from earlier on in the year, moving his way past Aleix Espargaro on the Aprilia.  Miguel Oliveira has been gaining places hand over fist.  Joan Mir moves inside Takaaki Nakagami at turn six.  Mir is into the podium places already.  Your top six includes Pol Espargaro, Alex Rins, Joan Mir, Takaaki Nakagami, Joan Mir, and Johann Zarco.

Oh dear!  Rider down!  Fabio Quartararo has thrown it away on lap one of this motorcycle race!  Dear oh dear!  Wow.  This changes everything and takes the Frenchman out of championship contention!  He has crashed and so has Aleix Espargaro!  Fabio Quartararo's championship aspirations are now in tatters.  We look at the points table as they run.  Joan Mir leads on 153 points.  Alex Rins is second with 125, 28 markers in-arrears.  Fabio Quartararo goes from first, to third in the standings on 123 points, 30 markers back, and in fourth place, 32 points behind and just two behind Quartararo, on 121, is Franco Morbidelli.

Unreal!  How many more twists and turns will we see in this championship?  Quartararo and Aleix Espargaro have crashed out of this motorcycle race at turn eight.  Pol Espargaro leads on the KTM and just as we saw at both Aragon races, we have two Suzuki's in podium contention, with Rins followed by Mir.  Rins wants by Pol Espargaro, and yes, he is on the inside, and making the pass as we speak!  Bish, bash, bosh.  That was easy.  Rins now leads the European motorcycle Grand Prix!  Mir isn't going to let rins out of his sites and we only have three laps on the board.  There's lots of racing left in this one.  

Joan Mir looks like he will have enough oomph, enough speed in that motorcycle to move around Pol Espargaro and begin the pursuit of Rins, his Suzuki Ecstar team mate.  Joan Mir goes by Miguel Oliveira.  He just didn't want to continue to be monstered by Pol Espargaro.  So, we have a Suzuki 1-2 at the moment and that bike turns on a sixpence through corners ten and 11.  Or, if your prefer, the bike does indeed turn on a dime.  In the background, look, Brad Binder, the South African rider for Red Bull KTM, is serving his long lap penalty that was assessed to him by the FIM stewards.

We move ahead to lap number ten if I have my counting right.  Make that lap 11.  Fabio Quartararo and the Malaysian backed Petronas SRT Yamaha Team have been the ones to beat in 2020, but as of late, it has all gone pear shaped for this team.  Pol Espargaro is running some very consistent laps.  We see a message on the screen to Joan Mir from the Suzuki pit box.  Mapping 2.  So, this has to do with fuel, with fuel management and how the motorcycle's computer, the engine's brain, is managing the fuel.  Joan Mir actually ran into tire issues in the last couple races.

Fuel should not be a concern in a MotoGP race.  These events are usually fairly short and the bikes are pretty much mandated to carry on the race on full tanks without having to stop for petrol.  We can see that Pol Espargaro is reeling in Joan Mir hand over fist.  Valentino Rossi has been having a fraught race and it could be game over for the legend.  "The Doctor", his factory Yamaha, the bike cut out on him and stalled.  This may be usually attributed to an electronics issue with how advanced in a technical sense these MotoGP motorcycles are in that department.  However, the root of the issue can be traced to something mechanical.  

Reports from the pit lane are that Rossi's fuel pump is gone.  The fuel pump is busted, and so, it is game over for the Italian.  Poor old Franco Morbidelli is having trouble as he is dusted by Andrea Dovizioso on the Ducati.  Dovizioso now ninth, demoting Morbidelli to tenth.  Working lap 15 and Mir is pushing very hard indeed.  Boom.  Takaaki Nakagami has moved into fourth place, passing Miguel Oliveira, and meanwhile, it is game over for Tito Rabat.  He has retired the 2019 spec Ducati Desmosedici that he rides for Esponsorama Racing.  Nakagami moves to fourth, but as you can see, Oliveira is about to go wheel to wheel with him.  

The last thing poor old Nakagami needs is for Oliveira to whistle by him.  Well, Oliveira is denied as Nakagami tells him, "no you don't sunshine.  You can't pass me!"  Nakagami must be like Muttley the dog (Dick Dastardly's foil), snickering inside his helmet.  Dear me, blokes.  It's time for another championship update.  Joan Mir as they run now, is 27 markers ahead of Alex Rins.  157 points to Mir, and his team mate at Suzuki Ecstar is on 130.  Fabio Quartararo drops back further, on 124 points, 33 behind.  Fourth place, is in possession of Maverick Vinales, 37 markers down, on 120.  This is getting spicy, look.  It's mano e mano between the two Suzuki boys.  

Mir wants it, or rather, he wanted it.  He thought about making that pass, but then decided wisely, discretion is the better part of valor at this moment.  What a cool slow mo shot of the two Suzuki's.  Mir doesn't have to do anything.  He could just cruise in second spot, and be in for the money as the season is drawing to a close.  Don't do anything silly.  Keep your powder dry.  Mir is as clever as a fox though, and he has deflected any questions from motorcycle racing journalists about pressure.  Clever as a fox and cool as a cucumber.  He's going for the championship, and speaking of going for it, he takes the lead of this motorcycle race!

Just as we were saying he's as cool as a cucumber, he fires one and lands on the bullseye, taking the lead with 11 laps to go.  He was sitting pretty but he knew he had to go for it, and now, he is going to try and pull away.  Are we staring down the barrel of Mir extending his lead in the championship, and doing so from the top step of podium?  We'll find out in ten laps or so.  Hang in there with us, ladies and gentlemen.  This race ain't over yet.  We see in replay, that lead was handed to Joan Mir on a plate!  Poor old Alex Rins, got into that corner hot, and there was nothing he could do but let his team mate whistle by.

Mir says, "muchos gracias, amigo.  I'll take all of that."  That's when you see the plate, and you scarf down all the cookies at once.  The poor bloke managing the Suzuki team, Davide Brivio, hands on his head thinking, "oh brother!  These guys, my riders, are going to drive me crazy!"  We move ahead now, look, to lap 19, and Mir, with eight laps left, doubles down.  He sets the fastest lap of the motorcycle race to this point.  There's no stopping this bloke!  An update on the lower placings, as former FIM Superbike and Superstock 1000 rider Lorenzo Savadori is caboose on the field, with four riders officially retired.  Tito Rabat, out.  Cal Crutchlow, out.  Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia, out.  Valentino "The Doctor" Rossi, out of race.

Rins has nothing for Mir.  Mir was 3/10ths of a second quicker on the most recent lap of this motorcycle races lads and lasses.  This is a textbook ride.  Jack Miller moves around Johann Zarco for sixth place.  The Suzuki, unlike any of the other five brands of motorbike here, can keep grip in the tires for the last third of these races, and that's part of what makes the bike so good.  A good rider needs a good motorcycle, and so, we know that Joan Mir has the tools to succeed.  Will he succeed today?  Pressing the fast forward button on the DVR, now we have just five laps to go.  Mir remains in the lead.  You've missed nothing.  

Should Mir win today, he will be the ninth different race winner in a dozen MotoGP races in 2020.  Brad Binder sets fastest lap of this race at 1:31.884, which is slower in comparison to the record lap, set last year, by Marc Marquez at 1:31.116.  Still, Binder has uncorked a good one, running tenth, with four laps left in the race.  Binder is chiseling away at his rival, giving Andrea Dovizioso aboard the factory Ducati a king size headache here.  Dovizioso in the meatime has his hands full with Alex Marquez on the second factory Repsol Honda, normally teamed with his brother, Marc Marquez.  But, of course, with Marc recovering from injuries, Stefan Bradl is still riding that second Repsol Honda bike.

Nine different winners in 2020 would equal and tie the mark set in 2016 of the same number of different riders to win in MotoGP racing.  Four to go now and Andrea Dovizioso pulls out to pass Alex Marquez.  Dovizioso breezes past the Honda rider.  Oh no!  Marquez loses the bike and falls down!  Marquez was within inches of taking out Andrea Dovizioso and dragging the Italian down with him!  That was hairy!  This doesn't look good for Alex Marquez's chances of winning the Rookie of The Year award.

Marquez, right up behind Dovizioso hit a damp patch on the road and was set down hard.  Blimey!  That was ugly!  One lap to go.  Four kilometers of racing remains for Joan Mir here in Spain at the European Grand Prix.  He could become the ninth different winner in MotoGP 2020.  No worries through the first few turns.  11 corners away from the biggest moment of his career.  Suzuki has a gorgeous motorcycle with a coupole of really good riders, and Joan Mir, he is about to win his first race.  Davide Brivio looking on, nervously.  But Suzuki are going to score a 1-2 in Valenvia.  Nakagami and Oliviera are going for third and fourth.  For the first time since 1982, Suzuki has a 1-2 in a World Championship race!  In 1982, Suzuki had (in the halcyon days of the 500cc class), Italian riders Franco Uncini and Marco Lucchinelli.  Joan Mir wins Valencia and is in control of his destiny for a championship!  Pol Espargaro third.  Takaaki Nakagami fourth.  Fifth for Miguel Oliveira.   

#36 Joan Mir     ESP.     Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR

What a race!  We are back here in Valencia, next Sunday, for another race, the penultimate round of the championship.  Join us to find out what happens.  Will it be as exciting as today's thriller?  We'll find out together, next weekend.  Adios, for now, from Spain.

Ben Bostrom, Leigh Diffey Preview Teruel Grand Prix | Motorsports on NBC

Leigh Diffey and Ben Bostrom discuss American rider Cameron Beaubier's move to Moto2, take a look at Suzuki’s points lead, and preview the Teruel Grand Prix. #NBCSports #MotoGP #TeruelGrandPrix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej6TYzeLu1o 

MotoGP Round 11: Aragon Grand Prix (Aragon, Spain)

Motorland Aragon in Aragon, Spain, the autonomous community of the country, and it is located in Alcaniz, on the banks of the Guadalope River, in the province of Teruel.  This is the setting for the tenth race of the 2020 MotoGP World Championship, and will be the home of MotoGP for the next two races in the championship.  This is the first of two races that will run at Motorland Aragon, including one, next weekend as well.  Fabio Quartararo heats the brakes on his Petronas Yamaha, starting from pole position for the tenth time this season.  Alex Rins did very well in a race simulation in Free Practice 4.  He will be another one to watch as we are ready to get underway.  Could it also be Suzuki and Joan Mir's day to finally win a MotoGP race?  We are about to find out.

Who will master Motorland?  Turn up the volume, and enjoy, MotoGP at Aragon, in Spain.  Red lights, on.  Red lights, out!  Away we go!  Cal Crutchlow gets a good launch and Jack Miller is scything his way up to the sharp end as we speak.  23 laps scheduled around Motorland Aragon for today's race.  Franco Morbidelli, meanwhile, is the man who will lead this motorcycle race into the first corner.  Morbidelli moves past team mate Fabio Quartararo.  Morbidelli tries to hold the lead but runs wide, look.  So, someone is going to challenge him right from lights out, here at Motorland.  

It is a Yamaha 1-2-3 as Maverick Vinales also gets a flyer from the start of this motorcycle race.  Vinales leads as Alex Rins slices his way past another rider.  Rins has gained six spots in the opening lap, alone!  Holy mackerel!  He was shot out of a cannon and goes from tenth place to fourth.  Joan Mir has lost spots on the Suzuki as he scraps with Takaaki Nakagami on the LCR Idemitsu Honda.  Andrea Dovizioso has also had a good start aboard the factory Ducati.  Joan Mir runs sixth and Jack Miller on one of the other Ducati's, the second of the Pramac bikes, is losing places.

