November Jerez testing thread

[MigsAngel]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (spooky @ Nov 27 2008, 04:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Hmmmm

1. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) – 1’39”507 (42 giri)
2. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) – 1’39”803 (48)
3. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) – 1’40”426 (57)
4. Nicky Hayden (Ducati) – 1’40”486 (58)
5. Mika Kallio (Ducati) – 1’40”564 (47)
6. Colin Edwards (Yamaha) – 1’40”604 (39)
7. Toni Elias (Honda) – 1’40”641 (48)
8. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda) – 1’40”966 (38)
9. Sete Gibernau (Ducati) – 1’41”075 (42)
10. Niccolò Canepa (Ducati) – 1’41”077 (44)
11. Alex De Angelis (Honda) – 1’41”219 (45)
12. James Toseland (Yamaha) – 1’41”740 (45)
13. Vittoriano Guareschi (Ducati) – 1’42”906 (37)
14. Yuki Takahashi (Honda) – 1’42”918 (54)

Forget Nicky.....COME ONE MIKA!

 

[Andy Roo]

If anyone remembers Casey's first few tests on the bike weren't great, then he figured the bike out and began to set the top times.

Nicki and Mika are a hell of a lot better off than Marco et al this time last year. To me it actually looks like they will be able to ride it.

 

[Symon10]

Kallio obviously happy with the test.

Couple of points on his website that are probably worth sharing (not said in the English news item):

On thursday he improved the front end setup with the GP9. Then today he was able to try out more engine and traction control setups. Stating that he managed to change them more to fit his riding style. Also pleased as the main aims of the test were not to try and set really fast times but to get to know the new bike.

Interestingly in the English news on his site there are comments not in the Finnish one. For example he was a bit concerned on thursday as the track seemed difficult with the bike but today they worked hard to find the way through that. Now finding a good feeling with the bike.


He noted Rossi and Pedrosa are too fast

 

[gsfan]

Please just give Nicky a Marlboro red Ducati...all red, and red leathers. Ducati red.

 

[phleg]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (spooky @ Nov 27 2008, 04:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Rossi & Pedrocock are flying! Glad Nickys up there too...

1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) – 1’39”429 (54 giri)
2. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) – 1’39”447 (47)
3. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) – 1’40”426 (58)
4. Nicky Hayden (Ducati) – 1’40”486 (68)
5. Alex De Angelis (Honda) – 1’40”486 (49)
7. Mika Kallio (Ducati) – 1’40”564 (48)
7. Colin Edwards (Yamaha) – 1’40”604 (39)
8. Toni Elias (Honda) – 1’40”641 (50)
9. James Toseland (Yamaha) – 1’40”752 (51)
10. Sete Gibernau (Ducati) – 1’40”856 (48)
11. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda) – 1’40”966 (41)
12. Niccolò Canepa (Ducati) – 1’41”077 (48)
13. Vittoriano Guareschi (Ducati) – 1’42”906 (46)
14. Yuki Takahashi (Honda) – 1’42”918 (60)

Nicky kicks me in the teeth for daring to suggest anything negative on day 1.

 

[Anders]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BigAl @ Nov 27 2008, 06:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>well done nicky, i am impressed by kallio too! maybe the gp9 is more user friendly. remainds to be seen if the duc riders can get closer to the front runners but things looking better for the red team....
It seems more userfriendly as 2 new riders can use it and not be 2,5 seconds off or something.
I have no idea what times Stoner would have done with a healed wrist but they both were faster than Stoner on raceday.Pedrosa cut about .6 sec from his race day but Kallio and Hayden cut almost 1 sec. from Stoners best race lap.Hayden was about as fast as he was on the Honda on race day.
So,none of the Ducati riders seem to have Melandri-problems with their bikes,and that's always something.

 

[Wander]

Anyone getting the feeling that Takahashi is gonna end up being a back-group rider?

Top 3 not surprising, but the following one's are a happy surprise to me! Hayden and Kallio doing extremely well.

