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AD #4 – The Highest Ranked Predator in the Field at COTA 2019

April 18, 2019 • admin

Photo Source: MotoGP.com

Fluidity. Adaptability. Andrea Dovizioso.

Ducati rider, Andrea Dovizioso, had a rough start to the weekend at the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin. Having to start qualifying in Q1, Dovizioso was showing promise to making it into Q2 until his teammate, Danilo Petrucci cranked out an incredible lap and snagged the second spot. Way to steal the spotlight Petrucci…

Having to start on the gird in P13, Dovi knew he needed not only a great start off the grid, but a plan of attack in order to climb his way through the pack. Well, IT WORKED! Starting in P13 and finishing in P4, Dovizoso not only reminded us what an incredible predator he is, but he also moved his way into 1st place in the World Championship rankings. That’s right folks, we have a new championship leader!

Let’s get back to this whole “predator” idea. Our team has developed a new index (yes, you heard me, another index) known as the predator index. This identifies those who are able to study other riders and methodically catch their opponents lap by lap.

Andrea Dovizioso held the strongest predator index out of everyone last weekend at COTA. Additionally, he held the strongest consistency index for all sectors combined. Time and time again, Dovi has shown his ability to not only exploit the brut strength of the Ducati in regards to deep braking transitioning into unparalleled acceleration, but he can also harness the powerful machine and reveal an agile side through technical sections. We believe these skill sets gave Dovizioso an upper hand as COTA presents a variable configuration that encompasses all possible elements a circuit can offer.

Does this help explain why Dovizioso was on our MVP Rider list?
Congratulations to Ducati for a strong fight to the finish line!

 

 

Wheelie Wednesday!

April 18, 2019 • admin

Wheelie Wednesday action shot with the current World Championship leader, Andrea Dovizioso!

Jump Starts and Crashes at COTA

April 16, 2019 • admin

What a weekend! Extreme weather conditions, two jump starts off the grid and after six years, a NEW COTA king. Where to start….

First off, I would like to mention what an amazing weekend our team had in Austin. COTA is arguably one of my favorite circuits I’ve visited yet. The circuit itself encompasses every configuration possible and has some of the most drastic elevation change – which by the way, provides amazing views for spectators! The weather posed many challenges for the teams as tire choice was as critical as ever. It also posed many challenges for those who didn’t bring sunscreen. Ouch. Make sure to check out our  weather profile and race weekend weather analysis!
All in all, it was a smooth sailing weekend and we can’t say enough good things about the venue, the volunteers and everyone that contributed to race week!

We’re going to focus on four riders in particular today (we didn’t forget about Lorenzo and A. Espargaro who DNF!) Let’s begin with what EVERYONE is talking about – 2 crashes, 1 manufacturer… not the best weekend for Honda.

Marquez
COTA has historically been known as Marquez territory as up until this weekend, he had been the only rider to claim pole position and the only one on that first place podium. With another incredible qualifying on Saturday, the Repsol Honda Rider earned his 7th pole position in Texas (in a row) and was ready to defend his title as the COTA King. With a great start off the grid, Marquez was cranking out an incredible race pace as he pulled away from the pack with each lap. Just as the crowd accepted a 7th win from Marquez, BOOM! Low slide on lap 9… Unable to bump start his bike, Marc Marquez retired from not only the race, but from his COTA pedestal.

Crutchlow
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… if Cal Crutchlow can keep it on two wheels, he is a force to be reckoned with. After a controversial jump start penalty in Argentina, Crutchlow entered the race weekend with guns blazing, determine to show officials, his opponents and the spectators what he’s made of. Perhaps he came in a little too hot? With a strong performance during qualifying, Crutchlow landed in P3 on the grid and remained in 3rd for five laps until he reminded us why he is a wild card. With a low slide in lap six, Crutchlow retired from the race and ended his weekend in COTA a bit earlier than he had hoped.

Photo Source: MotoGP.com

 

HOLY JUMP STARTS

Alright guys, it’s time to get it together. With not one but two jump starts this weekend by factory riders, the ride through penalty is becoming a frequent occurrence this season.

Maverick Vinales
Second row, P6. 3… 2… jump start… 1… lights out! And they’re off! Well, unless you’re Yamaha rider Maverick Vinales who was given a ride through penalty and not only pulled in after six laps, but also encountered a miscommunication with his team and took the additional time loop AKA long lap penalty prior to his ride through. What makes this even more tragic? Maverick Vinales held the third fastest speed index for all sectors combined, just after Alex Rins and Valentino Rossi. Let me be more specific… Vinales cranked out the FASTEST sector 1 speed index out of all the riders, the second fastest for sector 2, the fifth fastest sector 3 and the fourth fastest for sector 4. Does that help you understand how he managed to climb his way back to P11 after a rough start? The jump start was a shame but were happy to see such quick times after a slow start to the season.

