| Author | Message | ||
     Davegess |
Trojan, how open are the rules on chassis, suspension, bodywork? Can you you do pretty much anything you like? | ||
| Jaimec |
One more thing regarding MotoGP: Who would've thought that at this stage of the game, Ben Spies would be AHEAD of Casey Stoner in the points? | ||
| Firstbuell |
trojan, that BOTT's a great site! - thx | ||
| Blake |
"Whoa Blake. While defending AMA DSB in another thread, didn't you state you would rather watch a bunch of nobodys dice it up all race long (AMA DSB) versus a typical MotoGP processional race? Gotta pick a side bro." Harlan, What garners my interest in moto racing is a combination of three factors, the machinery, the racers themselves, and the competitiveness. I need at least two out of those three factors to garner my keen interest. Moto2 only offers one, competitiveness. I don't know the racers and the machinery being all Honda-powered is almost entirely uninteresting to me. So while it is true that I'd rather watch close racing versus not so close racing, it is also true that I prefer to watch a bunch racers who I know competing closely in DSB on different machinery versus a bunch of Moto2 racers who I don't know and who are racing machines all having identical engines. I am a fan of MotoGP even when the racing is not so close, again it has the racers who I know and the machinery that is interesting. Moto2 even with it's close racing just doesn't interest me. | ||
| Blake |
If uncertain closely contested outcome is all that matters, I could roll marbles down a hill and find it interesting. | ||
| Jaimec |
Well, as I said in the Moto2 thread I started (to hopefully move those discussions OUT of this one), as Americans we have Kenny Noyes to root for in Moto2. The engines may all be the same, but the chassis are not. Just as the argument used to be in regards to the air-cooled Buells... it's not the engine but the HANDLING that makes a bike fast around the track (well, that and the RIDER, of course). | ||
| Jaimec |
Wow! How much is one man worth?? | ||
| Fresnobuell |
I don't think it's much of a surprise. When the GOAT and charismatic frontrunner Rossi gone, the championship almost a foregone conclusion and the racing processional, what's there to watch? | ||
| Trojan |
Quote form ontwo wheels blog: Yamaha factory test rider Wataru Yoshikawa will replace Valentino Rossi for the next rounds of the 2010 MotoGP as the Italian rider recovers from his injury sustained at the Mugello round. Yoshikawa has a long career in riding, winning the Japanese superbike in 1994 and 1999, and riding as a wild card for Yamaha superbike from 1992 to 2002. 41-year-old Yoshikawa will race from this weekend’s MotoGP Assen until the return of Rossi to the Fiat Yamaha team. WHO? Is that the BEST rider they could possibly get to replace Rossi? That will do wonders for the viewing figures!! Also announced today: Interwetten Honda’s Daniel Epp has moved fast to find a replacement rider for the injured Hiroshi Aoyama for this Saturday’s round in Assen and has confirmed they will be fielding Honda test rider Kousuke Akiyoshi for both the Dutch TT and Catalunya GP’s. Akiyoshi is a seasoned rider and is the official rider for the All Japan Superbike team and is also a former winner of the Suzuki 8 Hours. He’s tested for injured Dani Pedrosa during last year’s IRTA test and has made four starts for Rizla Suzuki between 2006 and 2008, taking a thirteenth spot at Motegi in 2006. Yep they are rolling ut all the big names now! I think I'll be washing my hair this weekend  | ||
| Jaimec |
You beat me to it, Matt. The one thing I didn't count on with my "Colin Edwards" prediction was that Colin wouldn't WANT the seat. Also very odd that they made the offer to Crutchlow (who also didn't want it), but never once asked Toseland who probably would've jumped at a chance to vindicate himself, and has two years experience riding the M1. Some strange back office politicking going on, no doubt. | ||
| Trojan |
Very strange that Crutchlow was very public in his denial of the gig (he was even at the British GP being interviewed about it by the BBC) but Toseland hasn't been mentioned or quoted at all during the entire period. Definitely unusual for the British press, who would normally be all over a rumour of a Brit taking a motoGP ride (and indeed were when the rumour of Crutchlows involvement surfaced). Maybe there was more of a disagreement between Toseland and Tech 3 than was stated at the end of last year? Although of course Toseland could have gone straight into the Fiat team as he wouldn't class as a rookie either. Maybe he turned it down first and has just remained quiet about it? | ||
