**SPOILER** Jerez Race

My race summary:

1. V.Rossi = A <--- The doctor is back, there was no competition today.
2. D.Pedrosa = B <----- Fairly disappointing, he got overtaken, there was absolutely no fight by him. Stoner proved that Rossi can be fought, Dani just isn't good enough on the brakes.
3. C.Edwards = A <----- Finally, a podium. Mr "Practice and Qualifying and home in time for sixth place" had a really good race.
4. T.Elias = A <---- Really good race, I was really impressed by Elias' race pace and competitiveness.
5. C.Stoner = A <----- Fought back brilliantly in the second half, made some good overtaking maneuvers and most importantly, stayed calm.
6. C.Checa = A <----- Ouch, overtaking the top Honda on the bottom Honda, that had to hurt Nicky more than anything. For his age, he did a brilliant job.
7. N.Hayden = C <----- Sorry, but I was unimpressed. I'm starting to think he really isn't capable of anything this season. He started good, then just went backwards. I liked how he didn't make excuses though, irrespective of his skill as a rider, he's a top man.
8. M.Melandri = C <---- Elias was in fourth, Marco had no excuse to be so far behind him. The Marco Random Number Generator strikes again.
9. C.Vermeulen = B <---- Better than last time, fought a good fight.
10. S.Nakano = B <---- Fairly anonymous, but a top ten finish isn't too bad for the lowest ranked Honda along with LCR.

What did the nine skittles actually represent? Knowing Rossi, there had to be some meaning. I personally liked the "Lorenzo's Land" flag that Lorenzo stuck in the gravel

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (stop_killing_dead_things @ Mar 25 2007, 11:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'> the podium was hilarious with rossi shaking dani's hand, neither like the other and im pretty sure that if it wasnt spain he wouldnt have done it...

I've always noticed it is Rossi who congrasts Dani first. You have to admit that Dani needs to lighten up a bit.




Had anyone noticed that Dani almost won it from Vale's early celebrations?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (IsraeliRacer @ Mar 25 2007, 11:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>My race summary:

1. V.Rossi = A <--- The doctor is back, there was no competition today.
2. D.Pedrosa = B <----- Fairly disappointing, he got overtaken, there was absolutely no fight by him. Stoner proved that Rossi can be fought, Dani just isn't good enough on the brakes.
3. C.Edwards = A <----- Finally, a podium. Mr "Practice and Qualifying and home in time for sixth place" had a really good race.
4. T.Elias = A <---- Really good race, I was really impressed by Elias' race pace and competitiveness.
5. C.Stoner = A <----- Fought back brilliantly in the second half, made some good overtaking maneuvers and most importantly, stayed calm.
6. C.Checa = A <----- Ouch, overtaking the top Honda on the bottom Honda, that had to hurt Nicky more than anything. For his age, he did a brilliant job.
7. N.Hayden = C <----- Sorry, but I was unimpressed. I'm starting to think he really isn't capable of anything this season. He started good, then just went backwards. I liked how he didn't make excuses though, irrespective of his skill as a rider, he's a top man.
8. M.Melandri = C <---- Elias was in fourth, Marco had no excuse to be so far behind him. The Marco Random Number Generator strikes again.
9. C.Vermeulen = B <---- Better than last time, fought a good fight.
10. S.Nakano = B <---- Fairly anonymous, but a top ten finish isn't too bad for the lowest ranked Honda along with LCR.

What did the nine skittles actually represent? Knowing Rossi, there had to be some meaning. I personally liked the "Lorenzo's Land" flag that Lorenzo stuck in the gravel
Great rating!!! Except Nakano, he went down in the morning. I didn't expect him to finish this good. I'd give a "A"

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (stop_killing_dead_things @ Mar 25 2007, 06:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'> the podium was hilarious with rossi shaking dani's hand, neither like the other and im pretty sure that if it wasnt spain he wouldnt have done it...

I disagree with that....Vale was full of compliments for Dani after the race. He said he had to put in a perfect race or he wouldn't have managed the win. Dani was just as nice about Vale. And Vale gave him a hug and a good thump on the back in the parc fermé... so wasn't just about being polite in front of the spanish audience methinks.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Traverser @ Mar 25 2007, 06:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Had anyone noticed that Dani almost won it from Vale's early celebrations?
Yeah I noticed....I was screaming at my tv for him not to be such a w@nker and put that front wheel on the ground!!

Considering the tight qualification times the race was pretty boring. 250's were great though. Poor Hopkins I'm seriously worried about Hayden and Capirossi!!! Why Checa waved to Hayden when he passed him???

