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Francis Fatta not happy with new Superpole format

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Bootsakah

Joined Aug 2007
958 Posts | 0+
Idaho
MotoGP Matters Article

I knew it would only be a matter of time before someone would complain about the new Superpole format in WSBK, but I kinda figured it would be Aprilia or BMW since they have screwed it up a few times now.

Personally I am torn on the whole thing, 3 sessions and only 2 quali tires. I like the idea of it being a game, a gamble, who can save the 2 quali's for the last 2 sessions, but at the same time I don't like seeing people get caught out in the first session that are good enough for the top 2 sessions. Of course they have made it out to be a game and some teams are may be gambling too much in the first session.

I would be fine if they did away with the Quali tires all together, it would allow for more track time for the riders, and would remove the go out once and put in a fast lap then come back to the garage and sit situation. Also with Quali tires there is the chance that during that one fast lap you get caught up behind a rider and are screwed. This kind of unforeseen situation I don't like.

If they do keep the format as is I wish they would put a colored stripe on the quali tires, so we can tell when they have them on while watching it. If you haven't seen the new Superpole its good fun to watch, and in my opinion a lot more exciting then MotoGP Quali time.
 
The new qualifying format isn't complicated and I don't know why Batta is making such a ridiculous fuss. There is no benefit to using the new qualifying format if all 3 rounds are run on qualifiers.

The game is simple. Do you want to go for pole, or are you willing to settle for the top 8? A vast majority of the teams run both qualifiers in rounds 1&2. According to game theory, almost everyone but the top few riders will adopt this strategy. Only Ben, Nori, Haslam, maybe a few others have the pace to run race rubber in the opening session without fear of being knocked out.

Most of the disastrous sessions have occurred from teams who are going for the pole rather than settling for the top 8. You can win from the front 2 rows. Pole is just for glory hounds.
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I will say though Spies came real close to not making it into the 2nd round this last pole session at Assen. He was 14 of 16th fastest. He made it and saved his two Quali tires for the final 2, but that's cutting it close. I fear they might mess up one of these future superpole sessions.

I do agree with you though Lex, myself I like the new format and the gamble factor, makes for some exciting watching, with the commentators and myself trying to guess who is running a Quali tire. I still think a colored sidewall stripe would be nice to identify the Quali tires.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bootsakah @ May 5 2009, 03:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>[

If they do keep the format as is I wish they would put a colored stripe on the quali tires, so we can tell when they have them on while watching it. If you haven't seen the new Superpole its good fun to watch, and in my opinion a lot more exciting then MotoGP Quali time.
If it isn't Ducati, it's usually Alstare Suzuki petitioning for a rule change.

They were using the stripe i.d on Friday free practice at Jerez. The Suzukis had a green stripe to indicate a softer compound. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this what they do in F1?
 
Superpole is awesome. I love the new format. Their is a ton of strategy and maybe some luck involved. It moves along at a great pace and their seems to never be a dull moment. Even the 5-10 minutes in between sessions is neat to watch. Some riders appear nervous and other try to appear to cool for school but you can tell they are nervous. I, as a fan, haven't been dissappointed in the least.

Hey Fatta style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/.....gif
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arrabbiata1 @ May 5 2009, 04:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>If it isn't Ducati, it's usually Alstare Suzuki petitioning for a rule change.

They were using the stripe i.d on Friday free practice at Jerez. The Suzukis had a green stripe to indicate a softer compound. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this what they do in F1?

Yep you are right Arrab, they were using a stripe to indicate the compound, nice touch for the fan watching at home. Not sure what they do in F1, 3 hours of practice/quali time is time I don't have to watch.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SackWack @ May 5 2009, 04:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Superpole is awesome. I love the new format. Their is a ton of strategy and maybe some luck involved. It moves along at a great pace and their seems to never be a dull moment. Even the 5-10 minutes in between sessions is neat to watch. Some riders appear nervous and other try to appear to cool for school but you can tell they are nervous. I, as a fan, haven't been dissappointed in the least.

