#Moto2 Championship standings

[42bakery]

this is a random question but what's going on between fermin and pedro acosta??? this is my first year really following moto2 and they used to be best friends but they hate each other now or smt?? i really don't know 😭 thank you in advance, also i love you blog ♡♡

Hi there anon 👋👋👋👋

I'm glad you like my blog, it makes me very happy 🥹😍

It's actually not that random. I had been thinking about it for a long time, and actually there isn't a lot of info about it. I can only make guesses, but yours could be as good as mine because those idiots don't talk about what happened. Pedro refuses to say Fermín's name and he only referrers to him as 'the other rider' or 'him' when he's asked. But then again he went to Dani's 2000s circa rivalry classes. So the less he says a name, the more he considers you his rival. And Fermín does say his name, he actually was team Pedro last year and in Catalunya when Pedro and Alonso made contact he refused to say it was Pedro's fault (neither he blame Alonso, he just stand there and watch Alonso throw Pedro under the bus). Fermín also said Pedro is his rival and one that is an important rival for him.

We know that they aren't in a terrible situation because they hugged each other and talked during the podiums the shared last year. Fermín even tried to share Ramírez champagne bottle with Pedro in one of the podiums before Marcos took it away. Or even this year in Portugal they had a brief moment. And even Pedro's dad went to congratulate Fermín. So definitely there isn't bad blood there.

Now my guess is this. They have been racing against each other for so long, moving on the same categories more or less at the same time that they moved from friends to rivals. That paired with Fermín being younger and moving categories early than Pedro might have pissed Acosta.

Fermín was supposed to debuted in Moto3 in 2020, but the team where he was going to race withdrew leaving him without options. Pedro didn't do it until 2021. That year Pedro won the championship on his rookie season. That same year, Fermín made his debuted in MotoE that kind of helps skip Moto3 and give an opportunity to go to Moto2. Fermín also was doing the European Moto2 championship, where he won all races except the last 2 where he was 2nd and then made his Moto2 debuted in Moto2 replacing Yari Montella. So basically Fermín is younger and is 'making' the debuts a year earlier than Pedro. paired that they are from the same region (50-70 minutes away one from the other more or less) you have the perfect combination. Media has pushed them to be the new Pedrosa-Lorenzo.

So basically it's two kids that have know each other for their whole life in teams that have a beef with each other and forced to be rivals. (I think I saw this film before, anyone is with me?). Whatever Pedro does, Fermín is there to compete with him in being the youngest to do X thing (like a win, a pole, etc), but also outshine him. When people is supposed to talk about what Pedro has done, somehow Fermín does something equally crazy for us to speak about it.

But again anon, this is my guess. Maybe they both have a thing for the same girl and one of them got the date they wanted. Or maybe they tried (or did) date the other's sister and didn't end well. As I said, they don't talk about it. I just get a small summary from Fermín's side and that definitely is biased. He also didn't get into lot of details.

[batsplat]

about press conferences, i haven’t really looked into how the rider lineups for 00s thursday/friday pre-race conferences were decided. in f1 they’re randomly grouped, so seeing your favorite drivers together each week feels like opening a blind box

i looked through some 2007 pictures, and clearly the lineups weren’t based on championship standings like they are now

this year i’m completely tired of pecco, jorge & marc in the same press conferences. seeing the same faces every week is driving me nuts😤

plus i feel like the seating arrangement in today’s press conferences is way less fun than the old-school setup. everyone’s spaced so far apart, no more whispering to each other. maybe they should just make the riders share one big couch

yeah first off they need to bring back this presser format at all costs. since my knowledge of the 2007-08 seasons is unfortunately reaching slightly pathological levels, I do know off the top of my head that the motegi/shanghai photos are from post-quali pressers. which is something sprints have STOLEN from us altogether. I miss post-quali pressers!! it was cool to get a lil preview for the race to come, and also there's plenty of narrative juice by getting the top three riders from motogp with the pole sitter from moto3 and moto2 in one presser, which could be a preview of storylines for future SEASONS. casey getting his first ever pole at assen 2004 my beloved

I also think they had post-sprint pressers last year but got rid of them this season?? I mean icl I do get why it's a bit much to ask of the riders. but also the sprints have been so dire this season that I'm really not certain this is a good trade-off in entertainment value

but anyway back to the point - yeah, back in the day even the pre-event pressers weren't consigned to championship order!! it was actually pretty rare for it to be just top four-six... off the top of my head, jerez 2008 a rare example I can think of --

-- but it tended to be a mix!! they almost always had the championship leader I think, but basically almost everyone could get traded out. usually you'd make sure there'd be a couple local riders where possible, sometimes they'd get someone from the lower classes, sometimes someone with a big announcement or just someone random... to some extent they still do this now, but they completely confine that stuff to the second presser. here's some back-to-back pressers from 2008:

mind u valentino gets kicked out the one race where he wasn't championship leader... valentino and casey both in all but one of these, dani is in half, but beyond that it's a completely changeable cast. and that was GOOD. they should bring this back. it gives them more options to chat to, it provides more interesting dynamics, it means every presser won't be the exact same... AND the table squeezes the riders a bit closer together, which just OBVIOUSLY makes it more likely that they'll talk. or at least meaningfully stare at each other. even valentino would have been hard pressed to have an extensive stage-whispered conversation with the bloke next to him if he's sitting like a metre away. bring back my family

I'm not personally a massive couch person, I'm a stick in the mud and prefer something a bit more formal - plus I quite like how they just got jammed together behind a table. but at this point... at this point I would take the couch. the first couple of years under covid they used to have like,, two rows of awkwardly distanced riders, but as time has gone on they seem to have used it as an excuse to just downsize entirely and split them up. I get that these things are probably extremely tedious for riders to get through and I imagine they prefer it to be more streamlined, but quite frankly I don't care. I want to see riders go through tedious situations for my entertainment. bring back the table, save motogp today

[bikefuckersoftheworldunite]

ok I got it I’m not gonna bring up moto2 championship standings again byeee

[kwisatzworld]

What does it mean to call Moto2 and Moto3 ‘feeder series’ in the press release?

Also Bernie Ecclestone in 2007:

Ecclestone believes the MotoGP class must stand alone as the premier series to tackle the sponsorship issues currently engulfing world championship racing. He believes the exclusivity would help attract investment from the stay away blue chip companies to help alleviate some of the financial worries in MotoGP.

“I don’t agree,” stated Rossi.

“Formula One is Formula One and motorcycling is motorcycling. Formula One has a long story but also motorcycling has a long story and a different story.

“So for me it is right to have world championships in 125 and 250s, especially because I like to follow the races and it’s very good for the young guys. At the end not being world championships won’t change a lot. Now it’s not like 10 years ago.

“Now MotoGP is the Formula One of motorcycling and this is very clear. All the young riders want to win in 125 and 250s because they want to arrive in MotoGP as soon as they can.

“Ten years ago they wanted to stay longer in 250s but now we are the top class and that’s clear for everybody. For me three classes is ok and I think they do deserve to be world championships.”

Motogp actually being so much closer related to their feeder series' than F1 is to F2/F3 is so nice like a Motogp weekend consists of all 3 categories + MotoE. The way from Moto3 to Motogp is so much closer and more personal than the way from F3 to F1. In physical alike in mental. Fabio can just hang out with Tony while they wait for a delayed session, Jorge was literally in Fermin's box in Silverstone, Aleix was in Parc Ferme somehow. We have Motogp and Moto3 riders being besties like F1 could never, they don't care about the youngers. But a ton of Motogp riders have their associated Moto2 rider. Be it Aleix and Jorge with Fermin or Tony and Fabio or the academy boys + Cele & Mig like everybody has somebody, Marc is weirdly fond of Jaume, Albert and Deniz are besties, Albert is/was also besties with Rinsy like it's just so much tighter knit than F1 could ever be. In F1 you have drivers throwing shit at eachother in a tamper tantrum in the cool down room, in Motogp you have comforting ass slaps and making sure everybody is okay and helping the other put their leathers back on and despite rivalry there is so much care and love for eachother. Because of course bikes are a whole different level of dangerous and it's so easy to loose somebody, you never know if your friend will get up from where you saw him crash right infront of you, they are just all meant to be closer and I never really think much about it but it's weirdly sweet whenever you compare it to F1

[sbknews]

Fernandez and Acosta set to Get on the GAS for 2024 MotoGP

GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 will continue to showcase some of the best and brightest Spanish talent in MotoGP as Augusto Fernandez and Pedro Acosta will surge into the 2024 championship with the GASGAS RC16s. Reigning Moto2™ World Champion and notable 2023 MotoGP rookie, Augusto Fernandez, will remain with the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 squad for his second term at the highest level. The 26-year-old Majorcan caught the eye with points-scoring performances in all but two of the 14 Grands Prix so far this season and has posted a personal best 4th place at the French Grand Prix. In Japan last weekend he notched his second-best classification with 7th place through tricky rainy conditions at Motegi. Augusto has shown potential and maturity while also progressing with his adaptation to the 2023 GASGAS RC16. He will be joined by the man who could be next in line for the Moto2 gold medal. Pedro Acosta is in only his third full season of world championship competition but the prolific 19-year-old has won the Moto3 title (2021), Moto2 Grands Prix as a rookie (2022) and has snared 11 podiums from 14 rounds this year to head the standings by more than 50 points. Acosta has the ability, the racecraft and the sheer natural talent to join the MotoGP grid and complete a remarkable journey through the company’s talent structure from being Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion in 2020 to premier class racer in 2024. GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 rider, Pol Espargaro, will fill a crucial and very valued position for the Pierer Mobility Motorsport project next year. The likeable 32-year-old was part of this joint-decision for both the short and long-term future of the company’s MotoGP goals. Pol is greatly appreciated for his commitment and experience; right from the very first days of the Pierer Mobility Group’s MotoGP entry up until his dedicated quest to return to competitiveness after injury sustained earlier in 2023. #44 is an important asset for supporting talented young athletes and maintaining the strength of the current racing set-up and his humility is evidenced by the willingness to assist the next generation hoping to follow in his footsteps. Pol’s character, energy and abilities mean he will still be a prominent member of the MotoGP program on both sides of the pit wall. Pit Beirer, GASGAS Motorsports Director: “We had an important and difficult decision to make for our GASGAS team for 2024. Augusto has made impressive first steps in MotoGP and we are totally convinced he has the speed and the intelligence to keep on progressing. Pedro is a very special talent who has already won so much, so quickly and 2024 will be about him learning to take the next step with the big boys in MotoGP. I want to thank Pol for everything he has done and all he continues to do for us. This guy is super-tough and super-determined and that’s why we want to count on him as an important part of our structure. Pol’s openness and proactiveness deserves my deepest respect. It underlines his greatness as a person that he gave us a helping hand in this situation. It also shows his passion for the sport and his thoughts for the future. With these pieces in place and with Hervé, Nicolas, and all the team and their experience we have an exciting year ahead for the GASGAS brand.” Read the full article

[waru-chan8]

Did I struggle to fin who was replacing who? Yes, I did. I also struggle to see if it was Kasma Kasmayudin or Kasma Daniel because MotoGP has used both and apparently is the same rider as his full name is Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin. Thanks, MotoGP, for screwing with me.

