Moto GP 2008

[jihem]

but that's the whole point - the rider doesn't control the throttle - it seems the traction control controls it!

 

this can go on and on and on

and this is where one guy says : "if it was really the case, why aren't all the bikes in the same team having the exact same performances ? ". Just because one guy can cut off all its survivor instincts and full open the throttle in the middle of the corner, and doesn't even pray, doesn't make him the fastest. The rider is still what makes the bike goes fast.

 

 

TC is only one parameter in many that are needed to be able to use a racing motorcycle to its best. I do agree tho, 800cc GP bikes aren't the beast the 990c were, and nowhere near what the 500cc 2 strokes were at the times. But the times they are different, that was then, this is now.

 

>Rossi pointed this out a year ago, it's too much like f1 these days.

 

Rossi talks a lot when he's losing

[Baldini]

...TC is only one parameter in many that are needed to be able to use a racing motorcycle to its best......

 

Agreed. But those things that he can control are what let the rider show through. Any of them taken away means the rider is less of a part, & throttle control has to be one of the biggest of those things.

 

Stoner is a good rider, maybe a great rider, but the TC & top speed difference muddy the water. I guess it's always been the way.

 

And...Rossi always talks a lot!

 

KB

[jihem]

Any of them taken away means the rider is less of a part, & throttle control has to be one of the biggest of those things.

 

I actually have ask a friend of mine who's a motorbike journalist, and he had the pleasure to ride several MotoGP bikes.

 

When journalists, or Shumi, ride them, the map they're using is the softest one possible. It's very true they are temperamental bikes, but they could be ridden relatively not slow by most good riders.

 

But they're real beasts to ride fast. The problem isn't really to be within 5 or 7 seconds of the pole time (most fast riders, or people used to fast velocities like Shumacher, could achieve that), the problem starts once you try to go faster than within these 5 seconds. THERE it's really very shaky and the bike goes all around the place and you get your arms pumping mad and your breath is taken away cos the acceleration is outta this world and you just can't take the carbon brakes after 5 laps...

 

He says, among other things, that these bikes aren't as brutal as the ol' 500 2 strokes were, and the new crop of 250cc riders coming up do find the acceleration breathtaking but more easy to fine tune than on their 250 bikes. The hard part is that lap times and speed have increase so much that there are more things to control (cos the dynamic of a motorbike remains the same, with or without TC there's still a moving two wheels object to direct) in a smaller amount of time. Cornering speed have increase a lot, straight speed has been rocketing, braking distances have been shortened a lot by carbon brakes, all those elements mean that while electronics do help in some departments,

today's racers have more inputsto process and more outputs to generate in a smaller time frame.

 

All I'm saying is Bring It On, the show is amazing

[Baldini]

... the problem starts once you try to go faster than within these 5 seconds....etc...etc...

 

! Your friend is a lucky man.

 

KB

[Pierre]

Soooo ... looks like it's Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Rossi as class of the field right now. Next group is Dovisioso, Hayden and Hopkins. wrt Hopkins, he's getting faster as he heals and with Kawasaki "screamer" engine due to arrive soon (fwiw Honda's pneumatic delayed again) - Hopkins could move into that top three grouping making it a 4 rider, 3 manufacturer dance. A little early to rule out Stoner, but with his recent spate of problems, and no one else on the Ducati able to run any kind of competitive lap, I suspect the Ducati is no longer the premier bike out there. Remains to be seen if Stoner can be competitive on a lesser bike.

 

I've got to believe Ant West is soon out as Kawasaki #2 rider. Melandri may be fired by Ducati as well. Thought it was interesting listening to the announcers opine De Puniet may also be done if he doesn't stop crashing. He is an unguided missile at times. I suspect the announcer chatter wrt De Puniet reflects talk in the pits.

 

Here's how they stacked up in post-Estoril testing. Lorenzo did not participate.

 

Post-bwin.com Grande Premio de Portugal test, best lap times

1. Dani PEDROSA, Repsol Honda Team - 1´36.455

2. Valentino ROSSI, Fiat Yamaha Team - 1´36.707

3. Andrea DOVIZIOSO, JiR Team Scot MotoGP - 1´36.791

4. John HOPKINS, Kawasaki Racing Team - 1´36.872

5. Nicky HAYDEN, Repsol Honda Team - 1´36.928

6. Colin EDWARDS, Tech 3 Yamaha - 1´37.145

7. Randy DE PUNIET, LCR Honda MotoGP - 1´37.146

8. Casey STONER, Ducati Marlboro Team - 1´37.330

9. Chris VERMEULEN, Rizla Suzuki MotoGP - 1´37.617

10. Shinya NAKANO, San Carlo Honda Gresini - 1´37.725

11. James TOSELAND, Tech 3 Yamaha - 1´37.767

12. Loris CAPIROSSI, Rizla Suzuki MotoGP - 1´37.781

13. Alex DE ANGELIS, San Carlo Honda Gresini - 1´37.782

14. Toni ELIAS, Alice Team - 1´38.695

15. Sylvain GUINTOLI, Alice Team - 1´39.010

16. Anthony WEST, Kawasaki Racing Team - 1´39.065

17. Marco MELANDRI, Ducati Marlboro Team - 1´39.725

[jihem]

Melandri may be fired by Ducati as well.

Post-bwin.com Grande Premio de Portugal test, best lap times

 

17. Marco MELANDRI, Ducati Marlboro Team - 1´39.725

 

yes, if Marco doesn't get his act soon, he may be shown the exit: Ducati is totally cold blooded with racers that don't perform well no more.

And in an interesting twist of events, Max Biaggi and Troy Bayliss might be called in to assess what's wrong with the GP8 as Guareschi (not the one winning on the MGS01, the other one, his brother) is injured. Max is of course ready to help and contacts have already been taken. If he performs well on the Gp8, read better than Marco, he may very well have his ticket back for MotoGP (yes, he's signed for SBK but nothing will stand in the way of an italian champ on an italian bike in MotoGP).

 

This said, Casey is in trouble. The GP8 seems to be problems plagued and i hope they find what's wrong with da beast.

[v50man]

If The Emperor would return to moto gp my life would then be complete.

 

Love Melandri, but he's miserable this year.

 

Mad Max on an 800 = trouble for the rest.

 

PLEASE let it happen!

[jihem]

China is on this week-end...And while the Ducati is still the fastest bike in a straight line, the other bikes have filled in the 15 kmh gap there was last year.

 

Top riders in free practise are the usual suspects: Rossi/Stoner and Pedrosa.

Lorenzo broke some bones while high-siding heavily (who says these 800MotoGP are just TC mopeds ?)

 

Looks like rain on race day too.

If it does, imho, Stoner will win this and watch out for Sylvain Guintoli who may very well push his Pramac satellite Ducati in the Top 5...

[Steve G.]

It's good to see Rossi now has one less competitor spoiling his chances [his Yamaha and his tires]. He's still the best rider in the world IMHO. Brilliant rider.

Steve

[jihem]

He's still the best rider in the world IMHO. Brilliant rider.

 

i might be the best rider in the world, but he's going to loose the WC to Lorenzo i think.

The Michelin shodded Yamaha is the bike to be on, this year: ol' Colin does the pole with 3/10 and eradicates the other riders while Lorenzo, with broken bones and all, makes it to 4th in the race. Michelin definitively has an edge (unless it rains and there Casey is unbelievable...)