Qatar MotoGP Race **SPOILER**

Use this thread to discuss todays race, I imagine this thread will get quite long by the end of today!!

Remember folks, keep all teh race discussions here please........not everyone is privelidged enough to see it live.

Bring it onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

motogp site is saying 'pedrosa first amidst crash and controversy' about this morning's warm up but page with news item not loading up. WHAT HAPPENED?!?!?

Doesn't load for me either but result analysis is up...

pedrosa has an outlap with no interval timings?

The news article mentioned above is working on MotoGP.com, although I suppose most have seen it by now.

The crash:

Pedrosa crashed on the slow down lap, more embarrassing than anything, it seems.

The 'controversy':

But Pedrosa also did a practice start on the grid, which is only allowed at the end of free practice one now...

And Barros supposedly put some rubber down on his start position.

I guess we'll find out soon enough what penalties, if any, there might be.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pirkkalan GP @ Mar 10 2007, 11:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Doesn't load for me either but result analysis is up...

pedrosa has an outlap with no interval timings?
It loads now, but put little light on Pedrosas little crash. On the slow-down lap he crashed tipping into the corner on cold tires!
The controversy were about him doing a test start on the grid and Barros burning out from his grid position.
For some strange reason test starts were only allowed after FP1.

Booooring 125 and 250 races. Let's hope that only builds up to an exciting motoGP Race.
Only minutes to start now

Look at that Ducati on the straight!

Come on Rossi!

The Cuati is so fast on the straight! Rossi has to do it in the corners and hold off Stoner down the straight otherwise he's gonna have to settle in P2!

go stoner that duc s got some power.
come on haydonettes what up with you boy ?

!!!!!! stoner!!!!! brilliant!

stoner, stoner stoooooooooooooooooooner..... flawless race from him. Brilliant stuff.

and Hopper is an absolute battler, anyone see his face after the race?

Great stuff from stoner ...didnt't exepect to see that .... Stoner didn't crashed ...he won the race ..hats off to him ....in exchange Loris crashed ... gotta be hard to take for him ....especialy if his teammate won the race...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Alex @ Mar 10 2007, 01:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The Cuati is so fast on the straight! Rossi has to do it in the corners and hold off Stoner down the straight otherwise he's gonna have to settle in P2!

And Rossi had to settle in 2nd. He had no chance what so ever. When he managed to pass the ducati, Stoner had the draft in addition to tons of hp and pulled a similar distance at the end of the front straight as if he was first onto the straight.
Brilliant race from Stoner. Congrats to the Aussi.
Hopikins also did a very good race. To bad he couldn't pass Pedrosa and take 3rd. He also had a power disadvantage compared to the Honda.
Marco M and Collin fought out for 5th but a bit to far from the front.

Worth to notice is that Stoner set the fatest lap on is final lap. That bring Brigestones problems to make the tires last a whole race to an end. In fact the tires seems very similar at this track. No doubt, Rossi could have done a similar fast lap at the end but he had slowed down seteling for 2nd.

In other words the new bikes do seem to be more sensitive to weight at the same time as they don't wear tires as hard. We can look forward to a nice increase in speed during the races, making the final lap one of the fastest. Cool. That, combined with the new tire limitations that prevent the riders to break up sessions into a load of stints and delaying the q-tire part to the last 10 minutes, seems to add up to more exciting weekends than ever. Allready I can hardly wait for the next race

It's been a long time since the Australian national anthem has been played in Moto GP that's for sure! Well done Stoner, Rossi and Pedrosa but i'm really impressed with Hopper in P4.

Very good race! Mucho Rossi!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Alex @ Mar 10 2007, 02:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>It's been a long time since the Australian national anthem has been played in Moto GP that's for sure! Well done Stoner, Rossi and Pedrosa but i'm really impressed with Hopper in P4.

We all make misstakes, I mixed Hopkins and Stoners nationality and you seem to have forgotten that the Australian national anthem was played after the previous MotoGp race. Well, You could say it's a long time ago but it's a bit tough to expect it sooner

First impressions from the race:

Wow, that Ducati is faaaaaaast. Great win for Stoner. If he can keep it up, maybe he'll be the Ducati rider challenging for the championship. Who'd have thought that?

Rossi looked good in P2, super smooth and so fast in the corners. On the tighter tracks he could be unbeatable.

A good result for Pedrosa, but he'd have to be worried about overtaking. With the corner speed the 800s can carry, you have to be able to get past under brakes. How many times did Rossi get him back into turn one?

Great effort from Hopkins. A strong fourth, especially considering his injury.

5th was about the best Melandri could hope for. Never seemed right on it all weekend.

6th place... disappointing for Edwards. A bad start ruined his race. I'd hate to think the preseason testing form and Qatar practice was (another) false dawn. On the grid he did say he wanted it hotter for his tyre to work better...

7th place for Vermeulen was good considering that he started down in 13th, and didn't get a good start. He'd want to get closer to Hopkins and the front, though.

8th for Hayden. The way to start a title defence... not. He'd be disappointed with that--not just because he'd been off the pace all weekend (that was similar a few times last year too)--but because I'm sure he expected to pick up a few more places in the race. He might have got past Vermeulen with another lap.

9th for Barros. About what we can expect from him this year, maybe a top 5 or two if things fall his way.

10th for Nakano. Sadly, I think about the same as Barros for Shinya...

Bad luck for Capirossi. At least a 5th was on the cards for him today.

just read the bbc, sounds like a good battle. wow only 34hrs to go before its on over here, .....! think ill move back to england!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (repsol @ Mar 10 2007, 01:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>just read the bbc, sounds like a good battle. wow only 34hrs to go before its on over here, .....! think ill move back to england!
Yeah just make sure you don't miss it!

I'd like to see how the Ducati handles on a twisting and turning track that doesn't have a long straight...I think the Yamahas will be the ones to beat there, but on most tracks it looks like the Ducatis may be the bikes to beat this year. Hayden really does need to get to grips with the bike though otherwise this year is going to be wasted and over for him very quickly.

i didn't even realise mcwilly didn't even start the race!... was advised to sit out because of bruising around the femur and blood pooling in the muscle making it nearly impossible to even sit on the bike... and still he was getting geared up before the rac.... hes a tough little leprechaun that one.

and de punnet binned it .... the commentators were saying at the start of the race that he rode the majority of last season with a broken bone in his back.... anyone else heard this? coz i didn't