Miller cannot get by Rins as they enter the Reverse Corkscrew for the first time.  This corner is set up very much like the famous Corkscrew at Laguna Seca Raceway in California in the United States, but goes in the opposite direction.  Lap two now and Andrea Dovizioso is challenging Alex Marquez on the inside, gets in the corner a little too hot, and Alex Marquez says "I'll have some of that, thank you very much, mate", and takes the spot right back from the Italian.  Alex Rins moves past Franco Morbidelli and now he has Alex Marquez to deal with as well.  The younger Marquez is showing his worth of being a MotoGP rider, just as his older brother, World Champion, Marc Marquez, is, although Marc Marquez continues to recover from injury that he suffered earlier in the season.

Rins moves to third on lap three.  You never know what to xpect from Alex Rins except for the fact that the Spaniard is really fast.  Fabio Quartararo registers the first fastest lap of the motorcycle race, uncorking a 1:48.606.  Quartararo meanwhile, is catching Maverick Vinales who is leading the race on the factory Yamaha.  But, it is game over for Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia.  It has been an unmitigated disaster for the Italian on the #63 Pramac Racing Ducati.  "Pecco" was scrapping with Miguel Oliveira for 16th spot, Oliveira on the #88 KTM for Red Bull KTM Tech3.  He was caught out at corner number five.

Meantime, we look back to the front of the pack in this motorcycle race, and it remains a battle between Takaaki Nakagami and Alex Marquez.  Marquez has gone around Andrea Dovizioso and left him eating the Repsol Honda rider's dust.  Lap six now, and Alex Marquez still has his hands full, this time, another Ducati, reeling in Marquez, and the man doing the chasing, look, is the Aussie, Jack Miller.  Miller on the second of the Pramac Racing Ducati's, bike #43.  He has the inside line, but Alex Marquez, he's a terrier, and he is going to nip at Miller's heels and say, "you don't have anything, sunshine.  I'm coming right back by."  

Takaaki Nakagami, the Japanese rider aboard the Idemitsu Honda, is going to try and make a move as well.  Meantime, Maverick Vinales continues in the lead and gets pit board information, not that he could probably read it at 200 miles an hour plus while trying to control the motorcycle.  But, he has Alex Rins right on his six, right on his rear wheel.  Lap seven, and from the time split, we can see that Rins is actually quicker than Vinales, by 6/10ths of a second.  1:49.225 for Vinales, while Rins clocks in at 1:48.601.  A ways to go yet.  Still 17 laps left on the board.  Anything can happen.  

Rins is still chasing Vinales, and meanwhile, Franco Morbidelli has moved by Fabio Quartararo.  Quartaro and Morbidelli both run wide on the pair of Petronas SRT Yamaha's, and in going wide, as they both do, Joan Mir on the Suzuki, picks up the bish bash bosh bonus, and gets two for the price of one!  Hardy har har.  Mir moves up to third, has his cake, and eats it as well, rubbing whipped cream in the collective faces of the SRT Petronas Yamaha boys.  Our live championship points are displayed.  Now, we have 16 laps to go.  If the race, by surprise, ended now, we'd see this.  Fabio Quartaro on 126 points leads the championship cup, but by five only, over Maverick Vinales on 121 and Joan Mir, tied on the same amount of points.  

So, the two blokes in second place would be tied, and then, we see a further 22 point gap from the leader, Quartararo, to fourth place points man, Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso.  It was a battle of who would be the king of the late brakers between the Petronas Yamaha boys.  Sweeping down the back straight, Cal Crutchlow passes Danilo Petrucci for tenth spot.  Rins is moving up and Alex Marquez is catching Fabio Quartararo hand over fist.  Alex Rins, look, moves right past Maverick Vinales for the lead of this motorcycle race.

Joan Mir also continues closing up.  So, we might just have a Suzuki 1-2 before long.  Alex Marquez has moved past Fabio Quartararo who continues to lead the World Championship but by even less now. More gray hairs, and no nails for Davide Brivio, Suzuki team boss.  Suzuki had to wait 13 years until last time out, to have two bikes on the podium, after they last did so in 2007 at Misano.  Marquez moves to the inside of Franco Morbidelli.  The last time Suzuki has two bikes on a podium, in 2007, the riders were Australian Chris Vermuellen and American John Hopkins.

Morbidelli gerts dusted by Alex Marquez moving into fourth.  Cal Crutchlow also wants by Fabio Quartararo.  He will be in pain and his championship nwi;ll be throbbing as well.  Quatararo, as it stands now, will be only a single point ahead of Joan Mir, 122-121, with Maverick Vinales six markers adrift at 116, and 17 points in-arrears, at 105, will be Andrea Dovizioso.  11 laps left in this motorcycle race at Aragon.  Alex Marquez is a transformed rider, and the Honda as a motorcycle is getting better and better in 2020.

Honda has been one of the most amazing factory teams in MotoGP history.  But, Suzuki is also a top contender.  Here comes Vinales, sweeping around Mir, but Mir tries to go back around.  He has the inside line, but Vinales slams the door in his face, however, Mir comes back.  Mir makes it a Suzuki 1-2.  Can Vinales hold on?  The Yamaha is turning into an evil handling motorcycle right now.  Can Maverick Vinales keep up the pressure?  Alex Marquez is going to make a move on Vinales.  Live points again, now show Mir at 125, four markers ahead of Quatararo at 121.  Vinales is third on 112, 13 points adrift, and fourth is Dovizioso, on 105, 20 points out of the lead.

Alex Marquez dive bombs Vinales into the corner, but the Yamaha's are having a horrid time.  Johann Zarco of all people, has just passed Fabio Quartararo.  Remember the tear he went on earlier in the season?  Well, the wheels may be coming off the wagon now.  Alex Marquez looks to the inside of Joan Mir.  We are on lap 18.  Just five laps remain here at Motorland Aragon.  Alex Marquez could still win this race.  There's still time for him to make a convincing move on the Suzuki duo.  In low grip conditions like we have here at Motorland Aragon, we are aware that the Honda does do a number on it's tires.  Will the tires on that motorcycle hold out for the last six laps of the race?

Again, Suzuki boss Davide Brivio is getting nervous.  He can barely watch what is going on with the race at the moment.  Can Alex Marquez pounce on the Suzuki's?  Will he?  Through he goes there, look.  Like a hot knife through butter, he makes the pass.  The medium compound Michelin front tire will be doing much better in these conditions than the soft compound Michelin.  There's no question of that.  Marc Marquez has won at Motorland Aragon the last three years.  Alex Marquez wants to keep his family's reputation going here at the Spanish circuit.

Their dad, Julian, can barely watch.  Marc Marquez, recovering, at home in Severa, has to be keeping an eye on how his brother is doing.  Down the back straight wre go, and with three laps left, it is Honda vs. Suzuki.  Marquez is closing on Alex Rins.  He's coming after Rins now, and he wiggles!  He almost throws the motorcycle on the deck, but stays in the saddle!  Unbelievable!  It's the Alex and Alex show with two laps left here at Motorland Aragon.  Marquez spun up the rear tire.  We will have an eighth different race winner in MotoGP.  It's crunch time.  Alex Marquez is not giving up.  Joan Mir will be the points leader, but Mir is in trouble and Maverick Vinales is closing for third spot.

Alex Marquez is coming in a hurry.  Downhill into the reverse corkscrew for the final time.  Alex Marquez will have to get close enough to get a slipstream on the Suzuki if he wants a chance at winning this race.  Mir and Vinales are 3/10ths of a second apart.  There will be a close finish for third spot, too.  But as they come out of the last turn, can Alex Marquez drive far enough?  Marquez wants it.  He might not be close enough.  Rins might just have this and he does!  Alex Rins wins the race with Marquez second and Joan Mir rounding out the podium.

Maverick Vinales and Takaaki Nakagami round out the top five.  Six through tenth, it is Franco Morbidelli, Andrea Dovizioso, Cal Crutchlow, Jack Miller, and Johann Zarco.  Alex Rins takes Suzuki's first win of 2020.  

#42 Alex Rins     ESP.    Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX RR

We do it all again, here at Aragon, next weekend, for the Teruel Grand Prix.  Joins us then, for the 11th of 14 races in MotoGP 2020.  See you next weekend, for more from MotoGP.  Bye for now.

 

 

MotoGP Race Recap: Petrucci, Ducati win crazy, rainy race at Le Mans | Motorsports on NBC

Steve Day, Simon Crafar and Matt Birt break down a crazy French Grand Prix at Le Mans. #MotorsportsonNBC #MotoGP 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itpoXeXmIFU

MotoGP Round 10: French Grand Prix (SHARK Helmets Grand Prix de France), Le Mans, France

The fabled motor racing city of Le Mans, in northwestern France, is the scene for the latest round of the MotoGP World Championship.  Of course, the motorcycles do not use the full Circuit de la Sarthe as the cars do for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.  They, for this race, and for their own 24 Hours of Le Mans race, utilize the shorter Bugatti circuit, and that is the track that will play host to today's MotoGP action, which is coming at you, right now.  It's live, and it's next!

Fabio Quartararo is still leading the MotoGP World Championship as he lines up here on the grid at Le Mans.  It is going to be a wet race today at Le Mans that we have to look forward to.  Quartararo is leading the championship ahead of Joan Mir.  It's the Yamaha rider vs. the Suzuki rider in the points fight.  Quartararo's bike is squatted and he's ready to go, along with the other MotoGP contenders.  Right lights, on.  Red lights, out!  Away we go in the French motorcycle Grand Prix at Le Mans!  A good start for Jack Miller and here comes Cal Crutchlow as we climb the hill towards the first turn at the Dunlop chicane for the first time of asking in this 26 lap race.

Crutchlow, the British rider on the LCR Honda with Castrol oil sponsorship, he rockets out of the starting gate and leads this motorcycle race right from the off.  Maverick Vinales on the first of the factory Yamaha's has been swallowed up as they approach the Dunlop curves for the first time, on a damp, wet track here at Le Mans.  Quartararo and Crutchlow are scrapping and oh dear!  Valentino Rossi is down.  He's planted his motorcycle just within the first couple corners!  

"The Doctor" can't find a cure for his ailments as far as results in 2020.  It is a third successive DNF for Rossi!  Heartbreaking stuff.  Really heartbreaking, for a guy who used to dominate and rule Grand Prix motorcycle racing in the past, but not this year.  Jack Miller was shot out of a cannon and leads into La Chapelle for the first time, but he runs wide, and will give that lead up as Fabio Quartararo is going to fight on the outside.  Quartararo is second on the #20 Yamaha YZR M1 for Petronas Yamaha SRT.  Pol Espargaro is also running well aboard the #44 factory Red Bull backed KTM.

He is fifth.  Even better is Andrea Dovizioso, the factory Ducati rider, who is now in second place.  Danilo Petrucci, his Ducati team mate is making a move on the inside line past Quartararo too, look.  Quartararo is learning how to be brave in the rain, but he is being monstered by the Ducati's at the moment.  No pun intended, as Monster Energy is of course the sponsor of the Yamaha factory team.  Alex Rins, the Spaniard is also moving up and he's gained at last ten spots within the span of the first couple corners here at Le Mans.

