MotoGP Predictions Argentina 2014

 

Argentina a big question mark’ says excited Rossi

Following on from an inconclusive Austin MotoGP weekend, an excited Valentino Rossi has a 'big question mark' over the new venue in Argentina.

One of his worst events of last year, Rossi was seeking a strong COTA performance to confirm his improved form after an inspiring victory battle with champion Marc Marquez in Qatar.

Instead the Italian was one of a number of riders to suffer front tyre problems and faded from the podium fight to eighth. But if Rossi had doubts about his potential in Texas, this weekend's third round is a far greater unknown.

Argentina last hosted a Motorcycle Grand Prix in 1999, when a youthful Rossi concluded a title winning season with third in the 250cc race, having won the 1998 event.

But such prior experience will be of no use to the Movistar Yamaha rider, with a venue change from Buenos Aires to the new Termas de RioHondo circuit, over 1000km north-west of the capital.

“It is important to go immediately to Argentina after the weekend in Austin and try to get a good result,” 

“Argentina is a big question mark for everybody because we don't know the track.

“It is really hard to understand now if this track will be suitable for the Yamaha as there are many variables. We'll know after the first few laps on the track. I am happy with the work we are doing so far and in Argentina we will be even more focused to get good results.

“We'll have to understand as soon as possible the ideal set-up of the bike, and above all we'll have to understand how the tyres behave on this asphalt. We will analyse all the data and we will do our best. Going to a new circuit is always exciting!”

The only MotoGP riders with some previous knowledge of the venue are Stefan Bradl, Alvaro Bautista, Cal Crutchlow and Hector Barbera, who took part in a two-day fact-finding test in July 2013.

Crutchlow was then riding for Tech 3 Yamaha and it will be his data that will be used as a starting point for the 2014 M1 riders.

“We can't wait to start on Friday to see how the new track is. Our base set up will be built on the data we got last year from Tech 3 when they went to test there so at least we won't be completely blind going in,” confirmed team director Massimo Meregalli.

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American MotoGP Results 2014

 

American MotoGP Champion Marc Marquez In 2014

American MotoGP Champion Marc Marquez In 2014 and Marc Marquez completes his total domination of the Austin MotoGP weekend with a comfortable win over team-mate Dani Pedrosa, a repeat of last year's result.

The fight for third was closer with Andrea Iannone holding the final podium place for much of the race before Stefan Bradl and Andrea Dovizioso burst past with six laps to go.

Dovizioso, Bradl and Bradley Smith then spent the closing stages dicing for third. Struggling with 'flu, Dovizioso clung on to claim Ducati's first MotoGP podium since 2012.

American MotoGP Results 2014 and Dovizioso's team-mate Cal Crutchlow pitted for a new rear tyre then suffered a big accident at turn two and was immediately seen removing his glove and checking his right hand before being carried away on a stretcher.

Jorge Lorenzo's 2014 race misery continued when he made a massive jump start and was forced to serve a ride-through penalty. Marquez then led the remainder of the race - although he gave the Repsol Honda team a scare with a sideways moment under braking at the very final turn!

1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 43m 33.430s

2. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 43m 37.554s

3. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 43m 54.406s

4. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V) 43m 56.220s

5. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 43m 56.393s

6. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 43m 59.997s

7. Andrea Iannone ITA Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) 44m 1.687s

8. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 44m 18.949s

9. Aleix Espargaro ESP NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 44m 21.035s

10. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 44m 22.541s

11. Nicky Hayden USA Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) 44m 34.165s

12. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) 44m 37.384s

13. Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) 44m 40.763s

14. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (RCV1000R) 45m 1.402s

15. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing (Avintia) 45m 5.806s

16. Michael Laverty GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART) 45m 5.973s

17. Danilo Petrucci ITA IodaRacing Project (ART) 45m 12.606s

18. Mike Di Meglio FRA Avintia Racing (Avintia)* 45m 25.392s

Scott Redding GBR Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RCV1000R)* DNF

Colin Edwards USA NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) DNF

Cal Crutchlow GBR Ducati Team (Desmosedici) DNF

Alvaro Bautista ESP Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RC213V) DNF

Broc Parkes AUS Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART)* DNF

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Standings Motogp Qatar 2014

 

Doha, Sunday, March 23, 2014

Marc Marquez won a thrilling, 13-lap battle with Valentino Rossi to take the first race of the 2014 MotoGP Season at the Losail Circuit in Qatar.  Rossi, who started 10th on the grid, took second after a charge through the field and several late-race lead swaps with the eventual winner.

Dani Pedrosa took third after a multi-lap fight with Alvaro Bautista.

Bautista was one of several solo crashers including former world champion Jorge Lorenzo who low-sided at turn 15 while leading the first lap. Bradley Smith crashed out while in a comfortable in fifth late in the race. Stefan Bradl dumped his Honda on turn six while leading eight laps into the race with Marquez and Rossi on his tail.

