Estoril Warm Up and Race (Spoilers)

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (vale4607 @ Apr 13 2008, 01:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Suzuki and Ducati really suck hard and Westy what do you say about Westy, .... comes to mind.
I think ducati need to put the bike back to the set-up they had at qatar, at least stoner knows how hard he can push it and will probably get around tight circuits better than the way the thing was handling at jerez and in practice in the dry at estoril. They probably should concentrate on the things they are good at for the rest of the year, viz engine power and electronics, and get someone to work urgently on designing a new chassis for next year. Looks like those with more technical nous than me (not an exclusive group) who have been saying for years that the ducati trellis-frame chassis is obsolescent are being proven correct.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jazkat @ Apr 13 2008, 02:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>yes good point i think he has done well considering the switch, last year the michelin performance was patchy they were either working or not at all but this year they seem strong so far.
Maybe part of the reasoning was not outright performance but also 3 or 4 times in 2006/2007 his Michelins fell apart causing him to DNF maybe he was just tired of it?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (vale4607 @ Apr 13 2008, 03:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>He's not at the top. How do you know it was a bad tyre choice. Maybe that was the best choice and thats the maximum anyone could extract from a Brigdestone tyre.
Well, in the interview Rossi said it was a gamble with the soft front and that he got into problems, but even so it's all part of the learning curve and I don't know if he would have done much better with a harder compund.

That was unbearable, i'm still shaking, I can't believe it!!!

Jorge

Hayden

I was very disappointed with Nicky, he rarely crashes, also he had the pace which makes the crash very hard to take. I reckon he could've caught Rossi and possibly got a podium. He's the only one who has come close to the top 3 (soon to be 4 when Stoner gets his .... together). At least Nicky is back to his competitive best and I look forward to the rest of the season.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (vale4607 @ Apr 13 2008, 02:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>He's not at the top. How do you know it was a bad tyre choice. Maybe that was the best choice and thats the maximum anyone could extract from a Brigdestone tyre.

Michelin had no problem at China last year so I expect more of the same from Dani and Lorenzo, both of them winners at Shanghai.


what i mean is whatever he is using he is still with the top runners, i belive it was tyre choice because he was quicker in practice on race tyres but today there was alot of movment after the halfway mark.

he still done well and got the maximum for the tyre he picked on the day weather or not that was the rite tyre who knows but i believe he could have done better.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (michaelm @ Apr 13 2008, 02:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I am not commenting about his riding, mainly just his tyre choice for the season. I think michelin has had the advantage at all 3 races so far, and was expected to before the season started. It remains to be seen how much improvement if any they have made at the tracks expected to suit bridgestone.
i agree, i doubt rossi thought he would have 2 podiums this early in the season, just look where the other stones are.

congrats to lorenzo, what can i say,the boy is ....... fast !

good 2nd for dani,he reminds me so much of biaggi. stands on the podium with a face like a wet weekend.

stoner, back in his garage for a sulk, doors shut straight away, so far it looks a bit like a haydenesque title defence. how pressure opens cracks

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Babelfish @ Apr 13 2008, 01:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>And also how the two compare when we enter the summer heat in general.
Absolutely. As well as Estoril being a "michelin track" by repute in any case, it was apparently quite cool today.

stoner, back in his garage for a sulk, doors shut straight away, so far it looks a bit like a haydenesque title defence. how pressure opens cracks
[/quote]
Actually i thought Stoner kept his head far better today he accepted he couldnt "do a 2007" his bike decided to undress itself and he still didnt sulk like he had at jerez.Oh and go Brad in 125s up to 4th from 13th (11th? i forget)and webb 2nd!!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ Apr 13 2008, 11:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>stoner, back in his garage for a sulk, doors shut straight away, so far it looks a bit like a haydenesque title defence. how pressure opens cracks
Nice one Roger - remember the opening race of the season? Did you see him sulking? No? - thought not.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (michaelm @ Apr 13 2008, 11:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Absolutely. As well as Estoril being a "michelin track" by repute in any case, it was apparently quite cool today.
You could see it was cool - a lot of them had neck warmers on.

