Dre’s Five-Ish Thoughts On…MotoGP’s 2014 Grand Prix of Germany

“Half way to Perfection.”

Hey folks, Dre here again with another Race Review, as this time as the MotoGP circus headed to the Sachsenring, for the German Grand Prix, and we had yet another amazing start as the rain reeked more havoc amongst the field, but Marc Marquez would take his 9th consecutive win, with Dani Pedrosa close behind, but there was also some great rides further down the field too, which we’ll get too, as well as a massive strategic fail from Stefan Bradl who was given a golden carrot of a race-winning situation. Also, Dominque Aegerter came home with his first win after 130 career starts, and Jack Miller re-inforced his Championship lead in Moto3, but some brilliant rides from further down the field stole the show. Let’s break it down right here!

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”no” style=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” stylecolor=”
” align=”left” animation_type=”fade” animation_direction=”right” animation_speed=”1″][/fusion_imageframe]Changeable conditions. AGAIN!

Another ridiculous start for the German Grand Prix. Moto2 and Moto3 stayed quiet, but another 15 minutes flash shower caused everyone to change ton wet setups… Until, it stopped with just a few minutes to go. No time for extra sighting laps this time, they all set off on their formation laps on wet tyres, with 70% of the field bolting into the pit lanes to change bikes, except for Stefan Bradl and pretty much all the back-markers who had decided to roll the dice.

The pit lane start for the top runners led to a topsy turvy field for the first half of the race, with the Repsol Honda’s taking just 3 laps to go [/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_tooltip title=”Petrucci, Parkes, Aoyama, Laverty etc.”]through all the usual backmarkers[/fusion_tooltip], before nailing Bradl and pulling off into the distance. A shame that by the end, everything had balanced out , but shout-out to Danilo Petrucci for getting a hard earned point there in 15th.

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_tooltip title=”And no, Marquez winning 9 of 9 doesn’t make it ‘boring’.”]I refuse to accept opinions that this season is boring[/fusion_tooltip] when you see a race start with half the field in the pit lane. You can’t make this s*** up.

[fusion_imageframe lightbox=”no” style=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” stylecolor=”
” align=”left” animation_type=”fade” animation_direction=”right” animation_speed=”1″][/fusion_imageframe]Marc Marquez Officially On Cloud Nine…

He’s just magnificent isn’t he? How many circumstances can you throw at this man and somehow he STILL comes out on top? Props to Dani Pedrosa for giving Marc a terrific fight for the majority, but Marquez had it in control from start to finish, every time Pedrosa would have a fastest lap, Marc had a little bit more, headlined in the final 10 laps when Marc did three straight 22.0 fastest laps and broke Pedrosa’s will in the clutch. It’s like he has another two tenths in his back pocket whenever he’s in a pinch. Again, props to Pedrosa for a great fight, he needed that with the debate raging on about whether he should have been extended or not.

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][Shameless Plug: If you want to see my extended thoughts on Pedrosa’s extension (See what I did there?! Ha), you can check that out here: https://www.motorsport101.com/should-dani-pedrosa-have-been-extended/]

And yes, before anyone says anything, yes, I know the factory Repsol Honda unit is a little better than Yamaha’s, but that doesn’t make Marc’s achievement any less spectacular. We are witnessing domination unlike anything we’ve ever seen in this sport in the modern era. With his 9th win in a row, he became the youngest rider to ever do so, beating the record set by the great Mike Hailwood back in 1964. He’s half way to perfection… What can stop him?

[fusion_imageframe lightbox=”no” style=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” stylecolor=”
” align=”left” animation_type=”fade” animation_direction=”right” animation_speed=”1″][/fusion_imageframe]Stefan Bradl pays the price for risky gamble

I feel REALLY bad for Stefan Bradl. He had done everything right until the race had started, qualified on the front row, behind the Factory Repsol’s. And it looked liked he’d played a master stroke… Until you realize he had a wet bike setup, with dry tyres on. Now, for those unaware, one of the main issues with a wet bike, is that the bike has steel breaks, which are better for wet conditions, but you give up about 20m of breaking distance on many of the corners, and as a result, lost bucket loads of time as his opponents were able to break so much later than him.

According to Stefan, the team couldn’t change the bikes settings in time and just had to wing it, and it cost him dearly, to the point where I think he may have been better off just changing bikes in the pits and starting on a fresh, and dry setup bike. And this was for DURING the GP, not even when he had a free chance before the race started. I think a podium was definitely achievable.

