Well, they've got it now and they both like it. I know lap times don't show it - but I bet the race distance does the trick. Rossi is right back up there. He was ahead of JLo at the end of today. The Honda's are essentially equal and the Yami's are essentially equal too - just 2 tenths off Pedrosa.


I think it'll be a good race - or, rather, I hope it'll be a good race!

 

So Aspar has lowered the Espargaro buyout price to 400,000 euro's to be payed by NGM (and they're going to pay it). It was originally 600,000, but Aspar has lowered the price because they apparently have a deal with Nicky Hayden. So, it appears that Aleix will be on the NGM next year. Do you think Colin would get to keep the other spot on the team? He does already know the Yamaha...

I've been thinking about it, and I know I originally said I wish Hayden would go with that production racer from Honda, but I think the Aspar is a better fit for him really. Even if they go with the spec ECU next year, it's essentially going to be a factory prototype. I think it'll be at least as competitive as the Ducati is now, especially after the intro the new seamless transmission and pneumatic valves. And they're going to operate Aspar with full factory backing from Aprilia.

I'm ecstatic if that's the case. I've been hoping for Aspar for a few weeks now. I think it'll be better than NGM too, since that will definitely have a glass ceiling with regards to parts and development from Yamaha. With the Honda having to use a standard tranny and steel valve springs - I think it might be the least competitive package out of the three.


And I know Aprilia's last stint in GP was bad, but remember they were using a 3 cylinder - now they have the v4. I think they'll do well

 

Wow, big race today...

 

Big race indeed. I couldn't believe Pedrosa's luck when it came to light Marquez had damaged his traction control sensor with the contact before the crash. Pedrosa can't buy a lucky break. I guess at least he isn't injured.

The moto2 race was great. That one could end up being a real battle in the last race of the season the way it's going.

 

All three races were great! So what do you think about all of this penalty drama going on with Marc Marquez?

As far as Moto2, Redding rode great! I'm really rooting for him to hold off Pol. He can do it.

Moto3 is even tighter though with 3 riders are within 12 points. Rins has a lot of momentum, Vinales has been there all year, and Salom is leading - but has struggled in the last couple of races.

 

Is there talk of penalizing Marquez for that incident? I'm curious to see what comes out of the meeting on Thursday. It was just a freak accident, I think. Apart from redesigning the sensors so they are better protected, not sure what else there is to discuss.

Loved the way Redding rode in his race. I like to see riders forcing the issue and taking new lines to get past guys. Some guys are fast and others are fast but have good race craft. I think Redding showed he has good race craft in that race. I would have preferred he was on the podium ahead of Espargaro, just to add salt to the wound, but still, a great performance.

Moto3 is always fun. It's hard to know who's going to come out on top there. Like you say, Rins has the momentum but he also has to deal with Marquez. Not the most co-operative team mate on the track! Vinales has such a good record, crazy to think he might not win the title after such a good year.

 

Just had a quick look at the calendar for 2014 and there is no date for Laguna Seca. It's only a provisional calendar but they didn't comment on it's absence. Did I miss something?

 

Yeah, it's off the calendar, at least for 2014. They are saying the paddock isn't big enough for moto2/moto3 to come as well, and that it's outdated for safety. But there are still more races - one in Brazil and another one in Argentina. It sucks, because that's the one (Laguna) that I most likely could have gone to. (I have family that live close by)

There are a lot of people that want Marc Marquez penalized. Most of the people that do want 8 penalty points and a suspension from 1 race... which I find absolutely crazy. I think Honda would be more to blame than anyone - he hardly touched him! Some people have even been calling him the next Simoncelli - which I find really, really disrespectful to Supersic and Marc Marquez. Even Bradley Smith said he should sit out a race to teach him a lesson... Cal and Rossi have said that MM93 has done nothing wrong at least. And surprise, surprise - JLo and Dani want him to sit out a race too (I wonder why that would be )

 

It's all supposedly for rider safety - but I'm telling you - the whole reason any of this is being talked about is because it's Pedrosa and Puig.

 

I think MM does need to learn a lesion, but if they force it down his throat and he sit out a race, he isn't going to learn the real lesion its only going to curb his aggressiveness. Or worse yet he is going to push harder to get back ahead of the pack. Now I don't like the fact that he took his teammate out of the championship, I honestly think that this accident was caused by his inexperience and immaturity as a rider. And he knows it, if anyone saw the footage after the race of him finding out that he caused the crash and searching for dani, they would see that he at least recognizes that as well. Now should he be penalized points? Yes I think he should, he needs to realize the severity of riding so recklessly - this is the big leagues, with professionals at the top levels and they expect you to have a certain level a maturity and respect; but he still needs to push the edge and the other riders to go faster and harder. At the end of the day it was a freak accident that was caused by inexperience, it sucks but move along.

On the flip side this popped up on my radar.
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