| Author | Message | ||
     Jaimec |
Don't expect too much from Rossi in March. He doesn't expect to be at full fitness till May. Unless, this is the master of MotoGP "Head Games" setting up the competition, of course. | ||
| Trojan |
I wish it was just a head game. Unfortunately I really do think it is actually worse than people think and could be a career ending injury  Hopefully not and I look forward to Rossi regaining full fitness and giving the Duc a win or two this year  | ||
| Jaimec |
Saw an amusing interview in MCN with Cal Crutchlow. My favorite line is: "These boys are the fastest in the world and bloody hell they are fast." http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresul ts/MotoGP/2011/February/feb0211-crutchlow-brushes- off-late-crash/ | ||
| Blake |
Gotta love that Brit candor. | ||
| Jaimec |
The return of John Hopkins?? MCN reports that the BSB Team John for which John signed is run by Paul Denning, the same man who runs the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team. John has been pegged as Bautista's "Stand In Rider" should the Spaniard suffer any injury during the season. Hopper will apparently test with the team at the next practice in Losail. http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresul ts/MotoGP/2011/February/feb0811JohnHopkinstomakesh ockSuzukiMotoGPreturn/ | ||
| Trojan |
There was talk last week of Hopper riding a second Suzuki as a wild card at slected rounds as well. Maybe they are hoping he'll stick around for the 1000cc Gp bikes in 2012 | ||
| Jaimec |
Cool... so it's like three and a half Americans in the series! | ||
| Vagelis46 |
In moto2 , Do we start to see a new raw talent in Marquez ?? First test for him, after the 125s, and he gets the fastest time ?? | ||
| Trojan |
First test for him, after the 125s, and he gets the fastest time ?? It is actually his 6th test on the Moto2 bike (he tested at the end of last year + had some private testing since at Aragon and jerez). However I would agree he is definitely in with a shout this year and with the way he took the 125GP world championship last year he is obviously a talented young lad He shared the fastest time with .......Scott Redding They also shared the same time exactly on the previous day, so are obviously well matched (although Marquez probably weighs the same as Scott's right leg!). None of the teams had access to the 'official' Honda engines for this test, nor did they have transponders or official lap timers (times were supplied by the teams themselves) so times must be viewed with slight suspicion at least. Some would have had Supersprot motors while others were running stock CBR 600 engines or Spanish CEV Moto2 spec motors with different ECU's. I think we will see a very close Moto2 year again this year though | ||
| Jaimec |
Interesting take on the evolution of the four stroke era: http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-noye s-notebook-how-we-got-here/ Personally, I hope Honda fails to get a championship this year too. Serves them right for forcing their agenda down everyone's throats. | ||
| Trojan |
Personally, I hope Honda fails to get a championship this year too. +1 I especially want Stoner not to win it. Simoncelli is being touted as the new Rossi in the MCN this week! What a difference one test makes | ||
| Jaimec |
Considering that Rossi wanted HIM for a team mate, and NOT Lorenzo, and knowing how much Rossi enjoys having a team mate who doesn't REALLY challenge him, I wonder about that... | ||
| Trojan |
Considering that Rossi wanted HIM for a team mate, and NOT Lorenzo, and knowing how much Rossi enjoys having a team mate who doesn't REALLY challenge him, I wonder about that... He and Rossi are best buddies, but I do wonder how long that will last when Simoncelli starts thratening to win races. Rossi has fallen out with close friends inthe past when they get too competitive  I think Simoncelli could upset a few of the established front runners this year with his aggressive/exciting riding style He has already had arguments with Barbera, Bautista and Lorenzo in both 250 and MotoGP so it may come to heated exchanges between them this year (although I don't fancy Lorenzos chances in a straight fist fight with Marco!). | ||
| Jaimec |
I think Simoncelli has a better chance of being the next Sete Gibernau, not the next Rossi. Sete and Vale were also good friends until Sete started beating him. | ||
| Jaimec |
http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-noye s-notebook-no-love-for-the-800s/ | ||
| Trojan |
First testing times from Sepang are as expected with all 4 factory Hondas at the sharp end and fighting amongst themselves for the top spot. In fifth place is a seemingly rejuvenated Valentino Rossi ahead of Jorge Lorenzo (who must be spitting feathers even though this is only a test!). hayden was ninth and the rest of the Ducati contingent nowhere and brining up the rear (so much for making the GP11 easier to ride!). Only the first day of the test of course, but looks like things could get interesting when the season starts Now where did I put that red T shirt..... On a connected note.......I had to laugh at Yamahas feeble attempts at trying to appear positive when they released their 'official' colour scheme to the press this week. No major sponsors still for either the GP or WSB team looks grim for them depsite their PR BS about 50th anniversary colours etc etc etc, and shows the marketing power that a certain Mr Rossi carried (especially as Ducati have more sponsors than fairing space at the moment!). Unless Yamaha get a big buck sponsor for at least one team by year end I can see them cutting back next year, and that could mean the end of the Yamaha WSB team and possibly less support for Tech 3 in MotoGP too | ||