Pos.	Points	Num.	Rider	Nation	Team	Bike	Km/h	Time/Gap
1	25	93	Marc MARQUEZ	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	Honda	166.4	42'40.561
2	20	46	Valentino ROSSI	ITA	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	Yamaha	166.3	+0.259
3	16	26	Dani PEDROSA	SPA	Repsol Honda Team	Honda	166.1	+3.370
4	13	41	Aleix ESPARGARO	SPA	NGM Forward Racing	Forward Yamaha	165.6	+11.623
5	11	4	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	ITA	Ducati Team	Ducati	165.6	+12.159
6	10	35	Cal CRUTCHLOW	GBR	Ducati Team	Ducati	164.5	+28.526
7	9	45	Scott REDDING	GBR	GO&FUN Honda Gresini	Honda	164.3	+32.593
8	8	69	Nicky HAYDEN	USA	Drive M7 Aspar	Honda	164.3	+32.628
9	7	5	Colin EDWARDS	USA	NGM Forward Racing	Forward Yamaha	163.8	+39.547
10	6	29	Andrea IANNONE	ITA	Pramac Racing	Ducati	163.6	+43.360
11	5	7	Hiroshi AOYAMA	JPN	Drive M7 Aspar	Honda	163.4	+46.595
12	4	68	Yonny HERNANDEZ	COL	Energy T.I. Pramac Racing	Ducati	163.4	+46.688
13	3	17	Karel ABRAHAM	CZE	Cardion AB Motoracing	Honda	163.1	+50.581
14	2	9	Danilo PETRUCCI	ITA	IodaRacing Project	ART	162.4	+1'03.127
15	1	23	Broc PARKES	AUS	Paul Bird Motorsport	PBM	161.7	+1'14.386
16		70	Michael LAVERTY	GBR	Paul Bird Motorsport	PBM	160.5	+1'32.593
17		63	Mike DI MEGLIO	FRA	Avintia Racing	Avintia	160.3	+1'36.085
Not Classified
		19	Alvaro BAUTISTA	SPA	GO&FUN Honda Gresini	Honda	166.2	2 Laps
		38	Bradley SMITH	GBR	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	Yamaha	166.1	4 Laps
		44	Pol ESPARGARO	SPA	Monster Yamaha Tech 3	Yamaha	165.0	5 Laps
		6	Stefan BRADL	GER	LCR Honda MotoGP	Honda	165.6	14 Laps
		8	Hector BARBERA	SPA	Avintia Racing	Avintia	160.7	18 Laps
		99	Jorge LORENZO	SPA	Movistar Yamaha MotoGP	Yamaha		0 Lap

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First Pole Position of 2014 at Losail Marc Marquez

 

Commercial Bank Grand Prix of Qatar

The Spanish youngster improved the setting of his Repsol Honda machine over the weekend as he returne to the front of the MotoGP™ grid at the Commercial Bank Grand Prix of Qatar.

The 2013 World Champion found a big improvement in Free Practice 4 that allowed him to overcome the testing advantage of the Satellite and Open bikes. Fortunately his leg injury did not prove a major hindrance in the practice sessions.

Marc Marquez posted his pole time of 1’54.507 on his seventh and last lap of the session, bumping down Alvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini) to second and Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) to third. His time was 0.200s faster than Jorge Lorenzo’s pole position time from 2013.

“I’m very happy, after the injury and the loss of half the preseason it’s very important to be here on the front row. But the pole position makes me happy. The satellite riders did a test here and I don’t think they’ve changed their bikes much since FP1, but step-by-step we’ve improved. There’s still some space to the perfect set up,” he commented

Looking ahead, “Tomorrow is the most important; it will be very hard as there are many riders on the same pace. Physical condition will also be difficult for me, as I don’t have full power in my leg so I have to use more arms and this is quite hard over long distance. I think it will be a great race for.


Q2:
1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 54.507s
2. Alvaro Bautista ESP Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RC213V) 1m 54.564s | +0.057s
3. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 1m 54.601s | +0.094s
4. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 1m 54.644s | +0.137s
5. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 54.661s | +0.154s
6. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 54.703s | +0.196s
7. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V) 1m 54.871s | +0.364s
8. Cal Crutchlow GBR Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 1m 54.888s | +0.381s
9. Aleix Espargaro ESP NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 1m 54.986s | +0.479s
10. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 55.096s | +0.589s
11. Andrea Iannone ITA Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) 1m 55.127s | +0.620s
12. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 1m 55.152s | +0.645s


Q1:
13. Nicky Hayden USA Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) 1m 55.894s | +0.488s
14. Colin Edwards USA NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 1m 56.042s | +0.636s
15. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) 1m 56.479s | +1.073s
16. Scott Redding GBR Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RCV1000R) 1m 56.555s | +1.149s
17. Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) 1m 56.648s | +1.242s
18. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (RCV1000R) 1m 56.715s | +1.309s
19. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing (Avintia) 1m 57.006s | +1.600s
20. Danilo Petrucci ITA IodaRacing Project (ART) 1m 57.513s | +2.107s
21. Broc Parkes AUS Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART) 1m 57.574s | +2.168s
22. Mike Di Meglio FRA Avintia Racing (Avintia) 1m 57.667s | +2.261s
23. Michael Laverty GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART) 1m 58.254s | +2.848s

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