Rins of course is Joan Mir's Suzuki team mate.  For Valentino Rossi, as we've said, it is his third successive retirement.  What a shame.  It is a Ducati 1-2-3 right now, in the wet.  Jack Miller leading Danilo Petrucci and Andrea Dovizioso.  #43 leads #9 leads #04.  Bradley Smith is showing his prowess in the rain as well, going inside of Johann Zarco.  Zarco on the #5 Reale Avintia Racing Ducati, being passed by the #38 bike, the Brit on the factory Aprilia for Team Gresini.  Petrucci and Miller are wheel to wheel, and Petrucci, the winner of the Mugello race, takes the lead away.

Now, Ducati have never won here at Le Mans, nor have they locked out the podium at a MotoGP race.  It's early doors yet, but, could the bikes from Bologna spring a surprise before this motorcycle race is done and dusted?  We'll see.  Quartararo is not running to his expected form today.  Lap three and he's being monstered by the KTM there, of Miguel Oliveira.  Alex Marquez on the #73 Repsol Honda has also fallen victim to the wrath of his fellow Spaniard.  Takaaki Nakagami and Aleix Espargaro are also ready to pounce.  You have the Idemitsu LCR Honda of Nakagami, bike #30, and Aleix Espargaro on the #41, the second Team Gresini Aprilia, absolutely going for it.

As of now (and I know, the points as they run thing is silly because it's during the race and not after), we can see Fabio Quartararo would have his lead cut down to just ten points over Andrea Dovizioso, 114-110.  Joan Mir on the Suzuki would be third, 14 markers behind at 100 points even, and Jack Miller, 23 points behind Quartararo, on 91.  We can see now, a battle between two Yamaha's.  One factory bike and one SRT Petronas bike.  Maverick Vinales is about to be passed by Franco Morbidelli.  Vinales, Morbidelli, and Mir, are nearly caboose on the field in 18th, 19th, and 20th, respectively.

That action was on lap five.  We move ahead now to lap seven and at the top of the shop, it's getting heavy.  The three Ducati's are still scrapping away for the lead of this motorcycle race.  It is Danilo Petrucci leading, Andrea Dovizioso in second, and Jack Miller in third.  Alex Rins on the Suzuki, he is catching these blokes on the Ducati's, and uncorks yet another 1:45.8, another consistent lap time from the rapid Spaniard.  Petrucci runs wide through turn two, and so, this opens the door for Andrea Dovizioso.

Rain has come to Le Mans on lap nine.  It is tipping down with rain now.  Ouch!  Bradley Smith, down and out, off the Aprilia, so the Gresini Aprilia effort has been halved here at Le Mans.  After a bruising high side crash, Bradley Smith, the Briton, crawls away.  He alsohad a mega sized high side on Friday.  So it is his second giant wallop of the weekend.  He goes down at Recordements corner.  Lap 11 and we are almost to halfway as the Ducati riders continue to dominate.  We are watching Joan Mir, down in 17th place aboard the factory Ecstar Suzuki, bike #36.  The points tables, meanwhile, are still chopping and changing.  Quatararo, at this juncture, would lead by nine points over Dovizioso 113-104, a gap of nine points.

Joan Mir would be 13 markers back, still on 100 points, and on these calculations, just like the earlier ones, we would see Maverick Vinales and Yamaha on 91 points.  Mir is cooking having put in a 1:45 dead, 1:45.0, much quicker than Senore Petrucci on the Ducati as we are a lap away from the halfway mark here at Le Mans.  Halfway home officially now, as we watch from the onboard camera as Alex Rins is reeling in Jack Miller.  The Suzuki vs. Ducati scrap continues.  The Ducati will have the legs on the straightaway, but as we move into the twists and turns of sector four on the circuit, that's where Rins and the Suzuki will make up time.  

Pol Espargaro is running even quicker than Alex Rins.  1:44.734 for Pol Espargaro on the KTM.  Petrucci, too, on the Ducati, is running extremely well, for a rider, who, well, to say the least and put it bluntly, he's either really hot or really cold with his performances.  He might be on a hot streak, as we cross the halfway mark here at Le Mans.  13 laps on the board.  13 laps left to race.  A crash has been reported, and it's Tito Rabat.  The Spaniard is down, and hopefully not out, aboard the #53 Ducati Desmosedici 19 for Hublot Real Avinita/ESponsorama Racing.  He is the first man to ditch the motorcycle in these tricky, wet conditions, at turn four, La Chapelle.  Pol Espargaro seems to be moving up, as we move past the fan wall, the spectators watching this race, from home, and clearly enjoying it.

Joan Mir is working his way through the field, trying to move into the points paying spots.  Lap 16, just ten laps remaining, here at Le Mans in MotoGP.  Alex Marquez is the rider with the fastest lap at 1:44.224.  Compare that, in wet conditions, to a dry lap by Maverick Vinales here at Le Mans in 2017 at 1:32.309.  Pol Espargaro and Alex Marquez, are catching the leading quartet, and fast.  Two more riders finding an extra turn of speed at this point are Cal Crutchlow and Miguel Oliveira.  Rins wants by Miller.  Miller is reluctant and does not want to give it up, and so, once again, he slams the door in Rins' face.

Oh dear.  Someone else has fallen off their motorcycle.  That is a sure bet, if you hear scraping noises on the pavement, someone has ditched their motorcycle, someplace.  It looks like Franco Morbidelli has crashed out, but, the Italian won't roll over and play dead.  He's going to get back in the saddle and keep on trucking.  He crashed at turn four, at La Chapelle, which has been calamity corner all day.  He is going to keep going in the race, but his championship hopes have all but evaporated.  The Ducati trio continues to lead, but no one has been willing to show each other a wheel and say, "hey, you want a piece of me?"  That's not come yet.  Not yet.  But it might.

We continue to watch the Ducati battle and points are back on the screen.  As of this moment, Fabio Quartararo, has a very slim, four point margin over Andrea Dovizioso.  113-109.  Joan Mir is shown 11 points back in third at 102.  Maverick Vinales 91 point total, is 22 behind the points leader.  Meantime, Andrea Dovizioso has shown a front wheel to Danilo Petrucci, and has gone around his Ducati team mate for the factory team.  Dovizioso leads, but not for long!  He runs wide, and now, Petrucci, his team mate, and fellow Italian, is bearing down on him.

Jack Miller now makes it a Ducati 1-2-3 once again, making his move on Alex Rins' Suzuki.  Dovizioso and Petrucci almost touch.  Just eight laps left.  Oh dear!  Cal Crutchlow, over and out!  Cal Crutchlow was in seventh, looking for a few more places to be on the podium.  That's not going to happen today.  Danilo Petrucci runs deep into the corner.  This is a proper ding dong between the Ducati boys, but it is playing right into the hands of both Pol Espargaro and Alex Marquez.  Four wide into the Dunlop Curve!  Oh dear!  Something has to give here!  

There's argy bargy everywhere!  Miller has to surrender.  He has to put his arm up to signal, "I'm going to give that position back to you, mate."  Dovizioso was picked off by Miller and Rins on the inside.  Pol Espargaro, meanwhile, along with Alex Rins, have attached themselves to this lead group.  So this has become something like a six way battle for position.  Seven laps left, and Jack Miller might have a mechanical issue with his Pramac Ducati!  Miller bails for the pit lane!  He has smoke spewing out the back of the bike!  This malfunction with the motorcycle might ruin his world championship hopes!  Spare a thought for the Aussie on his way to retirement.

Alex Marquez moves inside of Pol Espargaro.  Juse eight laps left to run here at Le Mans before this race is over.  Again, we spare a thought for Jack Miller.  He could have very well won this race had the bike not let him down.  Joan Mir on the Suzuki has worked his way to 12th spot.  Oh!  Oh no!  The other Suzuki!  Alex Rins is down, from second spot!  Suzuki's dreams of winning at Le Mans are dashed!  Chris Vermuellen won here at Le Mans 13 years ago in 2007.  Rins made a classic mistake and has crashed out at turn three, the second part of the Dunlop chicane.

There must be a curse of running in second spot here at Le Mans.  Now, just one lap remains in the motorcycle race.  Everything is laid down on the table now, as a peace offering, or, as a chance for someone to steal the loot and say, "you're mine now, suckers!"  We start the final lap of the most bizarre French Grand Prix in some time as Johann Zarco moves past Takaaki Nakagami.  It's Reale Avintia Ducati passing Idemitsu LCR Honda.  The gap is 1.2 seconds between Danilo Petrucci and Alex Marquez is constant.  It's KTM in third spot, on the podium, with Pol Espargaro.  So, we shall perhaps see three different makes on the podium here at Le Mans.

Somehow or other, Andrea Dovizioso is fending off the challenge of Miguel Oliveira.  That battle sees Ducati and KTM as well.  Alex Marquez, until now, had never ridden a MotoGP top class motorcycle in wet conditions, but he is doing so now, and putting on a clinic.  Dovizioso and Oliveira are both experiencing fading rear tires.  It's the final lap at Le Mans and is Petrucci's race to lose.  Stefan Bradl leads a group that includes a couple of cotenders.  Mir is going to try Quartararo here, look.  He sticks the pass as Quartararo goes in hot at Garage Vert.  Just don't park it in the green garage yet, mate.  

Danilo Petrucci though, he's going to experience sweet relief.  He hasn't had a top six placing since the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring in 2019.  Engine engine number nine, brings it to the finish line!  Tip your hat!  Danilo Petrucci wins MotoGP at Le Mans!  Alex Marquez and Pol Espargaro complete the podium.  Dovizioso fourth, and Johann Zarco fifth.  The rest of the top ten is Miguel Oliveira, Takaaki Nakagami, Stefan Bradl (in at Repsol Honda for the injured Marc Marquez), Fabio Quartararo, and Maverick Vinales.

#9 Danilo Petrucci     ITA.     Ducati Team Ducati Desmosedici GP20

The next MotoGP race, is the tenth round of 14, back in Spain, in the autonomous community of Aragon at Motorland Aragon, or Ciudad del Motor de Aragon Alcaniz, in Aragon, Spain, next weekend.  Looking forward to bringing you all the action.  Au revoir for now, from Le Mans, in France.

MotoGP Round 9: Catalan Grand Prix (Barcelona Catalunya, Spain)

 Barcelona Catalunya, Spain, and a legendary raceway for both two and four wheeled vehicles, is the site of the ninth race of the 2020 MotoGP World Championship.  We are ready for launch.  Stand by, as the green flag is waving.  We are set for the Monster Energy Grand Prix of Catalunya, to give this motorcycle race it's official title.  Revs up.  Red lights, on.  Red lights, out!  Away we go!  Franco Morbidelli has a good start while Valentino Rossi, the legend, bogs down on his Yamaha, bike #46.  It's Morbidelli into the lead as we have 24 laps on the board in this race.  Franco Morbidelli definitely got the hole shot and the Ducati riders, at least some of them, are mixing it up early already as well, look.

Morbidelli, meanwhile, leads into the first corner ahead of Jack Miller and Fabio Quartararo.  It's the two Petronas SRT Yamaha YZR M1's split by the #43 Pramac Ducati Desmosedici GP20.  To quote MotoGP color analyst Matt Birt, "Morbidelli absolutely smashed it right off the line", and jeepers creepers, did he ever!  A spot of bother for Valentino Rossi, and Johann Zarco has gone down, and guess who he takes out?  Our world championship leader, Andrea Dovizioso on the factory Ducati, it's game over!  Unbelievable!  Dovizioso came into this race with the championship lead, but it's all gone down the drain now.  Dovizioso's lead is gone!