Anyway, back to the important.

August is back in the lead of the rider's championship after Ai's crash, but it's only leading it by 9.5. We can still see another change on the lead, and Augusto have not managed to hold the lead for longer than 1 race weekend. There's another change of leader, and this time is on the rookie of the year, where Alonso is leading it by 3.5 points with 7 races less. I'm asking myself, what would have happened if Alonso was the one to start the season?

And in the team's championship, well, KTM Ajo has everything to win it with a lead of 33.5 over IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia.

And nothing new in the Manufacturer's championship, well, I just hope next year SpeedUp can fight them since the beginning.

MotoGP standings (all championships)

MotoGP Championship standings (only MotoGP),

Moto2 Championship standings (only Moto2)

Moto3 Championship standings (only Moto3)

[wolfinakut0]

CHAMPAGNE AND PAPARAZZI -

Marc Márquez

friends to lovers where you run into some shower problems and have to use Marc’s

3k words

warnings: NSFW, slight choking, terribly written smut, oral (m receiving), bad Spanish, dirty talk

You had known Marc for quite some time, the both of you really close friends, there was this unspoken bond you two had. You were each others partners in crime, going along with every stupid idea the other had and getting yourselves in trouble one time or the other.

Like that time the two of you were caught, instead of being at the mandatory press conference, “borrowing” the team scooters and conducting a very serious race on track, going a whopping 30 mph top speed down the straights.

Or the time the two of you snuck out of physical training for an early morning swim at the seaside in Qatar. Wherever the two of you’d be, there’d be trouble. And the media loved it. Not only because of the constant rumours that you two had something going on, which the both of you, unbeknownst to the other, secretly wished were true, but also because of the stupid things you two’d start.

There had obviously been some tension going on between the two of you neither could deny, stolen glances across the paddock, a bit of flirting during press events or lingering touches when no one was looking. But there wasn’t anything serious going on, although you were close neither of you would admit anything or make a move. Scared you might misinterpret anything or just think too much into it. However to the others it was painfully obvious, you both had been pining for each other but were too dense to notice.

Today that wasn’t really one of your concerns though, the race day in Jerez taking up all of your concentration. You weren’t in the GP just to fuck around and cause trouble, you were there to win. You were sure the only reason you didn’t get house arrest for your ridiculous PR stunts was because you were still giving results and the press went wild over it.

The heat was almost unbearable, you tried to keep your focus on what was ahead, winning in Jerez to get ahead in the championship. Your standings were already great, but being able to get ahead and build a bit of distance would cement your position. The race was an adrenaline filled endeavour, after the riders in Moto3 were penalised to take one long lap after the other, and the Moto2 couldn’t really keep their bikes on track either, it was obvious this race needed you to be on top of your game. Being in Motogp you and the others obviously still were way ahead skill wise and their results couldn’t compare to you guys’, however with how fast you’d lose grip with this heat on the tires you still had to be careful. Lap after lap the race went good, some people going down due to a loss of grip or some cocky overtake resulting in contact between two riders and thus a crash, but that didn’t really concern you, your pace was really good so far. You were way ahead, building more distance each time you passed the finish line - This time however you weren’t all alone, a tussle between the podium so to speak, Marc and Fabio close behind. While the other two were constantly battling for dominance, you stayed focused on your line. There was no margin for error, a small mistake could cost you your standing, but despite that you kept your cool, taking each corner as precise and close as possible, no mistakes, no track limits or cocky miscalculations. The race stayed exciting till the very second you guys crossed the checkered line. “Y/n P1, P1!!”

You felt euphoric, you did it, and now it would be time to celebrate. After taking your victory lap, standing on the pegs, your country's flag loosely tied around your shoulders, you went to take the podium. You went to celebrate with your team, them patting your helmet and whatever else they could reach as the other two rolled in beside you and got off their bikes too. You felt Marc's arms sneak around you in celebration, lifting you up so you sat on his shoulder, your hands up in the air.

Now you guys were quickly hurried to the podium, Marc coming in close second to you. Your fingers still tingling from the bike's vibrations, your whole body feeling as if you were on fire. You stepped on the balcony, watching as the third and second place took their podium, finally it was your turn to step up onto the podium, walking on stage, after the other two, as you made your way to the middle step, first place. You could barely contain your excitement, looking over the equally excited crowd beneath. You were beaming as your national anthem boomed through the speakers and you knew what was to come next. Along with the Spanish summer came this incredible heat and the champagne you were about to get was just the right solution to that. Glancing to you left and right you noticed the two next to you had the top part of their leathers hanging from their hips, Marc wearing his base layer underneath - what a shame. Still, you were finally allowed to celebrate with the champagne. You popped the cork and began spraying the other two, them covering you in champagne as well, with everyone now covered in it, hair dripping and all it was a nice cool sensation.

You took the comically large bottle up to your head and decided to take a nice sip, distracted, Marc however took the opportunity to get back at you for soaking him completely, swiftly pulling open the zipper of your leathers and draining his champagne inside, you now soaked to the bone. “You asshole!” You shout-laughed and tried pushing him off of his step.

-

After your little tussle on the podium all you wanted was to get out of your leathers and take a nice, relaxing shower. Back in your Motorhome you quickly peeled yourself out of the soaked leather, already feeling 10 pounds lighter and turned on your shower. However, much to your dismay, although there seemed to at least be some water coming out if it, it was ice cold and definitely not really fit to shower in - shit. What now? Getting to the hotel to shower wasn’t really an option so you had to think of something else.

In a panic you wrapped yourself in a towel and grabbed your phone, desperately trying to reach the one guy you'd ask to use his shower. After frantically texting him you stared at your screen, your heart pounding in your chest.

You couldn’t just quickly put on something, still sticky and wet from the champagne, standing there in just a towel and Marc wouldn’t answer. What now? You had seen Marc get into his trailer earlier so you were sure he must still be in there, maybe he had his phone on silent?

“Ah fuck it” You huffed, deciding to push your luck today, his traler wasn’t too far from yours so you were sure no one would see you sneaking over to hopefully be able to take a quick shower there. Since it also wasn’t the first time you'd have snuck out you were fairly certain this would go well. Just wearing your tower you peeked outside, no one around, the coast clear, you snuck out and hurriedly rushed to his trailer, banging on his door frantically. “Marc, open up, It’s kinda urgent!”

You felt really stupid right now, standing in front of Marc’s trailer, half naked and not even sure he was actually there. But just as you were about to make the sprint back to yours, not sure what you’d do next, the door creaked open just a bit as Marc pushed his head out. His hair still wet, the dark curls sticking to his forehead as his expression changed from a worried one to an amused one, a slight red tint dusting his cheeks. “What even…?” Quickly he grabbed your wrist and pulled you inside to shut the door behind you. Now you realise why he didn’t answer. Marc was wearing about as little as you, a towel loosely wrapped around his hip and him dripping wet, did he just shower? Upon further investigation you noticed some foam still in his hair, did you interrupt his shower? “Why, for fucks sake, did you come to my trailer half naked in broad daylight? Did something happen? And did anyone see you?” He had this soft grin on his face, the one you grew to love so dearly.

Although it wasn’t the first time you’d seen him in this little clothing you still hadn’t gotten used to it. Realizing you burst into his trailer half naked, him also not really wearing anything you noticed the implications of this moment and in an embarrassed fashion you quickly covered your eyes with your hands, behaving like a teenager while your cheeks heated up, your face feeling on fire. After a moment you finally managed to speak, “I uh… my shower’s not working and uh… I was hoping I could use yours…?” Marc chuckled a bit, unholy thoughts entering his mind.

“Well I wasn’t quite done showering yet, but…” He inched closer to you, your back almost against his door as he slowly took your wrists to uncover your eyes. You stared up at him, his eyes dark with lust as he glanced at your lips, he was feeling especially bold after taking the podium next to you today. You looked up at him innocently, biting at your lower lip as Marc continued, “If you wouldn’t mind, you could join me? After all,” Your eyes never leaving him as he moved his head next to your ear, his breath tickling your skin. “I am the one responsible for soaking you like this, getting you all wet.” You were totally caught off guard, this being exactly what you had fantasised about so many nights.

As soon as Marc let go of your wrists your hands found themselves within his curls, his lips connecting with your neck you let out a soft moan. He began sucking and softly biting at your sweet spot, no doubt leaving a hickey in the process. “Mhh… You still taste of champagne.”

