MotoGP 2023. Ideas, questions and considerations after the French GP at Le Mans – MotoGP

Fast laps (in brackets the lap in which it was achieved)

Bezzecchi 1’31”855 (15); M.Marquez 1’31”906 (16); 3. Zarco 1’31”946 (17); 4. A. Espargaro 1’32”042 (10); 5. Binder 1’32”048 (12); 6. Martin 1’32”065 (15); 7. Fernandez 1’32”169 (16); 8. Quartararo 1’32”337 (10); 9. Miller 1’32”350 (24); 10. Mir 1’32”353 (12).

Stewards Panel decisions

Manovra A.Marquez: penalized by three positions on the starting grid for the next GP. Just sanction, even generous;

Contact Bagnaia/Vinales: no penalty. Right;

Overtaking Bezzecchi/M.Marquez: penalized with a “drop position”, Marco had to give up his position. Fair sanction;

LLP Binder: Brad was penalized for cutting the chicane on lap 19. According to Suppo, the wrong sanction, because Binder didn’t win, rather he lost. The pilots, however, had been warned that cutting of any kind would result in the penalty, beyond the gain or not. So: wrong rule, right penalty.

The Bezzecchi race

1 lap: 6 at 1”361; 2:7 to 1”477; 3:6 to 1”188; 5:4 to 0”861; 6:3 at 0”531; 10:2 at 0”117; 11:1+0”608. Finish line: 1 + 4”256.

Martin’s race

1 lap: 5. A 1”055; 2:10 to 2”480; 3:9 to 2”497; 4:8 to 2”025; 5:6 at 1”423; 6:4 at 1”177; 8:2 at 0”295; 10:4 at 0”641; 13:3 at 1”906; 26: 2 at 4”535. Finish line: 2 to 4”256.

The competition of A.Espargaro

1 lap: 14 at 3”288; 2:13 at 3”083; 3:12 to 3”294; 5:9 at 3”005; 6:7 at 3”506; 17:6 at 5”613; 26:5 at 7”049. Finish line: 5 to 6”726.

Questions and answers

PWhy did Augusto Fernandez do so well?

The Moto2 world champion explained that he particularly likes this track (here he won in 2022) and that in the Jerez tests he made some ergonomic changes (saddle, tank, footpegs) that make him feel more at ease.

What happened to Fabio Quartararo?

Fabio explained that he had big problems with his right arm. I thought it was compartment syndrome, but I later learned that one of the physiotherapists of the “new” (Spanish) mobile clinic made a completely mistaken preparation and this penalized him. All he needed was this…

Important laps of the GP

Partenza: Marquez, Miller, Marini.

2 lap: Miller first, goes wide, Marquez first. Then Miller again first. Bagnaia passes Marini, is third; wide of Martin, he goes from fifth to tenth;

3rd lap: Marini/Vinales contact;

4th lap: great overtaking by Vinales on Marini outside lap 4: fourth;

Lap 5: Vinales/Bagnaia contact between 11 and 12. Both crash;

6 lap: Marini enters too narrowly at four, goes onto the curb, the front closes, saves it with his elbow, but is hit by A. Marquez who can’t do anything to avoid it;

8 lap: Bezzecchi enters Marquez at 8, sets him wide;

Lap 9: Bezzecchi gives back the position to Marquez;

Lap 10: Martin goes wide, is passed by both Bezzecchi and Marquez;

Lap 11: Marquez and Bezzecchi pass each other a couple of times, then Marco takes first place at 1;

Lap 21: Binder makes the LLP, loses a position; Martin passes Marquez, he’s second but goes wide, Marquez second again;

Lap 22: Martin passes Marquez, is second but goes wide again, passes Marquez again;

Lap 25: Martin second at 2; Marquez goes back to 3, he’s second;

Lap 26: Martin passes Marquez at 7, he’s second. A moment after being overtaken, Marc falls.

Comparison between teammates (sprint+race, counts only when both drivers are on track)

Bagnaia/Bastianini 1/0; Bezzecchi/Marini: 6/3; Martin/Zarco: 7/3; A.Espargaro/Vinales: 4/6; M. Marquez/Mir: 3/1; Quartararo/Morbidelli: 6/4; Miller/Binder: 2/7

Positions recovered/lost at the start by some riders (sprint/race)

+ position earned; – lost. The calculation is made considering the position on the grid and the one at the end of the first lap.

Binders: +4/-6; Miller: +1/+2; Bagnaia 0/-3; Martin +3/0; Espargaro +3/-3; Vinales -4/-1;

Sprint race ranking

1. Bagnaia 43 2. Binder 38; 3. Martin 36; 4. Bezzecchi 17; 5. Marines 16; 6. Miller 14; 7. Vinales 12; Quartararo 1

Race classification on Sunday

1. Bezzecchi 76 2. Zarco 58; 3. Bagnaia 50; 4. Quartararo 48; 5. Martin 44 6. Binder 43; 7. Marini 38; 8. Vinales 37; 9. Miller 35; 10. Rins 32;

Here are, after four GPs, my percentages on the favorite for the title:

Bagnaia 40%; Bezzecchi 25%; Binder 25%; M. Marquez 10%.

Three reasons to remember the GP

1. Bezzecchi’s victory;

2. Arbolino’s victory;

3. The first race of the Ducati MotoE

Three sentences of the GP

1. Bezzecchi: “Today is Mother’s Day, I promised her a gift”;

2. Marquez: “Better to crash than to finish tenth”;

3. Petrucci: “This Ducati is much better than the 2020 one”.

I said it

Mir (before Marquez’s return): “The bike doesn’t work”. Mir (after Marquez’s return): “The team doesn’t give me the bike I ask for”