Losail final pre-season MotoGP Test

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Talpa @ Mar 18 2010, 02:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Hate, hate, hate!
Woosh, woosh, woosh!

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Frig, you could throw a blanket over the 250 rookies waaayyy at the back!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SackWack @ Mar 18 2010, 02:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Took you a while. Who else is still skeptical.
Haha, not only is he a win contender, but now...a championship contender. Bring on the bandwagon. Ah, I remember all the resistance i got when I said what ....... Suzuki under Paul Dumbing were to let Spies walk. Nice to see even Babel is singing a new tune. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.


(I'm just bustin your balls Fish).

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Mar 18 2010, 11:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'> Haha, not only is he a win contender, but now...a championship contender. Bring on the bandwagon. Ah, I remember all the resistance i got when I said what ....... Suzuki under Paul Dumbing were to let Spies walk. Nice to see even Babel is singing a new tune. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.


(I'm just bustin your balls Fish).
and I feel SOOO offended. You make me cry with your harsh words

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Babelfish @ Mar 18 2010, 03:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>and I feel SOOO offended. You make me cry with your harsh words
Well the only one about to make me cry is Nicky. WTF happened? Did everybody get faster or did he get slower?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Mar 19 2010, 08:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'> Haha, not only is he a win contender, but now...a championship contender. Bring on the bandwagon. Ah, I remember all the resistance i got when I said what ....... Suzuki under Paul Dumbing were to let Spies walk. Nice to see even Babel is singing a new tune. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.


(I'm just bustin your balls Fish).
Big Ben is in my top three for 2010......

The Yamaha looks amazing and the lack of gap between the factory and satelite boys at the triple tuning fork is now affirmed IMO, qatar really was stonerland since 07 I even didn't expect vr to be on top in the desert today, and the big h have big problems

it also seems that the 250cc rookies are amongst the slowest graduates ever

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Talpa @ Mar 18 2010, 10:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Big Ben is in my top three for 2010......

The Yamaha looks amazing and the lack of gap between the factory and satelite boys at the triple tuning fork is now affirmed IMO, qatar really was stonerland since 07 I even didn't expect vr to be on top in the desert today, and the big h have big problems

it also seems that the 250cc rookies are amongst the slowest graduates ever
Same here buddy, i am surprised as well to see Rossi topping the time sheets in the end but we still got one more day to go and there is a chance that CS might come with some thing special.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Talpa @ Mar 18 2010, 03:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The Yamaha looks amazing and the lack of gap between the factory and satelite boys at the triple tuning fork is now affirmed IMO, qatar really was stonerland since 07 I even didn't expect vr to be on top in the desert today, and the big h have big problems
I guess Babel was right, the factory bikes are identical to the satellites. Judging from Colin vs Spies positions, I think there is a small discrepancy between them where Spies is making up the difference. But yes, they are very close in spec.

For those of us who are not content in seeing a one pony show, seeing Rossi at the top by a margin in "stonerland" bodes ominous for the rest of the grid; hey J708, can you throw some sand infront of Rossi to slow him down tomorrow please.

Ducati are already drafting the contract for Spies. The 1000cc GP12 will suit him nicely.

Kind of depressing to see Rossi so far in front. When he's at the front during testing or practice, it's pretty much a slam dunk. I hope Stoner is just screwing around with the settings on the new bike.

RDP first Honda?! What is going on with that team? They are used to Ohlins?

Hayden..........well, what can you say. If he doesn't get that thing sorted, he'll be riding an 1198 next season. Someone might take a chance on him for 2012.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Mar 19 2010, 12:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I guess Babel was right, the factory bikes are identical to the satellites. Judging from Colin vs Spies positions, I think there is a small discrepancy between them where Spies is making up the difference. But yes, they are very close in spec.

For those of us who are not content in seeing a one pony show, seeing Rossi at the top by a margin in "stonerland" bodes ominous for the rest of the grid; hey J708, can you throw some sand infront of Rossi to slow him down tomorrow please.
Whilst we know that Stoner on the screamer Ducati suited Qatar, are we sure that the big bang engine has the same advantage here? Stoner is only 0.3 off and is still learning to get the best out of the new engine config, no doubt.

It may well be a different story come race day.

Did anyone get that Ben crashed shortly after his best time and lost the rest of the session? He is unhurt and ready for tomorrow.
Capirossi felt sic and cut his session short, and stoner were not happy with the progress.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Babelfish @ Mar 18 2010, 05:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Ben crashed shortly after his best time and lost the rest of the session? He is unhurt and ready for tomorrow
ben is learning the limits of the M1 good thing he crashed(while not getting hurt), now he has more experience
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>stoner were not happy with the progress.
as usual !

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xx CURVE xx @ Mar 19 2010, 06:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Ben "Big Tex" Spies baby!
looks like Rossi stayed in a while ago still on 38 laps, and looks like Stacey finally decided to work and did laps...tracks cooling down to..i dont think they'll have much more.

Pedro ....... sucks

1 Casey Stoner Ducati Marlboro Team 1:55.841 - - 42
2 Ben Spies Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1:55.954 +0.113 +0.775 36
3 Valentino Rossi Fiat Yamaha Team 1:55.971 +0.017 +0.792 38

Ok I'm going home now the seasons done!

