| Author | Message | ||
     Smoke |
qualifying today. i hope the bad weather is gone! tim | ||
| Jaimec |
Sounds like Rossi has gotten into his head: http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresul ts/MotoGP/2011/April/apr2911-rossi-and-stoner-clas h-again/ | ||
| Jaimec |
King George on the pole! Can he make it four in four? | ||
| Vagelis46 |
This was Pedrosa's best race in motoGP. | ||
| Jaimec |
Crap. My least favorite rider on my least favorite brand... At least Jorge broke up the "Honda Party" again. | ||
| Gaesati |
go the rat! | ||
| Trojan |
Pretty good race. Shame about Simoncelli binning it so early as I really thought he had a chance to win this weekend  He was also quickest by a good margin in the Monday test, so showed he has speed - just needs to stop throwing it at the scenery now. What was Ben Spies on during the race? he must have run off track 4 times before eventually crashing for good....not a good day for him Pedrosa showed some real class and professionalism in that race, and shows he is a force to be reckoned with this year. Good win  Ducati seem to have made some improvements on Monday with a new 'airbox' and engine, but unfortunately everyone else seems to have improved by the same margin so they are still in the same relative position. Big improver on Monday was Cal Crutchlow, who is having a great year so far. He was 4th fastest on Monday with just a minor setup tweak to his bike and no new parts to test, so must be happy with his performance given his ongoing post surgery problems (having 1/2 litre of fluid drained from his arm between every session can't be pleasant!). On a side note.....Jon Hopkins managed to win a BSB race at Oulton Park on Monday. He was lucky in a way as the pace car bunched the field up following a big crash, but he had to be near the front to win and rode really well especially considering he had never seen the track before Friday practice | ||
| Jaimec |
Apparently his mechanics left some sort of tool fastened to his brake line that was interfering with his ability to brake properly. Wouldn't you've loved to have been a fly on the wall in that garage when he got back?
Good on John! And he managed a second place in the FIRST race, so he was definitely on the pace all race day. I think he's FINALLY back. | ||
| Crusty |
Very interesting race. I don't like that little rat-weasel Pedrosa, but I don't want to see him or anybody else get hurt. Simoncelli needs to be reigned in. A stop and go penalty is nowhere near a strong enough penalty for Simoncelli, if Pedrosa is injured. I hope he is suitably disciplined, and learns from this race. Dangerous and stupid riding should not be tolerated. The kid has talent; now he needs to learn patience and control; and a little respect for the other competitors. I think he should be forced to sit out the next race. It was nice to see Rossi on the box. I hope the Duck Factory can get the bike competitive. I would enjoy seeing Rossi on a bike that's equal to what the others factories are running. I don't think he's quite washed up yet. | ||
| 04buell |
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| Blake |
From the race report by www.MotoGP.com: It was announced that Pedrosa was diagnosed with a broken right collarbone after the race. Race direction declared Simoncelli to have made an illegal manoeuvre and served the rider born in Cattolica with a ride through penalty. The 24 year old eventually finished in fifth position and lost his opportunity of scoring his first ever podium in MotoGP. What was the illegal maneuver? | ||
| Jaimec |
Damn, I wouldn't think it possible, but... I actually feel SORRY for Pedrosa. In fact, you'll note I'm not even calling him a "Rat Weasel" this time. Guess we can add him to the growing list of riders getting pissed at Simoncelli. Right now, I think the ONLY thing stopping Honda's total and complete domination of the podium are Honda's riders themselves. Once they get them under control, they're going to freight train the rest of the season unless Yamaha and Ducati can step it up. I hope they do, because the LAST thing I want to see is a Honda romp. And I see Stoner is moving his churlish antics on to other riders now? Maybe one day he'll grow up... | ||
| Vagelis46 |
SuperSic really blew it today !!!! | ||
| 99buellx1 |
I could understand trying to outbreak and go around to get setup for the next right, but to come across the front of Pedrosa wasn't right, that was cutting right into his path, had nowhere to go. Really sucks that 'fro boy got to finish 5th, while Pedrosa will be doing a surgery and hoping to just salvage some of his season. | ||
| Gaesati |
opinions are divided about simocelli's move on pedrosa. Darryl Beattie in his commentary felt that it was just hard racing and not deserving a penalty. | ||
| Trojan |
