What on earth did we just witness on Sunday? Why were we not, like usual, fending off the sandman come two-thirds race distance?
Was this the greatest MotoGP race of the year? Here’s five reasons why it actually was…and one why it wasn’t…
Low bar
After the season we’ve had to endure so far in 2023 being ‘the best race’ is every much a false accolade as claiming a song is Coldplay’s ‘least whiney’. And because of this we may have reduced our entertainment expectations somewhat.
Take Formula One – a sporting parade that has a rulebook so complex that ChatGPT was set back two years when someone accidentally uploaded it as a PDF. This rulebook is primarily designed to ensure that under no circumstances can anything entertaining ever happen without written permission from the FIA and FIM. Rules ensure that if a driver attempts something sensational, like an overtake, all manner of protocols are engaged to penalise the offender.
The net outcome is that a ‘thrilling’ Formula One race can be one where a discarded napkin (used to wipe the dribble from the corner of the mouths of the enthralled crowd) accidentally blows onto the circuit and a driver has to swerve slightly off the computer programmed line to avoid it.
Given MotoGP’s standard of late there’s every chance that the Thai race could have been awful. We’ll need to watch it back in ten years to see if it was actually a great race – our hearts say it was whilst our brain sarcastically looks at us knowingly.
Championship result
Rarely this season have we seen championship rivals Pecco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin actually knock lumps out of each other’s helmets at the front of a race. To avoid any unnecessary drama one of the pairing is usually rubbish or chooses to fall off. It’s the usual MotoGP paradox of delivering an exciting championship without actually any actual excitement.
But not in Thailand. Instead we had the two championship rivals battling it out for the win – with a loony giraffe shooter thrown into the mix for good measure.
The final result was the icing on the cake. Jorge Martin managed to reduce Bagnaia’s championship lead and keep the championship battle healthy.
Pecco’s almost pass
Heading into the last corner on the penultimate lap Baggers trailed Binder and Martin. Then, unexpectedly, the bearded Italian entered the turn like it was a roundabout in Ibiza passing both his rivals around the outside – both of whom had gobsmacked faces that could be even seen through the tinted visor.
Sadly for the current champion his enemy Jorge Martin was able to pick up his jaw from dragging along the track fast enough to run Pecco out towards the noodle stands. This was enough, just, to relegate him back to third.
Nevertheless it was a great overtaking attempt.
Moto2 expectations
The standard Sunday race-day procedure goes like this:
- Moto3: Brilliant
- Moto2: Great
- MotoGP: Dull
Thailand started predictably with a fantastically chaotic Moto3 race that had us questioning the sanity of teenagers. But then, against the run of play, the Moto2 boys turned up and went all ‘World Superbike’ on us delivering the dullest race of the year on a used paper plate.
This didn’t bode well. If Moto2 couldn’t provide us with entertainment then what hope did we have of the Ducati cup keeping us awake?
Thankfully our fears were kicked in the nuts and MotoGP gave us a race that even decaffeinated coffee drinkers could manage to the end.
Last lap
The key to the brilliance of this race was the inclusion of Brad Binder on the KTM. In the past whenever a potentially thrilling last lap duel looked set to keep us awake it would inevitably only involve Ducati riders. And in those occasions Luigi Dall’Igna would give the nod for the ‘remote auto mapping’ button to be pressed that conveniently slowed down the non-factory machine and by-passed any last lap drama.
But the button couldn’t be pressed due to a KTM being in the mix. So we are eternally grateful for Binder’s brilliant efforts…well all except Jack ‘hammers in screws’ Miller of course.
Thailand
Thailand is an awesome country. It’s also positioned itself excellently Longitudinally meaning us Europeans get to watch the race in the morning…but not too much in the morning.
Why it wasn’t
Binder’s penalty
Brad finished second on the track but was demoted a position due to a track limits violation on the final lap. We all know the rules, but the rules kind of suck.
Luckily Jerez has hopefully started a trend of ending track limits violations by using surplus ‘dragons teeth’ from the Ukraine conflict ensuring that any rider that strays off the track will suffer spinal damage.