I know I know.
It's very early to start this thread now but might as well incase anyone has anything to add pre season.

What are we looking at in 2021?

M Marquez.
Will he return, and if he does will he be 100%?
And if he's back for Race 1 what effect will his first very serious injury have on his confidence and his ability to dominate?

Mir.
How will the World Champion follow up his amazing success in 2021 with so much expectation now on his back?

Quartararo.
How much of the disappointment of 2020 will affect him and will he be back to his best that we all know he is capable of.
A new Yamaha factory rider.
Should be very interesting to watch.

Vinales.
Can he showcase his obvious talent with much more consistency in the new season?
Perhaps a bit of work to be done between the ears here.

Miller.
Without doubt the Ducati rider of 2020 and their number 1 rider.
What can he do with the latest and greatest factory equipment under him?

Morbidelli.
A brilliant performance in 2020 and probably one of the favourites in 2021.
Crazy he doesn't have a factory ride.
He could ride the Yamaha very fast. Why couldn't the others?

P Espargaro
Moving to a factory Honda ride which everyone dreams about.
Can he take advantage and help change Honda's fortunes from the previous season?
One to watch for sure.

Zarco
Can he break though after some promising signs in 2020?
New Ducati factory rider as well.

Olivera
Last winner so should come back to the MotoGP opener with confidence.
Plus a new KTM factory rider.

Rossi
Will he have more luck with satellite over factory machinery?
Probably his last season so will be keen to finish with a strong legacy.
Certainly deserves his 200th MotoGP podium.

Bagnaia
Another new factory rider but is coming off a very poor season (Bet Ductati wish they still had Dovi over this option).

A Marquez
Off to a Honda satellite team after an impressive debut. Can he follow it up with further improvement and make some further strong challenges?

Rins
With a great bike under him and a bit more luck, who knows what his potential is?

Plus we'll be watching the new rookies such as Marin, Lecuona and Marini moving to the premier class and how they handle the step up, expectation and pressure.

Will KTM continue to improve on such solid performances?

Can Suzuki continue their brilliance?

Will Yamaha cure their technical woes?

Can Honda return to the top again?

What can Ducati do to get back to the pointy end again?

So many questions?
So many possible scenario's.
So much expectation.

Till next year gentlemen.
I will be keenly waiting and looking forward to it...

* Last updated by: yannih on 11/24/2020 @ 3:52 AM *

I hear upper arm injuries end careers.
I hear KTM says they have HP on reserve.
I guess Duc will just play by the charts.
I don't know if yammie can clean things up.
I think Suz could double with few wins again.
I know Honda needs a rider being the king of the field year in year out.

Now for the good shit. Who begs for current works parts when the economy is taking a downturn? The bean counters counter any move to fill a fleet of works and satellite bikes? I don't think so. Toilet flush the 2020 bikes to the farm teams.

Seat changing is going to go something like this. A rider change on a different bike is that small group who can jump from a 2-stroke to a 4-stroke. That would be someone like Joey Dunlop, Steady Eddie, Mike Hailwood. Only guy that seems to me to jump on a different bike is Miller. Rossi does not meet that small group having that duc under him for 2 years.

First off, Morbidelli was on a 2019 bike, which turned out to be an advantage. Miller was riding a full GP20 this year. There's obviously something wrong with the 2020 Yamaha, it may finally shake up Yamaha constantly delivering a slow bike that used to handle well. They've terrified to screw that up. Maybe time to think outside the box. V4 perhaps ?
I've said it before, but ill believe Marc will come back competitive when I see it.
I'm rooting for Miller. He's worked his ass off. Used to be nobody believed in him.
Vinales needs a therapist. Quatararo stated he started using one this year.

Bummed the season is over. Hurry up 2021

Mad

* Last updated by: Maddevill on 11/24/2020 @ 9:45 AM *

Bummed the season is over. Hurry up 2021

Exactly!!!

