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Le Mans MotoGP:Spoiler

Anybody seen this?

I thought it's a nice read.



http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/MotoGP/2012/May/may2112-rossi-and-stoner-recall-jerez-collision/



Rossi and Stoner recall Jerez 2011 collision



The nine-times world champion said: “Unfortunately last year I know that I had a special chance in Jerez to try for the podium and I made a mistake and behave a little bit like a young rider.

"Unfortunately I also took Casey but this time I was behind him and I stayed behind and I know he had a good pace. I stayed behind him while always thinking about the mistake of last year.”



Stoner said he too had recalled the Jerez collision when hearing the engine of Rossi’s factory Ducati Desmosedici on his tail in the final stages of the 28-lap race.

The double world champion said: “I could feel when he was right behind at the start that he was thinking about Jerez. I wasn’t in a good position at that point and didn’t have such a good feeling and I could hear Valentino getting on the gas very early and attempting some overtakes.



"I expected to see a bike coming up the inside but he didn’t, so I knew immediately he was thinking about this. But I also knew at the end of the race when he had a second chance he wasn’t going to think about it. I tried to hold on and do everything I could in the braking points but we had nothing for him.”

For more from Rossi and Stoner, see the May 23 issue of MCN.
 
BarryMachine said:
WTF!!



Well I've been posting on the net for nearly 20 years too ....... why do you newbs always love to downplay the role of google these days.
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Its a great start for any search! only a ........ would see otherwise ....... or some incredibly cool internet guy who gets all his cred. from the net, and thinks he's too cool for google .
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If you never use google you are not very clever.
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Think yourself lucky we don't survive off jeeves or ask etc.
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What did we do before that? There were things called text files you downloaded that had web addresses and domain names and you gave it your best shot
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But it was a bit chicken and egg. You needed a list to get you started.



Don't get me started on what happened before the WWW... and dial-up BBS's at 24k ... with only a certain number of phone lines... those were the ..... good old days
 




Again nice comments from Stoner about their battle!



MotoGP 2012: Rider quotes from Le Mans





http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-racing-news-moto-gp/motogp-2012-rider-quotes-from-le-mans/20685.html





Jorge Lorenzo - 1st



“It was really difficult to hold concentration today, in the dry it’s complicated but in the wet it’s even more. The race feels much longer and you have to remember where the corners are slippery every lap. If you forget one you can crash very easily. I started the race determined to be in first position from the beginning and managed to keep my concentration even when Casey was catching me. It would have been easy to push a bit more and make a mistake at that moment but I waited for a few more laps to see what happened then opened the gap again to win this fantastic race. A big thank you to my team who worked very hard in difficult conditions to make a set up that worked for me.”



Valentino Rossi - 2nd



“I’m really, really happy. We knew we had a special opportunity in the wet today, so I tried to ride perfectly and not throw it away. I started well and immediately made up some positions, and then I passed the two Yamahas to get behind Stoner. I was able to match his pace, but then my visor started to fog and I had to slow down for a couple of laps until I was able to clear it by lifting it a little. Once I could see again, I re-passed Cal and then Dovi. When I realized that I could really push hard and that it was possible to catch Stoner again, I went for it. It was a great race and a nice, fun battle with Stoner to the last lap. I enjoyed myself and I’m happy for my team and all the guys at Ducati, who are working so hard for me. Now we must continue giving our all until we’re also able to be competitive in the dry. We found a good base to work from in Portugal, and it wasn’t bad in the dry here, either, although not as good as in the wet. Now our main goal is to take another step forward and make up some more tenths.”



Casey Stoner - 3rd



"I was pretty happy to hold on for a podium today. In the early stages Cal, Valentino and Dovi were behind me putting on a lot of pressure, but we managed to pull a small gap on them as I was chasing Jorge. Then as soon as the rain stopped and the track was less wet, our tyre temperatures got too high, we started spinning and there wasn't anything I could do about it. I thought the three of them would catch up and perhaps overtake me but we managed to hold on for third. I enjoyed the battle with Valentino at the end, there was clean overtaking and we swapped positions a few times but in the end we knew that Valentino had better pace than us and after he passed there was no way I could stay with him. We did everything we could today and to come away with a podium is a good result."



