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Cormac Shoots Mugello: Italian Glory At Glorious Mugello

By David Emmett |

 
Mugello. Home of the smoke bomb

 
Next Big Thing? Or Big Thing already? Pedro Acosta hangs in the liminal space between arriving and arrived

 
It was an Italian day on Sunday at Mugello

 
Pol Espargaro did his first wildcard for KTM at Mugello. He used a similar aero package as Dani Pedrosa at Jerez

 
Braking for Turn 1, the riders are leaned over to the left a long way before they turn in to San Donato

 
Battle is just as fierce at the back as it is at the front

 
Alex Rins smashed his right leg in a crash at Mugello last year. He crashed again in practice, but came away unhurt

 
Marc Marquez entered Mugello as a Gresini Ducati rider, and left with an offer of a factory Ducati ride for 2025

 
Aprilia's 2024 aero. More rounded than last year's. More effective too

 
The Ducati GP24, partially uncovered. On top of the airbox sits the ECU. There's a felt-lined bracket to protect the airbox from the fuel tank, when it's inserted.

 
Motion Blur Marco. About the only way Bezzecchi can be fast in 2024. The GP23 does not agree with him.

 
Luca Marini's half brother came to visit. Face looks familiar.

 
Three different tail aeros. Joan Mir sporting the original tail aero, with tower wing at the rear, plus the updated front wings

 
Because Luca Marini is taller, and has his seat unit in a different configuration, he has to use a smaller rear tail wing

 
Johann Zarco, meanwhile, is using the completely new tail section, with new wing and new seat unit on his LCR Honda

 
Plumbing fans will love the complexity of Maverick Viñales combined clutch/rear brake lever setup. Because he only uses the clutch once during the race (at the start), the lever can be switched to operate the rear brake. 
The black hydraulic cylinder with the two steel braided lines coming out of it is the unit used to switch hydraulic fluid between clutch and braking system.

 
Alex Rins' body position always reminds me of Colin Edwards, with the way he cranes his neck

 
Luca Marini, with a message to self

 
Mugello's front 'straight'

 
2024 so far in a nutshell. On the left, Pramac Ducati. On the right, Ducati Lenovo

 
La Festa della Republica

 
Forks still buried on the brakes, Quartararo trailing toward the apex braking with one finger, the bike at an angle of over 45 degrees, leg out to help brake and turn, about to lay the thing on its side...

 
Slowly but surely, Miguel Oliveira is starting to show some of his potential, at least.

 
Nice place for a racetrack.

 
Champ time for Pecco

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PhotoPage
CormacGP
MotoGP
Mugello, Italy
Aprilia
Ducati
Honda
KTM
Yamaha
Alex Rins
Fabio Quartararo
Francesco Bagnaia
Franco Morbidelli
Joan Mir
Johann Zarco
Jorge Martin
Luca Marini
Marc Marquez
Marco Bezzecchi
Maverick Viñales
Miguel Oliveira
Pol Espargaro

I heartily second Larry's praise for these Cormac images. Especially the comparison of different aero on the Mir, Marini and Zarco Hondas - seeing them on track, at the same lean angle - very revealing. And the close-up of Viñales' combined brake/clutch lever; so sweet to see that.

Fantastic and informative pictures!! I especially love the comparison between Zarco, Marini and Mir’s aero. Also a shout out to Mir’s beautiful helmet. Taka got a lot of kudos for his new helmet (and rightly so), but I think Mir’s is just as epic. :-)

You know, I doubt he would have been WC again if Suzuki had stayed in the game, I just don't think they had the gumption to play aero and ride-heights with Ducati, but I'm sure he would have been having a lot more fun riding round on that bike and he wouldn't have been smashing up his body like he is. So unfairly robbed by the manufacturer leaving. I too hope he gets a second lease on GP life with a new ride. Fingers crossed for an Aprilia? 