Hey Fatta style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/.....gif

I agree with you Sack, the whole session is exciting, fast paced and the coverage is pretty good. Can't wait to see it live at Miller in 4 weeks.
 
I like the new format aswell. And it's all about the tactics which is great to watch, do you want to use your qual in the first session or save it for the last two but then you have the chance of being knocked out.

Some people did .... this up big time the last few races but it's the gamble that they took to be on pole or be in 18th place. And if there pace is good enough then it should be easy enough to pass the 1st session without using a qualifier. So the whole thing about "it doesnt show who really is the fastest" is a load of #$%&@ in my opinion.

And Batta is a whiner, he was also complaining about the Aprilia not being legal etc. He should just get his own things sorted and stop complaining when he cant win.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arrabbiata1 @ May 5 2009, 05:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>They were using the stripe i.d on Friday free practice at Jerez. The Suzukis had a green stripe to indicate a softer compound.
Correct, but that's MotoGP, not SBK.

As a spectator I like the new format. No one is safe until the end of each session.
 
I think the superpole format at the moment is pretty dull because there aren't enough significant competitors to make either of the first two sessions particularly exciting.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 7 2009, 06:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think the superpole format at the moment is pretty dull because there aren't enough significant competitors to make either of the first two sessions particularly exciting.

<
Your joking right?
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 7 2009, 02:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think the superpole format at the moment is pretty dull because there aren't enough significant competitors to make either of the first two sessions particularly exciting.
<


so, if there are enough "significant competitors" in the final session, where do they come from?
surely they have to be there in the first 2 sessions or are they imported especially for the last part?
this IMO is a poorly executed shot at WSB...
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BigAl @ May 8 2009, 10:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>
<


so, if there are enough "significant competitors" in the final session, where do they come from?
surely they have to be there in the first 2 sessions or are they imported especially for the last part?
this IMO is a poorly executed shot at WSB...

It's just that the people who go out in the first two sessions don't tend to significant, so them going out doesn't seem a big deal
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BigAl @ May 8 2009, 10:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>
<


so, if there are enough "significant competitors" in the final session, where do they come from?
surely they have to be there in the first 2 sessions or are they imported especially for the last part?
this IMO is a poorly executed shot at WSB...

Oops, double post
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 8 2009, 07:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>It's just that the people who go out in the first two sessions don't tend to significant, so them going out doesn't seem a big deal
Other than Spies I think everyone on the grid has been knocked out prior to the third session at least once.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (heng47 @ May 8 2009, 04:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>QP tyres will be marked for Monza.
http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/latest-new...e-at-monza.html

Let's see how that messes things up.

Incomplete information is what leads to a tumultuous qualifying format. This marked qualifying tire is pure marketing fluff. Flamini are giving baby Batta his bottle.

Batta. What a blubbery Belgian ...... Wasn't it Batta who cried to InFront after Biaggi got 2nd in Superpole at PI? If I remember correctly he was going to lodge a formal complaint b/c the RSV4 was a prototype bike that was not yet offered for sale
<
He had months to lodge the complaint but he waited until after Superpole at PI.

He's still crying because he couldn't get Spies, now that Spies has won every pole, he's whining again.

Stupid decision by InFront.

1563.jpg

Don't let the fried chicken grease cause you to drop another ill-gotten trophy.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ May 8 2009, 09:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Incomplete information is what leads to a tumultuous qualifying format. This marked qualifying tire is pure marketing fluff. Flamini are giving baby Batta his bottle.

Batta. What a blubbery Belgian ...... Wasn't it Batta who cried to InFront after Biaggi got 2nd in Superpole at PI? If I remember correctly he was going to lodge a formal complaint b/c the RSV4 was a prototype bike that was not yet offered for sale
<
He had months to lodge the complaint but he waited until after Superpole at PI.

He's still crying because he couldn't get Spies, now that Spies has won every pole, he's whining again.

Stupid decision by InFront.

1563.jpg

Don't let the fried chicken grease cause you to drop another ill-gotten trophy.
Are you sure that isn't Philip Seymour Hoffman?
 

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