Dani Pedrosa - 4th



"I had no traction out of the corners, especially in first and second gear, and I wasn't able to advance. We made a few changes to the configuration of the bike after warm up hoping to improve it a bit, in the end it was other way around, but these things can happen. In the race I immediately realised it was not my day, not a day to take any risk and it was important to simply reach the best position. I was lucky, after the crashes of both Tech 3 Yamaha's I finished fourth. Wet races can be like this and today was just not our day. We lost many points to Lorenzo but the Championship is very long and we will have our time. This race is over and we must now think towards Catalunya. I'm really looking forward to going there, it's a circuit t hat motivates me a lot and I have all my family and friends with me. The team is working very well, we have a good bike and we've been fast in every race, but we need to be determined. Let's see if we can speed up a little and take our first win of the season in Catalunya."



Stefan Bradl - 5th



“This is a fantastic feeling! I am very happy and the whole Team is happy too: this makes me very proud. Honestly I think nobody was expecting such a good result in my fourth race in this class. In general the weekend was tough because we were struggling a lot in finding the right set up for the dry sessions and I also had a big crash in yesterday’s qualifying. Finally it rained before the race and I knew we had a good package on the wet. Already on my sighting lap I could feel that was my WOW bike and my first lap was amazing as after the first split I was holding the 7th position. After that I rode behind Pedrosa for a long time who has got a very precise riding style. I learnt very much from him. When it started to dry up I could ride with more confidence adapting to the situation even if Hayden was trying to catch me.”



Nicky Hayden - 6th



“There must have been something on the inside of the track just after the start, because everybody that went on that side either crashed or almost did. My jump was really good, and then just as I was ready to go to second gear, the tyre completely broke loose and the bike started fishtailing. I got buried in the pack and couldn’t see for the first few laps. Once I got through some guys and had a clear track, my rhythm wasn’t too bad. I was bringing Bradl and Pedrosa back a bit, but when I got it down to two seconds, I almost crashed and had to try again. I got to Bradl’s wheel at the end but just couldn’t do anything. It’s frustrating because we’ve got a really good wet bike. I know we had more potential than sixth, but the start hurt me. Congratulations to the team for the podium. They certainly deserve it.”



Andrea Dovizioso - 7th



“Although the conditions were far from ideal, it was a fantastic race and I really enjoyed it and I hope all the Tech 3 fans in the crowd did too. It was easy to make a mistake on such a wet track but I am really satisfied that I could make such a high pace. The battle with Cal and Valentino was hard but a lot of fun and it is a shame that I crashed while I still had a very good chance of my first podium for Tech 3 and Yamaha. I really wanted to achieve it here in the Team's home race, and also an important race f or our sponsor Monster. The last 12 laps my front tyre kept closing but Valentino couldn't escape from me and I could see we were catching Casey. I knew that I was pushing right on the limit with the tyres but I wanted to try and go with Valentino. It is a pity to crash but I'm really happy with my feeling with the Yamaha now. I was fast all weekend in the wet and dry and my Team did a great job, so we can look forward to the next races with a lot of confidence.”



Cal Crutchlow - 8th



“I'm not happy to have crashed while I was fighting for the podium, but the consolation is that at least I was battling for the top three again. Being quickest in the warm-up this morning meant I was confident going into the race but I wasn't really aggressive at the start. It was a great battle with Andrea and Valentino though but I see med to miss out on a bit of speed on the straight compared to them. That meant I had to make up all my time in the corners. It was a shame I crashed because I was fighting with Valentino and he finished second. There was a chance of the podium today but at least I was there and I lost so much time after the crash that to still finish eighth is a bonus really. Now we go to Barcelona knowing it will be tough but I will looking to be battling for the podium again.”



Hector Barbera - 9th



“It was a very difficult race and I couldn’t ride as I like because of a setup that was too stiff. We made this change during the warm up and it worked very well, but the conditions of the track during the race, were fully changed and the surface of the circuit was more wet than in the warm up. Toward the end I was able to outperform Karel and achieve the 9th place, but, honestly, I’m not very happy with today’s result.”



Alvaro Bautista - 10th



“I didn’t feel in tune with the bike and I couldn’t keep up with the group of riders ahead of me. The only option was to try and finish the race as best I could, and that is what I managed to do. I’m rather disappointed with how things went today.”



James Ellison - 11th



"The team boss Paul Bird was here this weekend and thankfully we put on a good show for him. We think we have found a setting that works in the wet or dry. It was a tough race and I'm just glad to get one for the team and I'd just like to say thanks to all my sponsors who have supported me and to the team who have done a fantastic job. I'm really looking forward to the next round and hope we can build on this result."



Mattia Pasini - 12th



“The conditions were very complicated and this was a difficult race, the track was very slippery. We started from the rear of the grid, in the initial phases it was hard to see because of water. We fought with a couple of MotoGP machines and it wasn’t wasy: even if I was fast in the turns, the MotoGP machines were tough to overtake. Little by little I managed to comeback and to reach Petrucci. In the last part of the race the rear tyre was worn out and I had less traction, I tried to lower the control but that didn’t help. We’re the second CRT on the finishing line and that isn’t bad, we are improving and I’m happy. Generally speaking, considering the conditions, I can say we did a good race.”