So Marquez underwent an 8 hour surgery to graft bone from his hip to his arm. Long recovery ahead.
This whole thing could have been avoided if he hadn't tried to come back too soon. His ego and
Puig may have destroyed his career.
He's not my favorite racer but nobody can deny his talent. Hate to see it end this way.
We'll see what happens in 2021

Mad

What a mess. Cadaver infection... did not take.

https://www.superbikeplanet.com/clearly-the-cadaver-was-a-rossi-fan/

I think MM is out for '021. Might be career ending. What does he have to prove? 29 goes by empty and that's peak age IMO. Doubt he can beat Rossi's championship and total wins? Win list is Ago-Rossi-MM. Top 3 is not bad on that distinguished list. Mike Tyson if you have to, but thanks for the entertainment. Racing goes on...

Going to be interesting to see who fills that seat.

Marquez Injury Update

Doesn't look great...

* Last updated by: yannih on 12/30/2020 @ 2:35 AM *

A more robust rod, a chunk off the hip... magnetic gun healing? Poor guy has a healing problem. At least the 3rd operation was a quote, a non-event. Dovi jumps on, they better grab him now and shake that honda down.

While waiting for the season to start...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f44dggqgDyw&fbclid=IwAR1mWPZTLA5pFoCjnpl1XWqD7UR0OSJcNYYudckgOSyh-u_AZwP7DB9b19Q

Collin Edwards RT: Motogp"So sad to hear that Fausto Gresini has passed away :( Thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. RIP"

Did you see that title of Hunger or Hunt vid on motogp? Last few seconds they have a shot of someone's eye and then pans out. A young set of eyes as if Rossi drank from the fountain. No bags, wrinkles, just the Triple-H in his eyes... which looks like, the Hunger, the Hunt, and the HA!... I told you so.

Morbidelli.
A brilliant performance in 2020 and probably one of the favourites in 2021.
Crazy he doesn't have a factory ride.
He could ride the Yamaha very fast. Why couldn't the others?

Something says to pick the darkhorse now. He's 27 and for me, this is peak age of do or die. Takes me about 3 races in to see consistency so it's a waiting game. Franco seems to show heart over satellite.

It looks like Marquez will race this year.
Yay!
Question is when and how well?

Go Thriller Miller go.
Great result.
And how good does he and the new Ducati look!

And I know most of you won't believe me, but I'm disappointed Rossi is struggling with this Yamaha as well.
And huge insult to injury is all rookie's finished above him on the testing timesheets.
It would have been nice to see him come good in the twilight of his career.
I guess not.
Looks like Hub was correct.
Stick a fork in...

* Last updated by: yannih on 3/8/2021 @ 9:54 PM *

So round 2 is over, a break for a day and Wed begins the warm up sessions again. The suz dream team panned out. Where in the beginning, Rins was no lower than 5th when he came onto the scene. Time flies and now look at the results today. Whereas, Franco is 2 rounds in, and 4th again on the consistency column... as noticing Rins back in the day. When Franco threw that question back at the reporter, won the next day to prove a point... I know what that push feels like when you're not on a money bike. That's where I hope he takes it all the way with that kind of attitude this year... it's not the bike.

Ahhh, no matter the vintage, I'm keeping the fork in the drawer. I just don't bet against mine over matter. Rossi's brother should be on the gp21, not a clapped out 19. The test rider is 4 seconds off on a 21. But did I hear the duc's bodies all held top end trap speeds? Copy goes the cat or sit in the back.

* Last updated by: Hub on 3/9/2021 @ 9:05 AM *

https://www.roadracingworld.com/news/motogp-miller-under-lap-record-on-day-three-of-testing-in-qatar/

Rossi has some trap. Zarco has the trap, but if we are looking at crashers... the duc's crash, Rossi moves up, yada-yada.

I was watching the practices last night. Some of those wings are insane. The Aprilla has a full on spoiler out front.