I'm a bit surprised that Dovi didn't do that well here, but oh well.

 

[#46]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Anders GUZZI @ Nov 28 2008, 03:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>It seems more userfriendly as 2 new riders can use it and not be 2,5 seconds off or something.
I have no idea what times Stoner would have done with a healed wrist but they both were faster than Stoner on raceday.Pedrosa cut about .6 sec from his race day but Kallio and Hayden cut almost 1 sec. from Stoners best race lap.Hayden was about as fast as he was on the Honda on race day.
So,none of the Ducati riders seem to have Melandri-problems with their bikes,and that's always something.
So how about Dorna's "control tyre to reduce corner speed "?
Looks like another failure to me. And the gap between the top 2 and the others...prepare for another boring race next year.

 

[J4rn0]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (phleg @ Nov 27 2008, 10:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Nicky kicks me in the teeth for daring to suggest anything negative on day 1.

Yes. Hayden was as fast as Lorenzo--and this is a more than fair comparison since both of them are switching from Michelin,-- but Jorge is on a bike (and track) he knows well. I always said Nicky could probably be a very fast Ducati rider, now I have no doubts left.

Kallio impressive again. Either Ducati have really made the GP9 an easier bike to ride, or the riders are better at taming the monster, or both. Pity we did not have Stoner to serve as reference,--little doubt he would have been up there with Rossi and Pedrosa, at least.

OK, all on holiday now

 

[Anders]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (#46 @ Nov 28 2008, 12:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>So how about Dorna's "control tyre to reduce corner speed "?
Looks like another failure to me. And the gap between the top 2 and the others...prepare for another boring race next year.
Yea,i know.But the track has been resurfaced making it more grippy as Pedrosa said ,and the bikes are probarbly better.My guess is that in 2 years of developement they would be faster if there was competition with Michelin than they will be now with control tire.It will slow down the increase of cornerspeed in the long run i think.
Rossi,Pedrosa,Stoner and maybe some other guy Lorenzo for instance who didn't try the 2009 prototype(according to crash.net and others)could be up there too.
I would hate to see races like Brno this year when Rossi and Stoner were 1 sec./lap faster than all the others.

 

[Anders]

By the way has anyone read any comments from Sete?

 

[povol]

"We've made a big improvement today. It was important to have back-to-back days with similar conditions because at Valencia we only had one dry day and we weren't able to check that the changes we made to the bike overnight had worked. Today my feeling with the bike was much better from the first run and it is important that we've taken over a second and a half off my best time from yesterday. We are still a second off the top guys and I know the last second is the most difficult to find but at the same time we're less than a tenth off third fastest and the team is working well, I feel more and more comfortable with the bike and tyres and I can head home with a clear mind. I was pleased that Casey wanted to be here at the test. It has been useful to speak with him and Filippo (Preziosi) and it shows how tight the team is and how well everybody wants to do next season! I just want to finish by saying 'Happy Thanksgiving' to everybody in America!"



The way i see it is Nicky has made up 1/2 second on the top guys since the last test.Like he says above,the last second is the hardest and another way to look at is less than a 10th out of 3rd.One thing seems definate,he is happier and is glad to have a teammate he can talk to

 

[michaelm]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Nov 28 2008, 02:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The way i see it is Nicky has made up 1/2 second on the top guys since the last test.Like he says above,the last second is the hardest and another way to look at is less than a 10th out of 3rd.One thing seems definate,he is happier and is glad to have a teammate he can talk to

The results of the jerez tests are promising not only for hayden and kallio, but for ducati in general. I guess the control tyre and resurfacing of the track may have changed things to a degree, but the gp08 was horrible here in the 2008 race, and unrideable even by stoner.

 

[VHMP01]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (spooky @ Nov 27 2008, 10:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Rossi & Pedrocock are flying! Glad Nickys up there too...

1. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) – 1'39"429 (54 giri)

2. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) – 1'39"447 (47)
3. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) – 1'40"426 (58)
4. Nicky Hayden (Ducati) – 1'40"486 (68)
5. Alex De Angelis (Honda) – 1'40"486 (49)
7. Mika Kallio (Ducati) – 1'40"564 (48)
7. Colin Edwards (Yamaha) – 1'40"604 (39)
8. Toni Elias (Honda) – 1'40"641 (50)
9. James Toseland (Yamaha) – 1'40"752 (51)
10. Sete Gibernau (Ducati) – 1'40"856 (48)
11. Andrea Dovizioso (Honda) – 1'40"966 (41)
12. Niccolò Canepa (Ducati) – 1'41"077 (48)
13. Vittoriano Guareschi (Ducati) – 1'42"906 (46)
14. Yuki Takahashi (Honda) – 1'42"918 (60)

 

[Austin]

Valentino and Pedrosa are on another planet. If these two and Stoner keep this up it's going to be a boring year, Lorenzo vs. Hayden could be interesting. I'm quite relieved to see the second day's times from Hayden. I had some doubts after Valencia and his day one times weren't helping the matter so good to see he's right on pace with Lorenzo. Also quite impressed with Kallio, glad to see he's adapting well. Dovi's pace is rather disappointing, he hasn't found any of that second and a half he was off from Valencia.

The good news is that take away Pedrosa and Rossi's insane as well as riders of no consequence (Guareschi and Takahashi), everyone is within 0.7 seconds. So if Rossi, Pedrosa and Stoner run away from everyone every race next season, the battle for fourth should be about eight riders deep. Fingers crossed.

 

[frizzle]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Nov 28 2008, 05:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Valentino and Pedrosa are on another planet. If these two and Stoner keep this up it's going to be a boring year, Lorenzo vs. Hayden could be interesting. I'm quite relieved to see the second day's times from Hayden. I had some doubts after Valencia and his day one times weren't helping the matter so good to see he's right on pace with Lorenzo. Also quite impressed with Kallio, glad to see he's adapting well. Dovi's pace is rather disappointing, he hasn't found any of that second and a half he was off from Valencia.

The good news is that take away Pedrosa and Rossi's insane as well as riders of no consequence (Guareschi and Takahashi), everyone is within 0.7 seconds. So if Rossi, Pedrosa and Stoner run away from everyone every race next season, the battle for fourth should be about eight riders deep. Fingers crossed.


You have to take into account that no 800cc Ducati has been on the podium here.
I'd say both Nicky & Kallio have gone quite well and early signs are promising for both of them.

 

[GeePee]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Nov 28 2008, 05:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Valentino and Pedrosa are on another planet. If these two and Stoner keep this up it's going to be a boring year

How many agree with Austin's statement?

Austin I think you could have just written a 2009 season wrap up before the season has started.
I am worried that this could be one of the most boring seasons ahead.
I hope we're both wrong but it doesn't look like it.

 

[Tom]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Anders GUZZI @ Nov 28 2008, 01:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Lorenzo for instance who didn't try the 2009 prototype(according to crash.net and others)

I read that he did ride it

 

[Sally]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GeePee @ Nov 28 2008, 09:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>How many agree with Austin's statement?

Austin I think you could have just written a 2009 season wrap up before the season has started.
I am worried that this could be one of the most boring seasons ahead.
I hope we're both wrong but it doesn't look like it.


I fear what you and Austin fear as well, boring up front, great in the mid-field. Like the past two year then.
However, I am taking Lexicon's attitude towards Nicky and applying it to the 2009 season. Let's be incredibly pessimistic, so it can only get better.

 

[michaelm]

I actually don't have a problem with there being only 3 frontrunners (admittedly I don't have much of a problem with there being only one as long as it is casey). If they are fairly evenly matched, don't suffer injuries and the championship is well in play till late in the season this would be closer than most seasons for the last 20 years or so when only one winner has seemed likely from quite early in the season. In the history of gp racing in how many seasons would there have been large numbers of riders of a quality sufficient to challenge the likes of valentino rossi anyway?