Joan Mir 
It’s okay you’re just a rookie… NOT. The pressure is on for this 21 year old rookie who moved his way straight to the factory team. It’s no secret that Mir shows promise, let’s be real, he’s a badass! Fact #1: Mir held the eighth strongest speed index for all sectors combined out of the entire pack. Fact #2: He had the seventh strongest speed indexes in sectors 1 and 3. Does that make his jump start penalty that much more upsetting? Yes, yes it does. A rough start at his first Americas GP in the MotoGP series but hopefully we see a clean start in Jerez!

That’s a wrap!

 

By Julia Robinson 

 

 

What We Saw In Alex Rins: Pre-Race Analysis

April 15, 2019 • admin

Photo Source: MotoGP.com

Before each Grand Prix, our team releases five riders we believe show the most promise going into race weekend. Although Suzuki rider, Alex Rins, had never completed a race at COTA since joining the MotoGP series and therefore did not make our MVP list, he WAS on our “Who to Watch” list. Below we have provided our written analysis on Rins that we compiled prior to the race weekend. Enjoy!

 

“Although Alex Rins has yet to finish a race at COTA, we expect big things from him going into race week. Out of the entire group, Rins ranks #1 in performance trajectories meaning he is currently showing the quickest rate of improvement in both consistency and speed. His performance in the 2019 season thus far has been an incredible show to watch. Almost opposite of Maverick Vinales, Rins has not been able to qualify well but has managed to climb his way through the pack and catch the leading riders. With his smooth, consistent riding style, we believe Rins will utilize the technical challenges of the circuit to gain ground on his opponents as he methodically moves his agile Suzuki around the (hot) circuit.“

 

 

Gentleman’s Betting – COTA Post Race Results

April 15, 2019 • admin

Teams:

Fan Votes: Ranked by % of total votes

  • 1st Place: Team 2
  • 2nd Place: Team 1
  • 3rd Place: Team 4
  • 4th Place: Team 3

 

 

Post Race Results:

  • 1st Place: Team 3 with 51 points
  • 2nd Place: Team 4 with 43 points
  • 3rd Place: Team 2 with 26 points
  • 4th Place: Team 1 with 11 points

 

We want to how YOU did! Let us know and stay check back for our Jerez Dream Teams!

AR #42: The New King of COTA

April 15, 2019 • admin

ALEX RINS! The first rider in seven years to snag 1st place from Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez at The Circuit of the Americas!
Stay tuned for in-depth rider analysis that will be released via our website this week ⬆️
If you haven’t already, give us a follow and join us on our journey through the 2019 MotoGP season 🏁

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

April 13, 2019 • admin

Looking forward to RACE DAY! Good luck to all the riders tomorrow 🏁

Mother Nature Coming In HOT!

April 13, 2019 • admin

It’s day two here at the Circuit of the Americas and Mother Nature has been full of surprises thus far. With extreme circuit temperatures on Friday and severe thunderstorms to start Saturday off, tire choice is going to be a major factor in this weekend’s race to the podium.

Friday ended with Maverick Vinales leading the group and Texas king, Marc Marquez in a close second. The Doctor rounded out the top three with Ducati rider Jack miller taking fourth and LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow bringing home fifth. With storms causing officials to cancel FP3, riders will be back this afternoon for Q1 and Q2.

So let’s talk weather….

Photo Source: MotoGP.com

Fri(yay)! 

  • Free Practice 1:
    • 9:55am
    • Air temperature: 64 degrees Fahrenheit
    • Circuit temperature: 78 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Free Practice 2:
    • 2:10pm
    • Air temperature: 80 degrees Fahrenheit
    • Circuit temperature: 108 degrees Fahrenheit

Let’s break it down… From FP1 to FP2 there was a 14 degree difference in air temperature and a 38 degree difference in circuit temperature. I know what you’re thinking, WOW! So why was there such a drastic difference in circuit temperate and how does this affect tire choice? Read on my fellow weather nerds!

With clear skies in the morning and afternoon, there was little to no deflection for the shortwave radiation traveling to Earth’s surface. So we have a direct path for insolation to reach the circuit. Then what happens? Asphalt has a very low albedo which means its absorption rate is VERY high. Let’s compare asphalt to a surface with a high reflectivity rate, or a high albedo. When short waves come in contact with ice, little to no radiation is absorbed and instead is reflected right back towards the atmosphere. In contrast, when short waves reach a surface with a low albedo such as asphalt, it is absorbed throughout the day until it reaches its holding capacity and then releases heat in the form on long wave radiation to ultimately balance out Earth’s radiation budget. As the asphalt is absorbing all this insolation, the temperature starts to steadily climb and results in a significant increase in circuit temperature.