| Trojan |
FP1 from Assen: 1 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Yamaha 290.6 1'35.169 2 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati 297.3 1'35.180 0.011 / 0.011 3 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati 297.9 1'35.686 0.517 / 0.506 4 5 Colin EDWARDS Yamaha 283.9 1'35.699 0.530 / 0.013 5 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Honda 290.5 1'35.868 0.699 / 0.169 6 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Honda 292.0 1'35.922 0.753 / 0.054 7 41 Aleix ESPARGARO Ducati 299.7 1'35.927 0.758 / 0.005 8 11 Ben SPIES USA Monster Yamaha 296.1 1'35.942 0.773 / 0.015 9 58 Marco SIMONCELLI ITA Honda 278.1 1'36.002 0.833 / 0.060 10 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Honda 302.1 1'36.269 1.100 / 0.267 11 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA Honda 298.8 1'36.294 1.125 / 0.025 12 40 Hector BARBERA SPA Ducati 283.6 1'36.735 1.566 / 0.441 13 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Suzuki 281.8 1'36.786 1.617 / 0.051 14 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Ducati 297.1 1'37.261 2.092 / 0.475 15 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA Suzuki 281.8 1'37.384 2.215 / 0.123 16 64 Kousuke AKIYOSHI JPN Honda 271.3 1'41.332 6.163 / 3.948 FP1 Business as pretty much normal at the front, although Hayden seems to be quick off the mark this week too. Espargaro is pretty impressive in 7th too and ran as highas 4th into the last few minutes. (Message edited by trojan on June 24, 2010) | ||
| Jaimec |
Good to see Colin back up in the mix. | ||
| Trojan |
Good to see Colin back up in the mix. That is one of the things I meant by 'FP1 Business pretty much normal'. Recently Colin seems to start the weekend well but then slip backwards as the event moves on. By race day these days he seems intent on trying to storm to the back of the field from the moment the lights go out. I hope this weekend is different and he always seems to be happy at Assen (the closest he has been to a GP race win was here after all). He has been complaining a lot about tiredness and exhaustion by race day so I have to wonder if he is suffering from something similar to Stoner last year and just needs to rest for a while? I also suspect that this had a lot to do with him turning down the factory ride in Rossi's absence (although he cites sponsor loyalties as the main reason). | ||
| Trojan |
FP2 times from Assen.... 1 99 Jorge LORENZO Yamaha 295.3 1'34.769 2 27 Casey STONER Ducati 298.6 1'35.088 0.319 / 0.319 3 26 Dani PEDROSA Team Honda 291.0 1'35.451 0.682 / 0.363 4 11 Ben SPIES Yamaha 303.1 1'35.518 0.749 / 0.067 5 69 Nicky HAYDEN Ducati 309.2 1'35.576 0.807 / 0.058 6 14 Randy DE PUNIET Honda 304.2 1'35.598 0.829 / 0.022 7 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Honda 289.6 1'35.626 0.857 / 0.028 8 41 Aleix ESPARGARO Ducati 299.7 1'35.640 0.871 / 0.014 9 58 Marco SIMONCELLI Honda 286.9 1'35.965 1.196 / 0.325 10 65 Loris CAPIROSSI Suzuki 284.4 1'36.177 1.408 / 0.212 11 5 Colin EDWARDS Yamaha 298.1 1'36.224 1.455 / 0.047 12 33 Marco MELANDRI Honda 312.3 1'36.297 1.528 / 0.073 13 40 Hector BARBERA Ducati 286.6 1'36.388 1.619 / 0.091 14 36 Mika KALLIO Ducati 297.9 1'36.944 2.175 / 0.556 15 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA Suzuki 292.6 1'37.190 2.421 / 0.246 16 64 Kousuke AKIYOSHI Honda 285.8 1'39.379 4.610 / 2.189 Lorenzo looks pretty comfortable and is the only rider to break 1.34 all weekend so far. Colin is slipping again but Ben and Nicky are up there so could do well tomorrow. Interesting that Hayden's Ducati is 10kmh faster than all of the other Ducatis and quicker than every other bike in a straight line except Melandri's customer Honda. Melandri has dislocated his shoulder so will not race tomorrow, so I am thinking about jumping on the my bike to make up the numbers and maybe scoring a couple of MotoGP points! | ||
| Jaimec |
MCN is reporting Rossi is ready to sign with Ducati... | ||
| Trojan |