The Honda rider went to cup your cheek, pouring his eyes into yours as your hands began trailing down his toned body, touching the hem of his towel while the other stayed resting against his chest. His calloused hand leaving goosebumps as he slips one behind your neck and pulls you into a passionate kiss. A soft whimper leaving your lips as you hungrily kiss him back. You could feel his length pushing up against the towel as you made quick work of the tuck holding it onto his hips. Surprised by his size as it sprung flush against his abdomen, anticipating what's to come.

In the heat of passion your towel found its way to the floor as well as you were stumbling towards his bathroom, the shower still running. He made sure to never let his hands leave your skin, intoxicated by the feeling underneath his fingertips. Breaking free to catch some air your eyes lingered on him, his scarred skin still covered in some water droplets.

“After you” Marc spoke huskily, motioning you to step into the shower before him, to which you happily obliged. The moment you felt the water hit your skin felt like electricity running through your body, the smell of his body wash and champagne filling the room. Following suit he spared no time in pressing you against the wall, his hand resting next to your head as you made out again.

Marc's hand slowly trailed down your soft skin, enjoying every curve and imperfection as his fingers tenderly slid between your folds, earning a high pitched moan. You sounded even better than he imagined, a cocky grin playing on his lips. Marc slowly pushed one of his digits inside, earning another breathy moan, it drove him wild. Quickly Marc began moving his finger in and out, curling it to hit that one particular spot that made you clench around him. Soon he added another finger and sped up his movements, drawing you closer to your high.

Your nails buried themselves deep within his back, leaving red trails and a painfully pleasurable sensation. You felt your knees grow weak as your heavy legs twitch beneath you. Marc's other hand slowly gained a rough grip on your hip, keeping you from losing balance and leaving yet another mark on you. His big hands fit nicely against your small frame, his long slender fingers burning themselves into your skin.

The moment his thumb started drawing rough circles on your clit tipped you over the edge, throwing your head back in ecstasy and arching your back off the wall you came all over his fingers, riding out your high as his hand never eases the movement. His name leaving your lips again and again, desperate for him.

“Good girl” Marc grumbles against your skin, sending butterflies to your stomach. In contrast to the constant teasing between you two his praise made you feel like jelly.

Catching your breath again your eyes raked over his figure, water running down his chest with his wet stands hanging low in his face, a side of him you only dared dreaming of.

Drinking in the site your eyes began to wander downwards, beginning to sink to your knees with your hands trailing along his hip, steadying yourself with your hand against his prominent v-line. Eager to please you glance up at him, shooting him another innocent look.

A low groan left his lips as his hand tangled itself in your hair, guiding your already hungrily parted lips to his cock. In a slow fashion you proceeded to run your tongue over his head, getting to finally taste his cock earning a low moan. The bass in his voice going straight to your core. Swirling your tongue around his tip you teased him a bit.

Before you knew it, Marc uses the hand he has on your head to push his length inside your mouth fully, his patience for having you growing thin. A bit caught off guard you moan against him and push your thighs together in response to which the Spaniard threw back his head, one hand covering his face in pleasure.

You began bobbing your head in a steady manner, getting off of the pleasure you gave him. Much to your surprise you felt his grip on your hair loosen as you felt a cool sensation on your head. You stopped mid stroke, mouth still full of him, and glanced up, humming in question against him.

“I thought you came here to shower?” There it was again, that grin of his, as he held a bottle of shampoo in his hand. You chuckled lightly against his cock and resumed pleasuring him, feeling him wash your still somewhat campaign covered hair for you.

Although he began roughly thrusting his hips against you, essentially facefucking you, his hands on your head were very tender, holding you still while washing your head. You could feel him twitch in your mouth, guessing his climax must be close just as he pulled out and quickly moved you up to your feet, once again pushing you against the wall, his chest flush against yours.

His lips hungrily crash into yours as he takes ahold of your thigh and rested it against his waist, keeping your leg in a tight grip as he carefully slid his length into you. Resting your head on his shoulder, you bit down harshly in pleasure, hoping to be able to suppress your loud moans of his name.

“I want to hear your beautiful moans, mi amor” The sound of his voice alone drove you crazy. Marc kept a steady pace, his stamina as an athlete really coming in clutch.

“Estás haciendo tan buena para mi” (You are doing so good for me) You didn’t really know any spanish but something about him talking to you like that. “córrete para mí, princesa” (cum for me princess), Marc huskily growled, thrusting deeper as he rose your one leg a bit higher, bottoming out inside you.

Having no idea what he just said to you, you were in a haze, drunk on his body and the power he held over you, you didn’t care, his voice doing things to you he’d never imagined. As Marc's hand moved from next to your head to your throat you couldn’t hold yourself anymore. “Good girl, y/n” Repeatedly moaning his name as you clenched around him you came again, him still hitting that spot repeatedly as you rode out your orgasm, seeing stars.

Having you clench around him and whimper your name like that had him tip over the edge as well, cumming still buried inside you.

Both of you still out of breath and you slightly dizzy from everything that just happened found yourselves in a passionate, but his time more loving kiss. “You have no idea how long I've wanted this, wanted you…” You confessed, voice barely above a whisper against Marc's lips. “Mi amor, I’ve wanted you since I first laid eyes upon you.”

You shared a tender make out while washing each other with Marc's shower gel, leaving you smelling almost exactly like him and actually getting cleaned up like you originally planned before all this happened.

-

After grabbing some of Marc’s clothes, as you kind of forgot taking anything with you as you rushed over to his trailer in a panic you went to get some stuff from your trailer and gotten back to Marc to spend the night.

-

In the morning there was a small surprise waiting for the two of you. Originally just wanting to check your schedule for the day you saw your phone filled with messages, opening the you had gotten from your media manager first - in it was an article roughly stating what happened yesterday, as in some sneaky paparazzi shots of you standing in front of Marcs trailer in just a towel, him pulling you in dressed in about as little clothing and some of you, covered in hickeys wearing his clothes leaving his motorhome.

A/N: Second one since idk how long, kinda bad but idc. Hope you guys still like it :) Might make a second part, idk maybe fluff or angst idk - lmk if you’d like that

leave some feedback or ideas you have and enjoy

Also Marc is my fav so yeah 🥵

[marquez-junky8920]

hi!! always love reading ur fics! just wondering if u could do one for remy gardner where u find out that he is moving up from moto2 to motogp? just something fluffy and cute where you’re both super happy and excited and that if that’s alright :) thanks heaps!! <33

Author's Note: First off, let me say that I am SO sorry that it took me so long to write this. I remember you sent this request before but my tumblr inbox ate a couple of my requests and they went into ✨the void✨ Second of all, I hope you enjoy!

Dream Come True

You were sitting in your living room scrolling through your phone when your phone notified you that your boyfriend had texted you.

Rems ❤️

I can't wait to see you. I just boarded my flight.

You

I'll be waiting for you at the airport! I love you. Have a safe flight. ❤️

He'd been gone for 2 weeks in a row now for circuits that were in Europe. You loved seeing him chase his dreams in Moto2, but it was difficult sometimes when your schedules didn't match up and you couldn't attend these races with him. But this coming weekend, he was finally home in Australia for his home GP and both of you were stoked for it. With a little under half of the season left to go and Remy leading the championship, there were loads of things to be excited for. Especially when this was such an important race in the championship. If he won the race this weekend, it would keep him very safely in the 1st place championship standings. But even if he didn't, you'd still be incredibly proud of him and all that he's accomplished this season and in his career.

9 hours seemed to crawl by so painfully slow. You drove to the airport and found a parking space fairly quickly, not really rushing into the airport because you were almost 30 minutes early. You just couldn't sit home and wait anymore so you thought maybe waiting at the airport would make it better. It didn't. Those last 30 minutes felt longer than the 8 1/2 hours you'd spent waiting at home. But it eventually did pass and you walked up to the screen displaying all of the incoming flights. You found Remy's flight number and saw that it said arrived, trying your best to hold in your squeal as you watched people slowly start flooding into the terminal. You were beginning to think maybe it was the wrong flight, but your doubts were proven wrong when you saw that unmistakable head of brown hair walking up the terminal.

Wasting no time at all, you ran up to him, not caring who you may or may not have pushed out of the way in the process.

'Hi!' You squealed, smiling from ear to ear as you stuffed your face into his neck and inhaled his scent. Home...

'Hi baby. How are you?' He chuckled, squeezing you into that hug like his life depended on it.

'I'm better now that you're home safely. I'm going with you for the next GP. It sucks to be away from you for 2 whole weeks.' You said, setting your feet back down on the ground and walking with him to baggage claim.

'I know. The next race after this is in Japan, are you sure you can make that?' He asked.

'If I have to quit my job and find another one that will allow me to go to the next race, I'll do it.' He laughed at your determination.

With his bags secured, you walked out to the car with him and got into the car to drive home. During the drive, he told you about all of the interesting things that happened during the race weekend, good and bad.

'And then I had a meeting with Tech 3 about a potential deal.' You whipped your head to look over at him.

'Tech 3... As in MotoGP Tech 3!?'

'Yeah.' He laughed sheepishly. 'They want me on the team for next year.'

'Oh my god babe! That's incredible. Did you accept?' You squealed, slapping his arm excitedly.

'Not yet. The contract is still in negotiations, but they gave me the salary I wanted and it's a step in the right direction. They're supposed to give me a call on Friday to let me know if the contract is ready to sign.'

'And today is Wednesday. Oh gosh... We have to wait 2 more days.' You groaned as he laughed at your reaction.

