MotoGP 2019: 5 Talking Points after Aragon GP

MotoGP of Aragon - Qualifying
MotoGP of Aragon - Qualifying

There were two ways to look at the Aragon GP. The first, where Marc Marquez won the race as soon as the lights went green and he was leading in the first turn.

As soon as he did that, with the kind of pace he had shown throughout the weekend there was no way anyone was going to catch up to him.

The other way through was a tough race for the rest of the slots for the podium and a race where Maverick Vinales drove his heart out and still was unable to get a podium.

The race at Aragon was not without its moments and although a lack of a fight for victory was a damper the fans still would leave the circuit satisfied.

Let's look at the five talking points after the race.


#1 MotoGP needs a fit and strong Jorge Lorenzo

Jorge has had a woeful first year at Honda
Jorge has had a woeful first year at Honda

It's not only disappointing to see Lorenzo finish so far back but also heartbreaking on many levels.

As a fan of the sport, you know this man is capable of winning races and championships but the number of falls that he has taken in the last one year have left him in no man's land.

Lorenzo has been treating the last few Grand Prix almost as test sessions where he's trying to figure out how he rides the Honda which is supposedly made as per the riding style of Marquez.

More importantly, the Marquez/Honda partnership is just too dominant for the rest of the grid. Marquez needs a worthy contender, but with Ducati still not able to sort its handling issues and Yamaha still not able to ride fast in a straight line, the other riders are hampered a bit too much.

Marquez hasn't had a worthy adversary in a few years now and he has been dominant to a crazy degree. Jorge, on the same bike with the same attributes could just be that guy.

#2 Marquez, Quartararo and Vinales are the new "Aliens" of the grid

Maverick, Marquez and Quartararo are consistent fixtures at the top this year
Maverick, Marquez and Quartararo are consistent fixtures at the top this year

In the last few Grand Prix Marc Marquez, Fabio Quartararo and Maverick Vinales have in a way separated themselves from the pack. They are the complete package. Be it free practice, qualifying or the race. These three are always up there. In no session would you see either of them not at the top of the standings.

While there are other contenders as well. Dovizioso still struggles to put it together in qualifying and hence always has to make up ground in the race while Alex Rins is still rough around the edges.

These three are currently the " Aliens" of the grid. A moniker that was once upon a time bestowed upon riders like Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner.

If Yamaha can keep up the development work on their bike then 2020 could turn out to be an interesting year for MotoGP with these three fighting tooth and nail for victories week in week out.

#3 Father time catching up with Valentino Rossi

Rossi's performance has fallen off a cliff this year
Rossi's performance has fallen off a cliff this year

Some day this was going to happen for sure. Valentino Rossi again had a race where he was truly outpaced by his Yamaha counterparts.

Losing out in qualifying was never too much of an issue but Rossi has been significantly slower in race trim to both Vinales and Quartararo. This is bit of a surprise because the former World Champion, even until last year was putting the Yamaha in places it didn't deserve to be in.

Is it just Vinales finally finding that next gear with Yamaha or the years of labour finally denting Rossi's motivation or the more obvious one where the time has finally caught up with the Doctor is anyone's guess.

The recent run of results don't make pretty reading and it would be interesting to see whether the Yamaha management takes a note of it.

#4 Jack Miller makes a statement

Miller was consistently the fastest Ducati rider this weekend
Miller was consistently the fastest Ducati rider this weekend

Danilo Petrucci's last race win seems a long time ago now but the biggest worry for him is going to be the form of Jack Miller.

On a weekend where Petrucci failed to reach Q2, Miller was the fastest Ducati rider and almost put the bike on the front row.

Miller always had the speed. That was the reason why he was promoted quickly into MotoGP but this year, after a scratchy first half he's finally starting to put the pieces together.

He was pretty close to even beating the lead Ducati rider in the race. There are question marks over Petrucci's form right now but Ducati must be patting themselves on the back for not letting go of Miller for 2020.

Miller has been making progress recently as he's finally mixing brains with the immense talent that he possesses. If rumours are to be believed then 2020 could be the year he gets a shot at a few seats that open up in factory teams.

#5 Yamaha needs Top Speed, a lot of it

Vinales was a sitting duck on the straights at Aragon
Vinales was a sitting duck on the straights at Aragon

Despite starting on the front row, both the Yamaha riders were always going to be sitting ducks on the straights of Aragon and in the race that surely was the case.

The Yamaha bike's weakness was exposed so badly at Aragon that it almost left the riders deflated at the end of the race.

Vinales, who had visibly put his all into the race just couldn't do anything about the straight-line deficit and was repeatedly passed throughout the race by the Ducatis.

Yamaha has made strides recently but still if there ever was a reality check that they needed then Aragon was a stern reminder of the amount of work that they need to do to get on compared to the rest when it comes to the straight-line speed.

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Edited by Alan John