Le Man Race Discussion *SPOILER*

Just watched the race again, (different network and commentators), its easier to look for things when you're not yelling at the tv.

WTF happened to Edwards. His start wasn't so bad, into the first corner he was about 7th or 8th as soon as he rolled off 3 or 4 riders came past him. He tips into the second corner, 3 or 4 riders come past him. Im sure Colin will reach into his vault of excuses, but it looked as though he was riding way too defensively, got dropped, came into the pits early trying to catch up, got lapped, got lapped, got lapped and hopefully will get fired.

Another rider looking looking for a Tech 3 ride should be Capirossi. He was right with Stoner when the wets came on, then he went right the way back. Im sure he is under pressure, he hasn't had a team mate at Ducati that has made him look so bad. Get your .... together. Ducati Marlboro 1-2 at Mugello.

Nicky Haydens crash looked really fast, don't know if he locked the front or what, but .... that was quick.

As far as Rossi goes, the team and Michelin ...... up. I'll assume the tire choice was the reason for the poor performance (waiting a press release to confirm). Bad choice, ordinary result. It wasn't devastating to his championship, hes still got a 19 pt lead over Pedrosa and is 21 behind Stoner. Problem is the next 2 tracks should be good for Ducati. Le Man was going to be good for Yamaha, so .... knows whats going to happen, Honda might win it!!!!

I was surprised to see everyone make it through the first turn, and even more surprised only 12 guys finished. It was lucky the crashers didn't take out any contenders, Checa was probably the closest to doing that.

Definitely the most interesting race of the season, roll on Mugello

Congrats to Vermulen. Fabulous ride by him.
Congrats to Melandri and Stoner too. Stoner rode like a true championship contender. I'm more and more impressed by this guy. First time out in the rain on a GP bike and take 3rd! Pedrosa was a positive surprice too.
Finally, congrats to Rossi for staying on! I'm not going to compare with others but strategy or tires failed or maybe Rossi was pushing too hard on his first lap with wets on, allthough it didn't look like that. Regardless, he did one of his most spectacular races saving all those slides, while going at the same speed or slower than the others. The grip was simly not there and he still saved it. Team strategy may stink but it sure was great riding.

And I'm not cheering Guintoli or de Puniet, the two frogs going up in the front like that and hope for a finsh is like being poor, spending all your money on a lottery. 1:1 000 000 probability.

Yay

Now that I don't like Stoner anymore (until this season was one of my fave riders)....I think he is going to win the title!

That was so great with the two frogs at the front. I was going mental with them being in my fantasy league team. Shame I had to come back to reality

Does anyone have any memory of how Pedrosa used to go in the wet in the lower cc classes? I think it maybe not that he's crap in the wet. Just he hasn't had the chance to really develope in the wet on the bigger bike.

Electric had a good point that not many understood re:rossi and yamaha...."make your own luck" comes to mind.

Is the myth of white lines in the wet true? I wondered if Nicky's crash was a result of one?

Final (not very serious) thoughts: never ever support french riders again bye bye edwards. bye bye capirossi. welcome JT. welcome lollipop!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (krazy91 @ May 20 2007, 04:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>hahahah Spot on Roger spot on, also was anyone surprised to see Toni go down? I mean he cant stay on in the dry the rain I was just hoping he wasnt around anyone who is contending for the championship




Pete

Boy, did Michelin get it's ... handed to them! At their home track even. I'm correct that only Rossi and #26 were their only two riders to finish the race, right?

I can't help to believe that something was wrong with Rossi's and Edward's map settings for the rain. Why did Colin pit so early? Rossi looked like he was having trouble at times around the corners. Just my two cents

Thats the pits, for Nicky!!! Will Randy deDumpIt ever finish a race at his home track?

My hats off to the rest of the race (Chris , Marco, Casey, Frenchy Gimli, and HOFFMAN!!!)

Great result for Vermullin, anyone with eyes could see there was something FAR wrong with Rossi's bike/tyres. I love the way the Rossi fans are dismissed as mindless but its the other folks who chose to ignore the guys achievements and shout about his impending demise. All is not well there and it's obvious.

Hayboy, jeez, what does he have to do this year? Pedrobot and Stoner rode excellent races, hard to fault.

Elias did well to fall off without fking up anyone elses race, he must be maturing.

Today though, my heart went out to Haystack, Guintoli and De Puniet (its a yellow thing obviously)

Pete

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (basspete @ May 20 2007, 07:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Great result for Vermullin, anyone with eyes could see there was something FAR wrong with Rossi's bike/tyres. I love the way the Rossi fans are dismissed as mindless but its the other folks who chose to ignore the guys achievements and shout about his impending demise. All is not well there and it's obvious.