'You're too adorable.' He shook his head and kissed your lips across the center console of the car. Just then, you pulled up in the driveway and helped him unload all of his things so that he could decompress a little bit before the craziness of a race weekend started all over again tomorrow.

~~~~~

Today was Friday... The day that Remy hopefully would get a call back about the MotoGP offer. You were in hospitality watching him top the second free practice session and anxiously awaiting him to get off the track. At this rate, he'd pass into Q2 with flying colors.

About 30 minutes later, the session was over and he came to sit with you in hospitality.

'So?' You asked, chomping at the bit to see if there'd been a call yet. He looked disappointed as he looked at you while drinking his water. Your heart sank to the floor.

'I didn't get the call today.' He said.

'Oh honey... I'm so sorry. I know how hard you've worked for this.' You got up and went to bend over to hug him in his chair.

'I know...' He hugged you back and when he pulled away, he had a piece of paper in his hand. 'That's why they handed me the contract to sign on the spot. No phone call needed. You're looking at Tech3's new rider for next year.'

'Oh my god! Baby I'm so fucking proud of you! This is so incredible. I'm so happy for you.' You cried, hugging him and kissing his face everywhere you could think of.

'Thank you babe. I couldn't have done it without your support. I owe a lot of this to you and everything you do for me.'

'Oh stop it.' You blushed before looking at the contract he held. There, in cursive, black letters was his name. Signed and official.

'I can't believe this. You've made it, love.' You cried, both of you now getting emotional as his lip quivered when he hugged you again.

'I fucking did it.' He said, his voice wobbling. That just made your heart soar with happiness and pride.

'Now you win this race this weekend. You got this, alright love?' You said, wiping the tears from his face as you hyped him up. He nodded and let out a breathy laugh.

By Sunday, Remy was the fastest rider on the track. Best pace, best timing, and best strategy on how to win this circuit. You had complete and total faith in him that he would win this circuit and maintain the championship lead for the rest of the season. The signing of the Tech 3 contract was the feather in his cap that he needed to be able to push through and win it all.

'C'mon baby, you got this.' You whispered to yourself, hands over your mouth. You weren't able to hide the nerves anymore as Raul Fernandez was right on his rear tire on the last lap. It was overtake after overtake and the battle was so intense, you started to feel your toes cross.

'Yes!! He fucking won!' You cheered with Remy's team as they celebrated a much deserved win. After the victory lap, Remy came back into parc ferme and curled forward on his bike. You could see his shoulders shaking from the tears streaming down his face inside his helmet. This was the reality setting in of not only winning the race, but realizing that his dream was coming true of moving into MotoGP. He finally hopped off his bike and ran over to you and the team, welcoming the love and support that showered him.

'You did it my love.' You shouted over the cheers, kissing the chin of his helmet and smiling through the proud tears.

The podium ceremony was probably one of the most emotional ones you've ever experienced with him. When he came off of the high and settled into the bus with you, he turned to look at you and said something that you will never forget for the rest of your life.

'I hope you realize that you mean everything to me.' He kissed your forehead lightly as you smiled to yourself. 'I can't wait to marry you one day.'

END

[mverstappen]

memorable happy motogp 2020 moments

rookie brad binder wins in brno

rookie alex being the first non marc rider to get a honda podium since 2018

TWO TIMES IN A ROW

maverick jumping off his bike at 220 km/h and being all smug about it in the interview afterwards

9 different winners

king franky speaking out agains racism and immediately winning the race

soft joan mir being humble and acknowledging his privileges and becoming well deserved world champion

suzuki being the best team and having the best teammates who support and love each other

miguel only showing up to get a car and win his home gp, proving that he can win but most of the times the intelligent king can’t be bothered <3

ktm stepping up their game big time; pol getting lots of podiums and being a literal happy child

the heart rate monitors and maverick being literally more chill than all of us combined while dovi seems to be hyperventilating every time he so much as sits on the ducati

that time when iker joined the miller taxi service to help out maverick

fabio leaning over to stare at maverick’s ass and then making a frustrated gesture and someone captioning it as “damn his ass is bigger than mine”

every other rider: freezing, puffer jacket, beanie; fabio: tits out

maverick showing up to a pc in joggers; maverick showing up to another pc in a puffer jacket while the others wore t-shirts

maverick strolling through the paddock in above mentioned joggers during moto3

that one time when it was way too cold and the session got postponed and all the riders where just chilling in the paddock with their teams and walking around and standing in circles

the HEAT in jerez

miguel straight up calling pol not intelligent

the last corner battle between jack and pol and miguel saying thanks <3

alex rins asking for a lift in portugal but everyone ignoring him

valentino at the beginning of that one moto2 race, visibly counting all his children

dovi (probably unintentionally but who knows) flipping ducati off during his podium celebration

albert and enea proving everyone who didn’t believe in them wrong and becoming the softest world champions

the “price giving ceremony” being the biggest disappointment (only enea putting some effort in) and our motogp tumblr community straight up deciding to instead relive the 2019 gala

aron canet not stopping with the bragging about the missing half of his pinky

enea “i am the world championship” bastianini

[whydoubleu]

P8 courtesy by Vale and Dan

This weekend is pretty exciting, because its race weekend both motogp and f1 but with different time zone, so the gap between those races are about 12 hours. In Sunday morning i was so excited and at 9am i was ready watching moto2 first, which pretty fun to see the midfield but quite sad for Luca because he crashed at the first lap from the 3rd grid position and its not his fault but he still be able to comfort bezzechi who also crashed. 

The next session was motogp race, and jeremy burgess who is vale longtime former crew chief is greeting on the grid and oh we’re vale’s fan miss him. This year philip island race was special because its Vale’s 400th Grand Prix, im so proud and happy for him by reaching the records. Suprisingly, Vale made the greatest start of the season! he made it to the first postion and manage the position for few laps. Its a holeshot, and it was really exciting and happy moment for me and even the motogp commentator,and at the end he finished P8 but i’m really proud of him. It was another fun race in the midfield but also for the first position battle which marc made it to the top after overtook Maverick who crash while trying to get his first position back. Vale was happy and even waving to the fans after going into yamaha’s garage :D

In the meantime waiting for F1 race, there were another exciting sport events like Badminton Frech open final and Manchester United match, super proud of Praven and Melati winning the match against the Chinese pair, also for the minions, Kevin and Marcus but a great improvement showed by Jonathan while in the match against Chen Long eventhough he lost the match. I did not making it to watch United’s match but by live tweeting, i was so happy that Ole’s squad made it to get 3 points finally. 

The F1 race is started at 2 am my area’s time, so i made it to watch the drivers parade and feeling the festive Mexico Grand Prix by seeing Dan Ric unique jacket given by one of his fans. Even Lewis looks suprised shown in his ig story. LOL. But, i accidentally got sleep right before the race was started and waking up at 6am and asdfghjkl a bit annyoed because my laptop screen still showing the f1 early laps plus the race looks so fun to watch but relieve and happy that Dan Ric made it to P8 from the 13th grid position, even its not enough to score points, after Japan race dissapointed disqualification but it was way better than getting disqualifed from such a great 6th position in Japan GP. I’m also happy for Seb made it to the second, and getting close to Charles points in championship standings. Post race interviews this Mexico GP edition is excites me, they give us Sewis and Maxiel all over again.

Vale and Dan Ric getting the same result this Sunday race was excites me the most but hoping they get the podium for the last races this season. 

[dwindledglow]

001. MEET FRANCESCO

FULL NAME: francesco mirkó mancini. PREFERRED NAME: francesco. NICKNAME/S: kekko, ciccio, franci, franco, mir. DATE OF BIRTH: february 28th, 2000. GENDER & PRONOUNS: cis male & he/his. ORIENTATION: hetero. RELIGION: non-practising christian. RELATIONSHIP STATUS: in a relationship with lillian atkinson. OCCUPATION: racing driver, currently racing for prema powerteam in fia’s f3 championship. RESIDENCE: in between modena, italy and flatiron district, new york city.

002. CHECK FRANCESCO’S BACKGROUND

HOMETOWN: verona, italy. NATIONALITY: italian. ETHNIC BACKGROUND: italian. LINGUISTICS: italian which is his native language and english, french, portuguese and spanish in a fluent level. EDUCATION: he has graduated from high-school and completed the first year of double major in chemical and mechanical engineering while taking on pre-law classes at columbia university. CRIMINAL RECORD: clean. BIRTH ORDER: fifth. FATHER: alessandro mancini, born on august 10th, 1965 in firenze, italy, currently residing in milan, italy. he’s a former professional racing driver who competed in formula 1 who now owns a management company alongside his wife.  MOTHER: gisella sofia micucci, born on march 22nd, 1967 in milan, italy where she still resides. she’s a former mechanical engineer for ferrari who now owns a management company alongside her husband. SISTER/S: miuccia sofia mancini, born on july 12th, 1995 in modena, italy, currently residing in montecarlo, monaco and working as a test driver for formula-e after having won the british gt4 championship. bianca giulia mancini, born on january 3rd, 2009 in milan, italy where she still resides and studies, while competing in the super one series. franca maria mancini, born on october 4th, 2012 in milan, italy where she still resides and studies, while doing karting. BROTHER/S: alessi andrea mancini, born on september 30th, 1992 in modena, italy, currently residing in mooresville, north carolina and working as a professional racing driver for nascar. gian luca mancini, born on december 18th, 1993 in modena, italy, currently residing in mooresville, north carolina and working as a professional racing driver for nascar. leone alessandro mancini, born on may 14th, 1999 in verona, italy, currently residing in lugano, switzerland and working as a professional motorcycle rider who competes in moto2 championship. SIGNIFICANT OTHER: lillian atkinson. CHILDREN: none so far. OTHER RELEVANT FAMILY: andrea luca mancini, uncle.  EX/ES: giulianna ricci. PETS: kyio, a chihuahua and mochi, a merle french bulldog.

003. GET UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

