2023 FIM MotoGP World Championship.

[AMG.Tzan]

I don't know if this is true but if Honda gave better and working frame to Marc and not giving other riders, this is a really bad ---.

Red Bull may be pushing to put Marc Márquez at KTM’ – Óscar Haro
Repsol Honda is going through yet another difficult start to the season in MotoGP, with the top places still a long way off. Marc Márquez took the pole position and a third place in the sprint race in Portimão, but the performances may not be the only reasons to be unpleased... and he could even leave to KTM. His current agreement with Honda runs through 2024.

In an interview with the YouTube channel SportAction/Paddock TV, Óscar Haro spoke about these rumors that are circulating in Spain: ‘Márquez's former manager, Emilio Alzamora, let's say that, after what happened with Márquez, he wants to make a little war on Márquez and he offered himself to be [Pedro] Acosta's manager. In Spain it is said that Márquez is very angry with Honda and that Red Bull is pushing for the bike that in theory Acosta should land in MotoGP – a KTM – to give it to Márquez. And put Acosta on Márquez's bike at HRC. This is what the journalists talked about, also with me – I didn't know anything, but they said everything. It would be a beautiful story, Márquez's former manager helping Acosta by putting him on Honda and Márquez on KTM’.

According to Haro, Márquez's discontent with Honda could go beyond the performances: ‘I haven't spoken with Marc or Álex [Rins], but I known perfectly that Marc is upset. Marc is very jealous of his team, he is very jealous of everything he tries. I don't think he was very excited or happy that they allowed Álex Rins try out his frame and fork. Marc found a different frame with some more rear grip, which he liked – he raced with it in Portugal and he was very strong. As Honda decided that Stefan Bradl would not race at Termas de Río Hondo, they made the decision to give this frame to Álex Rins. Álex Rins liked it; the problem is that Álex Rins now wants a frame like that and Marc will not be very happy that Álex Rins tried it’.

https://www.motorcyclesports.net/articl ... 54RoQfKJ84

KTM could be a nice fit for Marquez but there isn't any room there at the moment!

They can't release Jack Miller from his contract after such a good showing both at Portimao and Argentina. Not to mention Brad Binder who has been their golden boy years now...! I think they will only open up a seat only for Acosta though Acosta seems to have lost all the hype around him by making too many mistakes...

I think Aprilia may be the perfect fit for Marquez if Honda doesn't manage to get better results with the Kalex chassis! Aprilia are the only manufacturer right now close enough to Ducati and with a lot of developments and innovations! Aleix doesn't seem to have any more years left in him so I think Marquez can easily fit in there!

All in all Honda didn't look that bad at Portimao though! Let's not forget that Portimao hasn't been one of the better tracks for Marquez these last few years and I believe that had he raced at Argentina he would have easily won both races if we take into account how fast he usually is at this circuit and the weather conditions that he really shines at!

Anyway, it was a shame he missed the last race...hopefully he can race at Texas without the penalty cause he can also win there easily I think! Hopefully Honda's review of the penalty will push the penalty back to Jerez, though Texas might be a better place to take the penalty considering his usual pace there!

Any news on if he'll race at the US GP??

[etusch]

If I didn't get it wrong tomorrow and next day Yamaha and honda and Aprilla will have testing at jerez. Yamaha will test with Cal and Toprak. Honda will go with Bradl.
I don't know what yamaha will test. Honda obviously will keep testing new kalex chassis. I don't know if there is modification on the chassis according to data they got from previous test or did they make some changes on the other part of bike for new chassis.

[Cuky]

No cost cap in Moto GP either. If they wreck the main bike, they can just hop on the backup bike.

True. But if sprint decided the grid for main race than crashing out of sprint would be really bad for a grid position.

[etusch]

[etusch]

I saw a facebook post that says he already signed for Yamaha Motogp team for 2024

Toprak Razgatlioglu one step closer to MotoGP? Yamaha confirms test with M1 at Jerez
Toprak Razgatlioglu recently said that his plans include, in the short term, turning his career to MotoGP. Now Yamaha seems to follow up, in part, on that desire, and confirms that the turkish will be present at the Jerez tests.

