Elbows Down

MotoGP is back! Here’s the 5 key takeaways from our first weekend.

Also introducing the first Crash Map of the season, an analysis on the most common corners for riders to lose control of the bike.

1. Do believe the hype

This weekend we welcomed Pedro Acosta to the MotoGP grid. With a wealth of accolades to his name – including winning the Moto3 championship in his rookie year, Moto2 Rookie of the Year, and Moto2 Champion in his second year – expectations for his debut were high.

After achieving several fastest laps across the practice sessions, and direct entry into Q2, Pedro was certainly living up to the anticipation. Battling in the top-5 for most of the race, including clean overtakes on Marc Marquez himself, the weekend concluded with P9 and P8 finishes.

It’s easy to forget how young and inexperienced Acosta is, as we’ve almost come to expect top-5 finishes from him, but let’s not forget that these stats are incredible for his debut weekend. His need to perfect tyre management and race craft became evident throughout the race, but the only way is up for the Tiburón de Mazarrón.

2. Pirelli have done the impossible

Unfortunately, Moto2 has become a bit dry in recent seasons, with minimal overtakes and a fairly predictable top-10. But now, the replacement of Dunlop tyres with Pirelli seem to have spiced things up a lot.

Pirelli’s tend to be a lot softer than Dunlop, giving riders more grip, better feedback, and higher speeds. This softer composition increases the need for tyre management, a skill Moto2 riders should be well versed in, in preparation for MotoGP.

Some riders seem to have taken to the new feel very well, with Alonso Lopez, Barry Baltus, and Sergio Garcia leading the majority of the race. Others have yet to learn the intricacies of tyre management over a full race distance, as we saw Aron Canet drop like a stone after a few laps. This did create a stellar race for spectators, with overtakes in abundance – something we have been lacking in recent Moto2 seasons.

Pirelli tyres are already used in the British Superbike and World Superbike Championships. It will be interesting to see which riders use the new feel to their advantage, and which struggle to understand what is needed.

3. The Japanese bikes still have a way to go

Anyone keeping up with the pre-season tests could see Yamaha and Honda hadn’t produced a miracle, but seeing them on track this weekend reminded us all how far they still need to go.

The highest placed Honda was Johann Zarco, who finished 12th for LCR Castrol – an indication of how valuable Zarco will be for future development. The two Yamahas sat in a mediocre 11th and 16th, both Rins and Quartararo reminding us the factory have a long way to go.

Luca Marini faced the harsh reality of riding for Honda, unable to surpass last place throughout the entirety of the race. Podiums with VR46 will soon feel like a distant memory.

Despite results, Yamaha and Honda are clearly trying to improve, even if it will take a long time. With the new concessions system introduced this year, hopefully progress will be faster.

4. David Alonso is not here to play

Hopes were high for Colombia’s David Alonso after an impressive end to his rookie season in Moto3 last year- and he didn’t disappoint.

Staying with Aspar (now sponsored by CF Moto) alongside Nico Terol, Alonso wasted no time getting up to speed as the new season kicked off. Friday saw David in the top 5 during Free Practice, though he encountered some challenges during Qualifying, ultimately starting P8 on the grid.

As usual, the Moto3 race had plenty of excitement, especially as we closed down to the final few laps. David began the final lap down in 6th place, spending the next 2 minutes and 5 seconds weaving through the field to take victory on the final corner.

Without getting too eager, it seems like the championships is David’s to lose this year.

5. Ducati’s dominance won’t be going anywhere

Despite all manufacturers making improvements somewhere on the bike, none have been able to come close to Ducati’s. Unless a miracle happens, our 2024 champion is set to be a Desmosedici, suspense only coming from which of the 4 teams they will ride for.

Whilst KTM are a powerhouse of testing, they are still yet to find someone who can parallel Dall’Igna’s mastery of a motorbike. Aprilia have also made huge steps forward since the introduction of Massimo Rivola as Sporting Director, and a strong relationship with Aleix Espargaró in development. Unfortunately, as they were starting from so far back, it will still be several years until they can match Duacti.

The introduction of the new concession system will go some way to aiding faster development and research for he other manufacturers, but for this season at least, Ducati remain on top.

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The crash count

As far as modern day MotoGP goes, this weekend was a very clean one, with only 2 crashes across the 2 races. Fabio Di Giannantonio suffered a nasty highside in the Sprint, and Jack Miller lost couldn’t save a turn 1 slide in the Race.