MotoGP in 2020 has been crazy!  Dovizioso is fuming at Johann Zarco.  Probably, some of the things he's saying to the Frenchman just cannot be repeated here.  We are a family audience, folks.  But, Dovizioso has every right to be angry about his championship going up in a plume of sand.  Joan Mir on the Suzuki is bish bash boshing it and is up to fifth place as we speak!  Zarco is supposed to sign with Pramac Ducati, one of the factory teams, for next year.  I don't think he's considering pulling his pen out right now though.  Zarco of course, is riding currently for the Reale Avintia Ducati satellite team headquartered in Spain.  

Dovizioso, over and out, at the second corner on the race track.  Points as of now (and these are not official, so, no, yours truly doesn't like them, but we must broadcast them anyway).  We have Fabio Quartararo leading on 96 points, followed by Joan Mir five markers behind on 91.  Third is Franco Morbidelli with 89 points, eleven behind the leader, and Maverick Vinales on 85.  That's only 11 points among the top four riders in the world championship!  Mama Mia!  That's close!  Morbidelli and Rossi are first and second.  Miller, Quartararo, and Mir complete the top five.  Alex Rins, too, is making his move early in this motorcycle race.

Rins is sixth, right ahead of Pol Espargaro.  Andrea Dovizioso is walking back to the pits.  He cannot believe what has just happened to him.  Another quote from commentator Matt Birt. "He's gone from undaunted to unimpressed."  He looks back at Johann Zarco, his rival, thinking, "dude, I ought to give you a piece of my mind!"  Zarco must be equally upset.  But, it's like the old phrase, "Johann, you got some 'splainin' to do!"  Let's see what exactly happened headed into turn two.

Maverick Vinales, at first glance, got a horrible start.  He didn't launch off the line correctly.  But, closer inspection reveals that it's Danilo Petrucci, and Danilo Petrucci lost control of his factory Ducati and it made Zarco check up.  All apologies to Johann Zarco.  It was Danilo Petrucci who caused this melee.  Petrucci is the rider of the sister Ducati factory bike.  The top five, meanwhile, on lap four, have all cleared away from Johann Zarco.  Franco Morbidelli leads Valentino Rossi and Fabio Quartararo followed by Jack Miller and Joan Mir.

Espargaro is in a battle with Alex Rins.  Those two are running in the 1:40.9 range.  Lap five, and soon, we will see the cream rise to the top when the tires begin to go away.  Fabio Quartararo, the young charger, he is right in the slipstream of the multiple world champion.  Quartararo holds on, beating Rossi into the corner.  "The Doctor" gets a taste of his own medicine through the first turn.  This is one of the few times since both Morbidelli and Quartararo arrived as team mates at Petronas Yamaha SRT, that they've actually raced each other, heads up.

In 2019, Fabio was faster than Franco.  Meanwhile, Maverick Vinales on the factory Yamaha, the second factory Yamaha is trapped in 15th spot.  He said on Saturday "it is very tough to overtake on the Yamaha", and unfortunately for Vinales, those words are ringing true.  In replay, we watch Quartararo moving around Rossi, again, with ease.  Rossi and Miller are staying right in the wheel tracks of the top three as it's early doors yet, and we are only on lap seven.  Quartararo puts himself in the slipstream of Franco Morbidelli.  Quartararo moves into the lead of this motorcycle race.

Lap nine, and will Morbidelli or Rossi respond?  Will Quartararo begin whistling off into the distance?  Manage the gap, and do this even when the tires begin to fall off, when they begin to lose whatever sweet spot they're in at the moment.  Quartararo fell off his motorcycle in morning warmup here in Barcelona this morning.  He does not want to repeat that mishap.  Some smoke there, look, from Quartararo's rear tire.  The tires are beginning to drop off a cliff, as there's a king size scrap for seventh spot between Danilo Petrucci on the factory Ducati and Pol Espargaro on the factory KTM.

Joan Mir on the Suzuki also needs to pick up the pace as we are a lap away from the halfway mark in this race.  The gap is 3/10ths of a second between Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli.  Then, it's five tenths between Franco Morbidelli and Valentino Rossi.  In the meantime, Cal Cruchlow is closing up on Aleix Espargaro.  It's Crutchlow on the Castrol LCR Honda RC213V #35 vs. Aleix Espargaro aboard the factory Red Bull KTM RC16, bike #44.

We have Maverick Vinales lapping the circuit in the 1:41.3 bracket as well.  We are now into the second half of this motorcycle race in Barcelona.  Alex Rins has run the fastest lap so far but we do not know the lap time he registered.  Oh dear!  I hear that nasty sound of a motorcycle scraping along the pavement.  Someone has gone down.  Someone has ditched their bike.  Pol Espargaro has crashed out of his home Grand Prix.  So, that's one of the factory Red Bull KTM riders over and out.  He just went around Danilo Petrucci but leans too hard into turn one and falls over, dropping the motorcycle.

Quartararo's rear tire may be giving out as Joan Mir is the shark and Jack Miller is definitely the minnow.  He is being gobbled up by the Spaniard.  Franco Morbidelli runs wide into turn one and almost goes down!  He saves it!  That was into the first corner, the same place where Pol Espargaro crashed as he was trying to go by Danilo Petrucci.  Blimey!  Morbidelli did a whale of a job to keep that motorcycle upright.  Joan Mir is chasing Jack Miller.  Also, give a call to Takaaki Nakagami.  The Japanese rider is up to ninth place aboard his #30 Idemitsu sponsored LCR Honda RC213V.  

With eight laps left on the board, on lap 16, Maverick Vinales is way down in 14th spot.  Miller hangs on but another rider, as we can tell by a decelerating engine and scraping on the pavement, has hit the deck.  It's "The Doctor"!  Valentino Rossi is down and out!  The dream is over of trying to win the 2020 MotoGP World Championship.  Rossi is a seven time champion, including five straight titles.  But, the dream of an eighth title will not materialize for "The Doctor" in 2020.  His 200th podium also disappears as he is obviously shaken after falling off the motorcycle and into the gravel trap.

He's on the brakes itno turn one, the right hander, and he went to change direction and the front end of the motorcycle washes out.  From there, Rossi is a passenger and gets pitched off the seat.  The bike rumbles to a stop, on it's side, in the gravel trap.  Game over for Rossi.  Iker Lecuona is also down and out.  The Spanish rider for Red Bull KTM Tech3 has actually crashed four times this weekend.  It's been a pear shaped weekend for him all around and one to erase from his memory bank.  Correction.  Right nation, but wrong rider.  That is Miguel Oliveira whose race has gone pear shaped.  He's fallen off the sister Tech3 KTM, bike #88.  

Tire temperatures are on a knife edge and the two turns we've seen here today in Barcelona that are "calamity corner(s)" have been turn two and turn five.  Alex Rins, meanwhile, is pouring on the steam, making inroads on Jack Miller.  Miller is very close to putting his Ducati on the podium.  Two laps left in this motorcycle race now, as we see Joan Mir in the slipstream of Franco Morbidelli.  Morbidelli tries to defend, but it ain't workin'.  He's having to give way to the Suzuki man.  Alex Rins is also all over Morbidelli like el cheapo suito here.  The Suzuki's have a late turn of speed here in Barcelona.

Tire durability is paramount and the Suzuki boys are very good at nursing tires because their motorcycles are easy on the Michelin rubber.  They just don't overexert their tires.  Suzuki can get the durability out of their tires.  Now, Franco Morbidelli could be on for a podium.  Points as they run, sees Fabio Quartararo extending his lead by eight points over Joan Mir, 108-100.  Third spot belongs to Maverick Vinales, 19 markers behind on 89 points, and in fourth place, Andrea Dovizioso will have to dig himself out of a hole.  He's 24 points behind Quartararo with 84.  Morbidelli is desperate to hang onto the podium.

It's the final lap.  Lap 24.  Half a lap remains here at Barcelona.  Fabio Quartararo is desperate for the checkered flag.  He has fallen off a bit.  The virtual fan wall, is here, as fans watrch from home.  Fabio Quartararo won his first Grand Prix two years ago and got his first podium a year ago.  Fabio Quartararo wins at Catalunya ahead of the Suzuki's of Mir and Rins.  Morbidelli will be gutted, losing a podium.  Quartararo wins ahead of Joan Mir and Alex Rins.  Morbidelli is fourth.  Jack Miller completes the top five.  Sixth through tenth sees Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia, followed by Takaaki Nakagami, Danilo Petrucci, Maverick Vinales, and Cal Crutchlow.

#20 Fabio Quartararo     FRA.    Petronas Yamaha SRT Yamaha YZR M1

Two weeks from now, it's the French motorcycle Grand Prix from Le Mans, France, and the Bugatti circuit for motorcycles.  We'll see you there for more MotoGP racing as the we are into the second half of this truncated 2020 MotoGP season.  Adios, from Barcelona. 

MotoGP Round 8: San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini #2 (Emilia Romagna)

We are back, for the second time in as many weeks, on Italy's Adriatic coast at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, for the eighth race of the 2020 MotoGP campaign.  This is officially titled as the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.  Are we set for more magic here at Misano?  Odds are, yes.  We will see how this race turns out.  Across the front row, it is Yamaha with Maverick Vinales on pole, Ducati with Jack Miller in second spot, and third, Fabio Quartararo.  It's the clash of the titans once again, as MotoGP lines up on the grid.  All five lights are on, and when they extinguish, we will be racing another time, here at Misano Adriatico for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Red lights, on.  Red lights, out!  Away we go!  Jack Miller is the one who gets a flyer of a start on the Ducati, zooming past Maverick Vinales' Yamaha.  Maverick Vinales, second, and Fabio Quartararo third, on the opening lap of 27 scheduled here at Misano.  Jack Miller, the Australian, leads this motorcycle race.  Francesco Bagnaia has made a pass on Pol Espargaro as well.  Francesco Bagnaia, team mates at Pramac Ducati with Jack Miller, and Pol Espargaro of course, on the factory Red Bull KTM RC16.  Vinales and Miller rub handlebars between turns two and three, headed through Variante del Parco for the first time.  Vinales makes his move on Miller into the next corner at Rio, the fourth turn on the circuit.  

Maverick Vinales and Yamaha lead from pole.  Valentino Rossi, "The Doctor", is up ahead of Brad Binder and now just behind Pol Espargaro.  Joan Mir on the #36 Ecstar Suzuki runs wide at turn five as he is trying to move up after starting 11th on the grid.  Vinales is where he wants to be.  Now, there's a scrap here, look, for the fourth position on the road.  Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia is making his move on Fabio Quartararo.  It's tight stuff through there, and oh dear!  Someone has sailed off the road and off the bike!  Who just went down?  That is, from the look of it, last weekend's winner here at Misano, Franco Morbidelli.  He will not do the double at Misano in today's race.

One of the Aprilia's could have also been involved there, and Morbidelli goes from first last week, to this weekend, being caboose on the field.  Brad Binder makes his move on Pol Espargaro, meanwhile, into turn ten at Tramonto.  It's a battle there, look, between the KTM factory riders.  Binder wants to make a move on Fabio Quartararo, but there's a crash!  Valentino Rossi is down and maybe out!  Nope.  It's game over.  Rossi wanted his 200th career podium in MotoGP, but that will not happen today.  Rossi today, is running his 250th race for the factory Yamaha team, but this one at Misano, in Emilio Romagna will be one to forget.

