Brno 2016

moto vudu said:

Aaah, that's the year HRC learned there are No Refunds! HRC sent their check to Dorna, but Yamaha sent their own check to Hector Barbera.

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Hector Barbera only had one vote in the tyre change decision as far as I know. And why uniquely was a riders' vote engineered to justify a tyre change which disadvantaged a team which was the defending manufacturers' champion for whom the defending riders' champion was riding, against whom in the nature of things opposition riders are going to seek any possible advantage, when just having Bridgestone provide both tyres for the rest of the season was an obvious option.

MM's quality as a rider is in the process of being determined. He is obviously very good, and may well be among the very best ever. Whether he is better than a 25 year old Rossi is another question, but he isn't racing a 25 year old Rossi.

Giving all riders tyres which suit them might obviate any discussion of these matters.

Michael, my suspicion is that MM is in fact better than a 25 year old Rossi ever was based purely on the competition the two faced. But then again MM isn't even 25 yet so it's sobering to think what his theoretical peak could be should he get a bike like he got in 2014 in the next few seasons. Keep in mind that Sete Gibernau was able to match that age Rossi quite well till HRC decided to favor Rossi with the hopes he would stay at HRC for the 2004 season. Who even knows what might have been it Daijiro Kato not been killed as if the results started coming in, HRC might have swung in Kato's favor. Jury is still out on MM, but he certainly has the potential to be a rider unlike any we have ever seen. The next 3 seasons will do a lot to determine where things go.

JPSLotus said:

Michael, my suspicion is that MM is in fact better than a 25 year old Rossi ever was based purely on the competition the two faced. But then again MM isn't even 25 yet so it's sobering to think what his theoretical peak could be should he get a bike like he got in 2014 in the next few seasons. Keep in mind that Sete Gibernau was able to match that age Rossi quite well till HRC decided to favor Rossi with the hopes he would stay at HRC for the 2004 season. Who even knows what might have been it Daijiro Kato not been killed as if the results started coming in, HRC might have swung in Kato's favor. Jury is still out on MM, but he certainly has the potential to be a rider unlike any we have ever seen. The next 3 seasons will do a lot to determine where things go.

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I think 25 year old Rossi was, and 24 year old MM is, of the highest calibre. They will obviously never race each other so we will never know the result of such a clash.

My point was more that if Vudu wishes to be facetious, on basic principles the rider most likely to require help is the one who is 37 now and was finishing a distant 4th in 2013 and below that position in 2011 and 2012 rather than the guy who won an unprecedented 13 races 2 seasons ago and who has not necessarily even reached his peak as you say. I personally don't go as far as some, and believe all Rossi's titles involved him being the best rider, but this doesn't change the fact that Dorna has serially manipulated the tyres over the last decade to the disadvantage of several marques and riders as you, I and others have repeatedly pointed out, but not really to Rossi's disadvantage that I can recall. No tyre rule change has really adversely affected MM imo either to be fair, whether or not that is related to his and Rossi's tyre preference being similar.

If I'm not competitive, I will quit.

That's the kind of .... that made Carmelo Clause NOT "calm."

If you live in a glass house, don't throw rocks.

moto vudu said:

I have always known the series is rigged for HRC. HRC never wins championships... they purchase them.

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So you'll not object to Valentino's achievements being devalued to "6 times world champion" now?
Wow, all these years in the sport and he's only got one more title than Jorge, Marc will be past him too soon.
Why hasn't this guy been pensioned off yet, he's a waste of a good motorcycle..

povol said:

There is no doubt in my mind that Marquez is better than Rossi , and Stoner was as well.

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I need a bigger sample size and more title from Marquez before I am ready to say it for certain. His talent capacity is far greater no doubt, but the results over a longer period of time will need to reflect it.

Check out this front end save from Marquez...

https://www.facebook.com/MotoGP/videos/10154733891495769/

Sunday's weather is showing showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Temperature looks to be a high of 22C or 74F.

Circuit Information

LENGTH: 5.4 km / 3.36 miles
CORNERS: 6 left - 8 right
WIDTH: 15 m. / 49.21 ft.
LONGEST STRAIGHT: 636 m. / 2086.61 ft.
Laps: 22
Total distance: 118.9 km - 73.9 miles

Weather courtesy of Weather.com


Things We Learned At Austria

Andrea Iannone Likes to Make a Statement



Welcome the latest member of the exclusive MotoGP Winner's Club. It was really only a matter of time. Once Ducati poached Gigi the writing was on the wall, Gigi having been in charge of the wildly successful RSV4 project at Aprilia. The only question was who would give the revamped Ducati their first win since Casey Stoner, 6 years ago. Dovi wanted desperately to be "that guy" for the Bolognese team; after all they have retained his services for next year and he's been riding pretty well this year. The only thing standing (or riding?) in his way was Andrea Iannone, a persistent and unwelcome silhouette that has hounded him all season long. Iannone's contention was simple: he was faster. He just couldn't stay on two wheels long enough to prove it, until last week. After a series of gaffes that ended in more tears than an all night chick-flick marathon in a sorority house after a breakup. Yet in one brief moment it's all forgiven (except for the whole get out of our garage thing). The only question is, can he do it again?

Key to victory: Dry! While Ducati has had a lot of chances to convert in the wet, damp or tricky conditions have been working against them more than for them this year. With morning showers predicted for Sunday, he'll need the Moto2 guys to dry out the racing line at least.