I love Rossi's funny celebrations

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bikergirl @ Mar 25 2007, 07:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I disagree with that....Vale was full of compliments for Dani after the race. He said he had to put in a perfect race or he wouldn't have managed the win. Dani was just as nice about Vale. And Vale gave him a hug and a good thump on the back in the parc fermé... so wasn't just about being polite in front of the spanish audience methinks.
Yeah I noticed....I was screaming at my tv for him not to be such a w@nker and put that front wheel on the ground!!

fair enough, but after the events of dani being pissed at rossi for making jibes about being a kid/ small, whatever, i reckon its all for show. they clearly dont like each other and it doesnt help that rossi always says stuff about his main rivals. and they didnt aknowledge each other when they were waiting to go onto the rostrum ie. when they wernt in front of crowds. just a thought.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (memento @ Mar 25 2007, 08:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Considering the tight qualification times the race was pretty boring. 250's were great though. Poor Hopkins I'm seriously worried about Hayden and Capirossi!!! Why Checa waved to Hayden when he passed him???

I love Rossi's funny celebrations

i think it was an appology! bless him it wasnt needed

good to see the doctors back, racing and comedy both on top form! excellent from colin, can he keep doing it though?? hope so! Elias is on something, he's awesome. great start from Hayden, shame the 800 doesnt seem to work for him yet. Roll on Turkey!!

Quite boring race with no fights in the top at all.

Highlight of the racing was Checa insisting on closing the door no matter how far up the guy on the inside was. He must has quite a few cracks in the fairing after dumping his bike on who ever was on the inside, yeah and some rubber marks as weel. Brilliant stuff

Colins proving you all (allmost all) wrong was not exactly a highlight but pleasant confimation for me at last It's not his last podium this year and I still think he can get his first victory this season.

MRNG stikes again, strange.

To bad about hoppkins. If he didn't loose grip on his outer peg that one might have been saveable.

Rossi look like 2005? Maybe, to me it was really just Rossi on a bike that works. Nothing special, but still a perfect race from start to end. Rossi rules, and he enjoys it. Great show at the victory lap.

Pedrosa keep gathering points for me, also as expected. I think Rossi denying Pedrosa 2nd at last race by passing him on the brakes time after time can turn out to be just a crushing demonstration as Rossi's last corner at Jerez against Gibernau in 2005.

Bet that "Numbers Don't Lie" are starting to burn in some ones ... right now. And it will get worse I'm affraid. I loved to see him up to forth, but the rest must have been humiliating.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ Mar 25 2007, 07:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>what a sad and sorry ride from the cruisin cartetaker. at least he is consistant, consitantly crap.

what a ride by the doctor, the mans back on form.
It was so sad to see a champion fade back vrs push forward ..... at least Honda is delevoping a potential winner in Pedrosa.

SS

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (IsraeliRacer @ Mar 25 2007, 12:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Stoner proved that Rossi can be fought,Stoner proved that the Yami is down on top speed. He also proved that all that speed can't be used at all the tracks. In China Casey will likely show the speed again!

SS

Great ride by Valentino he rode the perfect race and like Stoner at Qatar deserved victory. I expected more from Pedrosa but P2 ain't bad. Also well done to Edwards, Elias and Hopkins until he fell.
On the other side, Hayden and Capirossi what was going on there, particularly Loris! Melandri was surprisingly low but yesterday i think eurosport commentators said he was ill so P8 not so bad is suppose.

Valentino's celebration was great!

BUT:

How many skittles were there actually?

I know my maths is bad but i only counted 8!

Does anyone know what the hell happened with Hoffman? Something went wrong with his start so he pitted, apparently jumped on his second bike (illegally, under the flag-to-flag racing rules) and was subsequently black-flagged. What's going on? Surely he would know that if he blatantly broke the rule, he would be disqualified. Or maybe he knew it was either that or call it a day (if his first bike was toasted already), and he was just ticked off enough to do it. Can anyone shed any light?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Babelfish @ Mar 25 2007, 08:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Quite boring race with no fights in the top at all.

agreed!! i'm trying to convert some people at work to MotoGp, i just hope they didnt watch todays race! no excitement at all really. just once again a dominant performance from the man.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dash @ Mar 26 2007, 12:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Does anyone know what the hell happened with Hoffman?

nah man i was watching it in the pub, they got a new massive LCD tv but then some ... put the jukebox on so i couldnt hear the commentary! didnt know what had happened to him

Whatever Roger,when someone from your country makes the field,then you can show your ....

good race, good to see Rossi win. I think Dani did all he could to fight Rossi but i am guessing its not easy. Good to see Colin get a podium, very impresed with Elias, if he keeps this up i am sure he'll stay in gresini and they might drop marco(rumours that they want toseland). there was something wrong with capirossi but i missed it cause i was on the phone ,the commenattors on BBC said it was a pure excuse for his bad performance. stoner is doing well so far and good to see checa up there. Hopeguly the other bikes can catch up with the dukes speed by the time they hit china.

