MotoGP back in action at Sepang Test

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teomolca @ Feb 4 2010, 03:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Barberá quickest rookie today, on the maneating Ducatis not bad.

It may be early days but i remain impressed with hectic hector! It usually takes people longer to find speed on the ducati. But he's always been fast i guess.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Feb 4 2010, 03:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Good thing Suzuki got rid of Vermeulen.

It'll pay off. Early days.

Go Capper!

Dani posted this on his website:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>Dear Dani San,

Do not begin the 2010 season with another serious injury. Ride slowly, but with much honor. Do not listen to Emperor Puig.

Sincerely,

Tetsuo Suzuki
President, Honda Racing Corporation

I'm not sure what to take from these times. Kropotkin was saying that the track is so hot that riders are struggling to pick up much feedback. Sounds like track temp. was 130F by late afternoon, I'd imagine tires were quite gooey. It makes some sense, especially considering how few laps these guys were putting in. When you only have six (?) days of testing in an off-season, you put in as many laps as possible. And when Nicky Hayden has only put in 46 laps, there must be a reason why he's not in his usual 80-100 lap mode.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Feb 4 2010, 01:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'm not sure what to take from these times. Kropotkin was saying that the track is so hot that riders are struggling to pick up much feedback. Sounds like track temp. was 130F by late afternoon, I'd imagine tires were quite gooey. It makes some sense, especially considering how few laps these guys were putting in. When you only have six (?) days of testing in an off-season, you put in as many laps as possible. And when Nicky Hayden has only put in 46 laps, there must be a reason why he's not in his usual 80-100 lap mode.
It did shut down a half hour early due to rain. That would be a few of the laps. Plus a few extra breaks due to the heat will due it. The excuses for spies to be slow today.......jetlag.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Feb 4 2010, 10:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'm not sure what to take from these times. Kropotkin was saying that the track is so hot that riders are struggling to pick up much feedback. Sounds like track temp. was 130F by late afternoon, I'd imagine tires were quite gooey. It makes some sense, especially considering how few laps these guys were putting in. When you only have six (?) days of testing in an off-season, you put in as many laps as possible. And when Nicky Hayden has only put in 46 laps, there must be a reason why he's not in his usual 80-100 lap mode.

Did you read Stoner's quote from the test? Most boppers will pass it on as whining but at least we can get an actual honest assesment of the day and not the usual canned PR ........ that 90% of the riders spew out on a regular bases

Stoner-

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>This first day was a bit difficult to understand: we started off with a setting that was quite good and that allowed us to make reasonably good lap times. We thought we would improve as the day went on but we had a few problems with chatter. We tried a lot of different combinations trying to make the bike feel a little bit better but we couldn't really get an improvement. To be honest it was difficult to work out why because the track conditions were particularly difficult — it was so hot that it was actually hard to understand if you were make an improvement on the bike or not. In any case I'm really happy with the new engine, I think that with the other one we would have struggled more. Now the bike in general feel very good, very balanced and I'm happy with it. Hopefully the weather will be a little cooler tomorrow so that we can understand better if the changes we try are the right ones

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MdubSTYLIE @ Feb 4 2010, 10:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The excuses for spies to be slow today.......jetlag.

He should have been adjusting for that a week in advance. That isn't an acceptable excuse I will accept the fact that he's on a new track, new bike, new team, and new tires though.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SackWack @ Feb 4 2010, 07:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'> He should have been adjusting for that a week in advance. That isn't an acceptable excuse I will accept the fact that he's on a new track, new bike, new team, and new tires though.
Yeah, he has a reputation for being a really slow learner when it comes to new tracks.
Me think you are better off with the jetlag explanation.

The old raisins Capirossi, Edwards and Rossi are doing better than ever. According to some here they (should have) passed their best i previous millennium but tey still top the list in an increasingly competitive field.

Elbowz way down in P12
Hey, at least the REAL Texan is getting it done!
BTW, where's Curvie? Down at the bar, having a good mope?
(I'm hoping Ben can improve to top 8 today.)

Not terribly surprised that the brand new factory Honda is slow. AFAIK, it's greatly reworked and will no doubt require time to tune.

Looks like the satellite Hondas are hurting, badly. Are they running last year's chassis?
Surprised to see Aoyama sucking this way.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Babelfish @ Feb 4 2010, 12:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Yeah, he has a reputation for being a really slow learner when it comes to new tracks.
Me think you are better off with the jetlag explanation.

The old raisins Capirossi, Edwards and Rossi are doing better than ever. According to some here they (should have) passed their best i previous millennium but tey still top the list in an increasingly competitive field.

