Qatar MotoGP Race **SPOILER**

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dash @ Mar 12 2007, 10:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>the next two tracks, Jerez and Istanbul, have comparatively shorter straights (600m for Jerez and 720m for Istanbul) where the Dukes won't have the edge as they did at Qatar. That gives Yamaha until the first week of May to get more power into the engine for the race at the [pretty dull] circuit of Shanghai and it's runway length straight of 1200m, and then soon after races at Mugello and Catalunya, also with long straights.
I'm not sure that the shorter straights themselves will help Rossi/Yamaha against that Ducati top speed and acceleration. When he did get past Stoner at Qatar, Stoner was able to repass Rossi quite easily within 200m on the straight--and well before the finish line.

What I think will help will be the slower corners at Jerez--all things being equal. To me, it looked like Rossi could pull back all the time on Stoner in sector 2 and 3, the slowest parts of the track. Jerez has two straights, and a couple of series of fast flowing bends, but the last corner is 1st gear (or very slow, at least). Could we see something like the 2005 classic on the last corner?

As for Istanbul, last year that was Stoner's best race...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rising Sun @ Mar 12 2007, 01:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'm not sure that the shorter straights themselves will help Rossi/Yamaha against that Ducati top speed and acceleration. When he did get past Stoner at Qatar, Stoner was able to repass Rossi quite easily within 200m on the straight--and well before the finish line.

What I think will help will be the slower corners at Jerez--all things being equal. To me, it looked like Rossi could pull back all the time on Stoner in sector 2 and 3, the slowest parts of the track. Jerez has two straights, and a couple of series of fast flowing bends, but the last corner is 1st gear (or very slow, at least). Could we see something like the 2005 classic on the last corner?

As for Istanbul, last year that was Stoner's best race...

I think in Jerez i think the ducatis will be able to pass on the straights like in Qatar, but the straight wont be long enough to get much clearnace, so the twisty bits will be working for the others very well indeed. But we know Capirossi likes it there. Its gonna come down to how well the red riders can force their bikes round the bends.

As for Turkey, i will be waving my melandri flag and hoping for the hatrick, but as you said, Stoner likes it there. Only other point i have to add is that Bridgestone didn't have a great race last year, so maybe some Michelin boys can do well (Repsol Honda)

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Traverser @ Mar 12 2007, 05:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>It just a theory. He had high rpm's in the corners, a great start, but yet he couldn't stay in Casey's draft.

By that I supose you think they had geard the bike to hit the top speed sooner? If that is true it shoud be easier to follow until he hit the rev limiter in 6th. Lower gearing make the bike faster except for maximum speed, but Rossi lost big time from Stoner as soon as stoner could pull full throttle.

If there was anything it must have been too tall. Lack of power all they way from start to end. Lacking everywhere from start to end of the powerband. Dropping an extra 4 cogs on the rear could do that and would also force rossi to hold a lower gear in allmost every turn than the others but I doubt that was the case.

Firstly congratulations to Casey he rode perfectly.

Him and Rossi both rode great. The difference between them was the speed of the ducati down the straight. Stoner must have gained about half a second a lap just on that. Although Valentino's bike was better around the corners it was a lot to ask to beat that Ducati.

Of the others Hopkins was great and it would have been good for Suzuki if he could have beaten Pedrosa.

I think Capirossi could have come third at best had he stayed on as he was riding quickly at the time.

Guintoli was also good, a point on his debut and making Tamada look as sht as we all know he is.

But oh dear Nicky 8th place on the factory Honda is not good enough he should be fighting for the podium in every race. Hopefully he will be more competitive next race.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Valentino Is God @ Mar 12 2007, 04:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Firstly congratulations to Casey he rode perfectly.

Him and Rossi both rode great. The difference between them was the speed of the ducati down the straight. Stoner must have gained about half a second a lap just on that. Although Valentino's bike was better around the corners it was a lot to ask to beat that Ducati.

Of the others Hopkins was great and it would have been good for Suzuki if he could have beaten Pedrosa.

I think Capirossi could have come third at best had he stayed on as he was riding quickly at the time.