The test is scheduled for april 10 and 11 in Andalusia, that is, this monday and tuesday. In addition to the former WSBK champion, Yamaha will also work on the track with Cal Crutchlow.

This will be Razgatlioglu's second experience on the YZR-M1, after making his debut on the bike in june last year at Motorland Aragon, in a test shortened due to bad weather.

[etusch]

Honda tests Kalex chassis at Jerez...with Austin round in mind

Stefan Bradl has had his hands full with the Honda test team, who are working this year to have the best possible bike.

The two days of private testing at Jerez are the time chosen by Honda to test the new Kalex chassis, according to Corsedimoto. The aim is to gather data, analyse it and send the chassis to Austin, where news of Marc Marquez's presence is expected.

At this stage, it remains to be seen whether Marquez will have the medical clearance to compete in Texas, and an answer is expected by next Wednesday. The Catalan rider is also awaiting a decision on his penalty and when he will have to serve it after his crash in Portimao in the opening round of the championship.

Honda's plans are to make the Kalex chassis - if Stefan Bradl's feedback is positive - available for Marc Marquez, who is expected to return to action in Austin.

https://www.motorcyclesports.net/articl ... SNm_o8wKZ4

[Wouter]

[Wouter]

.

The eight-time world champion fractured the first metacarpal in his right hand following a controversial shunt with RNF Aprilia rider Miguel Oliveira in the Portuguese Grand Prix.

The incident, which took place on the third lap of the 2023 season-opener, led to Marquez being handed a double long lap penalty to initially be served at the Argentina GP.

Undergoing surgery on the Monday after the Portuguese GP, Marquez was ruled out of the Argentina round and it was thought his penalty would go unserved.

A reissued statement from the FIM stewards on the Tuesday after Portugal led to Marquez’s penalty being deferred to the next round he would be fit to participate in, which led to a protest from Honda that will now be heard in the Court of Appeal.

Marquez was expected to return for this weekend’s Americas GP in Austin, but has taken the decision with his team to sit out in order to continue his recovery following a final scan this week.

“Following a final CAT scan, Marc Marquez and his medical team, led by Dr. Ignacio Roger de Ona, at the Ruber Internacional Hospital in Madrid have confirmed the first metacarpal is still in the healing process,” a statement from Honda read.

“After close collaboration with the Repsol Honda Team and HRC, all involved have elected to let the injury fully heal and avoid any unnecessary risks.

“Marquez will continue to work through his rehabilitation program at home in order to return at full fitness as soon as possible.”

.

[etusch]

[Wouter]

Enea Bastianini to miss the Americas GP

After completing a few laps at Misano with the Panigale V4S, the Ducati Lenovo Team rider underwent a further check-up in Forlì
at Dr Porcellini's clinic, who confirmed that Bastianini will still need a few more weeks to fully recover from the right shoulder injury
sustained in the Portuguese GP.

Enea will therefore continue his rehabilitation with the aim of returning to the track in Jerez and will be replaced in Texas
by Michele Pirro.

[etusch]

https://www.facebook.com/NowMotoNews

[etusch]

Enea Bastianini to miss the Americas GP

After completing a few laps at Misano with the Panigale V4S, the Ducati Lenovo Team rider underwent a further check-up in Forlì
at Dr Porcellini's clinic, who confirmed that Bastianini will still need a few more weeks to fully recover from the right shoulder injury
sustained in the Portuguese GP.

Enea will therefore continue his rehabilitation with the aim of returning to the track in Jerez and will be replaced in Texas
by Michele Pirro.

so unlucky guy, he can be in the fight of WDC. Maybe still has chance but it became quite harder now.

[etusch]

Stefan Bradl tested for Honda in Jerez on Monday and Tuesday and has now arrived in Texas. The first test with the Kalex chassis has been postponed.


Stefan Bradl has had a few turbulent days, because he tested the Honda RC213V on Monday and Tuesday at the Circuito de Jerez and already knew when he arrived that he would be standing in for the injured Marc Márquez at the Red Bull US GP next weekend must.

