Moto GP 2008

[Pierre]

I thought it was t-boning another rider(your title rival and/or team mate) to win the title.

 

Stoner is the right man on the right bike at the right time. He is immensely talented but known to right checks for talent he could not cash(causing crashes). Now he is on a bike with overdraft protection.

Do I think he's the best rider out there? No. But winning a title is not just a matter of being the best rider. If it was KRJR would never have won a title. It is being the right rider on the right bike at the right time and Stoner is that.

On a different note, who if anybody is going to MotoGP at Indy?

Yes, in large measure I agree - right rider, right bike, right time. Sometimes a rider comes along who throws that into a cocked hat - Rossi of a few years back the most recent - but by and large I agree.

 

I'm going to the GP in Indy. Will fly into Chicago and rent Sportster for the ride to / from Indy. My tix http://tinyurl.com/2m2p8c include a parade lap - though not on race day.

[GuzziMoto]

Well then, if you see a black Griso and a silver V11 say hello. Sometimes my wife and I feel like a rolling Guzzi fan club. A friend of mine may come with us who owns a Daytona, we'll be riding out from Maryland. But for a trip like this he would almost certainly ride one of his other bikes. Shame. We don't have the parade lap thing, we're not parade type people. But we do have tickets in the E grand stand penthouse and parking in the bike lot inside the speedway. I wonder if they'll enlarge that lot since there'll probably be alot more bikes then they're used to.. Should be good. We rode out for F1 at indy and it was great. Good ride out thru West Va. and southern Ohio.

[jihem]

I'm going to the GP in Indy.

 

 

Pardon the possible naivety in my question, but will they race the famous banking and all or will the track be different ?

I know a few people who raced bikes there and they say that banking is just the most insane thing possible on a bike....

[Pierre]

Pardon the possible naivety in my question, but will they race the famous banking and all or will the track be different ?

I know a few people who raced bikes there and they say that banking is just the most insane thing possible on a bike....

Not all the banking. They've taken the F1 layout and rearranged / rebuilt it. Here's a map:

 

[jihem]

Not all the banking.

 

still, they'll take some, goood

 

The results at the Quatar Night Test show, again, Stoner in a different league than the others:

 

1. C. Stoner, DUCATI MARLBORO - 1'55.330 / 61t.

2. J. Lorenzo, FIAT YAMAHA - 1'56.019 / 77

3. R. De Puniet, LCR HONDA MotoGP - 1'56.062 / 88

4. A. Dovizioso, JiR TEAM SCOT - 1'56.121 / 81

5. J. Toseland, TECH3 YAMAHA - 1'56.251 / 90

6. A. De Angelis, HONDA GRESINI - 1'56.571 / 69

7. J.Hopkins, KAWASAKI RACING - 1'56.614 / 71

8. D. Pedrosa, REPSOL HONDA TEAM - 1'56.621 / 72

9. V. Rossi, FIAT YAMAHA - 1'56.749 / 82

10. C. Edwards, TECH3 YAMAHA - 1'56.762 / 86

11. T. Elias, ALICE TEAM - 1'57.007 / 85

12. N. Hayden, REPSOL HONDA TEAM - 1'57.010 / 91

13. S. Nakano, HONDA GRESINI - 1'57.223 / 79

14. C. Vermeulen, RIZLA SUZUKI - 1'57.522 / 80

15. L. Capirossi, RIZLA SUZUKI - 1'57.551 / 66

16. M. Melandri, DUCATI MARLBORO - 1'57.593 / 70

17. S. Guintoli, ALICE TEAM - 1'57.644 / 66

18. A. West, KAWASAKI RACING - 1'57.787 / 51

 

Stoner said it felt like being in the videogame "Need For Speed".

Lorenzo described the feeling as "like if you were alone on the track".

 

Most of them mentionned the cold being worst than the night time riding actually.

[Guzzirider]

still, they'll take some, goood

 

The results at the Quatar Night Test show, again, Stoner in a different league than the others:

 

Most of them mentionned the cold being worst than the night time riding actually.

 

Casey is awesome- he deserves a lot more credit than he gets from some quarters. Rossi is by no means written off, but I really think Stoner is simply a faster rider than Vale at this moment in time. Saying that, if anyone can raise his game it is Rossi.

 

Toseland should be used to the cold- he is from down the road in Sheffield! He did well considering the damage he has done to his ankle- I understand his time was set during a 22 lap race simulation rather than on a fast qualifier.

[Dan M]

Not all the banking. They've taken the F1 layout and rearranged / rebuilt it. Here's a map:

 

 

From the looks of it there won't be much banking at all. F1 ran clockwise and made use of the bank on their last turn (turn 1 for Indy 500) On this layout it looks like they completely eliminate that corner and cut back on what would be turn 2 of the Indy 500 track. Still, it looks like a nice course. Can't wait...