Bring on the Toddlers I say!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Babelfish @ Feb 4 2010, 06:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Yeah, he has a reputation for being a really slow learner when it comes to new tracks.
Me think you are better off with the jetlag explanation.

The old raisins Capirossi, Edwards and Rossi are doing better than ever. According to some here they (should have) passed their best i previous millennium but tey still top the list in an increasingly competitive field.
This sort of thing happens in pre season every year Babel - you of all people have been watching this sport long enough to know that. Where in all honesty do you think Loris will be in the standings come close of play November 7th? It's Sepang for Christsakes - practically the only place on the planet that godawful motorcycle works.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arrabbiata1 @ Feb 4 2010, 09:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>This sort of thing happens in pre season every year Babel - you of all people have been watching this sport long enough to know that. Where in all honesty do you think Loris will be in the standings come close of play November 7th? It's Sepang for Christsakes - practically the only place on the planet that godawful motorcycle works.

Well, the three of them are all among the four fastest, that's well worth mentioning even if it's just the first off season test.
Besides, I just can't help having some fun with Tom and BM. They both seems to think that anyone past 23 is too old for motorbike racing. This was not about the strength of the Suzuki or the Yamaha but about three "old" riders still making more then an impact. Hell, they are dominating the event, even when one of them are on a ...... bike. That's nothing less than amusing for an old fart like me.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Babelfish @ Feb 4 2010, 09:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Well, the three of them are all among the four fastest, that's well worth mentioning even if it's just the first off season test.
Besides, I just can't help having some fun with Tom and BM. They both seems to think that anyone past 23 is too old for motorbike racing. This was not about the strength of the Suzuki or the Yamaha but about three "old" riders still making more then an impact. Hell, they are dominating the event, even when one of them are on a ...... bike. That's nothing less than amusing for an old fart like me.
I've noticed Tom in particular has been prone to more than one flagrantly ageist remark - Berry on the other hand shouldn't be so judgmental being that he's clearly only a couple of birthday's away from a zimmer frame and a stanna stairlift himself.

9th and still like a second off pace. Bit slow - you'd think raising the temperature 60 degrees would speed him up. Oh well, back to -20 and Ice Racing at the weekend

looking at the timesheets makes me wonder if Melndri is riding the Ducati again

i didn't expected to see him at the bottom of the times

i was expecting somewhere between 7 and 11 maybe

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arrabbiata1 @ Feb 5 2010, 08:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I've noticed Tom in particular has been prone to more than one flagrantly ageist remark - Berry on the other hand shouldn't be so judgmental being that he's clearly only a couple of birthday's away from a zimmer frame and a stanna stairlift himself.

Yeah I'd agree with that !!

In any case if I ever said anyone over 23 should leave, I would agree that I would have that ideology .... but not for 23 years in age ..... I'd think more like "anyone who gets wose than position 23" ...... is what I'd suggest.

Though I got to accept that Babel would probably translate that as "my grandmother eats fish" .... or some other totally wacked concoction or fairytale he dreams about.

Babel = BIG BOPPER = a guy who uses Gyros to find his position in life = makes no sense at all

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Geonerd @ Feb 4 2010, 01:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Elbowz way down in P12
Hey, at least the REAL Texan is getting it done!
BTW, where's Curvie? Down at the bar, having a good mope?
(I'm hoping Ben can improve to top 8 today.)

Not terribly surprised that the brand new factory Honda is slow. AFAIK, it's greatly reworked and will no doubt require time to tune.

Looks like the satellite Hondas are hurting, badly. Are they running last year's chassis?
Surprised to see Aoyama sucking this way.

They're both Texans son....come have a beer with me so i can pop you in the mouth for dis'n my boy.


early days for all, Ben tends to turn it up in small increments..

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xx CURVE xx @ Feb 4 2010, 06:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>They're both Texans son....come have a beer with me so i can pop you in the mouth for dis'n my boy.


early days for all, Ben tends to turn it up in small increments.. :grin:
Was thinking the same thing. Look at how he rode at valencia, real carefull until late in the weekend. I think we will see the same thing.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xx CURVE xx @ Feb 5 2010, 10:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>They're both Texans son....

Yeah but Edwards is half Aussie, so that would be swaying things to look better than they are in reality.

You have to remember that Texans have a propensity for overexaggeration

I'm a Ducati, Nicky fan.
Let's not get to ahead of ourselves.

He is still 1.3 sec behind. That's way off over the course of 25 to 28 laps.
It's still testing but I will be the first to leap for joy if he get's it to under .5 secs each tract.