All was not well, but Rossi made a lot of errors today, when the man he is up against first and foremost made none again. Michelin tires were not that bad since Pedrosa of all people got one to 4th. Todays problems lied with tire choice, setup and riding for Rossi, and they are all things that he has at least some control over. I was disappointed not to see the wet weather genius he is supposed to be

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 20 2007, 07:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>All was not well, but Rossi made a lot of errors today, when the man he is up against first and foremost made none again. Michelin tires were not that bad since Pedrosa of all people got one to 4th. Todays problems lied with tire choice, setup and riding for Rossi, and they are all things that he has at least some control over. I was disappointed not to see the wet weather genius he is supposed to be


But it's easy to make mistakes on track when your bike is handling like a pig on stilts. (Sorry I forgot the guy has never won in the wet before.)

Stoner rode excellently no doubt, but anyone who knows Rossi, and has ever ridden a motorbike in rain could see all was not well. Rossi made a helluva lot of saves today that may well have put others into the gravel.

Pete

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 20 2007, 12:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>All was not well, but Rossi made a lot of errors today, when the man he is up against first and foremost made none again. Michelin tires were not that bad since Pedrosa of all people got one to 4th. Todays problems lied with tire choice, setup and riding for Rossi, and they are all things that he has at least some control over. I was disappointed not to see the wet weather genius he is supposed to be
Ya, pat your self on the back buddy. Rossi has lost his talent!!!


ps..don't fool yourself

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (basspete @ May 20 2007, 01:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>But it's easy to make mistakes on track when your bike is handling like a pig on stilts. (Sorry I forgot the guy has never won in the wet before.)

Stoner rode excellently no doubt, but anyone who knows Rossi, and has ever ridden a motorbike in rain could see all was not well. Rossi made a helluva lot of saves today that may well have put others into the gravel.

Pete

Just a little extra thing to mention Pete…

Plus all those other riders that did fall and did not make the saves as you rightly say Pete. If no one else had fallen, still to make those saves with that tire was great achievement, but all them falls tells a lot about track changing conditions, so to bring a 6th place there I think it was great. How many of the 13 riders (the first 6 make up 19 total) would have taken home a nice well fought 6th place under ‘good tire’ conditions in wet?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (VHMP01 @ May 20 2007, 08:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Just a little extra thing to mention Pete…

Plus all those other riders that did fall and did not make the saves as you rightly say Pete. If no one else had fallen, still to make those saves with that tire was great achievement, but all them falls tells a lot about track changing conditions, so to bring a 6th place there I think it was great. How many of the 13 riders (the first 6 make up 19 total) would have taken home a nice well fought 6th place under ‘good tire’ conditions in wet?


Not gonna argue with that....

I'm sure somebody will tho!

Pete

You guys are a little bit quick on the defensive, and i don't want to rub in the disappointing result, i expected more. I am not claiming hes lost his talent, just that he should have done better today.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 20 2007, 08:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>You guys are a little bit quick on the defensive, and i don't want to rub in the disappointing result, i expected more. I am not claiming hes lost his talent, just that he should have done better today.


Maybe you need to give him some riding tips then Tom.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (basspete @ May 20 2007, 08:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Maybe you need to give him some riding tips then Tom.

yeah, nice

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (basspete @ May 20 2007, 01:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Maybe you need to give him some riding tips then Tom.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 20 2007, 08:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>yeah, nice

Just a suggestion

From now we have to live with tires excuses...

Before change the bike, his tires was performing as good as Bridgestones, however, he pulled from a far 1st to 4th, where Stoner outperform him 1 lap before get to the boxes. How the fans explain this so?

Ah, i think i know...fans will say: tire problems.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (basspete @ May 20 2007, 04:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Maybe you need to give him some riding tips then Tom.

To be honest, at least from pyschological part, it wouldn't a bad idea.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gui22a @ May 20 2007, 08:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>From now we have to live with tires excuses...

Before change the bike, his tires was performing as good as Bridgestones, however, he pulled from a far 1st to 4th, where Stoner outperform him 1 lap before get to the boxes. How the fans explain this so?

Ah, i think i know...fans will say: tire problems.
To be honest, at least from pyschological part, it wouldn't a bad idea.


Eh?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gui22a @ May 20 2007, 01:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>From now we have to live with tires excuses...

Before change the bike, his tires was performing as good as Bridgestones, however, he pulled from a far 1st to 4th, where Stoner outperform him 1 lap before get to the boxes. How the fans explain this so?

Ah, i think i know...fans will say: tire problems.
To be honest, at least from pyschological part, it wouldn't a bad idea.
What race were you watching? High lights don't count

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Traverser @ May 20 2007, 04:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>What race were you watching? High lights don't count

Who Stoner was fighting in the pit lane before change the bike?