Aleix Espargaró - 13th



“This weekend was a disaster -it couldn’t have gone worse. In the morning warmup I felt more or less ok, but then when the race came around I was not comfortable at all. I didn’t have any weight on the rear and was sliding around on the gas. We rode really slowly and were far off everyone, but at least this weekend is over and I can look ahead to Montmeló. ”



Michele Pirro - 14th



“Unfortunately, this is the first time that I have been lapped in my life, and that left me feeling very bitter. The electronics didn’t help me at all, and without electronics things become very difficult in the wet. I just tried to take home the best result that I could, and I remain very disappointed."



Ben Spies - 16th



“That was a rough race. We actually got off to a good start at the beginning then had a very big moment on the line, something happened because then I had quite a lot of water coming in through my helmet and couldn’t see much on the first five laps. I hoped it would get better but I couldn’t see anything and decided to come in because I need to see where I am going. I knew the race was gone by then so went back out to try and get some data and get better working with the bike in the rain. Circumstances meant it wasn’t a good day.”



Read more: http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle...-quotes-from-le-mans/20685.html#ixzz1vXYkp7pL
 
I enjoyed the race on Sunday, Lorenzo was just superb and he really looks awesome when he's on it like that. I keep going back and forth on a week by week basis about whos going to be the man this year, for now at least I just hope the battle stays tight for as long as possible. It was a real pleasure to see Rossi riding up at the front again, really placing the bike around the circuit and making moves like we know he can. I know the rain suits his bike much more, and maybe his motivation has stepped up a gear recently but I hope they can make some real progress soon. Stoner rode smart and did what he needed to do, but for once he was not particularly spectacular. It was nice to see both the Tech3 guys fighting for a podium, although i was devastated to see Cal crash, luckily he was still able to get a half decent result. I wouldn't ever say i was happy to see Dovi fall, but as a Cal fan I'd say it was slightly reassuring to know he was trying every bit as hard, I think that battle will run all season long.



The real question for me this weekend is what on earth is going on with Ben Spies, it just isn't good enough at all. I think his ride is safe for the year and we wont see any contract breaking or mid season sackings/shuffles, but he needs to get a good few podiums under his belt soon or his ride for next year will be out the window. We know how good Ben is, his results on the Tech3 and his win last year are both impressive and recent. Whatevers troubling him needs to be discovered and dealt with asap.
 
Tom said:
The real question for me this weekend is what on earth is going on with Ben Spies, it just isn't good enough at all. I think his ride is safe for the year and we wont see any contract breaking or mid season sackings/shuffles, but he needs to get a good few podiums under his belt soon or his ride for next year will be out the window. We know how good Ben is, his results on the Tech3 and his win last year are both impressive and recent. Whatever is troubling him needs to be discovered and dealt with asap.
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I've heard every excuse under the sun. Some are saying that his pinched nerve in his neck is causing riding troubles, aggravated even more by his Qatar crash. Others are saying Lin wants him out, while many blame his team and setup chief Housworth. All we can go off is what Ben and the team are telling us. He lacks confidence and is on the receiving end of some bad luck. It's hard to imagine that being the case watching him grow up but that's what he says is going on.



He also said that he had a good start. Anybody see his start, it was anything but good. Kind of setup his pitting after five races.



In my opinion something more is going on, or at least I want to believe that something more is going on. Even with my biased eyes the fact that he has shown great promise in the first two years and was really close in testing leads me to believe that there is something more to the story.
 
SackWack said:
I've heard every excuse under the sun. Some are saying that his pinched nerve in his neck is causing riding troubles, aggravated even more by his Qatar crash. Others are saying Lin wants him out, while many blame his team and setup chief Housworth. All we can go off is what Ben and the team are telling us. He lacks confidence and is on the receiving end of some bad luck. It's hard to imagine that being the case watching him grow up but that's what he says is going on.



He also said that he had a good start. Anybody see his start, it was anything but good. Kind of setup his pitting after five races.