[wheelsucker]

From the looks of it there won't be much banking at all. F1 ran clockwise and made use of the bank on their last turn (turn 1 for Indy 500) On this layout it looks like they completely eliminate that corner and cut back on what would be turn 2 of the Indy 500 track. Still, it looks like a nice course. Can't wait...

 

 

I didn't think there was any banked corners at Indy? I thought it was a flat track. Could ya'll possibly be confused with Daytona? I believe they've run AMA races at Daytona utilizing one of the banked turns.

 

 

 

I stand corrected, it seems one of the corners is banked as stated before, although it is a shallow bank compared to Daytona's 31 degrees.

 

 

[edit] Oval dimensions

Region Number Distance Width Banking

(miles / km) (feet / meters)

Long straightaways 20.625 / 1.006 50 / 15.2 0°

Short straightaways 20.125 / 0.201 50 / 15.2 0°

Turns4 0.250 / 0.402 60 / 18.3 9°12'

Total/Average 2.500 / 4.023 54 / 16.5 3°3'

[GuzziMoto]

Indy is nearly flat, but there is a slight bank to it. More of a positive camber really. I think they were just saying banking in reference to the oval outer track. Personally I would not call it banking but I would worry if someone else did.

And at Daytona they used to run pretty much all the banking. It was a great race track. Now it has been neutered and they only run half the banking.

[Guzzirider]

Just watched the first Moto GP practice session for Sunday's race live on Eurosport.

 

Highlights

 

Casey out in front, but Lorenzo right on his tail in 2nd, with Toseland in 3rd.

 

With the exception of Casey, all the front runners are on Michelins, which seem much better than last year.

 

Factory Yamaha has a bit more grunt compared to the non-factory bikes of Toseland and Edwards who are running the old motors. Edwards seems to have refound his enthusiasm and looked good in 4th.

 

Pedrosa crashed by running into the back of Rossi mid-corner- seemed to be blaming Rossi for suddenly backing off. Rossi managed to stay on, and I reckon would have smiled to himself, although his decision to choose Bridgestones looks questionable as he has 3 Michelin shod Yamahas in front of him.

 

Factory Hondas way off the pace- Pedrosa and Hayden not even in the top ten. Suzukis slightly better but Kawakis looking slow too.

 

Eurosport showing live qualifying Sat night, and the races live on Sunday night.

 

Looking forward to it- looks like Casey may have a race on his hands with Lorenzo.

 

Guy

 

P.S. Brits dominating 125cc practice- 17 year old Bradley Smith leading, with Danny Webb in second.

[wheelsucker]

Can't wait till Sunday!! Let the madness that is MotoGP begin Come on HOPPER!!!

[Guzzirider]

Pedrosa up Rossi's arse

[GuzziMoto]

Just watched the first Moto GP practice session for Sunday's race live on Eurosport.

 

Highlights

 

Casey out in front, but Lorenzo right on his tail in 2nd, with Toseland in 3rd.

 

With the exception of Casey, all the front runners are on Michelins, which seem much better than last year.

 

Factory Yamaha has a bit more grunt compared to the non-factory bikes of Toseland and Edwards who are running the old motors. Edwards seems to have refound his enthusiasm and looked good in 4th.

 

Pedrosa crashed by running into the back of Rossi mid-corner- seemed to be blaming Rossi for suddenly backing off. Rossi managed to stay on, and I reckon would have smiled to himself, although his decision to choose Bridgestones looks questionable as he has 3 Michelin shod Yamahas in front of him.

 

Factory Hondas way off the pace- Pedrosa and Hayden not even in the top ten. Suzukis slightly better but Kawakis looking slow too.

 

Eurosport showing live qualifying Sat night, and the races live on Sunday night.

 

Looking forward to it- looks like Casey may have a race on his hands with Lorenzo.

 

Guy

 

P.S. Brits dominating 125cc practice- 17 year old Bradley Smith leading, with Danny Webb in second.

Rossi choosing to switch to Bridgestone seems like the dumbest move of his career(although he does not have many dumb moves to begin with). He may be able to make it work, but it will probably cost him some speed.

I wish the FIM would come to their senses about the tyre rules.

[polebridge]

Does anyone know if the race is being televised in the U.S.?

 

If so what time and network is carrying it? I just check TV Guide and they show the 250s on at 6:00 PM Sunday on the Speed Channel. Can't find a listing for the MOTOGP.

 

Help!!

 

Thanks

[Pierre]

Does anyone know if the race is being televised in the U.S.?

 

If so what time and network is carrying it? I just check TV Guide and they show the 250s on at 6:00 PM Sunday on the Speed Channel. Can't find a listing for the MOTOGP.

 

Help!!

 

Thanks

Moto GP is on Speed tomorrow (Sunday) at 3:00 PM pacific. Speed is Cox cable 56 in San Diego. Speed schedule here: http://www.speedtv.com/schedule/filter/dat...3-9/timezone/pt