But I jut want to say it was me who said ...............

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BarryMachine @ Mar 18 2010, 08:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>1. Stoner

2. Spies

3. Rossi




Ok I was all "wait and see" with Spies but I have been watching the guy and his interviews in theoff season, and I jumped on the Spies Bandwagon. He talks the talk ( no show ..... he said all the right stuff about Stoner, ie. "the guys a racer not a showman" etc. ) Spies is one canny guy and I think he seeks out the "real opposition" ...... he did it with Haga, now he's hanging round Stoner ......

I know the Boppers wil have stampede at this, but the next few years look like shaping up to be the new "new world era" of GP all over again. Its like when Ago rained supreme, there was not really much "new world" emphasis on GP and it was a Euro game.

Roll on new "new world" GP again!!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Babelfish @ Mar 18 2010, 06:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Did anyone get that Ben crashed shortly after his best time and lost the rest of the session? He is unhurt and ready for tomorrow.
Capirossi felt sic and cut his session short, and stoner were not happy with the progress.
yeah it was actually very near the end of the session so he didn't lose to much time.... just testing the limits. pedrosa is in trouble...

i have to be honest i dont think casey is trying to set the world on fire at the moment there is alot of testing to be done... stoner has only ever riden the ducati with the screamer engine so i guess hes just gettin to grips with the new motor/feel and trying different combo's at the mo.


he maybe sandbagging who knows but id say hes just getting used to his new bit of kit.

here the result of Test in Qatar on day one
No. Name. Time lap
1 Valentino Rossi 1:55.402 - - 64
2 Casey Stoner 1:55.717 +0.315 +0.315 48
3 Ben Spies 1:55.954 +0.237 +0.552 44
4 Colin Edwards 1:56.540 +0.586 +1.138 59
5 Randy De Puniet LCR 1:56.588 +0.048 +1.186 54
6 Andrea Dovizioso 1:56.811 +0.223 +1.409 65
7 Jorge Lorenzo 1:56.838 +0.027 +1.436 45
8 Nicky Hayden 1:56.855 +0.017 +1.453 77
9 Mika Kallio 1:56.923 +0.068 +1.521 72
10 Dani Pedrosa 1:57.047 +0.124 +1.645 60
11 Loris Capirossi 1:57.099 +0.052 +1.697 40
12 Marco Melandri 1:57.605 +0.506 +2.203 63
13 Hector Barbera 1:57.822 +0.217 +2.420 62
14 Hiroshi Aoyama 1:57.888 +0.066 +2.486 75
15 Marco Simoncelli 1:57.891 +0.003 +2.489 63
16 Aleix Espargaro 1:57.898 +0.007 +2.496 67
17 Alvaro Bautista 1:57.960 +0.062 +2.558 56

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SackWack @ Mar 18 2010, 05:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Took you a while. Who else is still skeptical.
who else is sceptical? I don't know... is suzuki reading your question? Back in 2007 and 2008 I could not believe a company involved in motorcycle racing to be so BLIND.

Musings on rider comments post day one...
Spies
"The crash was nothing too serious. I was running the hard front and I wasn't getting a good feeling from it. We changed the pressure to try and help for my second run but I just lost the front at the second corner.

Obviously it is great for me to be high up the timesheets but I'm still taking baby steps to improve and not getting carried away."
Love to see Ben taking GIANT steps then...

Nicky
“Things went well for the first half of the session then we kind of got stuck... The biggest problem is that we're not able to get the most out of the soft tyre - we can't seem to get it working at the right temperature so I have to keep using the harder compound. It happened in Malaysia and we've struggled with it again today at a circuit where the conditions are very different, so it is important we work out the reason.”
Cummon Nicky work it out... we want you running up front consistently!!!

Rizla Suzuki
Loris
"I didn’t make many laps today because I don’t feel so good."
Buatista
"I don’t feel 100% yet. We decided to stop a bit early because it has been a long day and my body is not feeling the changes we are making to the bike. Tomorrow we have another day and I hope to be 100%..."
This is bloody ridiculous... the team that needs the most work is "sick...

Kallio
"For my opinion on this track I can ride my Ducati very well."
Yeah and in my opinion you ride your Ducati very average and somewhat missile-like!!!

Honda
Unusually quiet - no quotes from ANYONE - not even RDP, who should be immensely happy. Really hope Dani does get his .... together...

Despite Rossi setting the fastest lap, apparently he did 2 laps in the 55s to Stoners 4 laps. Stoner did all the fast laps on old tyres. Does anybody know the status of rossi,s fast lap tyres?

Spies 3rd and Edwards 4th fastest , confirms that Yamaha is THE PACKAGE at the moment.
Spies is obviously a real talent, but I would be curious to see what times he would post on the Honda or Ducati. . How fast would Stoner be on the Yamaha right now.?........we will never know, but only conjecture.

Spies will do well this year,...........but victories??????????? Really unlikely unless a meteor happens to hit Rossi, Stoner and Lorenzo simultaneously

Jumkie, surprised that such a usually calm commentator, can get that overwhwelmed by the Spies hype. Looks like you,ve been suckered by a curve-ball.

I reckon 5th, and that will be amazingly good.