The thing is, Lorenzo got a great start and made some bold, decisive passes to get to the front. So he can ride that bike as is. The question is, why did he fade so soon? Did that pace knacker his rubber in those 5 or 6 laps? Did he have huge wobble a la Dovi somewhere without the camera on him that got him spooked? I'd like to see his comments.
I thought when they had the riders vote that Mav probably felt a bit better on the #70 tyre than on the #06 but knew that the others struggled much more than him on the #06 so he voted in his best interests rather than the tyre he preferred. Obviously it's not enough of a sample to draw a definitive conclusion yet but he looked very comfortable today and from memory topped the tyre test so I doubt that the tyre change will actually harm him. Hopefully Honda can get their .... sorted so we can see Marquez able to compete with Vinaeles every weekend.
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
The tires were a rather misleading mixed brew of compound and carcass, perhaps the "complexity" has prompted a few to just stick their heads in the sand about the tire manipulations...because "the vote, the vote, the vote!"
The "harder" front had asymmetrical compound that was actually 'softer' than the "medium". That is to say, Marc (and Crutchlow, Miller) going for the "medium" was in some ways the harder option. It makes sense when you consider Vinalez and Rossi both chose "hards" which was actually in some ways the 'softer' of the two options and seemingly reflective of Pedro's predicament. In FP3 they spoke about this dynamic, as several combinations of tires were being evaluated, before Nick Harris went bonkers (including Mathew Birt) shouting in unison) because Rossi won FP3 on the last lap, with the matching enthusiasm of 'sending the crowd (and the obligatory studio audio mix of cheers) into pandemonium and reverberations around the whole of Italy' or something like that. The Honda split (Robot chose like Pedro) seems to reflect a desperation and gamble of what can suit them during a race given the tires are decidedly not for them (a reality that may be perceived as a RCV proper shortfall) err, oh wait, "the vote" right? );
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Joined Jun 2014
47 Posts | 41+
United States
It really is breathtaking to me after this race how hondas racing program from start to finish has gone to complete .... in the last two years. Can't make an engine last the Indy 500, can't make an f1 engine for their ....... lifes, and now their motogp bike is pretty much ... salad now as well. I mean only one Honda in the top 10 and that's including before pedrosa decided to torpedo crutchlow. I just have trouble accepting that Marquez really lost to two satellite ducatis today, wtf.
But anyways, I still have faith that jorge Lorenzo can deliver on the Ducati. We still have only really seen him do four races on it since he changed everything about it after the disaster at both Argentina and Qatar, and it is clear that he has sufficient one lap speed on it, and that's not even just relying on straight line speed since he was making some great moves through the esses today. He did manage to beat dovi by 8 seconds in Jerez so it isn't like dovi can ride I and he cant.
But anyways, I still have faith that jorge Lorenzo can deliver on the Ducati. We still have only really seen him do four races on it since he changed everything about it after the disaster at both Argentina and Qatar, and it is clear that he has sufficient one lap speed on it, and that's not even just relying on straight line speed since he was making some great moves through the esses today. He did manage to beat dovi by 8 seconds in Jerez so it isn't like dovi can ride I and he cant.
Joined Jul 2007
5K Posts | 1K+
unda cheese
Yea bro, Its ....... My accord got smoked off the line by a Corolla the other day on the way to pick up groceries. It was ....... embarassing. Now I shiver whenever a Camry pulls up alongside me
Joined Jun 2016
642 Posts | 244+
Santa Cruz, Cal
Please read my posts on occasion to answer some of your questions, before even asking. 
< Oh and this statement is my humor.
At the start of lap number four (4), (24 minutes into the MotoGP race here: Yellow fairy dust racing, Lorenzo has an enormous headshake.
I don't know about anyone else, but I would have backed out a bit, too. The Ducs seemed to get squirrelly on the right side of the track into one (1), but not so much on the left side.
< Oh and this statement is my humor.At the start of lap number four (4), (24 minutes into the MotoGP race here: Yellow fairy dust racing, Lorenzo has an enormous headshake.
I don't know about anyone else, but I would have backed out a bit, too. The Ducs seemed to get squirrelly on the right side of the track into one (1), but not so much on the left side.
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Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
Is it time to acknowledge Stoner for his development skills? It's been 3 races wins and a bunch of podiums since he became Ducati's test rider; coinciding I may add, to Honda's downward trajectory since they lost Stoner's services.
Joined Jul 2007
5K Posts | 1K+
unda cheese
Rubbish. As evidenced by Crutchlows expletives that outweigh his talent, Pedrosa's Honda had a great result today.
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
It's not just f1 and moto go. Add world Superbike.
I attended first us outdoor motocross of the season a few weeks ago and Honda was weak there as well.
I'm starting to think Honda as an entity is pulling back on the budget allocated to racing and that is having the result you would expect.
Maybe they are putting that effort and cash into planes now?
Please read my posts on occasion to answer some of your questions, before even asking.
At the start of lap number four (4), (24 minutes into the MotoGP race here: Yellow fairy dust racing, Lorenzo has an enormous headshake.
I don't know about anyone else, but I would have backed out a bit, too. The Ducs seemed to get squirrelly on the right side of the track into one (1), but not so much on the left side.
Ok I will watch that lap again. I thought I saw that this morning too but then couldn't recall, I obviously was coffee deficient that early!
They got their arse royally kicked on the Isle of Man today as well, 1 Honda in the top 20 and that was the RC213V based thing. When your bike with a rider of Bruce Ansteys calibre onboard is getting blown away by Nortons you're in trouble.
Joined Jul 2007
5K Posts | 1K+
unda cheese
My neighbors LawnBoy smokes my Honda. He cuts the grass in half the time. I cant figure out why, but I suspect my plastic wheels are too hard
Joined Jul 2007
5K Posts | 1K+
unda cheese
Joined Nov 2015
872 Posts | 420+
Stratosphere
Standard or Hybrid Corolla?
You haven't heard the horn on my Corolla .............. sounds like two Koalas having an argument
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Get it before Dorna do Dani does an estoril
Dovi has a bit of a wobble at T! - https://gfycat.com/EthicalHollowBeaver
Dovi has a bit of a wobble at T! - https://gfycat.com/EthicalHollowBeaver
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