In my opinion something more is going on, or at least I want to believe that something more is going on. Even with my biased eyes the fact that he has shown great promise in the first two years and was really close in testing leads me to believe that there is something more to the story.
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Yes indeed, there's much more to it, and the now added speculation around next season and Stoners retirement is no doubt making Yamaha seriously consider their options. Ben is on the factory Yamaha, on it's day this season is the best machine on the grid. The results have to pick up for him, as they can't do anything else.....
 
good posts gentlemen,

what worries me about spies is that if the tech 3 guys keep beating him he might not only lose his factory ,but any seat on a yamaha bike.



but given how well the tech3 guys do against the satellite hondas i have to wonder whether its not an option for yamaha to field 4 identical bikes next year, they seem to be identical in performance at the moment to me.

that way they could keep cal and dovi in tech3 (and put smith on a crt if they have to take him) and that opens up the opportunity for rossi and spies to swap seats. wouldn't mind seeing spies and hayden on the same bike
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cliché guevara said:
but given how well the tech3 guys do against the satellite hondas i have to wonder whether its not an option for yamaha to field 4 identical bikes next year, they seem to be identical in performance at the moment to me.
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For that to happen, YMC would have to supply T3 with some engineers. I don't know if that would be a possibility.



They all started the season on the same bikes. What difference there was between the T3 M1 and the YMC M1 would be down to software. The fact of it is, the T3 engineers are just damned good with that bike, after nearly 8 years of spannering on it. And they know it - they are the hot privateer team. I don't know how well they would take to being a tame factory outfit.



Lorenzo has Forcada, Dovi has Coulon, Crutchlow has Romagnoli - Spies has Houseworth...



Forcada is a suspension specialist with 20 years in the GP paddock, Coulon is the engineering brains behind T3 and Romagnoli is a sixteen year veteran - was ex Yamaha works team engineer, then Lorenzo's team manager, then to Moto2 with T3 and now to Crutchlow.



I really think the problem with Spies isn't Spies or the M1, it's with Houseworth's ability to get the best out of the M1. He's a dinosaur from the AMA... he thinks in inches, YMC engineers think in mm.



Whatever happened to Gary Reynders? After Toseland went back to SBK, I haven't seen where he ended up. As the former 'borderline genius' on both the T3 and YMC squads, he wouldn't be content out of GP, surely? Again, another suspension specialist...



EDIT: I see he is crew chief at GP Team Switzerland, running Randy Krummernacher's efforts
 
bill88 said:
i think its better for both spies and nicky, and valentino actually, to move to wsbk. its the only place they can challenge for wins and championships, plus the much more relaxed atmosphere in the paddock... the upcoming moto2 guys will get their rides..
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Me think Spies and Hayden definetly to WSBK. That Valentino the way he rode in the wet with Stoner, he can still fight at the front if on a Yamaha or Honda.
 
Zootalaws said:
I really think the problem with Spies isn't Spies or the M1, it's with Houseworth's ability to get the best out of the M1. He's a dinosaur from the AMA... he thinks in inches, YMC engineers think in mm.
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Houseworth hasn't had a too much of a problem setting up Ben's bike in the two years at tech 3 and during the pre season testing. Obviously there was no data to go off of for the new format so everyone was starting from scratch but all evidence from testing indicates Spies was moving in the right direction and would be a challenger.
 
Just watched the race. Brilliant race. Jorge was pure smoothness and consistency. He rode brilliant. congratulation to Yamaha fans. Not a good day for both Honda riders. Stoner and Pedrosa didn't had any traction and rear grip and they also had the chatter issue. But again what a ride from Valentino Rossi. If only ducati was the same in dry conditions. This guy is a real SOB under brakings in any occasion. He was amazing. He just showed everyone he is not yet finished. It is all about the bike in his case.
 
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Nice picture, I don't personally believe the dead can communicate or influence with the living (I'm not saying thats your point posting the pic, as I think you feel the same as me on this). Btw, what is the caption? CK sent me a pic once, where Sic is on the side of a building. It looked photoshopped, but I don't know for sure. It would be cool if that was a real pic though.
 
Jumkie said:
Nice picture, but I don't personally believe the dead can communicate or influence with the living (I'm not saying thats your point posting the pic, as I think you feel the same as me on this). Btw, what is the caption? CK sent me a pic once, where Sic is on the side of a building. It looked photoshopped, but I don't know for sure. It would be cool if that was a real pic though.
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To be honest a mate who does not follow the sport and i had no idea he new i did posted it on my facebook time line. Im like you in not believing in the dead helping the living but the scrapes ive got out of in my life does make me wonder sometimes
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So all this talk about Ben Spies and Hayden going to SBK, the Tech 3 guys moving around to perhaps a factory position etc etc etc. What about Depuniet? The guy crashed right off the start, gets his backup bike and crashed that to, I guess he should be up for a ride on a factory squad next to right? lol
 
I dont think De Puniet will do anything especial even on a fac honda, if he was there now he would have crashed every race with this chatter problems..
 

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