Yes, it’s me again. Still suffering from this flu and still nowhere near over it. It’s now five weeks. Sheesh. No energy to do much, doctor says rest and drink plenty of fluids. OK, I’m doing that but it doesn’t seem to be helping any. Oh, well, I do what I can and hope.
I didn’t see the MotoGP race from PI yesterday afternoon and I was enroute from my place to Goulburn Speedway for our first meeting of the new season. I do know the result, though, it seems that everybody is falling over themselves to ensure that Pecco wins the title again.
And, speaking of the championship, and thus the reason for my headline this morning, The updated world championship points after yesterday’s race shows that Pecco is back to a nearly 30 points lead again, just when it looked like the momentum had swung firmly in favour of the Martinator. Like Pecco earlier in the season, Jorge seems to be tripping himself up with unforced errors that could easily cost him his title chase. Yes, there are still a handful of races to go, but it’s always harder to be the chaser than the chasee and this particular chasee is pretty good at protecting a lead.
But it’s the pointscore that concerns me most. After yesterday’s long race, the top ten in the championship are all riding European bikes except for the rider in 10th place, Yamaha’s Fabio Quatararo. But lest that seem like good news, it needs to be looked at in the perspective that he is 232 points behind Pecco riding a bike that he openly admits is not competitive despite all the changes (improvements?) that Yamaha has made to it.
No Honda riders even in the top 10 at all. How have the mighty fallen. Is there some relief in sight for those who’d like to see some competition? Nope, none at all. Fabio said last night that everybody is blaming Yamaha’s insistence on sticking with the I4 engine but he says it’s not the engine that’s the problem.
Short of a dumpster and a clean sheet redesign, Honda and Yamaha seem doomed to another few years of the doldrums while the Euros run riot. Is it any wonder that Marquez has finally run up the white flag and joined Ducati next year? And who will replace him at Honda? That’s not really the question, however. The question is who would WANT to? Yes, I know that the prestige of being in a factory team is the lure but it’s a bit like a poisoned chalice at the moment, isn’t it?
Significantly, Marquez’s contract with Gresini next year is only for one year and many are interpreting that as meaning that he’s taking a break from Honda while they get their act together with a view to coming back when they have something competitive to offer him. Who knows?
It’s Springtime and the weather is getting warmer. Tim to get out and enjoy the best that the coast has to offer. Go on, you know you want to.
