Kalex

2016 Qatar MotoGP Saturday Round Up: On Unpredictable Racing, and the Futility of Mind Games

Submitted by David Emmett on

Practice, like testing, doesn't really count for much, riders will tell you. When you talk to the afterwards, they will tell you that they didn't set a really fast lap because they were working on set up, or trying to figure out which tire will be best in the race, or working on race pace rather than one lap pace. Maybe they were saving tires, or maybe they ran into traffic, or maybe there wasn't enough time left in the session to go for a fast lap. Even the rider who is fastest will tell you they were surprised, they were not really pushing for a time, but it just came naturally.

All valid explanations, but not necessarily true, of course. After all, free practice is just free practice, and as long as you are inside the top ten, with a good chance of advancing straight to Q2, then there is no reason not to dip into your Bumper Book of Excuses to fob off journalists with. They are unlikely to challenge you on such excuses, because as long as your explanations are plausible, they have no way of countering them. It is impossible to know the mind of Man.

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The Monster 2016 MotoGP Silly Season Primer, Part 3: Suzuki, KTM, Aprilia, and Moto2 Prospects

Submitted by David Emmett on

While the eyes of the world will be on Yamaha, Honda, and Ducati as far as MotoGP's Silly Season is concerned, the three remaining manufacturers in MotoGP will play an integral part in how this all plays out. What happens at Suzuki and KTM is crucial to how things play out at Honda and Ducati, especially, while Aprilia will also have a role to play, albeit a lesser one. As I wrote in part one of this Silly Season primer, this year's set of contract negotiations look a lot more like musical chairs than anything else.

Suzuki is at the heart of Silly Season this year. Or rather, Maverick Viñales is. Viñales is the talent Honda, Ducati, and to a lesser extent Yamaha are keeping an eye on. Viñales has two more years on his contract with the Suzuki ECSTAR team, but an option to leave at the end of this season. The Spaniard faces two choices: stay with Suzuki and build a long-term relationship, becoming the new Schwantz – a rider Viñales has identified as his hero – or switch to another factory in pursuit of instant success.

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2016 Qatar and Jerez Test Preview - All at Stake in Last Test Before We Start

Submitted by David Emmett on

It's the last chance to get it right. On Wednesday, the wheels start turning for the final tests of the year, with Moto2 and Moto3 hitting the track at the official test in Jerez, while the MotoGP teams assemble at Qatar. At this stage of the preseason, the teams and factories should be running through their final tweaks ahead of the opening race in just under three weeks' time. There is not enough time to make any major changes of direction. If you haven't got it right for this test, you are in for a very long year indeed. Just ask Honda about 2015.

Aprilia's got a brand new bike

Of course, some people don't have the option of working on the final tenth of a percent. Aprilia brought their brand new MotoGP prototype to Qatar last week, to give it its first run out in the hands of factory riders Stefan Bradl and Alvaro Bautista. That test was blanketed in secrecy, prompting the most entertaining headline of the year so far: "Aprilia in Qatar: no photos and no information."

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