Jorge Lorenzo Can Rest Easy...er



It's only one race win, which is exactly one race win short of a pattern. But it's a start, and it's exactly the start that Jorge Lorenzo would have been hoping for. Ducati's been the ugly friend of the grid for 6 years now, a "nice personality" but really it's the Yamaha or Honda that you fantasize about getting sweaty with. Or on. You know what I mean (wink wink nudge nudge). Going to a team that was winless for 6 years was a gamble, with everybody saying the bike was close but not yet there. With so many of the Ducati's racing up to the front in tricky conditions it seemed proof that there was indeed something to work with, especially with the Ducati so often challenging for the podium. It wasn't a sure thing, but the move certainly had potential. Now the whole world seems to have opened up. And it's not just because of the win; it's a classic boxer's one-two combination in the dry. That's an important distinction on man levels. For one, the Andreas have very different riding styles and the bike working so well for both of them means that it is flexible and neutral enough that Lorenzo has a real chance of excelling right off the bat. Secondly, with so many dry races in the regular season (Rossi's underworld dealings with Nordic storm gods last year not withstanding) the bike might finally, finally be worthy of a world champion again.

Key to victory: Dry! Or wet! Take your pick or get off the pot. Either way, absolute weather will suit the Mallorcan more than wishy-washy mixed conditions. He got a big chunk of his mojo back last week, keeping Rossi at bay. He'll need to draw on those reserves to stay ahead.

Marc Marquez is Human After All



Who'da thunkit? With so many high speed crashes, near misses, rider-as-berm incidents, etc, there were rumors that he really might be extra-terrestrial after all. Some form of other worldly anti-gravity device had to be responsible for his inexplicable ability to surf the asphalt with impunity. It all came crashing down in Austra though, as Marquez took one spill too many. The dislocated shoulder is significant not as a major injury but because of what it represents. Marquez's balls-to-the-wall style is becoming less and less immune to the injuries that so many riders fear, and it is now definitely hurting him. Marquez was a trooper in Austria, holding off a very game Maverick to collect as many points as possible in 5th. He's got a sizable lead in the championship, and that weekend barely put a dent in it, but in a game where anything can happen all it takes is one moment before the season gets away from him.

Key to victory: Stay healthy. Marc is fast, but if he keeps racking up the injuries he could become his own worst enemy.

Funny thing about your last bit of the post Budoist, MM just defied everything you wrote today with that monster save in FP2.

He's had some moments, but a lot of MM's crashes are of the low-side type. The Red Bull Ring crash was unusual by his crash standards.

moto vudu said:

Check out this front end save from Marquez...

https://www.facebook.com/MotoGP/videos/10154733891495769/

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This guy is unreal. He now does one of these impossible elbow/knee saves every race weekend, just to stay in shape. Note how he is weighting the front tire to get some traction on the front while he gets the bike back up in the rear. Gym-Honda-San.

The Doctor admitted he was impressed by Marquez's spectacular save after the Honda rider almost came off at turn 13 during FP2 and joked that he doesn't lose the front because he 'goes slower'.

“For me, is something he tries a lot, his position on the bike, and his ability. Because first he tried with the elbow, then with the knee, and at the end, he saved it. So it was quite impressive. I don't know if I can do the same. But I go slower, so I don't lose the front!” :giggle:

Great interview with MM93, it relates to this GP so not worth another thread imo Ten Minutes With MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez | MotoAmerica

moto vudu said:

Check out this front end save from Marquez...

https://www.facebook.com/MotoGP/videos/10154733891495769/

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Unbelievable. He's been doing this several times now this season. That front is a liability, and it's his extraordinary skill keeping him in the game. That bike was basically crashed flat and Lazarused it.

Vudu, there is one thing I would like to thank Rossi for, and that's him making me a Marcus fan.

If you live in a glass house, don't throw rocks.

Jumkie said:

Unbelievable. He's been doing this several times now this season. That front is a liability, and it's his extraordinary skill keeping him in the game. That bike was basically crashed flat and Lazarused it.

Vudu, there is one thing I would like to thank Rossi for, and that's him making me a Marcus fan.

If you live in a glass house, don't throw rocks.

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I agree Jums, it is unbelievable how good of a job Michelin did working with Marc to design a front that only he can push to & past the limit. Every other rider in the field would have gone down. Michelin has done their job and stacked the deck in Marc's favor.

Does anyone know of a place to view that Marquez save that doesn't require a facebook account?

The Burning Barber said:

Does anyone know of a place to view that Marquez save that doesn't require a facebook account?

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moto vudu said:

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Thanks! :thumbs:

Did anyone see the bird .... on Pedrosa's visor during QP2? - It looked like an Albatross had crapped on his lid.

Given the way Sam's season is going, someone at Prague University will have cloned a Pterodactyl from DNA preserved in mosquitoes trapped in amber discovered in the foothills of the Carpathians. It'll escape from the lab on Sunday, be carried south east by thermals and at around midday wheel over the Masaryk and take a huge dump on Lowe's victorious last lap obscuring his vision sending him straight on at Horizont closely followed by a target fixated Tom Luthi who in the carnage inadvertently arse rapes him with an errant Ohlins front fork.

Actually, what's happened to Tom 'Louchely' lately? - he looks like some dubious lounge lizard reclined in his garage - every time the camera catches him he's draped over a chair in a contrived repose like some shady lethario posturing at Shovel's club. He used to be very awkward and edgy...perhaps he's kicked the caffeine?