I could understand trying to outbreak and go around to get setup for the next right, but to come across the front of Pedrosa wasn't right, that was cutting right into his path, had nowhere to go. The angle of the camera was very deceiving. If you look at the slow motion replays you can see that Simoncelli actually left a lot of room for Pedrosa on the inside and to me he wasn't 100% at fault and was very unlucky to have got a ride through penalty. He looked to be already past Pedrosa when Dani sat up and hit his rear wheel, so there is more to it than a simple 'Simoncelli is dangerous' argument. His team say that his readouts confimed he braked as normal and that Pedrosa must have braked early for the corner, leaving Simoncelli no choice but either back off or go around the outside. To me it was a typical 50/50 racing incident that unfortunately ended in a crash/injury, but should not have received a ride through penalty. Apprently Lorenzo made contact with Dovi by barging up the inside on lap 2, so where was his punishment? This is racing, not parading, and sometimes riders will collide. That is the nature of the game and MotoGP is getting far too soft Maybe this had more to do with comments made before the race by certain other riders,and any mistake by Simoncelli would have been jumped on by the organisers just to show they are listening.. | ||
| Simond |
Maybe a swift punch to the arm would have been more appropriate  | ||
| Trojan |
Maybe a swift punch to the arm would have been more appropriate Stoners fine for punching De Puniet seems cheap. If that is the level of fine you get for punching another rider these days I'd happily pay €5000 for a free punch at Stoner (although it wouldn't be his arm!), where do I sign . As a final comment on Simnoncelli's move. Anyone remember when he guested at WSB and pulled exactly the same move on Biaggi, forcing Biaggi onto the dirt? That time it was applauded as a great racing move. This time it isn't....How times change | ||
| Trojan |
To those who made comments here about Cal Crutchlow not being in the same league as Ben Spies a few months ago.... Amidst all this talk of the usual suspects, one little gem is being overlooked. Cal Crutchlow is booking remarkable results, qualifying 6th on the grid at a track he hadn't seen before Friday. Even more impressive is the gap to 1st, just over six tenths of a second, and less than two tenths off of 3rd. Crutchlow is gaining many plaudits behind the scenes, with talk from inside the Monster Tech 3 garage of the Briton exceeding expectations, and even looking better than Ben Spies when the data from the two is compared. There are definitely big things to come from Crutchlow. OK so he had his first DNF of the year this weekend, but I think the critics have been silenced, and the Colin Edwards comments of 'He ain't no Ben Spies' seem to have dried up now | ||
| Blake |
>>> I think the critics have been silenced, and the Colin Edwards comments of 'He ain't no Ben Spies' seem to have dried up now As you so often like to say when others laud their favored racer, it's too early to tell. One race qualifying position says little; the DNF says as much or more. | ||
| Jaimec |
Ben seems to be suffering from the "Sophomore Jinx" this year for sure. I was realistic enough at the beginning of the season to realize he would NOT be up front racing with Lorenzo... but I had no idea he'd be trailing BEHIND the Tech3 guys either. I wish I knew what was going on with him. (Message edited by jaimec on May 16, 2011) | ||
| Simond |
Cal has done very well but JT had an impressive start to his first season too......... He certainly has the speed to compete, I just hope that he manages to finish more often than he did in WSB last year. | ||
| Blake |
http://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle_news/racing_a rticles/11q2/motogp_moves_forward_-_racing Interesting. | ||
| Trojan |
In 2012, MotoGP will switch to a “NASCARized” formula with look-alike four-valve, round-bore, four-cylinder 1000cc engines. The present 800cc packages may also continue to be used. All who take the “liter option” will likely build to the maximum bore permitted, making their engines 81.0 x 48.4mm for an actual displacement of 997.6cc. Not necessarily true at all. A lot of 'in the know' commentators are suggesting that some factory teams will run smaller capacity bikes because they will be more fuel efficient. It is widely thought that none of the big teams will go to the full 1000cc limit, but may compromise with something around 950cc maybe. Until they take the wraps off the new factory bikes though we won't know (and maybe not even then if current secrecy levels are maintained!). CRT teams will go for the larger capacity because they will use existing production 1000cc engines as a base for their bikes, and will have a higher fuel capacity and higher engine allowance than the factory boys. One race qualifying position says little; the DNF says as much or more. Not just one session. Look at the points table This was Cal's first DNF of the year too. On a different MotoGP related note.......It seems that the riders are now dividing into two separate gangs and are bringing their war of words into safety commision meetings as well as the worlds press I shall name these groups 'The Gladiators' and 'The Pussies'. 'The Gladiators', led by Valentino Rossi and including Marco Simoncelli, Loris Capirossi and others are of the opinion that racing is and should remain racing, with all of the contact that entails. 'The Pussies' meanwhile, led by Stoner, Lorenzo and Pedrosa (and amazingly also includes Barbera! Who seems to have forgotten his own riding history!) seem to be pushing for new rules governing overtaking and seem to be getting increasingly risk averse. They seem to want racing where nobody is allowed to get close or overtake unless in special zones on the track! Fittingly, the riders in each group tend to represent their own riding styles, and I sincerely hope that the Gladiators win the argument as racing will be very dull indeed if the pussies get their way | ||