Guintoli was also good, a point on his debut and making Tamada look as sht as we all know he is.

But oh dear Nicky 8th place on the factory Honda is not good enough he should be fighting for the podium in every race. Hopefully he will be more competitive next race.

This is crap, I went to the bike show in Edinburgh on Saturday, and didnt record the race , so not seen it, so I can't say much.......Anyhoo, well done Casey, well done Vale and well done Hayboy


Roll on next time, so I can contribute more usefully. Or I could always just go to Google and find out what "really" happened there.

Pete

^^ LOL!

Congrats to Stoner and Ducati and Bridgestone. In the final analysis, its hard for me to pin point the key factor for their win. Stoner proved that he has matured into not being pressured into making mistakes. But, if Rossi has passed him, would that have changed?

Also, I wan to point out that last year Ducati won the first race by 4.3 secs, but after that was not a real contender. This year they have won the fist race by 2.8 secs. Does this really mean anything significant? I think it is too early to tell.

I suspect Honda and Yamaha's chief concerns about tuning their bikes for more power were around fuel economy. I am pretty confident that will tune their bikes for more power after seeing that the Ducati did not run out of gas.

An interesting start to another season. Let the games begin.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (crvlvr @ Mar 13 2007, 05:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>But, if Rossi has passed him, would that have changed?

Rossi passed him a few times, but Casey wasnt phased.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Mar 13 2007, 09:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Rossi passed him a few times, but Casey wasnt phased.

Instead I bet he had a laugh. Passing the leader halfway to the finish-line must have been just fun.

Don't have the patience to read all the comments on this thread. I get to the site much later than you Euros who are lucky to have on the spot coverage. I could probably get an idea from the other threads anyway.

So here is my take on the race. Stoner raced brilliant. He beat Rossi straight up, period. Rossi raced great. Much better than Pedrosa who was the only one really poised to challenge him. But Rossi had the bigger balls at the end of the straights. Hopkins was doing his best to keep up with Pedrosa but just didn't have enough on the tires it seemed. But who knows. I thought he had the package to mix it up with Pedrosa, even bag a podium. Melandri rode to the best of his machine. He was a joy to watch (the little that they showed him), nothing spectacular, but I just like the guy. Edwards is proof that some bikes have a reverse. (Sorry Burky). Vermeulen rode shows that the Suzukis will be in the mix this year. Hayden was a disappointment. He looked like he was grid filler on this one. Makes me wish he should have taken that Ducati ride in hindsight. But I think he will manage to get the bike worked out, after-all he is the World Champ and I expect him to bounce back. Barros was hanging in there for a while but don't know what happened. He had a fast bike that's for sure. Nakano rode like he was on a Kawasaki. I was also disappointed with Roberts’s performance over-all. I guess we may see him do well when Honda decides to throw him a bone.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Racejumkie @ Mar 13 2007, 10:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Don't have the patience to read all the comments on this thread. I get to the site much later than you Euros who are lucky to have on the spot coverage. I could probably get an idea from the other threads anyway.

So here is my take on the race. Stoner raced brilliant. He beat Rossi straight up, period. Rossi raced great. Much better than Pedrosa who was the only one really poised to challenge him. But Rossi had the bigger balls at the end of the straights. Hopkins was doing his best to keep up with Pedrosa but just didn't have enough on the tires it seemed. But who knows. I thought he had the package to mix it up with Pedrosa, even bag a podium. Melandri rode to the best of his machine. He was a joy to watch (the little that they showed him), nothing spectacular, but I just like the guy. Edwards is proof that some bikes have a reverse. (Sorry Burky). Vermeulen rode shows that the Suzukis will be in the mix this year. Hayden was a disappointment. He looked like he was grid filler on this one. Makes me wish he should have taken that Ducati ride in hindsight. But I think he will manage to get the bike worked out, after-all he is the World Champ and I expect him to bounce back. Barros was hanging in there for a while but don't know what happened. He had a fast bike that's for sure. Nakano rode like he was on a Kawasaki. I was also disappointed with Roberts’s performance over-all. I guess we may see him do well when Honda decides to throw him a bone.
Oh Jumkie, you sound really depressed old bean.
I hope this helps....