Rossi is back in the saddle but surely he's out of contention.  This also means Rossi will not break into the top three in points before the 2020 season ends.  Wow!  Brad Binder shoots to the inside of Jack Miller!  It's KTM and Ducati scrapping for position.  Binder is into the podium places, but it is game over and heartbreak for Aleix Espargaro.  His factory Gresini Team Aprilia is out of this motorcycle race with mechanical trouble.  He can't believe it.  Game over.  Brad Binder, the standout South African for the factory Red Bull KTM squad is making his move on Jack Miller.

He's nipped past Jack Miller and Francesco Bagnaia will be the next rider, the next motorcycle, on his shopping list.  "Pecco" Bagnaia is a second away from Maverick Vinales.  Jack Miller runs wide, and Pol Espargaro will move back around him.  Fabio Quartararo also goes by him.  Oh!  Brad Binder has hit the deck!  The KTM rider is down and maybe out.  What a disaster!  Binder, the standout South African was on the podium, and he ditches the motorcycle at turn 15, the next to last corner before the end of the lap.  Disaster for one of the factory KTM riders!

Does anyone want to win the 2020 MotoGP World Championship?  Or, should we just keep the trophy on a shelf and let it collect dust?  Is Binder back in the fight?  Not sure yet.  Close lap times at the front of the field, as Vinales uncorks a 1:32.8 and "Pecco" Bagnaia goes one better at a 1:32.7.  Fabio Quartararo is running fourth and also in the top six, quietly moving his way up, is Danilo Petrucci on the #9 factory Ducati.  Seventh spot is Joan Mir on the Suzuki, and next up in eighth and ninth are two riders we never thought we'd see.  Eighth place is Iker Lecuona on the Tech3 KTM and behind the Spaniard is his countryman, Alex Marquez on the Repsol Honda.

Alex Marquez's brother, multiple world champion Marc Marquez continues to recover from a broken leg he suffered at round two of the championship.  Germany's Stefan Bradl, is filling in for Marc Marquez, running motorcycle #6.  But as of late, Bradl has not been a major factor in any of the races.  Anyhow, Alex Marquez is ninth, directly behind Iker Lecuona.  Wow.  That's amazing!  We ride onboard with Andrea Dovizioso only to watch Aleix Espargaro slide his way off the bike.  He lost control and Franco Morbidelli had nowhere to go, as we also watch again, in replay, Rossi's crash.  Rossi had the front end wash out on his bike while on a full fuel load.

We also see the replay of Brad Binder's incident with the bike spinning like a top, fortunately separate from it's rider.  Petrucci, Miller, Lecuona, and Marquez are all battling for sixth spot.  Francesco Bagnaia is taking time out of Maverick Vinales hand over fist, going for the lead of the motorcycle race.  Oh good grief!  Brad Binder has crashed, again!  Two wrecks in only a few laps for the KTM rider, and this will be race to forget for him and his team.  Brad, it is time to park the bike, forget about this race and rebuild for next weekend's race in Spain.  Details of that event are coming your way, after this one ends.

Francesco Bagnaia has turned the fastest lap of this race so far, on lap six, putting in a 1:32.319.  "Pecco" is on rails and flies through to take the lead away from Maverick Vinales.  Wide on exit is the Italian, and it's a drag race as Maverick Vinales is fighting back on the outside!  It's get your own back time for Bagnaia through Quercia, turn eight.  Vinales got in a little too hot.  Fabio Quartararo just needs to be consistent.  He is fourth, behind Pol Espargaro.  Takaaki Nakagami, also, has been trapped behind Andrea Dovizioso, and is on his way to another top ten finish with six laps left on the board before the finish.

Dovizioso is steadily running mid-1:33 laps.  He is just not on song today at all.  Oh no!  Oh no!  Francesco Bagnaia has crashed out of the lead of this motorcycle race!  Bagnaia, the race leader, has dumped it!  Another monumental twist in the 2020 MotoGP World Championship, and we just saw it with our own eyes!  He had a second advantage over his rivals, whistling off into the distance.  Who is writing this script for MotoGP 2020?  There's a ghostwriter somewhere who is putting this stuff on paper.  I can guarantee that.  Bagnaia's pace was really hot throughout the weekend, and we wondered if he could maintain it.  Apparently not, now that he's crashed out of the race.

He was in strife in the same corner earlier this weekend in practice and qualifying.  That's a hard one to call.  He turned left, the engine revved up, and Bagnaia slid off the motorcycle in turn six before the long backstretch.  The wind has been taken from Bagnaia's sails.  That crash will take a long time to get over and a lot of personal reflection.  Maverick Vinales is leading this motorcycle race over Pol Espargaro and Fabio Quartararo in the other podium places.  The points championship as they run, shows Fabio Quartararo now in the lead on 86 points.  Second place is Maverick Vinales with 83.  Andrea Dovizioso is shown as tied for second with Vinales on 83 points, and Joan Mir is ten markers further back, in fourth, on 73 points.  

Maverick Vinales has a four second lead.  Joan Mir is closing up on Quartararo and Pol Espargaro.  Quartararo wants by Espargaro and is looking, but he has no edge grip right now.  Fabio Quartararo tries the inside at the final turn, Misano corner, but it's not going to work as the KTM rider slams the door in his face.  That was a close one!  VR46 are not having a good day either.  Some top contenders have fallen by the wayside.  Rossi, out.  Bagnaia, out.  Mir is coming, and fast.  Poor Pecco Bagnaia.  He must be in tears.  He must be asking, "what do I have to do to get a better result?  What do I have to do to win?"

Mir and Quartararo are ganging up on Pol Espargaro.  He isn't the smoothest rider in the world.  Just three laps remain in the second MotoGP race at Misano Adriatico in two weekends.  Espargaro can't get drive off the corner, but Joan Mir surely can get drive, and he attacks Fabio Quartararo!  The shark has bitten the surfer here.  He's got Quartararo.  He made the move!  Wow.  That's something to see!  "No Mercy" Mir is fighting hard once again.  Holy cow!  With two laps to go, we have ourselves a points standings update before the checkered flag.  Here's the situation as they run now.  Right now, it shows a three way tie between Quartararo, Vinales, and Dovizioso, with 83 points apiece.  Fourth spot would be Joan Mir, seven points behind, with 76.

Mir made a brilliant move on Quartararo last time by.  Will he try to go for it on Pol Espargaro this time?  Just two laps to go.  Pol holds on, but on the brakes and up the inside, Mir is going to attack.  Bish, bash, bosh, and Mir makes it stick for second spot into turn one.  The Suzuki team are going wild right now, cheering on their man Mir.  Fabio Quartararo has just spoiled Pol Espargaro's podium chances.  Iker Lecuona has dropped like a stone.  But we don't know if he's crashed or if his bike is not working right.  Darn.  Iker Lecuona has indeed crashed out.  Game over.  With Lecuona's misfortune, Andrea Dovizioso has moved up a place.

Pol Espargaro could just reach out and grab a podium place, but now he will have to settle for fourth right in front of Miguel Oliveira, his other KTM stablemate.  In the blink of an eye, Mir has said arriva derci to both Pol Espargaro and Fabio Quartararo basically in one fell swoop.  Maverick Vinales leads and surely his pit crew for the factory Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team have chewed their collective fingernails to the quick, wondering what is going to happen, and if their man can hold on.  Maverick Vinales will have a real shot in the arm, a confidence boost, should he win this motorcycle race.

Going into the next event, Fabio Quartararo would lead the championship standings.  Franco Morbidelli has been ill all weekend and should be in bed, resting, instead of racing.  But he's pushing on, hard.  He's gone past Danilo Petrucci.  He is up to ninth.  Oh no!  Long lap penalty for Fabio Quartararo!  He has to take the long lap!  He won't take it now becausre he wants a podium.  He has been given a track limits warning.  He will lose an podium spot!  Goodness gracious.  Can Quartararo get back after he takes the penalty loopp?  Has he seen seen the message on his dashboard?  Nope.  He will have to incur a time penalty after the race.  In incurring the time penalty, the marshals from the FIM will add the time for going through the long lap, onto his overall race time, which will still cost him a podium place.

Last lap.  Maverick Vinales has been through the ringer, mentally, and critiqued a lot.  But he is going to be another new MotoGP race winner!  Maverick Vinales wins at Misano!  Mir in second.  Quartararo takes a three second penalty so he gives up third to Pol Espargaro.  What's next in MotoGP?  We have now seen six different race winners in seven races in MotoGP 2020!  Unbelievable!  

#12 Maverick Vinales     ESP.     Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha YZR-M1

Still more MotoGP action coming your way.  Next weekend, we are headed to Spain, to Catalunya, actually.  It's the Barcelona Catalunya circuit and the Catalunya Motorcycle Grand Prix.  Looking forward to bringing it to you.  See you next weekend, for more racing MotoGP style.  So long, for now.

MotoGP Round 7: San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini #1

We are set to go, for the first of two back-to-back MotoGP races in San Marino, actually in the town of Misano Adriatico on Italy's Adriatic Sea coast.  Today, and next Sunday, will see races run there.  It's time to bring the action at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.  Your polesitter for today's race, is Maverick Vinales on the factory Monster Energy Yamaha.  Green flag at the back, which means we are ready to roll here at Misano.  Red lights, on.  Red lights, out!  Away we go!  Wow.  Maverick Vinales bogs down at the start and it's Franco Morbidelli taking the lead immediately as the bikes head for the first turn.  Fabio Quartararo gets eaten up, and Jack Miller is pushing his way through the field right from the start of this motorcycle race.  The Ducati rider could be a danger man for victory here.  But, we shall see.

But, right now it is Franco Morbidelli leading this motorcycle race on the #21 Petronas Yamaha YZR M1 ahead of the identical, factory bike, in the hands of the legend, "The Doctor", Valentino Rossi.  Fabio Quartararo got a dreadful start from the front row and has been sent backwards.  An Italian 1-2 at Misano, on the Adriatic coast.  Maverick Vinales is running a defensive line at the moment.  Give a call as well, to the two factory Suzuki's.  The two GSX-RR bikes for Suzuki Ecstar of Joan Mir and Alex Rins, their two Spanish riders, are right in the thick of it, early on.

Meanwhile, Fabio Quartararo will have to push like no tomorrow to get by Jack Miller on the second Pramac Racing Ducati, bike #63.  Rossi is side by side with Franco Morbidelli, and we're only on lap one of 27 scheduled!  There's a ding dong scrap for the lead of this motorcycle race that we'll be watching the whole time.  Rossi makes his move into Tramonto corner at turn ten.  He's through, on the tight inside line at Tramonto corner.  Morbidelli says, "not now, Valentino", and slams the door in the legend's face!  Maverick Vinales, meanwhile, is being monstered (no pun intended), by Jack Miller on the Ducati, look.  Alex Rins, too, is catching Fabio Quartararo at the moment.

Seven laps on the board, and Francesco Bagnaia has the fastest lap of the motorcycle race.  "Pecco" is the first rider in the 1:32 bracket.  He is Jack Miller's team mate on the #63 Pramac Ducati, running just ahead of the factory Ducati of Andrea Dovizioso, and right behind Joan Mir's Suzuki.  He's half a second ahead of Mir as well.  So, Bagnaia on the Ducati is bish bash boshing it at the moment.  Oh no!  He's gone down!  Our world championship leader, Fabio Quartararo has lost his motorcycle in a low side crash!

