MotoGP: 2015 Round 15 - Motul Grand Prix of Japan (SPOILERS)

levigarrett said:

I don't think Lorenzo is afraid of the rain. He's won in the rain before. I'm not sure where this fantasy of Lorenzo being weak comes from? Clearly, that's not the case. Lorenzo knows that without it, Rossi has no chance. Not only that, but in the dry, Rossi will struggle to find the podium. Anyone would want conditions that suit their preferred outcome.

Rossi's only chance is rain, Lorenzo can still be competitive in the wet. In the dry, Rossi will contend only with the Honda's and his teammate. If it rains, I think one or three Ducati's will be capable of running well. No matter the WX, there are several plausible scenarios for the race, all interesting.

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Definitely Lorenzo has been strong in the rain...but recently he hasnt seemed to be as good in the rain...he becomes much more cautious as soon as the conditions worsen....

I dont disgree that Rossi needs something to change the in the weather before he can win this weekend and perhaps at all this season....but he is still less cautious or is more confident when conditions are changeable....

Lorenzo is good in the dry.
Lorenzo is good in the wet.

Where Lorenzo is currently weak, is in the intermediate conditions. He's had big offs in the past in these mixed conditions (Valencia 2012 being an example) and I think his confidence isn't great in these situations.

Jumkie said:

J4rn0, I have always started with the premise that the game is rigged in VRs favor. Always, regardless of the outcome.

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True, but then you should at least acknowledge that them riggers are pretty clumsy, arn't they.

Jumkie said:

J4rn0, I have always started with the premise that the game is rigged in VRs favor. Always, regardless of the outcome.

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So.... win or lose - Jumkie is right either way. That's a daring proposition. You really went out on limb on that one:happy:

Bridgestone alter rear slick options for MotoGP Motegi - Bikesport News

Bridgestone have altered the rear slick allocation for this weekend’s Motegi MotoGP round, bringing in a slightly softer medium compound and an extra-soft for the Open class riders - which is probably the last thing Scott Redding wanted to hear.

Motegi comprises eight right-hand and six left-hand corners, so two of the rear slicks for the Japanese Grand Prix are asymmetric with slightly harder rubber on the right shoulder. The rear tyre options for the Factory Honda and Yamaha riders are the asymmetric soft and symmetric medium rear slicks, while the Aprilia, Ducati, Suzuki and Open class riders get access to the asymmetric extra-soft and soft compound slicks.

“Ambient temperatures for the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi are usually cool which requires us to develop tyres which warm up quickly for this race, but the stop-and-go layout of the circuit also is an important consideration in our tyre development. This circuit features hard braking and acceleration zones, so the tyres must provide good stability while braking, good drive grip to help acceleration out of the corners and high levels of durability,” said Bridgestone’s Shinji Aoki.

“For this year’s Japanese Grand Prix we have changed our rear tyre allocation slightly, with the hardest rear option this weekend – the symmetric medium compound rear slick – being softer than last year’s medium rear slick for better cornering performance. The extra-soft rear slick will also be offered to open-class riders at Motegi; the first time this tyre has been in our allocation since the French Grand Prix at Le Mans.”
- See more at: Bridgestone alter rear slick options for MotoGP Motegi - Bikesport News

Arrabbiata1 said:

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Rain.. That sucks..

Lol.. Sunday is the only day out of next four with even a slight chance of rain.. And it is at 100%. Crazy.

Its gonna heave with rain, at least thats what my eldest son's mate in Tokyo says. The Japanese want a Rossi win ala 2010 in the wet. Bet that'll see Lorenzo sliding down the road. It'd be good to see another rider win though, is the maniac up to it? Or will Smith do it for the 1st time, he's been good today.

.... you rain!

Dovi wins it. Heard it here first.

Jumkie said:

.... you rain!

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No thanks, it makes certain things shrink in the wet

If rain is assured, I'd like to see one of those impossibly chaotic wet/dry events. Highly entertaining to watch.

levigarrett said:

If rain is assured, I'd like to see one of those impossibly chaotic wet/dry events. Highly entertaining to watch.

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You mean like San Marino, what a great race that was.

Jumkie said:

.... you rain!

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Yeah.. Motorcycle racing in the rain is pretty much Hi Def on a tube TV..

levigarrett said:

If rain is assured, I'd like to see one of those impossibly chaotic wet/dry events. Highly entertaining to watch.

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I concur oh wise one

levigarrett said:

If rain is assured, I'd like to see one of those impossibly chaotic wet/dry events. Highly entertaining to watch.

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Willski said:

I concur oh wise one

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No way my friends! How can you possibly enjoy a race where they start racing and half way through they shuffle like a deck of card until some joker ends up on the podium? I like my races like I like my women, wet as ....!

MdubSTYLIE said:

No way my friends! How can you possibly enjoy a race where they start racing and half way through they shuffle like a deck of card until some joker ends up on the podium? I like my races like I like my women, wet as ....!

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I like the wet/dry races because we have more contenders. Instead of a 4 bike grid, we end up with something more like an 8 or 10 bike grid. There is a race within a race. There is a chance that someone who's largely unnoticed will do something memorable. Rain equalizes and there always seems to be someone who makes more of the opportunity than the others.

MdubSTYLIE said:

No way my friends! How can you possibly enjoy a race where they start racing and half way through they shuffle like a deck of card until some joker ends up on the podium? I like my races like I like my women, wet as ....!

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I like whatever Levi likes

levigarrett said:

I like the wet/dry races because we have more contenders. Instead of a 4 bike grid, we end up with something more like an 8 or 10 bike grid. There is a race within a race. There is a chance that someone who's largely unnoticed will do something memorable. Rain equalizes and there always seems to be someone who makes more of the opportunity than the others.

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There is always a portion of luck in any race, but a wet/dry race increases the portion of luck to close to the portion of skill that it takes to podium.. (example smith podium).

I prefer luck be a small part, not 50% of the race.