*** Le Mans Race *** SPOILERS

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (convertmel @ May 18 2008, 06:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>its more that the late robert dunlop had a helmet of similar style to nieto.
and i hope tose dosen't whine about the incedent, even a biased englishman as me can see what goes around comes around, ya can't keep barging people around and not expect to get a taste back , its human nature..............maybe he will leave people a little more room in future
nah, he was pretty cool about it from what i hear on the tv, he said shame but these things happen.

When he was speaking to Randy on Eurosport I thought he sounded like he was blaming Dovi but maybe I misheard. At least he is now going to a curcuit he has done a number of laps around now in Mugello.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (basspete @ May 18 2008, 08:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>No Tom, were all waiting for you to say that Vale's win was crap coz he didn't start on pole, so he obviously wasn't the best rider of the weekend.

There can only be one winner!!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (basspete @ May 18 2008, 08:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Today loooked to me like the best of one generation and the best of the next generation at the front.

We've been watching that all season, the entry list hasn't changed

Bring on the next one!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (basspete @ May 19 2008, 05:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Today loooked to me like the best of one generation and the best of the next generation at the front.
They also have the best bike on the grid by far.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Traverser @ May 18 2008, 01:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>3315:nieto.jpg]
Nieto himself

Joey's was known for yellow with black
Not Joey, his brother Robert.[RIP] I think it's just each guys design though.

Congrats to Rossi on a brilliant ride. Ride of the day goes to Jorge, what a performance, the guy certainly has come big chupa chups. Edwards, well he managed to blow instead of suck, Duc999 spot on with everything there.

Hayden is handing his ride to Dovisioso.

Although everyone is praising Yamaha and Rossi, I'm not so optimistic. Yes, the Yamaha handles very well and is a nice package(good balance between engine, tyres, chassis) but there were certain worrying aspects.

The speed deficit to the Honda(with spring valves) was noticeable, albeit not profound. It will be scary when Honda brings in the pneumatic valve engine, I trust that Dani will be very difficult to beat.

At one point, Rossi(around one bike length) was directly behind Stoner on the main straight, and Stoner was still pulling away. Slipstreaming is a very powerful effect at 300 km/h plus, to see Stoner pulling away so comprehensively with Vale in his slipstream was eye opening.

Additionally, the acceleration out of the corners for the Yamaha was unimpressive.

^ I noticed that too, Stoner was pulling away on the straights...

however,

I'll worry about that when it actually happens. For now, I'll enjoy the win. Plus, given the negativities you pointed out, it just made the win sweeter for me

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RCV600RR @ May 19 2008, 09:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Although everyone is praising Yamaha and Rossi, I'm not so optimistic. Yes, the Yamaha handles very well and is a nice package(good balance between engine, tyres, chassis) but there were certain worrying aspects.

The speed deficit to the Honda(with spring valves) was noticeable, albeit not profound. It will be scary when Honda brings in the pneumatic valve engine, I trust that Dani will be very difficult to beat.

At one point, Rossi(around one bike length) was directly behind Stoner on the main straight, and Stoner was still pulling away. Slipstreaming is a very powerful effect at 300 km/h plus, to see Stoner pulling away so comprehensively with Vale in his slipstream was eye opening.

Additionally, the acceleration out of the corners for the Yamaha was unimpressive.

Pedrobot probably not saving his tire or he made a bad tire selction, he could have taken 2nd spot, what a pity for Stoner, bad luck or what in year 2008..Speed different not that much btwn Honda and Yam but should Honda use Pneumatic Valve in next race, we shall see a three way battle betwwn Rossi, Pedrosa & Stoner in Muggelo..

Congrat too the Doctor on his successful surgery and Lorenzo..shame to Edwards for not able to fight with handicapped Lorenzo..,

Looked more like the Rossi of old today, took his time then lead till the finish. Excellent and a brave ride from Whorehey. Edwards rode extremely well today and added another boost to the Tech 3 team. Stoner really needs to think about winning the next few races if he is to stand a chance.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (V5Stroker @ May 19 2008, 03:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>what a pity for Stoner, bad luck or what in year 2008..
As we have discussed before you need both talent and luck to win a world championship; even valentino's ran out for a couple of years (I am referring to his luck, not his talent) and he is fairly good at making his own luck. Casey needed a lot of things to go right to win a world championship on a ducati, particularly against rossi, up to and including jagging a ride in a transitional year of rule changes when the bike was very competitive with the factory hondas and yamahas, favourable track conditions with wet races and newly laid tracks, crashing only in practice not in the races, no mechanical failures, no-one crashing in to him etc.; he is unlikely to have so fortunate a year again. As j4rno said elsewhere I think he will be back. I think he is at least as good as pedrosa, but lorenzo certainly at the moment looks rather more likely to challenge rossi as an all-time great in the long term. Regardless, casey provided me with a lot of enjoyment in 2007, and I will remain a fan.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Son of Doohan @ May 19 2008, 12:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>They also have the best bike on the grid by far.
funny that, you kicked up last year when the same was said about stoners bike !