I definitely agree with you. I can’t see him having gotten another championship on a Suzuki. And honestly, I don’t really need a rider to ever get a world championship in order for me to really like them. It’s more a combination of talent, potential and personality that wins me over.

I know from what he’s said recently that he’s burning out on smashing up his body. So I definitely hope he finds himself on an Aprilia or a Ducati next season. 🤞

...and I don't need the Suzuki to have done one more turn ofa wheel to adore the snot of of them. What a lovely "conventional" bike that did wonderfully with half the budget of their competition. 

Mir's Championship was COOL. Now, Aprilia is the program closest to it perhaps. The bike handles great too, and has grunt. LOVE to see JM36 on one! Seems a fit, yeah? He's got more to prove! And enjoy. Lots. 

Yeah the Suzuki bikes were sublime both in performance and looks.

I’d love to see Mir on an Aprilia! It would be a great fit. But a 24 Ducati would also be sweet. He definitely has more to give and to enjoy.

I’ll be going to the race in Valencia this November. I’m doing another overpriced VIP experience. I hope to meet him and a few other of my favorite riders again. If I meet Mir, I hope to be congratulating him on his signing to a new team and not to an extension of his Honda contract. ;-)

I know it's sacrilege for Ducati to be out of red, but man I loved the Italian National Team livery.

I always lose a ton of time when these Cormac mails come out. Have to go to my best monitor and blow them up. He is really exceptionally talented.

Thanks for doing these!!

I too have thought that Rins recalls Colin on a bike. For me it's the neck and head position. Glad to know I'm not the only one!

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Comments

I heartily second Larry's praise for these Cormac images. Especially the comparison of different aero on the Mir, Marini and Zarco Hondas - seeing them on track, at the same lean angle - very revealing. And the close-up of Viñales' combined brake/clutch lever; so sweet to see that.

Fantastic and informative pictures!! I especially love the comparison between Zarco, Marini and Mir’s aero. Also a shout out to Mir’s beautiful helmet. Taka got a lot of kudos for his new helmet (and rightly so), but I think Mir’s is just as epic. :-)

You know, I doubt he would have been WC again if Suzuki had stayed in the game, I just don't think they had the gumption to play aero and ride-heights with Ducati, but I'm sure he would have been having a lot more fun riding round on that bike and he wouldn't have been smashing up his body like he is. So unfairly robbed by the manufacturer leaving. I too hope he gets a second lease on GP life with a new ride. Fingers crossed for an Aprilia? 

I definitely agree with you. I can’t see him having gotten another championship on a Suzuki. And honestly, I don’t really need a rider to ever get a world championship in order for me to really like them. It’s more a combination of talent, potential and personality that wins me over.

I know from what he’s said recently that he’s burning out on smashing up his body. So I definitely hope he finds himself on an Aprilia or a Ducati next season. 🤞

...and I don't need the Suzuki to have done one more turn ofa wheel to adore the snot of of them. What a lovely "conventional" bike that did wonderfully with half the budget of their competition. 

Mir's Championship was COOL. Now, Aprilia is the program closest to it perhaps. The bike handles great too, and has grunt. LOVE to see JM36 on one! Seems a fit, yeah? He's got more to prove! And enjoy. Lots. 

Yeah the Suzuki bikes were sublime both in performance and looks.

I’d love to see Mir on an Aprilia! It would be a great fit. But a 24 Ducati would also be sweet. He definitely has more to give and to enjoy.

I’ll be going to the race in Valencia this November. I’m doing another overpriced VIP experience. I hope to meet him and a few other of my favorite riders again. If I meet Mir, I hope to be congratulating him on his signing to a new team and not to an extension of his Honda contract. ;-)

I know it's sacrilege for Ducati to be out of red, but man I loved the Italian National Team livery.

I always lose a ton of time when these Cormac mails come out. Have to go to my best monitor and blow them up. He is really exceptionally talented.

Thanks for doing these!!

I too have thought that Rins recalls Colin on a bike. For me it's the neck and head position. Glad to know I'm not the only one!