MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
VOL. 51 ISSUE 15 APRIL 15, 2014 P39
Briefly...
Moto2 rookie and non-defending
AMA Superbike Champion Josh
Herrin had a telling comment on the
move from AMA to the World Cham-
pionship in the pre-race press con-
ference. "It's like riding with the best
people I've ever been up against in
AMA… but there's 40 of them."
Bridgestone threw a curveball into
the ever-lively debate about the new-
generation 2014 tires – by leaving
them behind and bringing last year's
to Texas instead. Citing production
problems after heavy use of the new
medium-compound at Qatar, all of
the middle-compound tires at COTA
were leftovers from last year. The
harder and softer options, however,
were this year's new heat-resistant
compound, criticized by riders for a
lack of cornering edge grip.
Riders professed themselves baf-
fled, after all their work adapting
machines and riding styles to the
new tires. "Sincerely, I can't under-
stand it," said Valentino Rossi, with
Marc Marquez echoing his remarks.
The finger of blame was pointed at
Jorge Lorenzo, an outspoken critic
of the new tires, which play against
his high-corner-speed style. Fellow
Yamaha rider Bradley Smith threw a
veiled insult about riders "who whine
all the time, instead of adapting to
the situation."
But the tire replay had done nothing
to improve Jorge Lorenzo's mood
or his lap times as he struggled in the
early practice sessions; and he de-
nied that he had anything to do with
Bridgestone's unexpected move. "It
was not my company that made the
continued on next page
Marc Marquez
(93) was in
a class of
his own in
the Red Bull
Grand Prix of
the Americas.
The World
Champion led
every session
and dominated
the race.
BY MICHAEL SCOTT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE
I
t was, said Marc Marquez directly afterwards, rather a boring
race. That's why he decided to liven it up at the end, with a last-
corner stunt for his mechanics.
This was an excuse. In fact he had come close to seizing defeat
from the jaws of victory – narrowly surviving a lapse in concentra-
tion after a flawless but exhausting performance. But the word was
redolent.
It called to mind another Repsol Honda rider who would come
to dominate for years, who admitted, when pressed by a British re-
porter, that "racing's as boring as sh@t at the moment."
At the time Mick Doohan's remark gained wide currency, and he
was forced into a growling denial: "I said it, but I didn't mean it like
that." And I think, after many years, I finally get his well-hidden irony.
ASS
WHUPPIN'
