Qatar Qualifying. Round 1 .2010

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MigsAngel @ Apr 11 2010, 05:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Marco S is wishing he'd gone to WSBK right about now.....

Marco M is looking at his 2010 Honda and asking himself why does it have a 'Ducati 2008' stamp on it....


no more excuses now eh.... even more pressure on marco. and simoncelli pfft welcome to the big leagues

I think the other Ducati's seem to be getting closer to Stoner bit by bit. Had Kallio not crashed at the start, he could have possibly been where he was in practice?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Wander @ Apr 11 2010, 09:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think the other Ducati's seem to be getting closer to Stoner bit by bit. Had Kallio not crashed at the start, he could have possibly been where he was in practice?

It certainly looks that way, but these are only 1 lap timings....you have to look at the consistent pace over several laps in a race....so tonight will tell how far off the other Ducati riders really are from Stoner at this Ducati track

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gsfan @ Apr 11 2010, 04:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Apparently, "hot knives" is not a phrase lost on the Rossi adoring Aussie. A possible common result of such an activity might be labeled "Stoner's Qatar" myopia. The populous ringing the circumference of your gigantic great nation seem sane enough, however, it seems "some" are less logistically and intellectually available...hence the special after condition known as "Talpa's denial" arises.

Oh well, Monday morn ought to have cleared the initial phase away and mourning could begin. A case of "Rossilackofpointstolladitis" may need an Advil or two. Nothing a GP couldn't handle.
Well if you think I'm in denial then that's the best possible result........

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (demingracer @ Apr 11 2010, 01:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>When are ducati going to engineer 2 riders at the front of the grid. Seems like they only have enough smarts to get 1 rider to the front of the pack. No matter how many times they change there second driver its always the same. I think it would help stoner a great deal if he had a teammate closer to the front with him.


Its called genetic diversity amplified by sexual reproduction,( rather than asexual reproduction) and coupled with infrequent mutations that lead to terrestrially based aliens that are reluctant to be cloned..

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Frizzle @ Apr 11 2010, 09:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Judging by this thread alone I see the boppers are still out in force around here.
It's okay to be a fan, but why the hell do half of you have to carry on like school children?

were all fans deep down of the riders/sport not long till let the best man win for today anyway

the moto2 class this year looks like it will be awesome lets hope the motogp class can live up to the same

got to give Casey a pat on the back he's looked great all weekend

and Hello all those that have been AWOL u lot got Bail ?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Apr 11 2010, 02:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>He's got factory kit already, all he's missing are the HRC techs.

RdP's LCR techs know the Ohlins better than HRC techs, have used them longer
And it's not the first time that a satellite Honda receives full factory kits and is faster than HRC, Gibernau was treated like a HRC rider and was faster than them for a long time

This is a quick translation of what Rossi told GPOne yesterday:

"We lost some speed, during the winter. Ducati now have an engine more similar to Yamaha's, soft, but they are 10 kmh faster. Fuel consumption? we are at the limit, hope they are as well so they'll have to close the tap a bit for the race. We'll try to put up a fight (with Stoner), then if he pips us that's it: it will mean he's been the best".

And yes, Ducati have really 'nailed it' in 2010!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (J4rn0 @ Apr 10 2010, 11:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Maybe they are already giving RdP factory treatment

Honda seem to have stopped making Pedrocycles, this 2010 model is even too masculine. A Ducati 2008 replica -- Melandri's nemesis

Interesting this fact that neither Stoner nor Rossi really improved their lap times significantly with soft tyres. But it seemed like Stoner was playing with his lap times -- he first kept it at 1.55.5, and as soon as Rossi beat it he promptly went on to the next tack. Hmmm...
I don't disagree but I doubt that he pushed that much harder from stint to stint. At any track, but especially Losail, the track conditions improve under the whole session. More rubber, less dust, more grip. Because of this it should be possible to improve every time you go out when you have long breaks like Stoner has, but how much it the improved Conditions and how much is Stoner's doing is anybody's guess.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>Capirossi shadowed Vale in the last lap and climbed to 5th position the old fox.
That NOT the first time he do just that
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>Tomorrow, it will be hard for the two Fiat Yamahas to stay with Stoner. They will try, but Losail is not Laguna.

I'm not as optimistic as earlier in the week, Stoner is quick and the Ducati fast on the straights. Tonight will be very interesting.

Some thoughts on what I've seen in FP and QP:

There has been a lot of talk about the Honda handling issues, but this was the first time I could visibly tell that something was fishy. Most Hondas looked very shakey and ill composed. Everything seems to be a problem right now, corner entry, corner exit, direction changes. Dani even got a nasty suprise on the straight that could have ended badly. RdP and Dovi lead me to believe that the bike has plenty of potential though, once everyone has found a decent set up. Expecting a lot from Aoyama.

Yamaha's look planted as always. I believe it is still the bike to have. Can anyone with some technical knowledge explain them hellfires that are coming out of their exhausts when downshifting. It may be especially visible because their riding at night, but still, it seems very excessive, doesn't it? (looks very cool though)

The Ducati is not looking as wild as it used too. It still seems to be somewhat of a handful. I was worried Stoner wouldn't look as spectacular anymore, but thankfully he still looks very aggressive and on the edge. I do not believe the switch to big-bang will bring any of the other riders closer to the top. Partly, I think, because Ducati doesn't have enough really talented 800cc riders, partly because the chassi just isn't there (yet).

