Made for an exciting race though!
Pit stops, bike changes, black flags! Unbelievable!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/motogp/24600081
Tyre manufacturers - Lazy lot!
Mike
Made for an exciting race though!
As a Lorenzo Fan I enjoyed it
Bloody exiting race either way though.
All of the finishers did well coping with last minute changes and adjustments. In particular, JorgeL deserved the win.
The organisers, tyre manufacturers etc...deserve derision. Despite local racers having problems with the new track surface they didn't prepare and tried to sort things out 'on the fly'. Very unprofessional, in my view, and I've emailed the FIM, motogp.com and Dorna Sports to say so.
The rest of the season may be more exciting as a result, so it's not all bad news. Let's hope that it's less controversial.
I agree a testing session shojuld have been organised before the race weekend. But as you say makes the championship more interesting.
I thought it was supposed to be about racing, not who can count - bloody fiasco IMHO.
I've just looked at the race again on iPlayer. There's a shot of the Honda team with Marc's 2nd bike all ready and waiting immediately before he has a 'moment' on lap 10 and then passes the pit lane entrance. Maybe they did count OK.
There again, Marc has been quoted as saying:
“I am disappointed - the plan with the team it was a big mistake,
“We thought it was possible to go in the lap 10 but it is a big confusion.
“I just followed what the team said in the pit wall.
“When they say go in, I go in – but it was too late.”
So I'm still not sure quite why he missed the changeover. But if I'd just saved a crash I probably would take a moment or two to think about quite when to come in.
And yes, it's always good to see the GOAT on the podium.
Was a real shame for hrc to mess up, but it makes the championship roll on..
Why wasn't Pedrosa penalised?
It's just a matter of time...
Apparently he was...he had to loose a place for exceeding the speed limit when entering the pit in-road. Quite how he paid the penalty is my question.
I like the way that the FIA publish the F1 stewards' decisions on their website. They give the offence, refer to the relevant regulation, their decision and any penalty awarded.
I've been trying to find something similar from the FIM, but haven't found anything as yet.
Edit From the FIM's page about the "20/10/2013 FIM ROAD RACING GRAND PRIX - AUSTRALIA/AUSTRALIE": "No Supplementary Regulations for this event"! Well...that's simply not true; see "mandatory bike swaps added to Australian GP" (link).
Last edited by PickleB; 20th October 2013 at 23:33.
I will not complain about the results, but the rest of the race?
Disgraceful.
This was probably the most exciting MotoGP race all year—for the wrong reasons. Moto3 and Moto2 continue to provide much better racing.
Dorna needs to get its act together soon.
He was, he was to drop a place. If he was second and Marc was third, they would have swapped places. Because Marc was black flagged after this happened, he retained the place.
I think the racing this season has been close and exciting anyway, by no means a procession.
the whole thing simply serves to demonstrate that 1 tire for everybody doesn't really make a professional series
Pedrosa losing (giving?!) a place to Marc was his penalty, nullified when Marquez was black flagged
HRC made the mistake, not #93, he came in when he was supposed too, but he'd technically started the 11th lap and HRC misjudged the rules - believing that the penalty came into effect at the end of the 11th lap
I still don't understand how Lorenzo was able to do a race lap, pit, bike change, re-join the track in the time it took pedrosa to pit and do an out lap?????
the championship is a little more open.... but if you compare to the BSB format, which had 2 riders separated by 3 points racing on track for position and the ultimate spoils, then it shows the spectacle is better with their format
i'm quite fucted off about Scott Redding too :(
All that aside, the MotoGP brollie dollies are far superior to those on the F1 grid.
But he didn't give up a place - he didn't even slow down - Marc overtook him, therefore no penalty of any kind, the Marc was taken out of the race. I don't see the point of a penalty being imposed that has n effect whatsoever . That said I am no fan of the pit penalties either.
It's just a matter of time...
I take it that you regularly visit this page...link!
I thought it was superb,it added some spice and called on the skill of the team.
Every one had the same time to practice and work it out.
One of the better races of the season IMHO
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
It added something to it, not sure what.
Not sure about Pedrosa though, he got a penalty, but but somehow because the bloke behind him got disqualified he didn't have to drop the place, sorry but there was still a bloke behind him!
As a neutral.....but a Rossi fan at heart I thought it made a fantastic spectacle. Seeing the guys practice and then in a live situation nearly going over the handle bars in the attempt to stop/ change bikeswas brilliant. I know this 'element' was put in place due to the Bridgestone fiasco, but is there a case to have this as every race....as it was entertaining? From a safety perspective it maybe a No NO as Lorenzo nearly collected Mark M on his way out of the pits on the fast turn 1.