linky for depressed Jumkie

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Racejumkie @ Mar 13 2007, 10:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Hayden was a disappointment. He looked like he was grid filler on this one. Makes me wish he should have taken that Ducati ride in hindsight. But I think he will manage to get the bike worked out, after-all he is the World Champ

i wonder if Honda are treating Nicky with the respect that the world champion deserves................ ?

i get the impression that they have forgotten who is No.1



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Burky @ Mar 13 2007, 10:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Oh Jumkie, you sound really depressed old bean.
I hope this helps....

linky for depressed Jumkie

quality

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (baldylocks @ Mar 13 2007, 02:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>i wonder if Honda are treating Nicky with the respect that the world champion deserves................ ?

i get the impression that they have forgotten who is No.1
quality
I'm not sure if you are being sarcastic. But in my humble opinion, I wouldn't count on Honda treating him with the respect he deserves. I think there was plenty of evidence to show this being the case last year, and probably this year too. I think he stayed with Honda because he realized he had a great opportunity to win the championship last year. Think about this, in a country where the sport is wildly popular, He is on a Spanish based team, with Spanish sponsorship, with a Spanish teammate, who’s mentor wields tremendous influence...where do you think the efforts loyalty lies?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Racejumkie @ Mar 13 2007, 10:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'm not sure if you are being sarcastic..............He is on a Spanish based team, with Spanish sponsorship, with a Spanish teammate, who’s mentor wields tremendous influence...where do you think the efforts loyalty lies?

no sarcasm - I never got the clutch thing last season either but there you go. Surely Honda - with all their $$ and rescources would be throwing everything they have at every Honda rider ? I would.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (baldylocks @ Mar 13 2007, 03:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>no sarcasm - I never got the clutch thing last season either but there you go. Surely Honda - with all their $$ and rescources would be throwing everything they have at every Honda rider ? I would.
Me too, but we are after-all human, and subject to the influences of our environment. That's reality.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Racejumkie @ Mar 13 2007, 11:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Me too, but we are after-all human, and subject to the influences of our environment. That's reality.

i'm pretty sure Ducati do exactly that (everything to everyone) and even Yamaha, though maybe to a lesser degree.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (baldylocks @ Mar 13 2007, 03:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>i'm pretty sure Ducati do exactly that (everything to everyone) and even Yamaha, though maybe to a lesser degree.
Who knows, but Yamaha? You think? I just can't see Edwards that much worse, I have a feeling he is on much lessor package. If I were them I'd be giving everything to Rossi. Hell I'd even provide him a few hookers on those lonely nights.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Racejumkie @ Mar 13 2007, 11:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Who knows, but Yamaha? You think? I just can't see Edwards that much worse, I have a feeling he is on much lessor package. If I were them I'd be giving everything to Rossi. Hell I'd even provide him a few hookers on those lonely nights.

surely if they can get one part - they can get two ? i just don't get it.

i don't think rossi (or any of the other riders) will have too many lonely nights to worry about - I'm sure there's plenty brolly girls/fans more than willing to keep them company.

lucky .......s

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (baldylocks @ Mar 13 2007, 03:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>surely if they can get one part - they can get two ? i just don't get it.
Of course. That's not why they don’t do it, they have developmental riders to get the #1 guy the part, only after the #2 guy figured out how to make it work. Then they give that part the #1 guy and go back to figuring out something else with the #2 guy. So the #2 guy is always developing new stuff.

hello all. i was at a track day, and just got back into town...

didn't read all the pages of posts, but just had to say...great race, props to Stoner!... good for him, he's one of my fav ryders.. the Duc is rocket on the straights! OMG!

two thumbs up for Hopper for that 4th while hurt....

Hayden, well, was Heyden.

great job by Rossi..Yamaha better find more speed soon.

and piss on Dani!

OH! ONE MORE THING!

CHEERS TO THE MOTOGP.COM FOLKS!!!
I HAD NEAR PERFECT CONNECTION TO THE LIVE FEED!!