CATALUNYA GP 2018

michaelm said:

I agree. It has always mostly been about tires for Jorge, and my hypothesis has been either he has learnt to ride the Ducati to preserve the tires better, or they have done something with the bike in that regard. He has had fairly good 1 lap pace and early race pace not infrequently for a while.

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J4rn0 said:

Here, a (this time sober) article by Mat that indeed focuses on the Michelin front tire, braking and the famous new tank to explain Lorenzo's dramatic switch in performance: https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opinion/motogp/why-lorenzo-winning

BTW, Dall'Igna said that the current one is the 20th something custom tank they made for Jorge.

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J4rn0 said:

.....
BTW, Dall'Igna said that the current one is the 20th something custom tank they made for Jorge.

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Iamapony said:

I can't seem to find this information. Could you provide a link, please?

Excuse my incredulous doubt that they had made twenty tanks, when Jorge had only been there for twenty-three races at the time.

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Iamapony said:

I can't seem to find this information. Could you provide a link, please?

Excuse my incredulous doubt that they had made twenty tanks, when Jorge had only been there for twenty-three races at the time.

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Jumkie said:

It's interesting to read the pendulum swing, just a few weeks ago Lorenzo was the Viñalez of GP, and now Dovi is the Barbara of Ducati, apparently. I'm reminded of Dinah Washington's rendition of 'What a difference a day makes...'

20 iterations of a tank change, and this one was the Excalibur? I'm not so sure, but I'm inclined to think the Excalibur has a "Made in France" label. When did soft tires become the race distance preference?

It's also fascinating to read some of the same peeps giving Dovi grief for trying win it by risking pace whilst giving Marc a pass when crashing or saying Rossi is points collecting, though when Marc does it, it's genius particularly when he saves a crash, and Rossi is chicken for not risking pace. Dovi is going for broke, sometimes it doesn't work out, he's not one with the reputation for putting it all on the line according to these detractors, so when he does he's the worst person in the world? Also, when did this notion he is a diva become the narrative? And I'll add in the context that there were so many crashers that finishing the race guaranteed points. Is there something there there?

So what's going on with Zarco? He's looking like Lorenzo a month ago, Viñalez currently. The ebbs and flows of tire manipulation? Or has developed caught up to the year old bike?

3?0utcThe current tire iterations, where the soft is working over a race distance for Lorenzo on a Ducati should have a clear effect when Lorenzo is running the RCV that seems to demand, seemingly require, a harder tire. It will be interesting to see how it pans out. Also, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibly for Lorenzo to mount a championship run thanks this dynamic, including another possible Marc DNF which is always just a Michelin front tire away.

3?
If you live in a glass house don't throw rocks.

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michaelm said:

I agree, and have said myself, that something with a Bibendum
label on it is very likely contributing to Jorge’s resurgence, and if I am to don my tinfoil hat it is interesting that his improvement followed Uncle Carmelo’s endorsement of him; as you know I think they all should have tires which suit them btw.


I think Rossi is doing about as well as he can given his unhappiness with the current bike and tires. Zarco’s drop in performance was fairly predictable, and was in fact predicted by a number of posters. Syahrin on the other hand is improving his pace, and obviously that is down to him and all credit to him, but as opposed to Zarco he may also be a future Petronas Yamaha rider.

Whichever way you cut it Dovi can’t dnf 3 races out of 4 and expect to challenge for the championship, 2 solo riding errors and 1 which while not primarily his fault involved an over optimistic pass; at the time it looked like Lorenzo was being too combative given his seemingly inevitable late race decline, but subsequent events have shown he was perhaps on the cusp of lasting race distance. MM wasn’t given a free pass when he was dnfing at a championship killing rate in 2015, and I believe can be allowed one dnf at least due to a riding error per year. Dovi does not seem to have the same approach as last year when he bided his time and came on strong late race; perhaps circumstances have changed this year and demand a different approach, but that he has made a somewhat desperate pass on Lorenzo and dnfed with Lorenzo steaming away in the lead makes it hard for me at least to dismiss Lorenzo as a factor.

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J4rn0 said:

I hear many things that often are not online, but this one has just been published so if you read Italian follow this link: https://www.moto.it/MotoGP/motogp-dall-igna-impossibile-continuare-con-lorenzo.html
A very interesting itw with Gigi after Mugello. Says many other things besides the tank comment.

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Iamapony said:

I believe it says that Dall'Igna has made twenty (20) tank changes since he has been at Ducati. That is quite different from Lorenzo getting twenty (20) different tanks. It is believable that with four (4) years (77 races ) times several different riders, (Stoner, et al) to see that many tanks. Twenty tanks just for Jorge is quite doubtful.

If my interpretation is incorrect, please let me know.

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RCV600RR said:

Your interpretation is incorrect.

Da quando lui è in Ducati, ne avremo fatte più di 20 di forme del serbatoio, perché per lui l’ergonomia è importante

Dall'Igna said "Since he's been at Ducati, we've made more than 20 different types of tanks for him, because ergonomics are important for him."

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J4rn0 said:

As RCV600 correctly says, the 20something tank shapes were since Jorge is at Ducati, and for him ("lui"). Don't know why this should be difficult to believe; in this case it is certainly above average, since "Jorge is especially sensitive to ergonomics", but these mods are routinely done for every rider who asks for them, typically during the winter tests.

It took a really long time to hit the right one it seems, but Lorenzo was adapting his style so that perhaps made his requests also change with time. Anyway -- the one thing I find difficult to believe is the claim that this single change made all the difference. If it's all down to effective and sustainable straight line hard braking, Dovi should be able to replicate Lorenzo's performance easily...

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birdman said:

Ducati have a problem with the pressure they put on the no 1 rider. Stoner was no 2 in 07, burnt out by 09. Rossi was no 1, gone 2 years later. Dovi was no 2 in 17, looks burnt out in 18. Lorenzo was no 1, burnt out in one year, suddenly with no more pressure a world beater now he’s gone. Ducati senior management create the culture, the culture more than the tank appear to have a problem Gigi can’t fix on his own.

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michaelm said:

2 names.

Arrivabene and Domenicali. What they knew or know about GP bike racing I am not sure, but since both seem to believe they know everything about anything, including internal medicine in Arrivabene's case, I guess they must know everything about GP bike racing as well.

Both Stoner and Lorenzo on moving to HRC said they had no problem with the Ducati race team, but rather at levels of Ducati management removed from the race team.

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synn said:

I said it before, after Stoner, Rossi, Crashy and George’s departures and the way they happened, no top rider will choose the Duc as a number one choice for a long time, even if Gigi lathers the seats with virgin ..... juice.

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