Brad up to 3rd Webbs dropped off but back up to 6.Scott Redding ran off at 1st corner

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ Apr 13 2008, 01:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>istoner, back in his garage for a sulk, doors shut straight away, so far it looks a bit like a haydenesque title defence. how pressure opens cracks
You have a point where jerez in general and dry practice and qualifying at estoril are concerned, but I thought he showed composure and made no mistakes in the race. I think he was pissed because he probably thinks he could have pushed harder earlier, and because he hates losing anyway. He was on the pace of all except lorenzo and pedrosa in the latter part of the race. Rossi scored 70 points from these races last year, and stoner only 52.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Son of Doohan @ Apr 13 2008, 02:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Nice one Roger - remember the opening race of the season? Did you see him sulking? No? - thought not.
no, i got to give him that, he only cried and sulked on 2 out of 3 races so far seriously tho, he has to learn to handle defete better or he will head .... himself .

Brads just had a pretty big highside out of the fast right kink.Bollocks,hes back on his feet okay though.

I missed the race.
Frack!

I guess I will have to wait until later this afternoon.

Well was it at least a Jorge/Dani mash-up? That is all that I am hoping for. I would love it if Jorge and Dani mixed it up to prove who is the real deal Spanish on two wheels.


ahh.. too much beer to late at night...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Duc999 @ Apr 13 2008, 02:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I missed the race.
Frack!

I guess I will have to wait until later this afternoon.

Well was it at least a Jorge/Dani mash-up? That is all that I am hoping for. I would love it if Jorge and Dani mixed it up to prove who is the real deal Spanish on two wheels.


ahh.. too much beer to late at night...
Well it was bloody nerve wracking watching it due to the odd spots of rain etc the last time i was so nervous watching a GP it was Valencia in 2006.Rossi's still not got the endurance from the Stones and jorge just got by him followed by Pedro-bot and that was it,no battle as such.

JORGE, JORGE, JORGE!!!!

Nicely done Yamaha all around...

Shame about Dovi....

Pedrosa looked unhappy....

Hayden....Dirty Tracking!!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pacman @ Apr 13 2008, 02:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I was very disappointed with Nicky, he rarely crashes, also he had the pace which makes the crash very hard to take. I reckon he could've caught Rossi and possibly got a podium.

You have to finish to get on the podium....coulda woulda mean nothing unless you DO IT!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ Apr 13 2008, 02:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>seriously tho, he has to learn to handle defete better or he will head .... himself .

Agreed. Rossi did the same thing last season, but so far this year is looking much better. Having said that he looked disappointed today, he was well beaten. It's a long season and i still can't expect Lorenzo to be a title contender but Dani has gained more points and Bridgetone need a track to favour them soon.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (michaelm @ Apr 13 2008, 10:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think ducati need to put the bike back to the set-up they had at qatar, at least stoner knows how hard he can push it and will probably get around tight circuits better than the way the thing was handling at jerez and in practice in the dry at estoril. They probably should concentrate on the things they are good at for the rest of the year, viz engine power and electronics, and get someone to work urgently on designing a new chassis for next year. Looks like those with more technical nous than me (not an exclusive group) who have been saying for years that the ducati trellis-frame chassis is obsolescent are being proven correct.

The problem isn't steel trellis frame, the problem is engine output as it was the unique thing they changed from GP7. Stoner was 1 second slower than his own qualy time last year and the frame is the same. I don't know what the hell they made with the bike, but 3 Ducatis placing the last 3 positions, this is totally shameful and ridiculous. Btw, where is the unhappy emoticon?

If they don't strike back in China, then the #1 plate will fly off from Stoner's Ducati faster than he could ride. It's impressive how some months can change the things, I knew that would happen one day but not so soon. I really don't want to come back to ages of Yamaha vs Honda again, that is quite boring and I almost sure this is witchcraft from Capirossi and Rossi.

At least we have Superbike, it is really good.