| Simond |
I think Barbera would put himself in whatever group doesn't agree with Simoncelli. Remember that Simoncelli swerve a few years ago at Mugello that had him cartwheeling towards the finish line on the last lap at full speed! | ||
| Alessio66xb12r |
Simoncelli , in the evolution , is in the middle between the monkey and the human being...Pedrosa out of play for this season because of him , is a real shame. this is not a sport this way | ||
| Trojan |
Pedrosa out of play for this season because of him , is a real shame. Pedrosa is out because he just happened to break his collar bone (again!)when he crashed. The accident was a 50/50 racing incident and if Pedrosa had been faster, or hadn't sat up unnecessarily mid corner he would not have been in the situation in the first place. That's racing, and if poor old Dani doesn't like it he should take up chess or knitting I'm sick of reading 'I don't deserve this' quotes from Pedrosa this week. As Mick Doohan once famously said....'Man the F*** up!' | ||
| Vagelis46 |
There is a lot of mis-information here, as far as fiction regarding racing rules pushed by certain riders. Trojan, you should have a psychiatric check, because you make up stories to prove that Rossi is a real hard racer, while the rest of the riders are scared pussies. Rossi in fact, was the first to severely critisize SupeSic's move as unacceptable and wrong. Rossi said " He gave Dani no room to react" . Also Capirex, as the most experienced, went to the race direction before the race asking for instructions for SuperSic. These riders seems to know what they are talking about, as it was proven in the race. What is so much wrong with you ???? All this fiction for what ???? | ||
| Trojan |
you should have a psychiatric check, because you make up stories to prove that Rossi is a real hard racer What? This has nothing to do with Rossi being a hard rider. It is to do with the whole concept of 'racing' as we know it. Either we will have a sport where riders are allowed to race each other properly or we will have an emasculated sport where riders can overtake only in specific zones and in a presribed manner. The furore regarding Simoncelli has been taken way out of proportion by the element of riders who have constantly moaned about him and who 'ganged' up at the rider safety commission meeting on Saturday to complain about him (like a bunch of girls!). Amongst these are Lorenzo (already been benned in the past for dangerous riding) and Barbera, who also has a chequered past in this respect, and Stoner who thinks it is perfectly reasonable to punch another rider on track!! Race Direction would not have issued a ride through penalty to ANY other rider for what happened on Sunday, and have never previously done anything similar, so it is blindingly obvious that certain riders are influencing the race director. Casey Stoner deliberately punched randy De Puniet during warmup on Sunday. He received a €5000 fine.......big deal. His actions were not a 'racing incident' or a 50/50 corner crash, but a deliberate assault on another rider while they were still riding on track. Race Direction should have banned him from at least one race immediately in addition to the fine (whatever the circumstances behind it!). It seems it is Ok to punch other riders, or to go around ganging up on other riders to race direction like schoolchildren trying to influence the race organisers/directors, but woe betide you if you have what was considered by most commentators to be a simple racing accident. I despair of MotoGP at the moment Simoncelli may have c faults but he is not the demon he is being painted as by certain quarters at the moment, adn without him motogp would be dull as dishwater at the moment. | ||
| Vagelis46 |
The situation is pretty complicated, and I agree that SuperSic is under a lot of fire at the moment. But since EVERYBODY (including Capirex and his friend Rossi)is against him , it is more likely that he is doing something seriously wrong. The important thing is that the incident with Dani happened after he was heavily critisized for his racing, and instead of being a bit cautious , he f&cked up. As far as the incident with Mohamed Stoner Ali , the Italian press (gpone) among many insiders claimed that DePuniet should have been penalized, instead of Stoner, for cruising at 100km/h during warm up down the straight , while other riders were doing 300km/h. Under no circumstance should a racing weekend become....The last man standing wins the race. |