Can you believe it!  Quartararo has bailed out at Rio, turn four on the circuit!  He had just, on the previous lap, made a move on Maverick Vinales through turn 14, Carro, and was making inroads, but now, he's down, but maybe not out.  Let's hope he's going to get the bike re-fired and get back into the race.  Fabio fluffs it!  Unreal!  The marshals are getting his bike restarted so he can get back into the scrap, but he'll have to dig, hard, to get back in the game here.  Points as of now, if the race were to end (but there's still 20 laps left on the board), would see Quatararo losing his championship lead to Andrea Dovizioso on the factory Ducati, who is running ninth right now.  Dovizioso would have 75 points, leading by three over Jack Miller with 72, and Quatararo would be five points out, on 70, with Valentino Rossi, a further ten back, on 65.

That's an uncharacteristic mistake by Fabio Quartararo, but let's not count him out yet.  He's still going.  He is back in the saddle, playing catch up.  Andrea Dovizioso and Valentino Rossi, both of them, could capitalize on this whole drama.  Lap 12, and Maverick Vinales, who was an early contender, he is dropping like a stone.  He languishes down in seventh spot behind Joan Mir and ahead of Dovizioso.  He is struggling to keep up the pace in the mid 1:33 bracket.  Alex Rins and Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia are a second faster, both fo them, than is Vinales.  

So, now, we have reached halfway, on lap 14 of 27 of the MotoGP San Marino Grand Prix, the first encounter the MotoGP bikes will have at this circuit.  Franco Morbidelli continues to lead, and his margin over Valentino Rossi has ballooned to over a second.  Rossi just doesn't have enough in the locker to keep up with Morbidelli, and meanwhile, he is also being hounded by Alex Rins on the second Suzuki.  Francesco Bagnaia is also back there, running in fourth spot, on the Ducati.  So, he is an additional headache for Rossi to deal with.  

Bagnaia is matching Rins on lap time, and Joan Mir has run the fastest lap of this motorcycle race at 1:33 dead.  That's quicker than Franco Morbidelli in the lead.  Jack Miller, in fifth place, is being caught by Mir.  Here's a lap time comparison.  Mir, 1:33.029.  Miller, 1:34.467.  Aussie Jack Miller on the Ducati will have to pour on the steam to catch the Suzuki mounted Spaniard.  Jack Miller is now beginning to languish.  Rins and Bagnaia have practically said adios and arriva derci, and sped away from the Ducati rider.  As good as these riders are, they are the best motorcycle racers on the planet, no one can keep any consistency in this 2020 season.  It's been topsy turvy so far, and might continue in that fashion.

After five races, no one has more than two podium finishes in 2020.  That could continue once we have this first of the San Marino races, done and dusted.  Linn Jarvis at Yamaha is looking on from pit lane, watching the action intently, watching his riders, Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales.  KTM have been running very well this season so far, but here at Misano, they are on the back foot.  They've not got one of their bikes in the top ten.  We don't see either the factory bikes, or the Tech3 bikes at the sharp end.  Brad Binder, Pol Espargaro, Iker Lecuona, and Miguel Oliveira, are you guys there?  Yoohoo!  Oh KTM, where art thou?

Franco Morbidelli is whistling off into the distance in the lead, and knocking down some great lap times.  He sets his personal best lap time at 1:32.748.  This has broken Valentino Rossi.  "The Doctor" might not be able to keep up.  He might just have to settle for second on this day.  Rossi will just have to focus on keeping both Alex Rins and Francesco Bagnaia behind him.  Joan Mir, meanwhile, is racing Jack Miller for position, and Mir is out of the seat!  He wiggles just slightly but keeps the motorcycle planted, thankfully.

Every single point that can be earned in MotoGP, counts.  Just eleven laps remain here at Misano Adriatico.  Time is of the essence.  Franco Morbidelli has bolted.  He is the one to beat in this MotoGP race.  Rossi and Rins are struggling to stay ahad of Francesco Bagnaia.  Bagnaia is faster.  Working lap 17.  Ten laps to go.  Rossi has been doing his level best to keep up with Franco Morbidelli.  But, Morbidelli has been in another zip code this whole race.  Rossi and Rins are still in the 1:33s, but behind them, one more tire, we can see "Pecco" Bagnaia has uncorked yet another high 1:32 second lap.  Maverick Vinales, after 18 laps has finally gotten with the program and is in the low 1:33 range, but it's too little too late for the Spaniard to do anything with that.

Rossi will have to defend like no tomorrow.  He has medium compound Michelin tires on both ends of the bike, while Rins and Bagnaia are actually running soft rear tires.  Game over for Fabio Quartararo.  He is in the pit lane, and will not finish well in this race at Misano, today.  He'll have to try for a better result next week.  Details coming, after the checkered flag.  Rossi has made a mess of his most recent lap, losing a huge chunk of time in sector three on the road.  Rossi is the minnow, while Rins and Bagnaia are the sharks.

Rossi may be one of the kings of Grand Prix bike racing, that's true.  But trying to keep a couple young lions like Rins and Bagnaia behind you, is a job like no other, and he'll have to pour on the steam to do so.  Eight laps left, and Rins can make up time on Rossi, but "Pecco" Bagnaia seems to have other ideas, and flashes past the Suzuki!  Will he do two in one?  That was brave to the extreme by Bagnaia, look.  Rossi is a few feet ahead, but Bagnaia can smell blood now.  That was a bold and brash move made by Francesco Bagnaia on Alex Rins through Curvone.  Unbelievable!  Uh oh.  Someone's gone down.  Someone's crashed out of this motorcycle race.  We just need to find out who.

Fabio Quartararo has crashed out.  This will be a race for him to forget entirely.  That's his second crash of the day.  Apologies to all fans of Franco Morbidelli as we first assumed that the leader had wrecked.  But, no.  He's still leading this motorcycle race with just seven laps left on the board.  Our hearts were fluttering there for a wee while!  Blimey!  Meanwhile, the sign of a legend and champion, Rossi is not cracking under pressure from his younger rivals.  He's still hanging on over Rins and Mir, the two hot shoes for the Suzuki team.  

Oh, will you look at that. While yours truly has been yammering on about this motorcycle race, the laps have ticked by and there's just two left now.  Rins wants by Rossi, and Rossi, he too, is wanting to get past Bagnaia.  This is a bottleneck of the highest order as these chaps battle for whatever positions they can get after Morbidelli has checked out.  Now, things are not all wine and roses for Morbidelli yet.  He's lost a second or so over the last lap run.  So he still has to push.  He still has to be bish bash boshing it as we close in on the checkers.  Vinales has set his personal best lap.  I wish timing and scoring would show that lap time to us, folks.  But I suppose not.

Joan Mir has passed Alex Rins, resetting the table, look, for the Suzuki Ecstar boys.  Hmmm.  That could be that particular battle, done and dusted, mate.  Ooh!  Rossi very nearly ditched the motorcycle on entry to turn one!  How did he get that close to the pavement without losing the bike completely?!  That was weird!  Rins could have also made a mistake.  Now, poor old Morbidelli is dropping pace hand over fist here, look.  He's going to have to fight for this one.  Again, it's not all wine and roses yet.  The fat lady has not sung.  It's the last lap of the motorcycle race, but it's not done.

Mir is going to have a bite of the cherry, trying to go after Rossi.  This'll be wild.  Eat the cherry, mate.  Just don't swallow the pit.  Rossi wants his 200th career MotoGP podium.  But he will have to earn it.  Mir doesn't have enough to get past Rossi through Quercia, turn eight, and Alex Rins, he's gotten smoked.  I don't think he has the power to move in on this scrum for second spot.  What a mega race we've seen here at Misano.  It's not done.  The fat lady is just warming up.  You have to believe Rossi will have something at turn fourteen.  But, ahhh!  Here's come Mir!  Mir is going for it, and they're almost touching!

What a move by Mir!  He's only in his sophomore season in MotoGP and he wants to be a winner!  Bravo Joan Mir!  But Rossi, he's steamed.  He wants to throw the kitchen sink at Joan Mir and give him back a taste of his own medicine!  Rossi is going to make the move, on the outside through Carro!  He's wide!  It's all gone pear shaped for Rossi!  "The Doctor" is going to need a dose of medicine after this one!  Mir ran the super tight line and beat the champ into the corner.  Franco Morbidelli, meanwhile, is going to win his first ever MotoGP race!

Mir takes third, but it's samba time for Franco Morbidelli!  He wins!  Francesco Bagnaia, broken leg and all, takes second for Ducati!  2020 MotoGP, we love you!  What a finish here in Misano!  Rossi is gutted!  Jeepers creepers!  Poor old Rossi.  It's a shame he can't be on that podium.

#21 Franco Morbidelli     ITA.     Petronas Yamaha SRT Yamaha YZR-M1

More action, suspense, drama, coming your way.  Get ready for round two here at Misano Adriatico, round eight of the championship, next Sunday!  If this weekend's race was any indication, next weekend will also be a barn burner!  Arriva derci, from Italy, for now, ladies and gentlemen.  We'll see you next weekend for more MotoGP madness.

MotoGP Round 6: Styria

Another week, and another MotoGP race in Austria at the Red Bull Ring, as promised.  An interesting front row of the starting grid as we get ready to race for a second consecutive weekend here, in Austria at the Red Bull Ring for MotoGP.  Grab your leathers, gloves, and boots, and cinch down your helmet firmly.  Hold on for the ride.  It's time for another epic MotoGP race.  The report from the second encounter in Austria is next!

On the front row of the grid we have Pol Espargaro, Takaaki Nakagami, and Joan Mir.  Stefan Bradl, once again, replaces Marc Marquez while he recovers.  Alex Rins leads off the second row with Maverick Vinales and Jack Miller.  Fabio Quartararo who is the leader of the world championship points table stars on row three alongside Miguel Oliveira and Andrea Dovizioso.  Watch too, for Valentino Rossi on the #46 Yamaha.  The legend will have work to do starting 14th as he is sandwiched on row three between both Brad Binder and Michele Pirro, on the KTM and the Ducati.  Michele Pirro is of course the test and reserve rider for the Ducati team.  

Pol Espargaro, as we have 28 laps to look forward to, is the man hoping to define the slogan of his sponsor, Red Bull energy drink here at their home track.  Red Bull "gives you wings" or so they say.  Well, will Pol Espargaro be flying to the sharp end of this motorcycle race today?  We're about to find out.  Jack Miller on his #43 Pramac Racing Ducati, crashed in Free Practice 3 and hurt his shoulder.  So he will be riding with some discomfort today, but he's out there to win, just like everyone else on this grid.  The revs rise.  Red lights on.  Red lights out!  Away we go!  It's the second MotoGP race in Austria in as many weeks!

Pol Espatgaro is the man who gets the hole shot.  Jack Miller from row two also gets a flyer!  Joan Mir is racing side by side, look, with Espargaro and is going for the lead into turn one.  Mir makes the pass and leads this motorcycle race into the first turn as they prepare to climb the hill for the first time of asking.  Alex Rins on the second factory Suzuki is moving up.  That launch control system the Suzuki's are using is brilliant.  Johann Zarco starts the race from pit lane on his #5 Reale Avintia Racing Ducati. His is of course the 2019 spec motorcycle, the Desmosedici GP19.  Mir still leads as they approach turn three for the first time and Jack Miller got away from the starting blocks well, too.

Whoa!  Franco Morbidelli was out of the seat for a second on his #21 Petronas Yamaha SRT Yamaha YZR M1.  Morbidelli stays with it, and of course he had a massive crash here in the race last weekend.  Joan Mir meanwhile, forces Pol Espargaro wide.  Espargaro loses third to Takaaki Nakagami, and the two touch!  Easy there, boys!  That was a close one!  Here's your teeth, mate.  OK.  I'll put my teeth back in and can continue commentating.  Thank you.  The stewards are directing Joan Mir to drop one place because of his running wide on exit at turn one.