HEIGHT: 6′0″ or 183 cm. WEIGHT: between 165 lbs or 75 kg and 168 lbs or 76 kg. BODY BUILD: if such thing was an acceptable description, most would say francesco is an exercise-junkie. he loves working out and trying out all kinds of exercise and different sports which, of course, gives place to pretty solid results. he’s naturally slender and thanks to his healthy routines, he has a rather athletic physique. his overall body is toned, particularly his legs and neck, and you can tell he spends a few good hours in the gym by the muscular arms and the six-pack. EYE COLOR: hazel-brown. EYESIGHT: his eyesight is perfect, he doesn’t need glasses or contacts. HAIR COLOR & STYLE: francesco doesn’t bother much with his hair. he has what could be considered a fade cut, shorter on the sides, longer on the top which isn’t a particularly high-maintenance hairstyle.  DOMINANT HAND: right. NOTABLE PHYSICAL TRAITS: his chiseled features are perhaps the most notable of his physical traits and the one people pick up on the quickest. alongside, his overall body build that does stand out. other than that, there’s nothing too particular. SCARS AND MARKS: there’s nothing particularly major or outstanding. he has scars and little marks as everyone which are courtesy of every day life. TATTOOS: none so far. PIERCINGS: none so far. VOICECLAIM: tony arbolino. ACCENT & INTENSITY: francesco has been living in the states for, at least, four to five years now but the italian essence has never for once left his being. even though he’s fluent in english and will get around the language with ease, you can tell he’s italian. the northern italy accent peeks through every word, shines through even in the way he enunciates himself and when he switches to his mother language, the intensity just grows within seconds. ALLERGIES: tree pollen, cow’s milk and mould. PHOBIAS & FEARS: not evolving, being stuck in the same place without the opportunity to grow and do more. MENTAL & PHYSICAL ILLNESSES: none so far. ALCOHOL USE: socially. SMOKING: no. NARCOTICS USE: he smokes weed when faced with situations of high stress, but otherwise he stays away from other drugs. INDULGENT FOOD: sometimes, he likes to have a clean diet but he won’t say no to some comfort, soul food from time to time. SPLURGE SPENDING: it’s rare. francesco is very conscious of how he spends his money, actually. GAMBLING: no, never.

004. DIG DEEPER

CAN THEY DRIVE? yes, he can drive. CAN THEY COOK & BAKE? yes and badly. CAN THEY CHANGE A FLAT TIRE? yes. CAN THEY TIE A TIE? yes. CAN THEY SWIM? yes. CAN THEY RIDE A BICYCLE? yes. CAN THEY JUMP START A CAR? yes. CAN THEY BRAID HAIR? no. CAN THEY PICK A LOCK? yes. EXTROVERTED OR INTROVERTED? extroverted. DISORGANIZED OR ORGANIZED? organized. CLOSE OR OPEN MINDED? open minded. CALM OR ANXIOUS? a healthy in-between. PATIENT OR IMPATIENT? impatient. OUTSPOKEN OR RESERVED? outspoken. LEADER OR FOLLOWER? leader. OPTIMISTIC OR PESSIMISTIC? leaning more on the pessimistic side. TRADITIONAL OR MODERN? modern. HARD-WORKING OR LAZY? hard-working. CULTURED OR UNCULTURED? cultured. LOYAL OR DISLOYAL? loyal. FAITHFUL OR UNFAITHFUL? faithful. NIGHT OWL OR EARLY BIRD? night owl. HEAVY OR LIGHT SLEEPER? heavy sleeper. COFFEE OR TEA? coffee. DAY OR NIGHT? night. TAKING BATHS OR SHOWERS? showers. COCA COLA OR PEPSI? coca-cola. CATS OR DOGS? dogs. NETFLIX OR CINEMA? cinema. SHOWS OR MOVIES? movies. LAPTOP OR GAMING CONSOLE? gaming console. HEALTHY OR JUNK FOOD? healthy food. ICE CREAM OR FROZEN YOGURT? ice cream. PIZZA OR HAMBURGER? pizza. LOLLIPOPS OR GUMMY WORMS? gummy worms. BEACH OR POOL? beach. SNOWBALLS FIGHTING OR ICESKATING? iceskating. LITERATURE OR SCIENCE? science. HISTORY OR ART? art. CHOCOLATE BARS OR COTTON CANDY? neither. XBOX OR PLAYSTATION? playstation. FACE-TO-FACE OR PHONE INTERACTIONS? face-to-face interactions. DRAMA OR SCI-FI? both. HORROR OR COMEDY? both.

005. FRANCESCO’S FAVORITES

FAVORITE ACTIVITY: training. FAVORITE ANIMAL: lion. FAVORITE BOOK: outliers - the story of success by malcolm gladwell. FAVORITE COLOR/S: red. FAVORITE CUISINE: italian, though he enjoys trying different things. FAVORITE DISH/ES: gnocchi, ravioli, risotto alla milanese, bruschetta and a long list of mostly italian food. FAVORITE DRINK/S: mocaccino and plain, iced water. FAVORITE FLOWER/S: white lily. FAVORITE GEM: ruby. FAVORITE MOVIE: three billboards outside ebbing, missouri by martin mcdonagh.  FAVORITE SONG: just like you by emotional oranges. FAVORITE SCENT/S: ginger, melted chocolate, the scent of fresh bread, passionfruit. FAVORITE SHOW/S: he’s not really one to sit and watch tv shows, he mostly has no patience to wait weeks or months on end for episodes and new seasons but three shows that caught his attention and he’s been keeping up with: watchmen, black mirror and the handmaid’s tale. FAVORITE SPORT/S & TEAM THEY SUPPORT: formula1, motogp, soccer, he supports inter milano, and basketball. FAVORITE SEASON OF THE YEAR: winter. VACATION DESTINATION: somewhere in indonesia, maybe bali.

[artistic-writer]

Sparking the Pavement :: Prologue

Beta’d by the awesome @hollyethecurious

Sparking the Pavement - When a motorcycle is leaned enough to drag the pegs, floor boards, exhaust or other metal parts on the road resulting in a shower of sparks.

Racing was like nothing else in the entire world. The rush of the wind as it hit the protective leathers, pushing the supple material into the limbs hidden inside, trying with all its might to dislodge a rider that would never let go. The rumble of the engine between thighs that gripped at the machine so tightly, muscles had formed on top of muscles there, powerful legs almost touching the ground on every corner, riders only braking momentarily before thrashing it out of the bend under the throaty roar of the bike.

They didn’t control the superbike. It controlled them.

Killian Jones had been racing his entire life. When he was barely old enough to speak, his father had sat him on top of his dirt bike and that was it. He was hooked. No child felt fear, and Killian was no exception, having fallen off everything you could have ever imagined. But each time he would get up and dust himself off. He took the pain, the scrapes, and the broken bones, to fulfill a family legacy that he was the most proud of.

The Jones family were winners. They had been winning motorcycle races in England since before he had even been born. His grandfather was a winner. His father was a winner. His brother was a winner. Killian began racing in the low classes, smaller engines that were easy for him to handle at his young age, but they were never a challenge. Soon he joined the Superbike Championship, following in his older brother’s footsteps and moving his entire life to the United States to better his career. But Killian was a pro, already, and he soon migrated to the next class of power, Moto2, the youngest rider to ever do so.

A few successful seasons in Moto2 saw Killian beating riders of a much higher calibre, including Liam Jones. Nearly five years older than Killian, his brother Liam had been the World Champion in Moto2 for seven years running, and when Killian won his first race, beating his older brother to the finish line by fractions of a second, the journalists couldn’t wait to get into the after race press room. The brothers were good about it, teasing each other at press conferences until they became a strange celebrity attraction at every event. Brothers had raced side by side before, but no younger sibling had ever been more successful, and the press lapped it up.

That year saw Killian taking the title from his brother, a feat no one had managed for nearly a decade, and he was almost immediately head hunted by Repsol Honda. They were a big team, with a much higher spending capacity than Killian’s previous teams were used to, and they were also MotoGP. MotoGP was the top of the tree, the highest point any rider could ever hope to reach in a professional racing career, and somewhere Liam had been trying to get to his entire life. He wasn’t hurt, or angry when Killian had told him he was moving to MotoGP, instead he was the proudest he could ever remember being of his little brother.

Killian’s first few seasons saw him finishing well. In his first year of MotoGP, Killian finished fifth overall, a good win for the team who had taken such a gamble on a rookie. But Honda’s vision and the potential they saw in him was not in vain, and that same year, Killian won the Rookie of the Year award. It gave him a massive boost, and spurred on by words of encouragement from Liam, Killian managed fourth in his second year.

However, the good times were not to last.

In 2005, Liam and Killian were dealt a blow. Their father, Brennan Jones, the man who had taught them both to ride and had given everything he had to make sure his boys were given every opportunity they could have to succeed, died. It was quick, a random car accident where Brennan had suffered a massive heart attack at the wheel and crashed into the side of a bridge. Both of the brothers were distraught, the funeral coming and going quicker than either had ever expected, but it made them more determined than ever to finish their seasons and make their father proud.

The same year, Liam finished his season out on top, adding a new World Championship title to his repertoire. The Superbike Championships were becoming tough competition, newer, younger riders coming in every year and pushing him to the limits of his capabilities. It had been a tough year, Liam barely able to grieve his father whilst having to answer question after question about Brennan’s accident in post race press rooms, so after the last race of his season, Liam announced a sabbatical. He was going to take a year to find himself again, spend some time with his wife Elsa and their daughter Hayden-Rose, and return to racing for the 2006/7 season.

Killian also finished the 2005 season out on the podium, finishing the last race of the season at the Californian circuit, Leguna Seca, in first place. It was an emotional win, tears from both brothers hidden behind the spray of celebratory champagne. Killian finished the season overall in third, his highest ever championship standing and just two places behind the season champion, Neal Cassidy. Cassidy had dominated MotoGP, winning consecutive seasons for the last two years, and Liam was sure that he had seen a tiny bead of nervous sweat from his brow when Killian had come so close to taking his title that year.

The 2006 season was a little slow and Killian got off to a poor start. During the second race of the season, during an overtaking maneuver, he had touched wheels with Cassidy and was sent flying over the handlebars of his bike. Luckily, thanks to his high grade protective gear and the fact he was thrown clear of the bike, Killian escaped the crash with just a broken hand. It wasn’t serious, and race medics cleared him for further races, but Cassidy wasn’t as lucky. After the race, fuelled by rage and adrenaline, Cassidy had been given a black eye and a broken nose by Liam Jones, accusing him of dirty race tactics and dangerous racing.

It didn’t matter though, because later that year, during one of the closest battles for the championship title the world of motorcycle racing had ever seen, Killian Jones came back from a fifty one point deficit, to beat current title holder Neal Cassidy in the very last race of the season. It was close. Too close to call. Jones had beat Cassidy to the finish line with just 0.002 seconds between them, taking the title, huge prize pot, and Neal’s pride all in one fell swoop.

Killian Jones was World Champion, and now, thanks to a very public tantrum by Cassidy, everyone knew his name.

Being the youngest ever World MotoGP Champion was everything Killian could have ever imagined. Money, fast bikes, fast cars and even faster women took over his life. He was famous, and for far more than simply being the younger brother of Liam Jones, and now the spotlight was firmly on him. Everything he did was in the limelight, sponsors were smothering him, everyone desperately trying to get a chance to pay him to wear their logos.

