Where thou King of COTA continued his Reign…
So it’s pretty weird to know that MotoGP just
came Stateside for the first time in a Gory 903 Days! Having last raced on
April 14, 2019 at Circuit Of The Americas, nee COTA,. Making it’s Debutante Fall outing this October 3rd
vs. it’s traditional April calendar date after essentially a two and a half
year’s absence.
Obviously much has changed since the world’s
preeminent Ash-fault’ Kneedraggers attacked COTA’s “lumpy” tarmac Wayback then.
http://www.nofenders.net/2019/04/moto-gp-forgotten-sports-desert-oasis.html
As it was somewhat Funny hearing The Voice of
IndyCar’s Leigh Diffey doing the Pre and Post Race reporting live from COTA, so
may be that’s really why IndyCar Quit Thar season so early this year? But it
was nice hearing him talk briefly to Kevin Schwanz along with his Mate from
Down Under.
Won’t even attempt giving a rundown on
everythingy’ that’s changed, other than to say some Old Faces were in New places,
notably in the Yamahopper’ ranks.
As Thee Doctor’, nee Valentino Rossi at Age 42
made his Swan Song MotoGP outing Stateside upon the Satellite SRT Petronas
Yamaha outfit. Where somewhat strangely, past Ducati rival Dovi’,, aka Andrea Dovizioso
partnered him.
As Dovi’ returns from the Wild in preparations
to return Fulltime in 2022 whilst Rossi retires at season’s end.
And although this year’s two MotoGP
Championship protagonists occupied the grid’s first two places, with Ducati’s
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia on Pole ahead of Yamaha Points leader Fabio
Quartararo, All eyes were upon that “Masked Man” in P3.
And for good reason, as Thee Pinball Wizard,
nee Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez sublimely Shot past his front Row competitors,
led into Turn 1 and never looked back, Nor relinquished the lead!
As I must admit it was a pretty Dull race with Marquez stretching his lead each lap,
whilst Quartararo was quite content to sit in second, since he was only
interested in increasing his large points lead to speed up his coronation as
this year’s MotoGP World Champion. As Mission Accomplished as he ultimately added
another four points to his lead, now 52 markers Ahead of Bagnaia.
AS the two biggest “Story lines” of the race,
or most interesting during the fairly processional event were the battle for
who’d ultimately take the Podium’s final step, along with how would Ducati
corse Factory Rider whom the TV Pundits call Thriller Miller, aka Jack Miller
perform after his disappointing Qualie’ outing.
As Miller had appeared to be the only rider
able to match times with Marc Marquez during the practice sessions, with the
Spaniard claiming the Aussie’ was still his biggest “Threat” in the race.
Miller made what ultimately was the wrong
decision by making a late grid change to be the only rider on Michelin’s Hard compound
in an attempt to help his chances of progressing forward from his “lowly” 10th
place starting position.
Miller made it as far towards the Sharp end as
P4 before his tyres faded, and he politely let Ducati team-mate Bagnaia by in
order for the Italian to take his turn at attacking those ahead, especially
since Pecco’ needed to somehow rebound from dropping rearwards at the start and
somehow magically pass Quartararo.
Yet the final podium place should have gone to
the Duc’ Pramac Racing Satellite rider Rookie Jorge Martin, who ran a
great race withstanding massive pressure
from first Suzuki’s Alex Rins, then Miller and finally Bagnaia!
But it wasn’t to be, as the young Spanish
Phenom finally Cracked unper this relentless onslaught, first running wide
somewhere to see his nearly two second gap over Bagnaia basically disappear.
Then Martin was penalized for a Track limits violation and given a Long-lap penalty,
effectively handing the podium spot over to Bagnaia, who passed him Ontrack
before Martin reluctantly served his penalty. As Martin’s delay would cost him
a further position to rins and ultimately wind up a dejected fifth.
Meanwhile, it’s now obvious that Father Time
has firmly caught up with the Ageless Valentino Rossi, who came home a quiet
P15. While it was another Italian Youngster instead who impressed me. As Rookie
Tnea Bastianini, who’s
riding on a two year old Ducati for Sky 46 Esponsorama Racing, starting 16th
came home an impressive sixth. One place ahead of eventual finishers Miller and
Suzuki’s Joan Mir, the reigning MotoGP Champion who collided on the final lap.
Taking Nothing away from Marquez, who claimed
his seventh out of eight victories at Circuit Of The Americas, with the TV Pundits
firmly proclaiming the King of COTA had regained his Crown. I’ve heard
somewhere that this was one of the three race circuits Marquez had circled as
his best opportunities for winning. With All three circuits being Anti
Clockwise, since he’s stil trying to recover from his Mega Accident in 2020
that severly damaged his right arm, which apparently still isn’t at 100%
Fitness…
As Marquez won at the first track on his list,
the Sachsenring in Germany, and now has claimed his second victory of the
season at COTA. Where the Werks’ Honda’s Horsepower seems to enjoy stretching
it’s legs in the Lonestar State.
But reportedly Quartararo was almost as Happy as Marquez on the podium with his runner-up finish, since he’s now securely got one hand upon the title, wwith just three rounds remaining. While Bagnaia in third probably just looked on in dismay?