Andrea Dovizioso gains a spot and moves from eighth to seventh on this opening lap, and another flying start has come from Valentino Rossi.  "The Doctor" has been very good since the start.  He's running well. Now, lap three and Fabio Quartararo has gone the opposite way.  He's dropping like a stone and is running behind Alex Marquez.  Quatararo aboard the #20 Petronas Yamaha SRT Yamaha has run wide and lost time.  Alex Marquez is up to 12th place and he is currently having a right old dust up with Iker Lecuona of Spain on the first of the Red Bull Tech3 KTM's, bike #27.

Brad Binder has gone by Valentino Rossi as well.  Joan Mir has also gone back around Jack Miller who held the lead briefly.  Nakagami makes a great pass on Miller in turn six.  We wonder, what is Nakagami's pace like?  Can he break away from the rest of the competitors in the lower half of the top ten?  He has to if he wants to challenge for a podium or even a win.  He has to move ahead of the Australian.  Brad Binder, meanwhile, is closing the gap to Alex Rins.  Rins must be tired of seeing the tail of that KTM.

Oh no.  What's happened here?  We have a bike in flames that has gone through the air fence on the side of the track.  What is this all about?  That's Maverick Vinales and he's a rider without a motorcycle.  This is going to bring out a red flag.  The bike is burning.  It's on fire, and the red flag has to come out because of the damage to the air fence.  The air fence has been breached and the motorcycle is absolutely obliterated.  What on earth happened there?  Vinales just inexplicably falls off the motorcycle and it continues on without it's rider as if by remote control!

The only explanation for Vinales having a runaway motorcycle is that his brakes failed completely.  No brakes on the front or rear wheel.  The bike didn't slow down at all.  Vinales was catapulted off and he landed.  But the bike continued revving and then decelerated and crashed into the gravel trap.  Thank God Vinales got up.  That is terrifying, for the motorcycle to toss it's rider like a bucking bronco and to carry on by itself before it gives itself the coup de gras and crashes... wallop!, into the wall.  No brakes whatsoever for Vinales and his Yamaha YZR M1 absolutely clobbers the barrier!  How scary can it get?  That scary.

Maverick Vinales has had a horrible time in Austria and he will want to erase the events at Red Bull Ring from his memory bank.  This race has been red flagged, folks.  The red flag is out.  Poor old Joan Mir had a two and a half second lead which has now evaporated due to the red flag.  The race has been stopped.  There is a new starting grid with the first two rows being Joan Mir, Takaaki Nakagami, and Jack Miller, followed by Pol Espargaro, Alex Rins, and Brad Binder.  Next up are Miguel Oliveira, Andrea Dovizioso, and Iker Lecuona.  Behind them, we have Fabio Quartararo, Valentino Rossi, and Danilo Petrucci.

We continue to look at the grid for the restart, which will be a 12 lap shootout to the end.  Alex Marquez, Cal Crutchlow, and Aleix Espargaro are next.  Following them are Franco Morbidelli, Johann Zarco, and Michele Pirro.  On the final row for the restart, it is Bradley Smith, Tito Rabat, and Stefan Bradl.  Fabio Quartararo and Valentino Rossi in particular, have been having a bear of a time with front brakes.  Eyes to the lights, for the restart.  Red lights, on.  Red lights, out!  We're off and racing once again in the Styrian motorcycle Grand Prix!

Jack Miller and Alex Rins bog down and make horrid restarts, and Joan Mir looks as if he was shot from a cannon!  Pol Espargaro on the KTM is up in the second spot.  So, it is somewhat of a mirror image of the initial start and what we saw.  Cal Crutchlow also ran wide on his LCR Honda.  Mir, meanwhile, is in the pound seats as he and the rest of the pack charge up towards turn three.  Miguel Oliveira passes Takaaki Nakagami for fourth spot and Brad Binder is also in the thick of it.  Miller goes inside of Mir for the lead into turn four and holds it through the braking zone.

Miller runs wide.  Mir has a chance to redress this.  What is he going to do?  Miller and Mir side by side!  It's the battle of the M's.  M&M's, no, not the chocolate candy, folks.  Miller is in the lead as Takaaki Nakagami is hung out to dry and he is going to lose places.  Nakagami is passed by Andrea Dovizioso and Brad Binder in one fell swoop.  Miller leading Mir, Pol Espargaro, and Miguel Oliveira, with Brad Binder fifth.  Oliveira is having a great race as we fast forward in the action with just six laps to run before this motorcycle race is done and dusted.  Now, Miguel Oliveira, he is going to attack Pol Espargaro into turn nine.  Will this work?  Will it end in tears?

Espargaro parks the bike in the middle of the corner, and makes it so Miller has the door slammed firmly in his face.  "Pol, let me in, mate!" he says.  Pol Espargaro says, "no way, sunshine.  I am the leader and you'll have to get back by me."  Uh oh!  Problems for Brad Binder as he's overcooked the final corner and gone way wide up the escape road and fortunately not out onto the paint.  You can see from the helicopter shot, the red and white paint on the outside of the circuit that represents the Austrian flag.  So, Binder is out of contention for a podium, but Pol Espargaro, he is going to maybe just get his maiden MotoGP victory if he can hold it together for another five laps.

Miller takes a good line into the corner at turn three but again, Espargaro closes the door.  "I'm not even going to give you the key, Jack" he is probably thinking.  "You'll have to bust your way in."  Espargaro goes wide.  Will Miller bust his way in?  Will he spoil Espargaro's party as an uninvited guest and nab all the sweets for himself?  That isn't likely.  We are a lap away from seeing a storybook win.  Pol Espargaro might just pull off a hometown win for KTM.  The Austrian motorcycle manufacturer, who also makes the Crossbow sports car, they could very well be on their way to a home victory.  Never count your chickens until they hatch, though.

The fat lady isn't singing yet, nor has the orchestra begun playing Mozart.  This is the lap of his life, for Pol Espargaro, a man who has been champion already in the Moto2 division.  Espargaro has enough traction, enough power to keep Jack Miller on the Pramac Ducati behind him.  Pol Espargaro rides the defensive line, and this could open the door for Miller to steal those sweets and spoil Espargaro and KTM's chances.  Andrea Dovizioso runs wide, and Jack Miller is on a mission.  He's going for it.  Miller, under braking has the preferred line on the inside into turn four!

They rub knees, and Miller leads the motorcycle race into and out of turn four.  This is the money lap.  Give it all you've got.  Espargaro gets stymied.  He's not going to make it and here comes the other KTM Red Bull bike of Miguel Oliveira!  Miguel Oliveira on the second bike for the KTM Tech3 Red Bull satellite team is right there.  One of these three blokes is going to win the Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix.  Pol Espargaro is not fooling around anymore.  Miller wants to keep Ducati's golden run alive, but it might not be so if KTM has anything to say about it. 

It's the final sector of the last lap of this race.  Espargaro has the lead.  Here comes Jack Miller!  Miller is nose to nose with Espargaro!  This is it!  Oh!  Oh!  Oh!  They both slip up!  Miller and Espargaro both are blindsided by Miguel Oliveira!  The Portuguese rider comes from nowhere, and takes the lead!  Unbelievable!  Espargaro runs wide!  Oliveira is going to win this one!  Yes!  Miguel Oliveira wins the Styrian MotoGP Grand Prix and the Red Bull KTM Tech 3 crew goes mad in the pit bunker!  They are delirious with joy!  They cannot believe they've just won this motorcycle race!

#88 Miguel Oliveira      ESP.      Red Bull KTM Tech 3 KTM RC16

These boys and girls tried for two decades with Yamaha to win in all classes in MotoGP and kept coming up empty.  Today, in Austria, in their manufacturer partner's backyard, they win the victory wreath, the gold cup, and the champagne.  Can you believe it?  Have you ever?  No, I've never!  This is a popular win for the KTM crew!  What a race!  What a finish!  I'll say it again.  What a finish!  Two weeks from now we will be in San Marino, for the next two rounds of the championship, on the Adriatic coast of Italy at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.  Will we see as exciting a race in Italy as we've seen today in Austria?  Yours truly can't wait to find out!  Join us for even more MotoGP excitement, next time.  Auf wiedersehen for now, from the mountains of Austria.

 

Moto2 & Moto3 races

Once again, even though yours truly has been keeping tabs on MotoGP, there’s still no real way to know what has been going on with Moto2 and Moto3 for the last few races in the Czech Republic and Austria.  I still wonder where the coverage is and why it has not been posted.  Oh well.  Yours truly still plans to continue writing about motorcycle racing as much as possible.  Stay tuned for more.

MotoGP Round 5: Austria

 Sorry folks.  Yours truly never saw any highlights for the fourth round of the 2020 MotoGP World Championship at Brno Autodrom in the Czech Republic.  As much as I'd like to bring that race to you, I am afraid it may be slight to impossible to get a report done on it.  So, with that said, we move on now, to the fifth round of the championship.  We're off yodeling in the mountains of Austria at the Red Bull Ring, for the Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix.  Maverick Vinales has pole with Francesco Bagnaia and Fabio Quartararo alongside.  All eyes on the light gantry as we are ready to race.

Red lights, on.  Red lights, out!  Away we go!  We're racing, in Austria!  Jack Miller on the #43 Pramac  Racing Ducati gets away well and Maverick Vinales also gets a flyer.  Franco Morbidelli, if my eyes are correct, is moving up already.  No.  It's someone else who is making an early move.  Joan Mir is the one moving ahead, however, Miller is the man with the hole shot as we get this motorcycle race underway.  Andrea Dovizioso got a good start but Fabio Quartararo runs wide into the first turn and onto the paint on the outside of the circuit.  He's lost six, maybe seven spots, and this won't bode well for keeping his points lead in the World Championship.  

Alex Rins on the Suzuki is also moving up, going from eighth to sixth place.  Joan Mir also got a blinding start.  So, the two Spanish team mates for Team Suzuki Ecstar are in a good position at the moment.  Two of the Ducati's have gone around Maverick Vinales on the Yamaha.  Ducati are making early and bold moves as they fly down the back straight here at the Red Bull Ring for the first time of asking.  28 laps scheduled for this motorcycle race.  Pol Espargaro also gets a decent start moving up one spot from fifth to fourth, and he is pressing Maverick Vinales and he makes the pass.  It was Yamaha vs. KTM there.

Into turn four, Pol Espargaro is now third.  He's on the podium for the moment.  Poor old Johann Zarco absolutely got swamped at the start.  What on earth happened to the Frenchman aboard the #5 Reale Avintia Racing Ducati?  I wonder, too, where is his team mate on the #53 satellite bike?  That's Spaniard Tito Rabat who has been a MotoGP regular for some years now.  He is on the Hublot watches sponsored Ducati for the same team.  They make really, really expensive Swiss watches.  

Meanwhile, Joan Mir has gained a place over Maverick Vinales.  Could the Yamaha rider be dropping like a stone?  We'll have to find out.  Vinales is applying the blowtorch here, look, to Quartararo.  In the not too distant future, these two will be team mates.  Next year it should be a Vinales/Quartararo lineup for the factory Yamaha squad in 2021.  Quartararo is the meat in the sandwich.  He's the bratwurst that is about to fly out of the bun, getting squeezed between Miguel Oliveira, and Maverick Vinales.  Yikes!  Oliveira took advantage of that small space to squeeze through on both Vinales and Quartararo and said, "thanks a bunch lads, I'll see you later!  Eat my dust!"