Cassidy was not amused. Everything Killian now had, had been taken from him in the blink of an eye. The media played into their rivalry and in a way, they both used it to their advantage off the track, but on the track they were more serious. Killian was a racer, a true gentleman, but Neal was exactly as Liam had feared; a rat. He took every opportunity he had to exact legal and yet dangerous moves during a race to try and run Killian onto the gravel, but Killian was two steps ahead of him, taking another title, much to Cassidy’s distaste.

Liam had returned to the racing circuit as promised the following year. During his time off, and seeing the possible potential from an all Jones racing team, Liam had been approached by Honda’s MotoGP division. They had asked him to be Killian’s new racing partner, the team seeing that the brothers were more than just two World Champions. They were unstoppable. With both brothers under their wing, Honda won the constructors championship in 2007 as well as claiming a one/two victory for both their riders.

Liam’s come back to racing had earned him a podium place finish in nearly every race, losing only to his younger brother. Racing Killian was fun, and it brought back memories of why he had loved racing in the first place. There was no malice, only two brothers competing at a sport they both loved more than anything else. At the end of the 2007 season, Liam stood on the second step, proud to have lost to Killian, who took pride of place at the top, another World Champion title under his belt at just twenty seven years old.

Neal Cassidy had finished third, but at over fifteen points behind Liam, he hadn’t even come close to the brothers success.

It was a whirlwind, everything happening so fast that when Killian got a call from Elsa one sunny afternoon at practice, he was more than unprepared from her words.

“It’s Liam.”

Killian’s heart had plummeted, the dread in him stomach rising to his throat and constricting his airway, his own anxiety strangling him where he stood on the blazing hot tarmac. He was thankful for the sunglasses he wore because they shielded the tears that had welled in his eyes, but they couldn’t hide the flush of heat that crept over his cheeks so they matched the colour of his team shirt. His words had the entire paddock looking in his direction, the strain in his screeching voice making every mechanic down their tools and listen, their own hearts in their mouths.

A near miss. That’s what the doctors had called it, but both Killian and Elsa had come far closer to losing what they loved most than they had ever wanted. Liam had been in a crash, on his day off no less, the car coming out of nowhere and him, unable to stop, flying over the hood and sliding into a concrete pillar. Luckily he was in his leathers and not travelling very fast, but his motorcycle was ruined, written off in the impact. The doctor’s had said Liam was only alive because of his race training on how to fall in a crash.

Coming so close to losing his brother was eye opening for Killian. He never wanted to hear Elsa cry like that again, or listen to the quake in her voice as she had told his eight year old niece that her father was never going to race again. Killian thought he detected a hint of relief in her voice, finally able to have her husband safe and in one piece, something he knew Elsa had worried about since Liam had moved to MotoGP. Moto2 was safe, it made sure he was home each night, even if they did live in a trailer for most of the year. MotoGP was more power, more accidents and more deaths each year than any other tier of the racing world.

Elsa worried for her husband constantly, and Killian had only ever wanted that. Not that he had anyone to wait for him. He wasn’t even dating. He had no time, very little to himself between racing, travelling and practice, sponsorship deals and photoshoots, but nearly losing Liam awoke something in him that even he couldn’t deny. It was time to stop sleeping around with pit girls, overzealous fans, and anyone else who wanted a piece of who he was. None of those encounters were real and Killian knew that if he had never been famous, they wouldn’t have even looked twice in his direction.

Liam had married his childhood sweetheart and Elsa had stuck with him through all of the good times and the bad. That was what Killian wanted. Someone to worry about him as much as Elsa did about Liam, someone to care, but also someone who knew his world, and respected his need to race. He needed to be on a bike. He was happy being last, even to Neal Cassidy, but Killian would never be happy without the sound of an engine in his ears and grease under his fingernails.

Liam retired just into the 2008 season, his professional racing career coming to an end because of the injuries he had sustained in his crash. He would get on a bike again, but he would never be cleared to race, and he was okay with that. At thirty two years old, he felt like he had missed enough of his daughter’s life, missing the little things that made his life worth living. Liam had missed Hayden-Rose’s first steps, her first words, and her first day of school. He wouldn’t miss a single moment more.

Barely two races into the season, with sixteen left in fifteen different countries, Killian was without a teammate. His team had been good to him, and he trusted their judgement, especially when they announced a new kid on the block as his new race partner. Will Scarlet was his name, another young up and comer from England that the team hoped would follow in Killian’s footsteps now that he had filled Liam’s.

Will Scarlet was a little cheeky, sometimes cocky, but he was willing to learn from a rider more experienced than him, and that was all Killian could ask for. Will’s arrogance worked to his advantage, in practice and during races. Unlike so many before him, Scarlet let go of everything he had ever learned climbing the race ladder, knowing the MotoGP was something else. It was where riders were made, where champions were born, but he also knew that if they didn’t listen, it was where riders died.

There was barely any sort of age gap between them, so Killian and Will really hit it off as friends. They had more in common than they realised at first, bonding over England and often getting lost in jokes only they would understand from their homeland. Will also met Liam, who since his retirement had been bitten by the bike bug once more, but having promised Elsa to never race again, had taken a job as the team’s mechanic. He knew more about the bikes than anyone, and his experience as a rider gave him a unique insight into how the bikes could be tweaked for maximum performance. Soon, the Jones-Scarlet team were unstoppable, and at the end of the 2008 race season, Killian stole yet another title from Neal Cassidy.

And again in 2009. 2010 saw him joined on the podium by Will, both riders finishing out their seasons in first and second place respectively. They were the ultimate riding duo, other teams trying to poach them at least twice a week, but Killian and Will were loyal to Honda, the team that had made them and giving them so many opportunities.

Things were good. But every good thing has to come to an end eventually.

[batsplat]

who were the underrated early 00’s riders in your opinion or who did you enjoy watching the most?

gonna go for the boring options first and say both biaggi and gibernau are commonly underrated from today's perspective. this kind of thing often happens where one athlete is really dominant, so it's assumed that the opposition isn't that strong... but it's a bit of a circular argument, right, because the reason why their resumes aren't stronger on paper is because of that one athlete's dominance. (I hate to accidentally be doing federer prop, but how people discuss his noughties dominance is actually a really good parallel here lol - like he was just very good and we'd remember the other blokes in that era very differently if he hadn't been around.) so the reasoning goes biaggi and gibernau had to be mid given they were constantly being beaten

this is obviously particularly egregious with biaggi, the joint most successful bloke ever in the 250cc category (another achievement that has suffered over the years because newer fans don't quite get how much more meaningful these titles were than moto2 ones) - but honestly it's also irritating with gibernau. again with the late bloomer syndrome... yes, it took him until 2003 to reach his potential as a rider, but that doesn't mean he didn't have a lot going for him! they're both good riders! they gave us a lot of really cool battles! they had plenty of impressive signature performances - just look at biaggi winning his first ever race in the premier class. gibernau's transformation as a rider at welkom 2003. really interesting individual stories (both with quite unusual paths to the top of the sport) that get flattened when you allow them just to be reduced to one guy's chew toys

speaking of, I do just enjoy gibernau as a rider. I like good wet weather racers as a rule, just something about that skillset that's particularly appealing to me... yes, it's about adaptability and there will be some element of 'talent' involved, but it's also about your wits and your decision-making skills and your ability to judge risk vs reward. (also, it's FUN that it doesn't correlate neatly with how talented we'd usually consider the riders. look at how good vale/casey/marc are in the wet versus jorge/dani's... struggles. most people wouldn't consider dovi more naturally 'talented' than the latter two, and yet! and yet.) I do also have a fondness for cerebral riders, the smart operators who are better racers than qualifiers, which, again. sete

the other big one is alex barros, who had already been around for a while by the time the early noughties rolled around, and as a result has a quite old school style for the time... did you know he's the only rider to have ever scored podiums with five different manufacturers in the premier class? really demonstrates his longevity better than anything else could. he doesn't really get discussed enough imo - I still think he was valentino's main on-track rival in 2002. the championship standings don't exactly reflect it, in part because he was still on a 500cc for much of the season, but they had like. a bunch of really fun battles. known for both his raw pace and for what a phenomenally later braker he was

singlehandedly made the 2002 season watchable, quite frankly

another one is... I don't know, is someone really underrated when it's possible newer fans just straight up haven't heard of him, and most fans who are aware of him do appreciate him plenty? anyway, garry mccoy was one of those blokes with a more obviously 'spectacular' riding style, which made him really easy to appreciate. his strongest season was in 2000 and after that injuries did unfortunately derail his career, but hey, 2000 is still the noughties. he was nicknamed 'the slide king' with his dirt track-inspired style... going side on into the turns in a way that was very much unique at the time. won three races in 2000! here's some sliding footage (the interesting music choices are part of the charm). troy bayliss another very distinctive rider though I suppose within motogp he's most known for his 2006 victory as a wildcard, so not technically early noughties

I have no clue how highly shinya nakano is rated but I will say people don't talk enough about his helmets these days:

aren't they great??