Final qualifying times..... 1 99 Jorge LORENZO Yamaha 303.6 1'34.515 2 14 Randy DE PUNIET Honda 303.7 1'34.797 0.282 / 0.282 3 27 Casey STONER Ducati 308.5 1'34.803 0.288 / 0.006 4 11 Ben SPIES Yamaha 300.8 1'34.926 0.411 / 0.123 5 69 Nicky HAYDEN Ducati 312.0 1'34.999 0.484 / 0.073 6 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Honda 288.8 1'35.015 0.500 / 0.016 7 26 Dani PEDROSA Honda 289.8 1'35.162 0.647 / 0.147 8 58 Marco SIMONCELLI Honda 285.9 1'35.283 0.768 / 0.121 9 5 Colin EDWARDS Yamaha 296.6 1'35.393 0.878 / 0.110 10 41 Aleix ESPARGARO Ducati 305.5 1'35.593 1.078 / 0.200 11 65 Loris CAPIROSSI Suzuki 295.7 1'35.664 1.149 / 0.071 12 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA Suzuki 285.6 1'36.344 1.829 / 0.680 13 36 Mika KALLIO Ducati 303.7 1'36.502 1.987 / 0.158 14 40 Hector BARBERA Ducati 295.2 1'36.569 2.054 / 0.067 15 64 Kousuke AKIYOSHI Honda 294.8 1'38.198 3.683 / 1.629 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda As for Rossi signing for Ducati....It depends on which paper/report/blog you read. MCN have it pretty much as a done deal but other places are not so sure. Apparently Rossi is happy to take a pay cut of around €5 million to stay with Yamaha in the interests of economy, but not if it means Lorenzo gets a big pay rise (rumoured to be from €4 million to €8 million next year). I think this will be the biggest factor in Vale's decision to move or stay, as he tends to base his decisions on what he perceives his value to be rather than the current competitiveness of his chosen machine. When he moved form Honda to Yamaha everyone thought he had lost the plot completely but hemoved because he felt undervalued not uncompetitive. good write up here: http://www.motomatters.com/news/2010/06/24/rossi_s _dilemma_15_million_euros_at_duca.html Apparently Dorna and the FIM are desperate for a Rossi move to Ducati as this will bolster their publicity and viewing figures in the face of dwindling grids next year. The plot thickens...... In another story here http://www.twowheelsblog.com/post/4664/ducati-to-kill-sbk-for-valentino-rossi-contract it is claimed that Ducati are ready to scrap their WSBteam in order to push every button necessary to get Rossi into their GP team! Also rumoured to be heading to Ducati (Pramac) is old timer Capirossi, and it could be before th ened ofthis season if the rumour mill is to be believed. (Message edited by trojan on June 25, 2010) | ||
| Jaimec |
RANDY DE PUNIET??? How did HE get up there? The Frenchman is definitely having a break out year!! | ||
| Trojan |
Yeah, twice in two races on the front row, on a 'customer' Honda  I wonder who will be chasing him for his signature next year ( I don't think he'll be Stoner's team mate though after his less than complimentary comments about Randy's riding techniques!) All he needs to do now is keep it up the right way and fit the right tyres this week | ||
| Vagelis46 |
Lets hope we see a Lorenzo vs Stoner battle Spies will be a factor. | ||
| Svh |
So Vale to Duc. Spies to FIAT. Stoner to HRC.(Replacing whom?) 2011 should be fun if these moves take place. | ||
| Jaimec |
If Vale does move to Ducati, there's a sure bet FIAT will no longer sponsor Yamaha. Repsol Yamaha? If Honda releases Pedrosa, Repsol may want to sponsor the other high-profile Spaniard in the series. Silly season indeed. | ||
| Svh |
You don't think they would stick around for Lorenzo and Spies? On Lorenzo.. Why are the American announcers the only ones that pronounce his name "Lorentho"? SPEED needs to go back to showing the interviews at the podium. I miss that | ||
| Rasta_dog |
"Lorentho" That bothers the crap out of me too. I don't know and I don't care if it is correct. That guy sounds like a dick douche. Adds zero to the coverage. | ||
| Jaimec |
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/banter/the-definit ive-guide-on-how-to-pronounce-lorenzo/ | ||
| Jaimec |
Svh: Fiat is an Italian company, and it was Rossi's influence that got them to sponsor Yamaha. With Rossi gone, there would be no "Italian connection" with (American) Spies and (Spaniard) Lorenzo. HOWEVER, Lorenzo is worth big money in Spain, so if Honda should give the midget his walking papers, I could see Repsol wanting to put their dollars behind Yamaha. It might also improve their reception in the States (where, for the most part, Pedrosa is very UNpopular). As for the Speed broadcasts, yeah... I miss the post race interviews. I'd rather see those than the PRE-race interviews they show now. | ||
| Svh |
That makes sense but Marlboro wouldn't leave Ducati would they?? I would think with Lorenzo being out in front getting airtime would be plenty of reason for FIAT to stick around. Maybe not though. Sure will be interesting. | ||
| Jaimec |
Okay, I'll admit... this race wasn't as exciting as last week, though it was fun seeing Ben in second place for a spell. Still, anytime the midget misses out on the top step is a good race for me. But I sure do miss the post race interviews... | ||
| Svh |
My feelings exactly Jaime | ||
| Moxnix |
Lorenzo is from Andalucia, the southern Iberian peninsula, where "th" replaces many other sounds, for example: Andalu"th"ia. We learn Castillon here. |