Andrea Dovizioso meanwhile, is scrapping with Joan Mir and Mir goes through on the Italian.  Oh my!  They make contact, and fortunately stay in the saddle!  Two KTM motorcycles are in the top five in their home Grand Prix.  KTM is based right here in Austria.  Now, has Fabio Quartararo got trouble?  Or, has the sound engineer made a mistake and faded out the individual engine noise of his bike?  Is he cruising or is he racing?  We're trying to determine that right now, ladies and gentlemen.  We will keep you updated on the goings on of Fabio Quartararo.  We look at the championship points as of now, with five laps gone in the race out of 28 scheduled.

Fabio Quartararo leads the points with 59 points but is only seven markers clear of second place Maverick Vinales on 52.  Jack Miller is up six places from where he was before, third in points on 45, 14 points out of the lead, and in fourth place, Andrea Dovizioso is 15 points away from the lead with a total of 44.  Quartararo meanwhile, is way down in 22nd spot.  He's dropped like a stone as well.  He is running right behind Ducati test and reserve rider, Italian Michele Pirro on bike #51 who is actually filling in for Francesco Bagnaia who must be injured and cannot ride this weekend on his usual #63 motorcycle.

Meantime, the pressure is on at the front as Pol Espargaro moves into the race lead ahead of Jack Miller, Joan Mir, and Dovizioso.  The top three has a variety of brands represented.  KTM followed by Ducati followed by Suzuki.  On lap eight, we see Pol Espargaro turn the fastest lap of this motorcycle race run so far at a 1:23.827.  Honda have had a humbling race.  They are nowhere near where they could be.  Alex Marquez on the #73 bike is languishing along with German MotoGP veteran, Stefan Bradl, who is filling in for the injured Marc Marquez, Alex's older brother, and the multiple MotoGP World Champion, for the second consecutive race weekend as Marquez is still dealing with his injured arm.

Oh my God!  Oh my God!  A massive accident has just happened with two motorcycles cartwheeling through the air!  This is absolute carnage!  Two motorcycles have been absolutely obliterated!  This is a red flag situation, without a doubt!  Franco Morbidelli, the Italian on the #21 Petronas Yamaha SRT bike is one involved (the team mate to Fabio Quartararo).  Trying to decipher who the second bike is that cartwheeled through the air.  This is as big a crash as we've seen in MotoGP for a long time as these two motorcycles and their riders were catapulted into orbit!

Johann Zarco, the Frenchman is the other rider involved here, on the #5 Reale Avintia Ducati.  What has happened here?  This crash is like an explosion, like a bomb detonating on this motorcycle race.  This happened on the fastest part of the circuit here at the Red Bull Ring, with two bikes absolutely destroyed.  These motorcycles went from high speed, high performing racing bikes, to worthless heaps of junk in mere seconds!  Let's hope these chaps are OK.  Morbidelli's motorcycle went flying through the air causing this commentator to wince and recoil in agony.  

This is a petrifying accident.  There's no question the marshals had to bring out the red flag.  We look to the top center of the TV screen, or whatever mobile device you might be watching this on.  Look at the top center of your screen.  The two bikes have made contact.  Zarco tried to take a defensive line into the corner and fell, and then, Morbidelli's motorcycle catapulted through the air, like it had a fuse attached and was shot from a cannon!  To make matters even worse, Morbidelli's flying projectile that was once a motorcycle, flies like a terrifying weapon, a missile, right in front of the king of MotoGP, Valentino Rossi!

Valentino Rossi is a lucky chap, who had to be saying his prayers as he nearly gets annihilated by the flying motorcycle!  Dear God alive, will you look at that.  Have you ever?  No I've never!  I kept my eyes open while writing the report on this accident, but oh my Lord, if you're squeamish, look away from your screen on that replay.  You will be absolutely sickened if you don't.  Morbidelli's motorcycle shot straight through the gap between it and Maverick Vinales' bike, like a missile.  This race has been stopped for obvious reasons.  My heart rate is through the roof just watching this carnage!  Oh my God!  That's enough to give anyone the creeps and put a lump in your throat.

OK, everyone.  You may want to get some headache medicine, a glass of water, a cup of tea, something to soothe your frazzled nerves after that crash.  Let's hope that both Johann Zarco and Franco Morbidelli will be OK and I think they will be.  That was a bad, bad one.   Alright.  It's time for the restart.  Lights out, and away we go again.  Pol Espargaro gets the jump on the restart.  Joan Mir also gets shot from a cannon on the restart.  Jack Miller goes for the lead into turn one but he runs wide and has to regroup.

Joan Mir was electric on that restart and he's into the top three.  Miller runs wide again, look.  It's a tough corner on that uphill left hand turn at turn three.  Blimey!  This is close!  It is hard to watch that corner as we're only 15-20 minutes removed from that mammoth crash we saw earlier.  Everyone, if you took something for a headache or an upset stomach after seeing that crash, the medicine should hold.  Meanwhile, Pol Espargaro leads Jack Miller, followed by Andrea Dovizioso.  Those are the current top three spots.

Thank you tothe marshals for cleaning up the carnage from earlier.  They are heroes and without them, there'd be no motorsports at all, on two or four wheels.  We owe those chaps in either white or orange clothing at the side of the track, a major debt of gratitude for what they do.  Alex Rins has moved past Joan Mir up into fourth place.  Folks, he was down in 11th place when the red flag came out, and so he has been bish bash boshing his way up the race order.  Alex Marquez and Bradley Smith have also moved up and are completing the top ten.  Marquez is ninth and Smith is tenth.  Meanwhile, Jack Miller makes the pass and goes through to the lead of this motorcycle race.

Jack Miller makes a pass on Pol Espargaro and makes it stick.  In the background, look, a battle for seventh and eighth spot, between Brad Binder and Valentino Rossi.  The South African and the Italian motorcycling legend, truly going for it.  Further behind those two, between ninth and 12th spot, we see riders like Takaaki Nakagami, Aleix Espargaro (Pol Espargaro's older brother), Cal Crutchlow, and Danilo Petrucci.  Could there be issues for Maverick Vinales?  His lap times have been all over the shop, fluctuating between 1:24, 1:25, and 1:27 brackets.  

Meanwhile, Fabio Quartararo, our points leader, is 13th just behind Danilo Petrucci.  Jack Miller leads, but will the Australian rider for Pramac Ducati be able to make this gamble pay off?  Alex Rins is really pushing.  He's right behind Andrea Dovizioso and challenging the Italian factory Ducati rider for second place.  Rins of course is on the sister Ecstar Suzuki to Joan Mir.  Dovizioso is a wise man. He said the day before this race, Saturday, "I believe Alex Rins is a sure dark horse for the Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix."  Dovizioso may be being proven correct on that assertion.

Dovizioso must be bang on the money, because Rins, he's just cut the fastest lap of the motorcycle race.  1:24 dead.  1:24.007!  He's flying!  Twelve laps to go now, and we've passed the halfway mark.  But the contenders are placing themselves in line to challenge Jack Miller.  He's gone for soft compound tires from Michelin on both front and rear on his motorcycle.  Miller will have to pour on the steam to keep himself ahead of Dovizioso and Rins.  The factory Suzuki as a motorcycle, is set up to manage it's tires really well and Alex Rins is an effective rider at making that happen.

But, Rins almsot wipes out!  He had the front end of the bike nearly wash away, and could have had a low side accident there, very easily.  He's a lucky bloke to stay in the saddle.  Oh dear!  Pol Espargaro has crashed out!  So, KTM will be down to three bikes out of the four they have.  It's very likely game over for Espargaro here.  Uh oh.  This could be worse for the KTM factory squad than they'd hoped!  Two KTM factory riders appears to have gone down!  It's Espargaro but it's also Miguel Oliveira on the #88 Tech3 KTM.  One of the satellite bikes has also wiped out.  So, this means that only Brad Binder and Iker Lecuona are still out there.

Pol Espargaro went wide and it looks like Oliveira went wide, and didn't see him, before... crunch!  He's down in the gravel trap as well.  Oliveira and Espargaro have indeed crashed out at turn four.  We'll have to pick the bones out of that shemozzle and see what the heck went wrong.  Andrea Dovizioso has the power on the front straight, and in bringing more power, he moves around Jack Miller for the race lead up the hill into turn one.  He moves to the lead on lap ten, going for a hat trick of victories here at the Red Bull Ring.  

Alex Rins, too, is closing in on second place and wants by Jack Miller, putting Brad Binder into fifth spot, just behind Joan Mir.  It's a race now between two Ducati's and two Suzuki's.  Oh no!  Alex Rins is down.  He's fallen off the Suzuki!  This is a low side accident as he's skittered into the gravel trap.  But is this game over for the Spaniard?  This race is turning into yet another MotoGP demolition derby.  A two wheeled demolition derby!  Unreal!  Suzuki team boss Davide Brivio cannot believe what he is seeing.  He's absolutely gutted.  He just loses the front of the motorcycle and rotates right off the bike.  It spins like a top and leaves him in the gravel along with the bike.

Dovizioso leads, and we see that Maverick Vinales has had trouble with his Yamaha as now, Jack Miller and Joan Mir are the other two podium contenders.  Maverick Vinales may have had a tech problem with his Yamaha as he languishes down in 13th spot.  He had trouble at the most recent round of the championship last weekend at Brno in the Czech Republic.  Now, once again, yours truly hopes to cover the action from Brno, but is not sure.  So stay tuned.  Meanwhile, Dovizioso leads Miller by 9/10ths of a second and Joan Mir is pressurizing Jack Miller for second spot.  Mir is looking for his first podium.  He can't afford to do anything rash or silly at this point.

Poor old Brad Binder is losing steam and losing ground to the top three.  Ducati wants to go 1-2.  Dovizioso is a second clear of his pursuers.  Should "Dovi" hold on, it will be his third win in five races in Austria, and will be the fifth successive Austrian triumph for Ducati.  They will also score a landmark, as they'll earn their 50th world championship win in MotoGP.  It's the final lap before the finish.  Checkers will wave next time by.  Mir wants to make a move but he knows the risk.  He knows he can't make his move too soon or he'll wipe out.  Miller takes a tighter line going into the corner.

Thus, he is still able to slam the door in Joan Mir's face.  I think Miller has Joan Mir covered.  The Suzuki has good cornering speed and good braking, but will that be enough to beat the Ducati?  Now, Andrea Dovizioso is in the clear.  He's going to win here in Austria.  Miller tries to run the defensive line.  Now, he thinks he's got it.  He thinks he has Mir beat.  Not on your life!  Miller runs wide!  Boom!  Mir goes by for second place as the checkered flag waves!  Andrea Dovizioso is going to win the Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix!

Dovizioso wins over Mir and Miller.  Binder is fourth coming from 17th.  Valentino Rossi fifth, followed by Takaaki Nakagami and Valkentino Rossi.  What a great race!  

#04 Andrea Dovizioso     ITA.     Ducati Team Ducati Desmosedici GP20

The next race is also at Red Bull ring, next weekend.  Excited to bring that one to you, and still hoping to cover the race at Brno in the Czech Republic, too.  This one was wild!  What will the next one have to offer?  Stay tuned here on 2 Wheelin' and we'll find out together, fans.  So long, for now.  See you next week for more MotoGP!