anyway, yeah, those are probably the main ones. is capirossi underrated these days? I do feel like he's pretty widely respected and is about correctly rated, but if not then he obviously counts too. very plausibly could have won the 2006 title if he hadn't gotten unlucky early on, and obviously won some... rather. uh. eventful titles...? in the lower categories in the nineties. also, even if he didn't end up winning a title with ducati, he was the rider who developed the bike that did. involved in quite a lot of dramatic races and quite a lot of drama, certainly contributed plenty to the sport. otherwise barros is definitely the rider who stands out, my hero of 2002. cut him out of that season and you'd have to throw away the whole year

[motogpfanpage]

ROUND 13: SAN MARINO

As we are getting closer to the end of the season, it's at Misano, near Rossi's hometown that we were racing this weekend. A weekend where Ducati was favorite but the crowd had only eyes for The Doctor.

1) Dovi's moment of proud

Andrea Dovizioso took his 3rd win of the season a Misano. A very important win as Ducati won both italian GP this season and it’s also the first time they win 3 races back-to-back since the Stoner era.

Dovi knew his main rival would be his teammate. Somehow, if he wanted to win he first had to stop Jorge from running away "à la lorenzo" but the italian was confident he had the pace to rush at the front: "my strategy was to be on front and make my rythm because i knew i had a good pace but sometimes Jorge make a special race and Marc is always very strong".

Once the mid-race mark was checked it seemed Lorenzo was coming back on Dovizioso like a repeat of the previous races but Dovi had the race under control and pushed more just when he wanted: "i was trying to play with lap times to see and understand the competitors. i had the margin to go faster and take more risks under control".

As always though, the italian adaptated his pre-race strategy to what was happening live during the race "it's important that you have your strategy but at the end you have to make some part of it during the race".

As for the championship, Andrea is up to 2nd now in the standings but there's no illusion on their real chances to win it, it's Marquez's to lose "we are focus on that (getting ready for 2019) because Marc is ahead. If we do something important this year, good, but if we can't we have to be even more ready for next year".

And next year Dovizioso will have some help! Indeed, Lorenzo's replacement, Danilo Petrucci, know he's been signed, not to win, but to help Dovi win the next title. Think i’m joking ? Nope. It’s Marca which reported this very strange and awkward line said by Domenicalli himself (link of the article here) "Petrucci will make sure that Dovizioso has a whole lots of points by the end of the year". Now i do not know how Danilo feels about playing second field but i know i wouldn’t like it!

 2) Pen already well in hand

Marc Marquez might have arrived at Misano with a comfortable lead in the championship but that doesn't mean he is not willing to take some risks if a win is a stake. After a good fight with Lorenzo that left us on the edge of our seat and salivating for next season, the spaniard saw that Dovizioso was escaping, but there was nothing he could have done to prevent that from happening: "when i saw Dovi going away i tried to be behind Jorge, to attack him in the end but i was on the limit, i was pushing too much."

Knowing a mistake was likely to be made after his crash during the qualification session (where he gave us one hell of a show running back to a scooter, rushing back to his box and going back on track on his 2nd bike in less than 5 minutes), Marquez wasn't willing to let too many points escape him: "i was fighting against the bike, i was fast but riding against myself."

In the end Marquez vs Ducati went, once again to Ducati: "i tried to follow them, to be aggressive on the first laps but today Dovi was riding perfect. I was just following the ducatis, i wasn't able to overtook them. Jorge just made a mistake and went wide, that's how i was able to pass him".

In Marc Marquez fashion though, the spaniard had to try first before giving up and settling for points: "when you never give up sometimes you get something. This time we get 20 points."

Even if the spaniard hasn't won since the Sachsenring, he can still be pretty happy to extend his championship lead after the San Marino GP: "i arrived with 59 points at the front and we leave with 67 so we're happy".

  3) Lorenzo, Ganador, Campeon, Guerrero

Jorge Lorenzo was a man with a plan this weekend in Italy. Strong from a confidence build by a very good test at Misano for the ducati team earlier this summer, the spaniard was the clear favorite even before the action started on track.

His pole position on saturday, breaking the track’s record (a record he owned as he had set it previously on Yamaha), made that cristal clear for anybody else still doubting. Lorenzo wouldn’t be happy with anything else than a race win on sunday. Fate had other plans for him though.

The hot temperatures forced Lorenzo to race a combo of medium tires which he never felt at ease with: « i have to use the medium front and rear that normally i don’t like, especially the front. I didn’t have any grip on the side and not a food grip in the center of it ». Lorenzo stated he had to use way too much of the brakes than what he likes because of this bad feeling with the tires. 

The spaniard tried to escape though but that wasn’t going to work today. Starting from pole position, Lorenzo made another rocket start only him has the secret of and, with the soft, he believed it could have made the difference at least at start even though it woudn’t have last for the whole race distance: « with the softs i think i would have had something more on Dovi and Marc but with the mediums we were on the same pace ». 

Favorite before the race thanks to a superb test earlier, the spaniard lamented the tires weren’t working the same « the softs were very constant during the tests but this weekend after 5 laps it was destroyed ».

A wrong choice of tires leading to a crash while he was chasing Dovizioso for the win. Jorge Lorenzo could have settled for the 2nd place in the race. This would have pushed him into 2nd in the championship standings but if you ask him, 2nd isn’t ever enough. He had nothing to lose, Marquez being already gone in the title chase, so he went for it, win it or bin it style. 

Lorenzo is now 4th in the standings. With 6 races to go and 24 points between him and 2nd Dovizioso, the spaniard isn’t one to stop trying easily and one can be sure, he’ll give his everything to make sure to not only finish in front of teammate Dovizioso in the standings but also to win more races than him and, like the cherry on the top of cake, try to give Ducati the constructor’s championship. Is Domenicalli still certain it was the right choice to get rid of the spaniard ? I bet Honda are rubbing their hands...

4) 22 races

The streak of shame continues for Yamaha. It is now 22 races since they've last won one. As the situation doesn't look like it's going to be solves anytime soon, riders still try to understand what is going on into what was once the best team on the grid.

Maverick Vinales seemed to have found some of his old form back being in the top spots most of the practices but the race is always another story: "i felt very strong in FP4 but we had a big drop in feeling from saturday to sunday. It's been a year and a half that we are suffering during races and we still have to understand where we lose out"

The spaniard wants to keep focus on the positive though as for once he didn't messed up his race start: "after the start i was really happy because i thought now i can take the slipstream from the fast guys".

Even a few positive notes cannot keep Vinales from worrying about Aragon though: "it will also be difficult because it's very hot and slippery there but we have some adeas to try".

Valentino Rossi, on the other hand, was clearly more downcast from having to do a very anonymous race on his home turf. He was finally back to Misano (as written on his special helmet) after having to miss last year's San Marino GP due to an injury. A comeback yes, but not a party: “difficult race, a big shame to not be competitive in Misano. I expected to be stronger because in FP4 i was not too bad. But today was more difficult for me, Maverick and also Zarco."

The italian stating he was close to being one second slower on sunday than he was on saturday is frustrated by the fact the team still hasn't found any reason behind that drop of form: "maybe it's because of moto2 rubber but honestly we don't know".

Reflecting on his last seasons, Rossi gives a great insight into what could be one of the reason behind Yamaha's form these last few years: “in the last 3 seasons we start good, i make a lot of podiums in the first par of the season but during the second par we suffer more. it looks like Ducati and Honda are able to develop their bike in a better way. This is a problem Yamaha needs to understand why."

With Lorenzo's crash, Rossi still finds himself 3rd in the standings, a result which should cheer him up but the italian knows best: "we have to stay concentrated and give the maximum because in the championship miraculously i am 3rd and i don't understand how!"

If that's not throwing shades to yamaha, then i do not know what is...

  5) Dani's future

Between good and bad memories, Misano is a track where Dani Pedrosa used to be a favorite on race day.

This year though, what ended up being an overall good weekend for the spaniard resulted in nothing better than a 6th place. Something Pedrosa cannot be proud of: "Today 6th place was the best outcome, it's positive but not enough. We're far from where we want to be."

Still motivated to end his career on a good note, Pedrosa couldn’t keep up with his main opponents on sunday: "i wasn't able to get closer to Rins and Maverick. We need to work on the bike setup to get closer to the front group".

Regarding his future, even though a possible job as a Honda test rider and ambassador isn't out of question just yet (at least officially), rumor has it Dani is talking with KTM to become the new star of the testing team.

A good news for Dani even though we can't hide the fact that we would have love to see him race for the Austrian team. Something which won't happen as it's being said that Pedrosa, even though he would gladly take on the role of test rider, has no intention of doing wildcards next season.

Valencia then might very well be the last time we will see him race... Glad i have my ticket!

  6) honorable mentions

Another disappointing weekend for Johann Zarco who couldn't take more than a 10th place finish on sunday.

Pol Espargaro made his comeback to the race tracks after his horrible crash which forced him to skip multiple races. Even though it was nice to have him back, the spaniard couldn't bare the pain and had to stop mid-race.

Morbidelli's on a flying form since the announcement of his future as a Yamaha rider in the whole new SIC-Petronas team. After a great weekend he took 12th during the race.

Petrucci might be replacing Lorenzo next season, but so far, he's not showing any championship winner material with a very disappointing 11th place during the San marino GP.

Cal Crutchlow took a podium home! A great way to celebrate his new contract with LCR.

Alex Rins' 4th place comes as both a very impressive and huge improvement on the form he was showing latelly.

Syahrin started the season so well but is now turning into a disappointement. 19th is no where near what he should get.

[waru-chan8]

After fist-fighting Excel, who was being an ass, here it is, the Moto2 Championship run up!

In the rider's championship, Ogura is closing on Fenández, but they are pulling away from  Canet and Vietti. Arón and Cele still have chances at the titles, but they just need to win and pray that Augusto and Ai have terrible days in the last races. In the rookie's championship, Alonso is closing on Pedro. It's such a shame that López did not start the season because it would have been a beautiful fight between them.

