Dre’s MotoGP 2014 Grand Prix of Brno Review

“End of the road for Marc Marquez.”

Well… bugger. A lot of fans said that Marquez’s dominance was killing the sport. Ironically, the one race he wasn’t dominant in was arguably the most dull of 2014 so far. But nope, the streak ends at 10, and it was Dani Pedrosa who kept Honda’s incredible season rolling with a superb win, with the two factory Yamaha’s close behind. In other news, Tito Rabat was dominant in Moto2, while Moto3’s other veteran Alexis Masbou claimed his first win in an unbelievable Moto3 race. So, here’s all my thoughts on the Grand Prix of Brno.

[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]26 for #26 – And the consequences…

Congratulations to Dani Pedrosa on his 26th win in the top class. It was a superb ride from start to finish, and a nice reminder that he too can ride a motorcycle pretty darn well when he wants too. He finished just ahead of Jorge Lorenzo who has decided to enter “F*** it” mode now that he knows the jig is up for the season, rolling the dice with a softer front compound tyre. He actually came back towards the end, but Pedrosa was in complete control. I guess you could call it poetic justice for Aragon 2013 huh?

Further back, Valentino Rossi scored his 7th podium in 11 races with another solid 3rd place, but to everyone’s surprise, the streak was retired at 10, as Marc Marquez struggled to 4th place, 10 seconds off his winning team mate, marking the first time Marquez has finished a race off the podium in 29 top class races. Bizarre to see him so tame and rather unspectacular over the course of the race. Is he playing the percentages again knowing he had an 89 point lead going in? Or was it his style of sliding the bike around on a track that doesn’t really flow the culprit here? Only he knows.

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[fusion_counter_box value=”144″ unit=”” unit_pos=”suffix” icon=”” border=”yes” color=”” direction=”up”]Starts[/fusion_counter_box]
[fusion_counter_box value=”26″ unit=”” unit_pos=”suffix” icon=”” border=”yes” color=”” direction=”up”]Wins[/fusion_counter_box]
[fusion_counter_box value=”27″ unit=”” unit_pos=”suffix” icon=”” border=”yes” color=”” direction=”up”]Pole Positions[/fusion_counter_box]
[fusion_counter_box value=”92″ unit=”” unit_pos=”suffix” icon=”” border=”yes” color=”” direction=”up”]Podiums[/fusion_counter_box]
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The sad thing about this though is that from a season standpoint, I don’t think there’s any real intrigue left regarding it. We were all curious as fans as to how deep Marquez could take his winning streak and now that’s off the table, we’re left with the reality that Marc Marquez still leads the Championship by 77 points and we’re left wondering now when he wins the title, rather than if. It’s left me feeling kinda flat now because the Honda HAS been the dominant bike this season, winning every grand prix, and Marquez has destroyed the field enough this season that barring a major injury, it’s all over. When is it April again? *sighs*

[fusion_imageframe lightbox=”no” style=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” stylecolor=”
” align=”left” animation_type=”fade” animation_direction=”right” animation_speed=”1″][/fusion_imageframe]Andrea Iannone steals the show again

This kid keeps continuing to impress. He had just turned 25 in Indy last weekend, and seems to be coming into his own on that Pramac Ducati. Another 5th placed “Best of the rest” result, matching his career high from Germany. Also, a holeshot at the start and he did a stunning job of keeping his more experienced team mate Andrea Dovizioso behind him for the entire race, refusing to give in to the proper Factory bike.

He also got in a tremendous scrap with Marc Marquez in the early going, very reminiscent of their Moto2 days, the Maniac vs The Baby Alien, and it showed that neither has lost any of their race craft, the highlight of what was overall, a sadly dull top class race. Keep stealing the show Andrea, good things will happen.

Other MotoGP notes

– Mixed performances from the Brits again. Scott Redding in 11th just behind his factory supported team mate is another great performance as top customer Honda. He can do no more from there really. Bradley Smith was okay in 9th but rather unspectacular, and Crutchlow hit the deck again. Wonder if LCR’s nervous about that contract yet.

– Brilliant result though for Leon Camier scoring a point in 15th place for Aspar, an awesome performance from the stand-in. If you’re Aspar, why NOT give him a shot for next year given your current crop is on the older side…

– Alvaro Bautista didn’t drop. That was a thing. (Seriously, it’s a coin flip these days whether he finishes or not.)