Ducati has basically entered a Fokker Triplane. Still the fastest bike out there.
Good to see Miller at the top. Love that guy. Quatararo and Vinales look good
but you just never know with Maverik. I expect Pol to start bailing at any time.
Aprilia is a surprise, but they were fast last pre season too.
Saw a video of Mark. Arm looks much much better. He's provisionally entered for Qatar 1
I just hop he doesn't get caught up and tries to push too hard.

Anyhoo, I'm ready for the season. Bring it on !

Mad

* Last updated by: Maddevill on 3/11/2021 @ 9:38 AM *

The sacrificial engine management team award goes to DUC! It's a lit fuse now ass the minutes tick away, not the hours. Duc should be spelled DNF. I wasn't the only one scratching my head. Only smart teams I see that escaped the microns are the NS [no start] teams on the final day.

We are not talking paper elements, but more a screen for helmet lens tear offs. Those engines are wired close with tamper tags that read, 'Dai un bacio d'addio.'

It's a start...

Very Tentative MM

* Last updated by: yannih on 3/16/2021 @ 7:53 PM *

I'm really enjoying Miller hitch slapping Borenzo on Twitter
I respect Jorges talent but he always had a tendency to whine about
stuff. Miller, like seemingly most Aussies, just gets on with it.

Mad

Pol, Franco, Alex, and not in that order. It just pops in the head and who cares, it's all about me having fun waiting for the results. And no, the GOAT is never out of the loop with that kind of heart pumping with passion.

GOAT = Gains Over Asscrashing Talents. You don't have a tally going after the same goal without that 'Steady Eddie' in the head game.

Dry or wet I look at Alex as a windup spring in the unwinding, or watching a pot of water come to a boil.

Franco is that strange mix of making oneself a champion with a clean slate in front of him.

Pol is more a Miller kind of leg thrower over. Zarco has as much trouble as Rossi and Lorenzo. You either have the Miller in you or not. Be interesting to see if Pol has it... We know it's not the [winning] bike, right?

Shit, yanni, your boy almost qualified first row. Forking guy still has it, cough.

Been watching Bastianini when he came on the scene back in moto3. Followed 33 in a way of saying, if this kid can stick it out. Too bad Binder won't give up the kid's number. I think he said the first number was when he started racing, and the other I forgot. Rookie of the near if not the champ this year.

Not even 3 races out to see the field settle in. Ex-Sky pilots litter the field. Rossi's brother and Baggy from, cough, the Sky-46 camp. They're gonna camp out filling the podium spots all year long. Rossi has a formula and it's not about to end if it's this successful.

So Basti is my top boy for the season. Franco my #2 boy. The others are your rotating pool filling the other two spots. I'm concentrating on these two for sure.

I felt just like Zarco running out of room on that top end run. Kept on upping my exit ramp speed up until I almost crossed into the intersection.

28 mph winds tomorrow. There's a tailwind for Zarco again.

Hey Yannih.....Rossi in 4th. Want to get that fork back ?
I'm rooting for Miller. Guy is a typical Aussie Madman. Love him
I just watched morning warm up. Hope the wind doesn't blow more sand on the track.

Mad

Hahaha Hub and Mad!
Never get out in front with calls to early or you may be bitten. Hard.
Rossi a distant 12th out of 22 riders after starting 4th on the grid.
You don't get points on Saturday, only Sunday.
You want to stick that fork back in???

Amazing race and MotoGP never fails to deliver.

Miller, WTF and very disappointing?
Mir, massive broken heart after an incredible ride!
Vinales, credit where credit is due!
Bagnaia, what a coup for Ducati!
Zarco, what a comeback to MotoGP and result!
Quartararo, not sure about that one but time will tell!
Pole Espargaro, mmm, 7-8/10!
Morbidelli, must have been a technical issue!
And "my boy" Rossi, well you decide...

Great to have the boys back on the track again and I really enjoyed watching practice, qualifying and the races that are the MotoGP circus.

Lastly, will Marquez join after the Qatar races?
Probably pretty unlikely and even if he does he will be slow getting back into proper racing fitness.
Bet ya he still beats Rossi though...

* Last updated by: yannih on 3/29/2021 @ 12:05 AM *