So how does a team ultimately choose the correct tires? Each rider needs an optimal level of feel when they race. While there are numerous factors to be taken into consideration, the condition of the asphalt, which changes over time, along with the circuit temperature heavily influence tire compound choice. At the end of the day, each rider knows their style and their ability to nurse their tires through various conditions. They must ask themselves, can I make these tires last through the finish line?

Round three of the season is in full swing! Check back for further updates and analysis. And make sure to check out our Weather Profile for the Circuit of the Americas!

 

 

COTA Day 1!

April 12, 2019 • admin

Beautiful first day here at the Circuit of Americas! Stay tuned for rider updates throughout the weekend! And be sure to check out all the analysis we have to offer to ultimately round out your Grand Prix of the Americas experience. Circuit analysis, weather profiles, MVP riders and of course our Gentleman’s Betting – we have it all! 

Cal Crutchlow – The 5th MVP for the Grand Prix of the Americas

April 10, 2019 • admin

Photo Source: MotoGP.com

CC35 coming in HOT!
After missing the last couple of races in the 2018 season, Cal Crutchlow made a memorable season debut. The talk of the town, the LCR Honda rider snagged a third place podium finish at the opening GP and delivered some surprisingly consistent sector times. Fast forward to Argentina… Crutchlow gets called on a “jump start” and received a ride through penalty. If you looked at any news, he was not too happy.

Having to play catch up from the back of the group, Crutchlow was competitive throughout the entire race and cranked out almost identical speed and consistency to the race winner, Marc Marquez. Yes that’s right, his speed index was the second strongest of the group! It’s fair to say that Crutchlow will be entering the third race weekend with guns blazing, determined to show the officials, his opponents and the spectators what he’s made of. It is no secret that Crutchlow can be considered a wild card. His crash rate is higher than most but his notable stamina is worth tracking. If he is able to keep it on two wheels, we believe the British rider is a force to be reckoned with.

Grand Prix of the Americas – MVP Release!

April 9, 2019 • admin

The 2019 season is shaping up to be one of the most competitive seasons fans have witnessed in quite some time. With numerous team changes and a fresh set of talented rookies, each race thus far has thrown curveballs leaving spectators on the edge of their seats.

Our (first) four MVP riders of the week have officially been released! The indexes listed below are a fusion of historical consistency and speed indexes from the past five years.

A lower index indicates historically faster and/or more consistent sector times.                         A lower index = less potential errors.

Based off the team’s comprehensive analysis, our eyes are on the following riders:

 

Click here for further analysis on these four riders in regards to their historical performance on a sector level. That’s right! We break each circuit down into four sectors and study each rider’s performance to identify where exactly on the circuit they excel, and where they have historically been challenged.

COTA Weather Analysis Now Available!

April 8, 2019 • admin

Photo Source: MotoGP.com

Can you feel the heat? I’m talking about the heat coming off the asphalt circuit in those early afternoon hours! As a transitional month for this region into a wetter, hot summer, COTA experiences little convective activity which results in full exposure for incoming solar radiation to reach Earth’s surface. With scorching circuit temperatures and warm, moist winds traveling up from the Gulf of Mexico that result in humid conditions, the Grand Prix of the Americas is a fitness test for all MotoGP riders and bikes. These conditions require riders to nurse their tires throughout the race to protect their grip and traction as they fly around this unique circuit. With extremely varying characteristics, COTA is considered one of the most technical circuits by many riders. Pairing the challenging configuration with demanding weather conditions, riders must enter the weekend ready to battle while preserving their bodies and their tires.

 

 

Click here to learn more about the historical weather conditions of this unique circuit! Analysis includes profiles of average outgoing long wave radiation, air temperature, humidity and precipitation.

GP of the Americas Dream Teams

April 8, 2019 • admin

Interested in some Gentleman’s Betting? Check out our “Dream Teams” for this week’s race in Texas! We build four teams based off historical indexes and provide a roster of each team with its members and the cumulative index ranking.

The teams are below and the voting poll can be found here!

 

Cross-Training With Jorge Lorenzo

April 6, 2019 • admin

Q: What is cross-training? A: Cross-training is the practice of at least one additional activity to supplement a main sport by building outside skills and strengths both mentally and physically. Cross-training is utilized by almost all athletes to stimulate new muscles and to train varying movements in order to maintain a healthy body with balanced muscle groups. Supplementary activities are often of lower impact than one’s main activity that allows for variation with less stress on the body.

Q: How does Repsol Honda Rider Jorge Lorenzo cross-train? A: Click here to learn more about Lorenzo’s techniques as well as some of the other MotoGP riders!

To COTA We Go!

April 4, 2019 • admin

One week until our team heads to the Grand Prix of the Americas in Texas!
Who else will be watching the third race of the season at Circuit of the Americas?