[fusion_imageframe lightbox=”no” style=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” stylecolor=”
” align=”left” animation_type=”fade” animation_direction=”right” animation_speed=”1″][/fusion_imageframe]Rabat returns the favour from Indy

It was Tito Rabat who returned the favour from Indianapolis last week and nailed a Grand Slam victory of his own in Brno, a race in which he dominated from pole position. It seems like Rabat is a ridiculously good front runner, and all 5 of his wins this season have come from pole. Kallio was a little frustrated in 2nd, but had no answer, and in his best result in Moto2 to date, Moto3 World Champion Sandro Cortese wound down the crazy and rode his own race to finish 3rd.

Disappointment as that could have very well been a podium for Britain’s Sam Lowes, who was in 3rd on the Speed Up bike, but crashed out in the early going. It’s a little frustrating when a guy like him, clearly has talent but just can’t quite put it together in the race.

Also, much props to Thomas Luthi in 4th, with as good a defensive ride as I’ve seen this season to keep fellow Suter rider and Swiss Dominque Aegerter behind him in 5th, and Maverick Vinales with another great recovery ride from 17th to 6th on the Pons Kalex.

Rabat back in control of the Championship, but still only a 12 point lead back to Kallio. With Vinales now 58 back, and with Marc VDS winning 9 of the seasons 11 races so far, you’d probably be right in thinking realistically, it’s a two horse race from here.

[fusion_imageframe lightbox=”no” style=”bottomshadow” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” stylecolor=”
” align=”left” animation_type=”fade” animation_direction=”right” animation_speed=”1″][/fusion_imageframe]Alex Rins fails, and Moto3 produces yet more carnage

Moto3 has become Veteran’s month. Last week it was 27 year old Efren Vazquez’s first win in GP Racing, and yesterday, it was the turn of fellow 27 year old Frenchman, Alexis Masbou, who scored his first win in GP racing, after 134 races, and it nailed it with a beautiful final corner pass on Championship leader Jack Miller.

But the main talking point was the ridiculousness of the race itself. Ever seen a race here the Top SIXTEEN riders were covered by less than 2 seconds? Juanfran Guevara was 1.9 seconds off the win AND DID NOT SCORE POINTS. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it in a Moto3 race and it was incredible to watch as a spectacle.

But even MORE crazy was the penultimate lap. Alex Rins and Jack Miller were side by side over the line, but then Rins thought he had won the race and started showboating as if he’d won, until he realized he was a lap too early, and fell down the order. Somehow he clawed his way back up to 9th despite the carnage. The big winners were Danny Kent in 3rd, Bastianini in 2nd and Brad Binder in 6th, benefiting from the mayhem.

Championship wise, Jack Miller actually extended his lead to 23 points from Alex Marquez now in 2nd after his 4th placed finish, with Efren Vazquez a point behind in 3rd. Still only 52 points covering the Top 6 in the Championship, with Masbou coming into play after his shock victory. And given how rotational the field can be in the division, I wouldn’t rule ANYONE out 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]Welcome to Jackass?

Jack Miller was one that definitely raised some more controversy for himself at the weekend after furiously lashing out at other riders on track during Qualifying, kicking another bike in the process, and generally acting like someone just pissed in his Cheerios.

Now, I like Jack Miller. Like his fellow Aussie; Casey Stoner, they are both incredibly honest and open about their feelings in the sport, and you can read them like an open book. And to be honest, he has got a point. During qualifying in Moto3, it’s getting a bit ridiculous how bikes are so desperate to slipstream off of someone else for a cheap tow, and as a result you get these enormous packs and bikes riding offline and at different speeds and it throws people off their game, and I can see why Jack would get frustrated, and he’s not the first…

…But you can’t go around kicking bikes because you didn’t get what you what. Find you clean air and go nail a lap. His team mate Karel Hanika hitting the deck didn’t help, but Jack, in the words of comedian Adam Hills: “…You’re not special Princess.”

Jack Miller is a tremendous talent, and I think he’s going to be an enormous star in this sport, but also in the words of Adam Hills: “Don’t be a dick.”

Well, that’s all I got for Brno, let me know what you thought in the comments below! Thanks for reading![/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]