Also, not a great time for Bradl to have a weekend like this, considering talk is high regarding his future. Honda reluctant to offer him a new deal with LCR, also with the[fusion_tooltip title=”Let’s face it, Iannone’s heading to the Factory team.”] Pramac Ducati team sniffing around[/fusion_tooltip], and the talk of possibly returning to Moto2 next year, this was the home race to forget for the young German.

Chin up though Stefan, at least Germany won the World Cup, right?

[fusion_imageframe lightbox=”no” style=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” stylecolor=”
” align=”left” animation_type=”fade” animation_direction=”right” animation_speed=”1″][/fusion_imageframe]Leader of the Andrea Iannone Fan Club (And other stuff)

– The best runner not in the Elite 4? Andrea Iannone, who continues his great season with another Career High MotoGP class finish in 5th place. Took advantage of a great pit lane start, stuck with the Yamaha’s for a good chunk, and rode his own race. I’ve said it before, and will say it again, he’s most improved rider in the top class BY MILES. Ducati may not have great bikes at the moment, but the talent they have is tremendous.

– Also, another great ride from Aleix Espargaro in 6th place. You have to start wondering when Yamaha take note of his speed and either drop him a Factory Chassis and seeing what he can really do, or at least get him to a promoted team, like maybe Tech 3. Aleix knows he’s good, and deserves a shot at the big time more than just about anyone in that loaded midfield. Speaking of which…

– Awful weekend for Bradley Smith, crashing 5 times over the weekend, and finishing in 19th place. That Tech 3 seat is only going to get hotter if this keeps up. The early hype over his potential improvement has now faded and he needs to show some form again, otherwise, his 2 year run at the top may come to an end.

– Nice to see Scott Redding in 11th place too, mixing it up with the Ducati’s and his own team mate, Alvaro Bautista. All he can do is keep pushing to be top Customer Honda, and he’s doing a fine job in that regard. Another guy who probably deserves a better bike. Shame there isn’t enough to go around at the moment.

[fusion_imageframe lightbox=”no” style=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” stylecolor=”
” align=”left” animation_type=”fade” animation_direction=”right” animation_speed=”1″][/fusion_imageframe]Dommy Aegerter, 129 races, 1 win (Finally!)

Dominque Aegerter debuted at the Grand Prix of Portugal back in 2006. Since then, he’s featured in 129 races, but until yesterday, had never won a GP. But it was a brilliant performance from Dom to take his first win in a great fight against Mika Kallio, only the second time in the dry that a Marc VDS bike had been beaten this season. Dom rode the race brilliantly, him and Kallio the class of the field, and on the final lap nailed a pass into the Waterfall, and shut the door at the last corner to win. For a guy who’s improved every year in Moto2 since he got there, as-well-as being one of the most consistently solid riders in the field, no-one in the field deserved that 1st win more. And with him testing for Suzuki right now, his future looks to only get brighter.

Great ride further back from Maverick “Return of the Mack” Vinales to come 5th from 13th as well, needed that to stay in the title race. And with Kallio 2nd, and Rabat 4th, the Marc VDS riders set continue to scrap throughout the season, the gap now at just 19 points, Tito Rabat continuing his curse of NEVER finishing on the podium in Germany.If you get a chance, check out the replay, the 4-way late on between Simone Corsi, Tito Rabat, Maverick Vinales and the surprising performance of Franco Morbidelli is definitely worth a watch.

A shame though that the other rookies seemed to struggle though, with Luis Salom in 14th, and Jonas Folger retiring with a mechanical breakdown.

PS: So when is Taka Nakagami’s first win coming?

[fusion_imageframe lightbox=”no” style=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” stylecolor=”
” align=”left” animation_type=”fade” animation_direction=”right” animation_speed=”1″][/fusion_imageframe]Jack Miller turns the tables again

And in Moto3, Jack Miller was back on form, winning his 3rd race of the season, but had to earn it, in a 5-way scrap for the win between himself, Alex Marquez (A man in form), Alexis Masbou, a surprising return to form for Danny Kent and to everyone’s shock, South Africa’s own Brad Binder, who by coming in 2nd, scored South Africa’s first podium in GP Motorcycle racing, in nearly 30 years!

And with key contenders like Fenati and Rins failing to finish, and Vazquez down in 6th. Miller now has taken control of the Championship again with a 19 point lead from Marquez, ith Vazquez now 30 points off the top.

And also, props to John McPhee for an outstanding ride from 27th to 7th, one of the best of the year from the Brit, and 9 very well earned points.

So, what did you make of Germany? Looking forward to the Summer break? Let me know what you think in the comments below![/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]