In the teams' championship, it's going top be a fight between Red Bull KTM Ajo and IDEMITSU Team Asia, and they both seem to want to have it. It's a thrilling battle that will go until the last race. Such a difference with last year!

There's no news in the manufacturer's championship.

MotoGP standings (all championships)

MotoGP Championship standings (only MotoGP),

Moto2 Championship standings (only Moto2)

Moto3 Championship standings (only Moto3)

[timeworntravelers]

MALAYSIAN MOTORCYCLE GRAND PRIX 2018

This weekend Malaysia was hosting the 18th round of the 2018 MotoGP Championship season.

It marked our 5 th time attending a MotoGp event since we began going to races in 2012 and our 4 th different host country. MotoGP series is a world class event attracting race fans from all over the world. The best racers from around the world compete in 3 different classes of motorcycles.

The Moto3 class features 250cc engine powered motos from various manufacturers such as Honda, KTM, Mahindra. The racers in this class are usually of younger age, some as young as 16 years old, which is minimum age required to compete. These young racers evolved from racing series in their home countries such as Asia Talent Cup series or Repsol CEV challenge or Red Bull rookies. This class is very highly disputed as the top rated racers in this class look to get a contract in next level racing class of Moto 2 and top level MotoGP. These motorcycles are fairly evenly matched as power output is concerned and drafting plays a major part of winning in this series. They are literally in many cases handlebar to handlebar for the entire duration of the race. The last race in Australia, there were 14 motorcycles crossing the finish line with only 0.900 seconds separating them. In this modern age of technology, transponders on the bikes can keep up with the non stop position changes. While the racers compete for points in the championship, so do the manufacturers and the various teams. The stakes are high as companies sponsor teams to promote their services and products to an ever increasing following of motorcycle racing fans. Motorcycle companies as well as a multitude of moto related parts and accessories have obviously stakes in sponsorship but even companies such as airlines , breweries , insurance an event some government tourism agencies join in on sharing the multi million fan base all over the world. It certainly works for me as I encourage companies that I see that are part of this series.

Singha the official beer and my official supply girl !

The Moto2 motorcycle class is composed of different chassis manufacturers powered by the exact same engine. For almost 10 years they have been using Honda CBR600RR based engines. The engines are provided by Honda, they are sealed as to avoid any internal modifications. I cannot recall any engine failure in this category. With power being the same for all bikes, chassis setup and rider talent is what sets apart first place from last.

The MotoGP class, is the top level feature class. It is the main event that attracts the biggest names and has the highest stakes. While each team has to respect certain requirements and given set of rules to promote the highest level of competition, it also allows for some non factory teams to access to higher level of competiteveness by allowing for certain privileges.

Attending a MotoGP weekend is a very special and rewarding experience. Not only is the level of competition the highest in the world, it is utterly exciting to witness the talent these racers have, their courage, their sportsmanship and very importantly the respect they have for the race fans that follow them and cheer them on and support them.

When the MotoGP rolls in to a host city , there is no way to deny the energy that it brings to the city and surroundings.

In Kuala Lumpur the entire city taken by the MotoGP fever , sparked by the fact that the local hero Hafizh Syarin was to be the first MotoGP level racer to compete on home soil. Personnel in bars and restaurants sporting team shirts or hats to display their support. As a #motogpfancanada I was overwhelemd by seeing all the motorcycle racing related promotions from clothing to posters displayed across the city.

While using public transportation, people display their team and rider colors everywhere !

Fridays are practice days, and allows teams and riders to setup their bikes to optimize every detail in order to qualify on the saturday for race day on sunday. At Sepang , friday practice day is free of charge for everyone ! To say, that the southeastern asian market is important would be an understatement. Especially for Honda and Yamaha, these 2 major japanese motorcyle companies have their biggest markets in Thailand,VietNam,Malaysia,Indonesia. While touring these countries, one can understand by the huge amount of 2 wheel transportation that goes on here, food delivery, people moving and parts delivery of any kind gets done by motorcycle. MotoGP has added a round this year in Thailand, increasing the number of races to 19 for the season. They start in March and end in November. There are 4 races in Asia and will most likely stay on the calendar for years to come.

The location of the Sepang race track is about 50 kms south of KL city centre. KL transit posted a shuttle service to and from the racetrack for the 3 day event, The price of a 2 way ticket was 35 RM. I took the shuttle from KL Sentral main terminal station. It took about 1 hour to get the circuit on friday morning. As many of who know me , I really enjoy motorcycle racing and to be in a bus full of race fans sporting their colors is an experience I cherish thoroughly. I got to meet people for Australia, New Zealand , UK and Hungary as well as many Malaysians.

There are many departures from KL Sentral, but if you are eager to arrive at the track as early as possible as I did, I did not mind the standing room bus ride.

Once you arrive at the track you see the huge lettering for Sepang on the side of a hill,

MotoGP weekend starts now.

As you walk towards the main gate you are exposed to all the sights and sounds of a motorcyle racing event. There are numerous stands selling merchandise of all kinds, as for me, a canadian fan it is difficult to obtain stuff like this back home. Today I am on a reconnaissance mission to explore the available merchandise being sold and which part of the stands I can get my best experience. Loud music fills the air at the gate area , bright colors and flags abound as you enter the site. In the background you start hearing the Moto3 bikes being started up for free practice 1 (FP1). If the sights and sounds bring back memories of my racing days back in Canada in the 80’s, the size of the racing venue here reminds me that this is not Shannoville Motorsports Park. https://www.facebook.com/groups/533885496621844/

SMP was great for me, however this here ,is the ultimate racing experience.

I could go on to write about all the racing action and the championships at stake , but if you are interested in reading more about that, there are plenty of stories to read across the net and social media. But what I want to share here is more the aspect of attending the event with all the other race fans at the site. There is a feeling of camaraderie at a MotoGP event unlike any other motorsport. While many fans here are motorcyclist themselves, not all are , but all are taken by the energy in the air. We met a young family from Gatineau Québec on our bus shuttle ride back to the train. It was their first MotoGP event ever and are not motorcyclists but they thoroughly enjoyed the experience.It is difficult to not be overwhelmed by such an event when you are with 103,000 spectators !

One of the reasons we attended the MalaysianGP , besides the fact that we were already in Asia on our #ourworldtour , was to rejoin our friends from Switzerland. We met the 2 brothers, Marc and Thomas at our first MotoGP event back in 2012 in Aragon,Spain. Our paths crossed during the entire weekend in Aragon and beyond, and our friendship was created and meant to be. We kept in touch over the years , remet in twice in Europe and once in Montréal. It was a real pleasure to rejoin them in Kuala Lumpur, sharing our views on world ethics, having a few pints over some great food. The funny aspect of this relationship was that the first weekend we met,we all spoke english to each other. They are german speaking Swiss citizens and it took us many months after we met to realise that they both speak excellent french, actually understanding our Québécois french and learning some of our expressions very rapidly ! In true Swiss fashion, they are both multi lingual as Marc speaks not only german,french,english but italian as well ! I envy their ability to be able to converse in so many languages. Thank you both Marc and Thomas for the great time together, and Au revoir à la prochaine mes amis !

Anytime more then 100,000 people get together in one location it is sure to have some consequences on logistics. Getting to and from the track was another experience of its own. On friday, I took the shuttle bus back to the KL City Centre (KLCC) and it turned out to be a 3 hour long ride in a massive trafic jam.

Again, looking at the bright side, I got to share a seat (rather narrow) with a young Indonesian grafic artist and we got to chat all the way back to KLCC. It is surprising and heartwarming how most people here are receptive when they learn that we are canadians. Canada has a great reputation in many places across the planet and we should ALL be very PROUD of this heritage. Sylvie and I are both extremely grateful for this, and all Canadians can rest assured that we will leave our mark to ensure that Canada keep its rating !

The shuttle bus to the track works well, in the morning, so saturday we took shuttle to the track. Sharing stories with some aussie friends along the way, we also took time to distribute some maple candy to many people on the bus that was greatly appreciated.

We actually saw some people later the next day that we had given candy to and they came to say hello and tell us how good they thought the candy was ! That is what we enjoy the most about our travels, beyond the sites, it is the people we meet and can share with. There are many more good people on this planet then bad, and most attend MotoGP events, OK I am a litte biased !

Saturday is race qualification day that determines grid position for the sunday race. KL is located a mere 3 degrees north of the equator, it is hot and HUMID. Late saturday afternoon it POURED for some 30-40 minutes delaying the last qualification session. While most people looked for shelter, the rain actually felt good in 35C heat ! After the day was over, our friends, Sylvie and I decide to take a TEKSI to the nearby KL airport and to take the KL Expres train into the city ! A little more expensive but much quicker !

For Sunday race day, the organisers of MotoGP decided to advance the schedule by 2 hours fearing that a late afternoon heavy rainstorm could delay the event. Motorcycles race in the rain but at times when conditions are simply to dangerous, delays are unavoidable. It was a good decision as all 3 races were run under dry conditions.

Leaving the track with 103,900 other people was somewhat chaotic, albeit organised ! We did repeat the train part from KLIA2 however there were no TEKSIs and only a shuttle bus to the airport. We did manage to get back to the city centre to have our last meal and a few drinks with our friends Marc and Thomas, and it was the end of a fantastic weekend to a great event. To be repeated somewhere, somehow in another part of the world in 2019 !