| Trojan |
End of day one test times and Honda still dominate the top of the table. Lorenzo gave Colin Edwards a tow to get into 3rd and 4th respectively and Rossi slipped down the order to 9th but still top Ducati. Interesting to see what happens tomorrow and on the last day when everyone will want to be the fastest of all befoe the season starts proper (the only test time anyone will remember) 01- Casey Stoner – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – 2’00.987 02- Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 0.373 03- Jorge Lorenzo – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.481 04- Colin Edwards – Monster Yamaha Tech 3 – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.667 05- Andrea Dovizioso – Repsol Honda Team – Honda RC212V – + 0.760 06- Ben Spies – Yamaha Factory Racing Team – Yamaha YZR M1 – + 0.821 07- Hiroshi Aoyama – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – + 0.952 08- Marco Simoncelli – San Carlo Honda Gresini – Honda RC212V – + 1.009 09- Valentino Rossi – Ducati Marlboro Team – Ducati Desmosedici GP11 – + 1.012 10- Alvaro Bautista – Rizla Suzuki MotoGP – Suzuki GSV-R – + 1.237 | ||
| Blake |
15- Cal Crutchlow - Monster Yamaha Tech 3 - Yamaha YZR M1 - +1.923 | ||
| Trojan |
15- Cal Crutchlow - Monster Yamaha Tech 3 - Yamaha YZR M1 - +1.923 or you could read the whole story....Crutchlow has been on a drip in the clinica mobila between sessions suffering from severe food poisoning. The effects of which resulted in two low speed crashes during the day. Nobody expects Cal to be at the sharp end yet even when fully fit and certainly not when very ill. When I had food poisoning I couldn't get out of bed let alone race at 200mph around a track in huge humidity and temperatures | ||
| Blake |
We used to call it a "hangover." | ||
| Trojan |
We used to call it a "hangover." Whatever it was, Rossi seems to have a dose of it too, as he sat out the entire session today in his hotel with flu like symptoms Hopefully he will be back out tomorrow for the final day of testing beofre the season starts (although there must be a question mark over the Qatar GP now with all the trouble in the region surely?) | ||
| Davegess |
Yeah the F1 race in Bahrain has been canceled already. | ||
| Vagelis46 |
Has the Duc started making Rossi feel sick already ?? The Duc is a joke !!! It always have been a miserable bike. They said they haven't tested the "flex" package yet . What are they waiting for ??? So far it doesn't look good for Ducati. Lets hope they find something to improve. | ||
| Trojan |
The Duc is a joke !!! It always have been a miserable bike. Yeah you are 100% right. Casey Stoner won all those races riding a Yamaha painted red of course Rossi already said that they didn't even bother fitting soft tyres and going for a time yet during testing, unlike the rest of the front runers who have been scrabbling for a headline time in the last few minutes of every session so far. I think I'll reserve judgement until the season starts | ||
| Simond |
There's nothing that'll make a bike/car faster in testing than a lack of sponsors! | ||
| Blake |
Interesting comments from Nicky Hayden in a recent interview with Road Racing Word. Have I ever mentioned what an excellent moto magazine RRW is? Now with electronic subscription. Some excerpts: RW: You must be accustomed to being the underdog. Even in 2006 when you won the title, you didn’t seem to be the team number one. (Message edited by blake on February 24, 2011) | ||
| Paint_shaker |
Least we not forget Rossi is pretty good at the mental game. Maybe he is sandbagging a bit. Get people thinking he is not quite up to par. Then BAM! Spring it on them during the first race. It's a tactic I have used before when I used to do BMX freestyle. Sometimes it worked, some times it didn't. Then again, maybe the Duc is crap. I don't know. I've never raced one. | ||
| Trojan |
Least we not forget Rossi is pretty good at the mental game. Maybe he is sandbagging a bit. I don't think so, but who can tell? We will only know when the flag dops at the first race so until then it is all mind games from every top team. Honda wasted no time in fitting soft tyres to all of their factory bikes at the last test just to get to the top of the timing sheets (in fact I don't know if Stoner ran a hard race tyre in all 3 days!). Ducati may be bluffing but it doesn't appear that they have the bike right yet and will be working hard between now and the first race to try and improve it. The last test at Qatar may be a better indication as the Ducati has always gone well there (when Stoner didn't fall off it!) so should in theory be the bike to beat at that track. | ||
| Vagelis46 |
Trojan, to make you feel better, there are rumours that Stoner used a 1000cc machine tuned to last for 1 day, and special qualifying tires . | ||
| Skinstains |
I don't believe I've ever posted here before so I may be missing something you guys have discussed previously. If so I apologize. Has anyone noticed that there seems to be more and more "drama" involved in bike racing over the last few years ? Not just GP's but all bike races. I hope I'm wrong but it seems to me that at some level someone wants to add a bit of WWF wrestling style rediculousness to it. kind of like what NASCAR did to auto racing. of course I can only speak of race organizations that televise in the US. Wich happens to be the only market in the world that just doesn't seem to "get" bike racing. Just a thought... |