From a neutral perspective it's great for the championship as its wide open (albeit 18 points) going into Japan where HRC could win on home soil......another reason to get up early Sunday morning peeps! #bringiton!!!
I just hate moving goal posts but that's probably my OCD tendencies! I also hate BST!
Mike
It's ironic isn't it, that Marquez was disqualified for something that was the teams fault whilst Pedrosa suffered effectively no penalty for an infringement which was his own fault.
Marquez did get in front of Pedrosa with 6 laps to go (50m20 into the iPlayer coverage), but I think Marquez [had] probably already been disqualified. So I'm still not sure how Pedrosa managed to "go back the number of positions decided by the Race Direction".
Last edited by PickleB; 21st October 2013 at 20:12.
According to Honda "It was the result of a team misunderstanding of the hastily rewritten rules, altered on race eve then again on race morning, over the method of counting the laps" (link).
According to the press: "Honda shoulders blame for Marc Marquez's Australian GP penalty"; then they go on to say "Honda has admitted that a misinterpretation of MotoGP rules was the reason Marc Marquez pitted too late..." (link).
So neither of them say who in the team got what wrong. I'd just say it was "FUBAR". Especially if the wording on the motogp.com website is a verbatim copy of what went out to the teams: "...this means that the rider must change machine only at the end of Lap 9 or Lap 10" (link).
That's pretty conclusive then.
I don't expect it will alter the championship though, but at least it keeps it interesting for a little longer.
I suspect some of the other teams may feel a touch of Schadenfreude at the irony. After all the rookie rule was specifically changed for Marquez
Last edited by andy tims; 21st October 2013 at 14:56.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Exciting, certainly, but you have to feel for Marquez.
And as for Lorenzo's near headbutt of his pit crew when he slammed on the anchors swapping bikes - brilliant viewing.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Is there a synopsis of what happened anywhere for those of us who can't stream it?
I wouldn't go along with your 'because' in relation to the black flags. Rather, I think, it was that Race Direction hadn't properly thought through the penalties or what having such a short pit stop window would mean. Nor did they think to indicate to the riders when they were in the window...they don't have a flag for that!
Bit of a silly penalty for a number of reasons although none in my view are anything to do with the fact that the rider he had to let past was subsequently disqualified. What would you think if Marquez hadn't been disqualified but was riding a bike that was clearly about to break down...or if Marquez crashed a couple of corners after being let through?
In my view it should be a ride through which means a fairly consistent time penalty.
I thought perhaps Marquez' previous infractions were part of the black flag, but two other riders were black-flagged for the same offence. All things considered, to me it seems the best response from Race Direction—a rare occurrence nowadays!
Marquez' response was commendable. He did not complain and was even seen smiling. I think he is having a grand time just racing at this level. Good to see that.
It is nice to see that Lorenzo has a possible chance at retaining his title. Just a chance, mind you. Next season will likely see Marquez dominate every race. This is the so-called honeymoon phase.
I didn't see Pedrosa 'let through' Marquez, but if he did, as above, I think Marquez may already have been disqualified. So long as Pedrosa 'let through' a rider from behind who was actually in the race I would have to agree that he had fulfilled the penalty.
I agree that it was a "Bit of a silly penalty" that Pedrosa was given. I suppose that Race Direction followed some form of precedent without regard to the circumstances. Hopefully some lessons have been learnt by teams and organisers.
Worth mentioning that had Marc come into the pits when he was supposed too he wouldn't of collided with Lorenzo when he re-joined the race
He doesn't seem bothered though, if he stays on for the last 2 races = happy days, only 2 wins from Lorenzo & 2 seconds from Dani can upset the apple cart
Silly in that 'one place' could mean letting Marquez through when he was right behind him on his own so very little effect on his chase of Lorenzo....or if Marquez wasn't there having to tail off and let a a rider 6-7-8 seconds back who was already fighting with two other riders for their place. It should be a drive through.
Worth mentioning too that if there hadn't been a daft extended pit lane speed limit then Marquez would have been up to speed and it probably wouldn't have happened. As it was Marquez looked before he came onto the track, but was still way below normal racing speed which meant that Lorenzo was closing abnormally fast. Marquez was off the line and Lorenzo went a little bit wide leading to contact. I can't blame anyone for that and I don't think any of the riders do either.
No mention of the unintentional modification to Lorenzo's bike during qualifying which may lead to a 'Gull wing' Yamaha being used in the next round? ;)
http://youtu.be/8xS528BcZeI
Last edited by Spencer Lee; 22nd October 2013 at 09:33.