Did anyone ever notice that Stoner often seems to be very fast in the last section of many tracks? I believe one the things that makes the difference between him and other riders is his ability to carry a lot of speed onto the straights. (I remember Nicky saying something along those lines last year).

11 April 2010


3hrs 40mins to go to warm up
Times UK/GMT

125cc..WUP..16:00 - 16:20

Moto2..WUP..16:30 - 16:50

MotoGP..WUP..17:00 - 17:20

125cc..RAC..18:00

Moto2..RAC..19:15

MotoGP..RAC..21:00


BBC Redbutton sky/cable/freesat etc
1750-2005 Live coverage of Losail Qatar Moto GP 125 & moto2 races.

MOTOGP Race Live BBC THREE.20:45PM...Sky/cable/freesat/FREEVIEW


FREEVIEW 125-MOTO2 SHAFTED FOR GOLF
Not available on Freeview - A replay Will be available Monday 1915-2245..ch 301

freeview ch 301 now Quali replays till 17.50


British Eurosport-2

17:15
MOTORCYCLING
MotoGP - Warm-up - MotoGP (30min)
17:45
MOTORCYCLING
Live MotoGP: 125cc - Qatar (90min)

19:15
MOTORCYCLING
Live MotoGP: Moto2 - Qatar (75min)
20:30
NEWS
Eurosport2 News (15min)
20:45
SUPERBIKE
World Superbikes - Valencia (90min)
22:15
MOTORCYCLING
MotoGP - MotoGP (90min)

The right line for max corner exit speed makes a huge difference to top speed down the shoot, great hp also helps. Cs has 6 mph on the yamahas at Qatar, very big difference.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (stiefel @ Apr 11 2010, 09:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Some thoughts on what I've seen in FP and QP:

There has been a lot of talk about the Honda handling issues, but this was the first time I could visibly tell that something was fishy. Most Hondas looked very shakey and ill composed. Everything seems to be a problem right now, corner entry, corner exit, direction changes. Dani even got a nasty suprise on the straight that could have ended badly. RdP and Dovi lead me to believe that the bike has plenty of potential though, once everyone has found a decent set up. Expecting a lot from Aoyama.

Yamaha's look planted as always. I believe it is still the bike to have. Can anyone with some technical knowledge explain them hellfires that are coming out of their exhausts when downshifting. It may be especially visible because their riding at night, but still, it seems very excessive, doesn't it? (looks very cool though)

The Ducati is not looking as wild as it used too. It still seems to be somewhat of a handful. I was worried Stoner wouldn't look as spectacular anymore, but thankfully he still looks very aggressive and on the edge. I do not believe the switch to big-bang will bring any of the other riders closer to the top. Partly, I think, because Ducati doesn't have enough really talented 800cc riders, partly because the chassi just isn't there (yet).

Did anyone ever notice that Stoner often seems to be very fast in the last section of many tracks? I believe one the things that makes the difference between him and other riders is his ability to carry a lot of speed onto the straights. (I remember Nicky saying something along those lines last year).

Interesting insights- I suppose the last sector includes half the straight -so Stoners ability to be fast onto the straight and on it are probably big factors in his fast sector 4 times. Ive also noticed that sectors including very fast corners usually give stoner an advantage too. Here at Losail sector 3 is good for him too- incudes back "straight " with a fast kink.
Rossi's fastest lap was around 0.2 secs faster in sector 1 than Stoner, sector 2, 0.1 faster, sector 3, 0.3 slower, sector 4, 0.4 secs slower. So it would seem for Stoner the second half of the lap is his greatest strength.

I am in awe at Stoner's speed, but still have a feeling Rossi wants to win this Losail GP, against Stoner and all odds. His tactics could be to stay very close to Stoner in order to slipstream the faster Ducati on the straight, saving also some fuel, and then try something towards the end of the race. For this to have any real chances, he of course is going to need an excellent start.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Talpa @ Apr 11 2010, 11:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The right line for max corner exit speed makes a huge difference to top speed down the shoot, great hp also helps. Cs has 6 mph on the yamahas at Qatar, very big difference.

So you,ve got the excuses for Rossi lined up already eh!

There is something true there, in the sense that everybody is expecting Casey's easy win and so Rossi has nothing to lose at Losail, image-wise. He is going to try.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (J4rn0 @ Apr 11 2010, 09:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>This is a quick translation of what Rossi told GPOne yesterday:

"We lost some speed, during the winter. Ducati now have an engine more similar to Yamaha's, soft, but they are 10 kmh faster. Fuel consumption? we are at the limit, hope they are as well so they'll have to close the tap a bit for the race. We'll try to put up a fight (with Stoner), then if he pips us that's it: it will mean he's been the best".
Now when has valentino talked like this before? The warm-up may be somewhat revealing, but no conclusions should be drawn as to the relative pace of the bikes at least until the flag drops for the race.

I don't think stoner is falling for this again; he has been reserved in his pre-race comments, being quoted on one site as wondering whether winning losail is all that positive for his title hopes given the last 2 years.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (J4rn0 @ Apr 11 2010, 05:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>And yes, Ducati have really 'nailed it' in 2010!





Well if they are all done nailing it. I'd like to take a stab!

Funny seeing randy in 4th while pedrobot with his 1000 more RPM's is in 7th dovi in 6th Maybe HRC will turn them down 2000 revs if this continues.

Good news. I've just heard gibbers has permanently retired. Not sure if ive ever mentioned it before but i really don't like the gimp.