Dash - i asked the same question but you seem to know more than me. Seems contradictive you can't switch bike when in the rain that's exactly what you have to do...anyway...what happened?!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Mar 26 2007, 12:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Whatever Roger,when someone from your country makes the field,then you can show your ....
firstly,im not sure why you would want to see my ....

secondly, i did not mention nationality, that seems to be your gripe. if i remember correctly your last comment was "europeans are pre madonas" all i said was hayden was crap.

thirdly, we did have someone on the motogp grid untill ilmor folded, but we do have a few in the lower classes.

if you feel the need to compare america with the uk than thats look at a few facts.

UK..
Population 60,609,153
Area 94,526 sq mi of which 1.34% is water


USA..
Population 301,396,000
Area 3,718,695 sq mi of which 4.87% is water

so you see the uk is very small and the usa has 5x the population, so i dont think we fair to badly on the world stage all things considered.
if you really need to compare i think it would be fairer size wise to compare the usa with europe and i think you will agree there arte a few europeans on the grid.

bitter pill to swallow when your boy cruises in a lazy 7th and 8th with the numbers dont lie emblazened on his ....
edwards was #1 amereican this week.

Hoffman pulled out with mechanical failures from memory.

Boring race.

I love watching Elias, he has such a strange style. Has anyone else noticed it? I can't explain it, but hes great fun to watch.

Kudos to Hopper for remounting and finishing the race. That guy is made of steel.

Can someone explain to me the bowling pins/skittles??

Skittles =ed opposition?

Hoffman had problems with the clutch, so he swaped his bike, it is ilegal so he got black flagged, I don't know if D'Antín forgot about the rules or he just hoped nobody would notice. They didn't have much to lose anyway so I guess it was worth the risk.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Babelfish @ Mar 25 2007, 08:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>MRNG stikes again, strange.

Marco had the flu this week but that wasn't his problem. He's mightily pissed off and disappointed in Honda. His agreement with them was that he'd be treated as the 'third' Honda rider..but since he started out on the 800 they haven't given him anything new. He spoke at length about it after the race. He seemed totally crushed.
Apart from the fact there's no new stuff I think the Honda cold shoulder is a huge psychologial blow for him. Ducati wanted him really badly and offered him the world but he let Gresini and Honda talk him into all the wonderful things they would be doing for him this year. And if he doesn't pull his socks up with what he's got or march over to Honda and demand his rights (yeah right..) he's going to be in a tight spot next year.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rossifan @ Mar 26 2007, 01:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>there was something wrong with capirossi but i missed it cause i was on the phone ,the commenattors on BBC said it was a pure excuse for his bad performance.

Capi's wife Ingrid is due to give birth to their son Riccardo any second now. So everyone was saying his head's not in the right place. Maybe that's what the commentators were refering to. However post race interview Loris admitted that he's riding like crap. He didn't try to put responsibility on anyone else...he said the bike is fine because Casey proved that it really goes in Qatar. Then he commented that he's sure one doesn't 'unlearn' how to ride a bike in the short space of time since winter testing, that he's probably just going through a bad patch and that he should hopefully be back in form soon. There was Giacomo Agostini in the paddock studio and he was like 'well Loris has raced 250 races and he's a great champion and a great rider but he's never had a baby before. So let's let him have his baby and he'll be ok soon' And if Agostini says it...I guess I'll believe it!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (teomolca @ Mar 26 2007, 07:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Hoffman had problems with the clutch, so he swaped his bike, it is ilegal so he got black flagged, I don't know if D'Antín forgot about the rules or he just hoped nobody would notice. They didn't have much to lose anyway so I guess it was worth the risk.

You're right, I just saw it confirmed in an online article. Apparently his chain was coming off the sprocket on the first lap, so he pitted and tried to do a sneaky swap!!! Bit of a scandal, if you ask me. It would be pretty hard for D'Antin to argue that they didn't know the rules or 'just forgot'. The only other explanation then is that their attitude was "screw you, race control, let's try and get away with it". I wonder if a fine or other penalty is appropriate?