When this suspicion became a certainty on Tuesday, the Bavarian had to abandon the Jerez test after 2 p.m. to rush to Seville, where he had to catch a flight to Madrid at 5:30 p.m. The Honda test driver stayed there overnight and then almost missed the 6:20 a.m. flight to Frankfurt, from where he flew to Houston/Texas with Lufthansa on Wednesday afternoon. After arriving there at 3 p.m. local time, it was a three-hour drive to Austin - with some heavy thunderstorms on the way.

At the weekend Stefan Bradl (33) will be in action for Repsol-Honda for the first time since the Misano GP 2022 instead of Marc Márquez. He finished fifth in Austin in 2013 and fourth in 2014 with the LCR-Honda.

For the first time in the MotoGP four-stroke era (it began in 2002), two Germans compete in the "premier class", as compatriot Jonas Folger (29) replaces the seriously injured Pol Espargaró in the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 team.

Stefan, did you already expect at Easter that Marc Márquez wouldn't be fit for Texas?
It was known that Marc couldn't drive in Argentina and that a metacarpal fracture on the right side took a few weeks to heal. So I was forewarned.

But the final decision didn't come until the beginning of this week.

Were you able to complete the test program despite the early departure from Jerez?
Yes, but of course we could have done a lot more on the second day given the perfect weather conditions.

We drove as much as possible on the first day. Then we started shortly after 10 a.m. on Tuesday and carried out our test program.

Aprilia test driver Lorenzo Savadori said you had already driven with the new Kalex chassis. But the observers I spoke to only saw the previous Honda chassis in your pits.
(He laughs). What can I say? I haven't seen a Kalex chassis either.

My frame was silver and aluminum. In terms of shape, I didn't see any difference to the previous versions.

Then the first test canter with Kalex was probably postponed to the Monday test in Jerez on May 1st, because the chassis will first be tested on the HRC test stands in Japan.
I can not say anything about this. I have no information about this. But the next MotoGP test is on Monday after the Spanish GP. That's right.

After 2011, Ducati needed a few years with various manufacturers until a competitive aluminum chassis was created. So the Kalex technicians won't be able to work a miracle in the short time since mid-November.
Unless they have magic hands...

You haven't ridden the COTA since 2016 (then with Aprilia). What are your expectations? Marc Márquez has won there seven times.
Yes, we'll see if it's a good track for Honda. For Marc Márquez, this links course has been a good track in the past.

But I don't think it will be easy for Honda at the moment in Austin either.

The track has always been fun for me, I've always enjoyed driving in the USA, including Laguna Seca.

It's always something special for me and an honor to be at the start for the Repsol Honda factory team, although I know it well now because I've done it umpteen times.

The most important thing is that we get points when we can. But I'm not stressing about it now. I'm not used to the new format with only two training sessions before qualifying and the sprint race.

The track has been partially repaved for 2022 because it had become so bumpy. I'm curious to see what condition it's in now. That will be interesting.

I can't primarily fight to tear something now. Because with our situation at Honda, the most important thing is that I move the thing, learn a little something and get out of this one in one piece.

There is no point in starting the weekend with high expectations.

I can measure up to my test driver colleagues Michele Pirro and Jonas Folger, but our priorities should lie elsewhere. It's not about fighting for a result and then flying back home.

In the long term, it would be better for us if we got the maximum efficiency out of the technology in Texas and learned how to get the motorcycle back on track.

Were you able to simulate a sprint race in Jerez?
Yes, I have already taken that out.

KTM Motorsport Director Pit Beirer told Jonas Folger that he should stay healthy and bring the machine safely to the finish line.
Yes, there is something to it. Because there is currently almost nothing to win for a test driver in the World Championship, but a lot to lose. And you have to see that in perspective.

https://www.speedweek.com/motogp/news/2 ... content=DE

[etusch]

Longer wheelbase at ktm too

https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10241 ... t-its-arse

[AMG.Tzan]

Longer wheelbase at ktm too

https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10241 ... t-its-arse

I think this is Honda’s problem too!

Their bikes look tall and short wheelbase while the Ducatis and Aprilias both look long and short in height!