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (phleg @ May 18 2008, 05:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>What was Dovi doing? He pulled right across his nose and left him nowhere to go.
Dovi was just holding his line.
He was interviewed after the race on italian telly ...the interviewer insisted on making him turn round for the camera to show his scraped leathers. He was like 'the guy really ought to calm himself down' hehe...
Despite the great riding, the chance to finally see a brit do well in GP, the hunkiness, the piano playing, the smooth talking and all the rest he's got going for him I'm afraid I'm starting to not like JT very much.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Evolution @ May 18 2008, 05:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Why did Melandri went in to change to rain tyres?

He was bottom of the heap and had nothing to lose. if it had chucked down it might have paid off.

Interestingly Italian telly raised the debate as to whether Ducati/Suppo should have pulled Marco in to allow Stoner to get the one point (and after pushing his bike the length of the track he bloody well deserved it imo) which could be crucial at a later stage in the championship. They're actually running a poll on it on their website and 75% voted against, saying team orders would not be fair.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (J4rn0 @ May 18 2008, 07:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Nieto and Rossi have always been good friends, nice of Rossi to have planned a show for the old legend, even letting him ride his M1. It shows how Valentino has a deep racing culture, he constantly connects to the history of the sport - something the other younger champs often lack.
Nieto and Rossi are indeed buddies. Nieto was interviewed during free practice and asked whether he minded being caught up by vale...he said he didn't mind, that vale was right up there with the greatest of the sport and that no one has ever done as much to take it to a worldwide audience.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (vale4607 @ May 19 2008, 02:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Hayden is handing his ride to Dovisioso.



Nicky is riding like a broken disheartened man....I think he's just giving up on the whole thing, and looking for an out of the team, season, and maybe even series...

Think about it....
If you're a prospective employer would you want someone that is sliding down the order, can't give his team any direction on how to help him with his bike, can't get on with the new bikes and rules, and costs a small fortune ($1mil+)?
Or would you be looking around for a hungry young rider willing to work for peanuts, learn and adapt their riding style to suit the bike or rules, and bring a few sponsors with them?

Riders coming in near future;
Kallio, Bautista, Spies, RL Hayden (irony), Aoyama, Takahashi...and may others...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bikergirl @ May 19 2008, 10:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Dovi was just holding his line.
He was interviewed after the race on italian telly ...the interviewer insisted on making him turn round for the camera to show his scraped leathers. He was like 'the guy really ought to calm himself down' hehe...
Despite the great riding, the chance to finally see a brit do well in GP, the hunkiness, the piano playing, the smooth talking and all the rest he's got going for him I'm afraid I'm starting to not like JT very much.

Like he did in Jerez when he almost took two riders out at the last turn?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ May 19 2008, 09:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>funny that, you kicked up last year when the same was said about stoners bike !


Bravo Rog, your really giving it back to the Rossi haters.. How surprising not to see any posts from Pinky, Barry and Co. To me Rossi did'nt look all that washed up or past his sell by date yesterday, he rode an excellent race for a guy at the very old age of 29, I guess we will have to wait until Stoners next win for those guys to surface again

Someone else wrote that Rossi fans are being petty, come on they have had to put up with it for 2yrs so let them bask in the double win and the chamionship lead.. who knows how long it will last!!!

Biggest let down of the race yesterday was seeing the chain break on hopkins kwaker with all the money being thrown into those machines you'd think they would at least get a decent chain, it dose'nt get much more embarrassing than that

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ May 19 2008, 06:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>funny that, you kicked up last year when the same was said about stoners bike !
Funny that - no one has seemed to mention this at all so far in regards to the yamaha. Just evening out the score from last year. The yamaha is quick, is stable under braking, switches direction with ease and works with both michelin and bridgestone. Seems like it's a damn good bike. Winner in 3 of the 5 races this year with lots of podiums as well.

And it seems only one person can ride the ducati.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (odessa @ May 19 2008, 08:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Bravo Rog, your really giving it back to the Rossi haters.. How surprising not to see any posts from Pinky, Barry and Co. To me Rossi did'nt look all that washed up or past his sell by date yesterday, he rode an excellent race for a guy at the very old age of 29, I guess we will have to wait until Stoners next win for those guys to surface again

Someone else wrote that Rossi fans are being petty, come on they have had to put up with it for 2yrs so let them bask in the double win and the chamionship lead.. who knows how long it will last!!!
Obviously if you're saying I'm a Rossi hater than you have no idea. I've been a fan of Rossi since he came into GP's. Go READ some of my other posts.
In regards to Roger - he has nothing but contempt for Australian riders (and Australian mechanics for that matter) and I was just balancing out some of his views. I called some of the Rossi fans petty because they went crazy over what a 16 year old kid posted about Rossi. Get a grip!!
BTW - the yamaha is obviously the best bike out there. It wasn't a slight against Rossi, Lorenzo or anyone else. It's a fact at the moment.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Son of Doohan @ May 19 2008, 11:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Funny that - no one has seemed to mention this at all so far in regards to the yamaha. Just evening out the score from last year. The yamaha is quick, is stable under braking, switches direction with ease and works with both michelin and bridgestone. Seems like it's a damn good bike. Winner in 3 of the 5 races this year with lots of podiums as well.

And it seems only one person can ride the ducati.
im not saying the yam is not a great bike. just picking up on your double standard's !