yeah checa is the largest honda rider out there so he seems to have sorted his bike out. be great to see him back at the pointy end of thing's!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (frosty58 @ Mar 8 2007, 12:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>yeah checa is the largest honda rider out there so he seems to have sorted his bike out.
True, Hayden has no excuse when someone bigger than him is lapping quicker than Pedrosa.
True, Hayden has no excuse when someone bigger than him is lapping quicker than Pedrosa.
FP2 positions:
1. Rossi
2. Edwards
3. Stoner
4. Hopkins
5. Checa
6. Pedrosa
7. Melandri
8. Capirossi
9. Elias
10. Nakano
11. Barros
12. Vermeulen
13. de Puniet
14. Roberts
15. Hayden
16. Hofmann
17. Jacque
18. Guintoli
19. Pitt
20. McWilliams
21. Tamada
1. Rossi
2. Edwards
3. Stoner
4. Hopkins
5. Checa
6. Pedrosa
7. Melandri
8. Capirossi
9. Elias
10. Nakano
11. Barros
12. Vermeulen
13. de Puniet
14. Roberts
15. Hayden
16. Hofmann
17. Jacque
18. Guintoli
19. Pitt
20. McWilliams
21. Tamada
good to see Hopper having a good first practice. Casey is going fast it seems but that is no surprise he was all last season, it just a matter of keeping it up on 2 wheels.
I expect Hayden to move up the time sheet throughout the weekend, but hopefully not too far.
Rossi for pole and race win i think he will lay a marker down as early as possible.
I expect Hayden to move up the time sheet throughout the weekend, but hopefully not too far.
Rossi for pole and race win i think he will lay a marker down as early as possible.
I just browsed through the analysis tables and none of the fastest had Q-tires on today. Harder to say with some of the others that had two quick laps at the end of the session but it didn't look like q-times. I think it was quite common last year to try at least one q-tire in FP2. The new tire rules probably changed that.
Rossi had only two loooong stints and Edwards had one short and two long ones. Seems like those guys are ready to race without any new settings.
Honda Respol look terrible. For a long period they were the slowest hondas by a god margin. Hayden still the slowest Honda. It's going to be exciting to see what they can come up with tomorrow and saturday.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dave T @ Mar 8 2007, 01:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>good to see Hopper having a good first practice. Casey is going fast it seems but that is no surprise he was all last season, it just a matter of keeping it up on 2 wheels.
I expect Hayden to move up the time sheet throughout the weekend, but hopefully not too far.
Rossi for pole and race win i think he will lay a marker down as early as possible.
Except from Rossi's first ever Yamaha race I think it is few races where he has been more motivated for a first position. And that says alot, I mean, motivation for victory is not a known problem for that guy.
Actually I would like to see Hayden high up there, but right now it dosent look very good.
Rossi had only two loooong stints and Edwards had one short and two long ones. Seems like those guys are ready to race without any new settings.
Honda Respol look terrible. For a long period they were the slowest hondas by a god margin. Hayden still the slowest Honda. It's going to be exciting to see what they can come up with tomorrow and saturday.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dave T @ Mar 8 2007, 01:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>good to see Hopper having a good first practice. Casey is going fast it seems but that is no surprise he was all last season, it just a matter of keeping it up on 2 wheels.
I expect Hayden to move up the time sheet throughout the weekend, but hopefully not too far.
Rossi for pole and race win i think he will lay a marker down as early as possible.
Except from Rossi's first ever Yamaha race I think it is few races where he has been more motivated for a first position. And that says alot, I mean, motivation for victory is not a known problem for that guy.
Actually I would like to see Hayden high up there, but right now it dosent look very good.
I wonder if Hayden is sandbagging so he can surprise the crap out of people on raceday? Theres a certain Mr. Rossi who has been known to do that (though it isnt exactly a surprise persay).
I'm excited about Nakano. He's always been one of my favorites and I love the guy, but he's been having problems sorting the bike out in the offseason. He said a couple days ago that he felt Konica Minolta were about 80% there and he'd be trying to make up that 20% in the practices. Looks like he's on the job and doing well!
I'm excited about Nakano. He's always been one of my favorites and I love the guy, but he's been having problems sorting the bike out in the offseason. He said a couple days ago that he felt Konica Minolta were about 80% there and he'd be trying to make up that 20% in the practices. Looks like he's on the job and doing well!
Joined Feb 2007
11K Posts | 2K+
Tennessee
I doubt he would sand bag till race day.Maybe free practice,but never qualifying.Starting from anywhere past second row just about guarantees you a bad finish,plus their is a huge monetary award at the end of the season for combined qualifying times.I expect him to move up the charts but being 2 seconds off pace is not how you want to start the season.
Nicky is going to have to cut those sandbags loose if he wants to get a podium. The previous test was a disaster for him so it seems thats affecting his ability to set the bike up.
Joined Jul 2006
11K Posts | 291+
Texas
I'm surprised to see Elias that far off the pace at this point.
I'm expecting him to have as many or more wins than last years title holder had.
SS
I'm expecting him to have as many or more wins than last years title holder had.
SS
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ThePhorest @ Mar 8 2007, 02:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I wonder if Hayden is sandbagging so he can surprise the crap out of people on raceday? Theres a certain Mr. Rossi who has been known to do that (though it isnt exactly a surprise persay).
That IS a surprise to me. When did Rossi do that? And please don't count in all those race weekends last year where he qualified down from 1st row as that was by no means his intentions but rather the bike behaving like a shaker with q-tires on. Despite a terrible qualifying he often had a setup that worked on race tires and while many were surprised at race day anyone interested in reading the analysis sheets at motoGP would find that his pace was as good as anyones, he just couldn't folow up with a q-tire lap. In fact, at some tracks wa so bad that he was slower on q-tires than he was on race tires. In his Honda days he did have a reputation of concentrating on race set-up in q-session. While all the others where chasing the fastest lap he did long race simulation stints to check the setup and thereby staying far down the lists until the last 10 min and then picking himself a first row position. But I wouldn't call that sandbagging.
On the other hand, Honda has a reputation for sandbagging as you might see here: http://www.superbikeplanet.com/011203d.htm
That does include Rossi but if it was sandbagging it was a team order from Honda.
Hayden sandbagging now? I bet he would pay hefty sum of money for that being true. Considering his last test here he doesn't even know if he can go fast here on the current setup. His short stints also suggest a lot of changes on his bike, without success I might add.
That IS a surprise to me. When did Rossi do that? And please don't count in all those race weekends last year where he qualified down from 1st row as that was by no means his intentions but rather the bike behaving like a shaker with q-tires on. Despite a terrible qualifying he often had a setup that worked on race tires and while many were surprised at race day anyone interested in reading the analysis sheets at motoGP would find that his pace was as good as anyones, he just couldn't folow up with a q-tire lap. In fact, at some tracks wa so bad that he was slower on q-tires than he was on race tires. In his Honda days he did have a reputation of concentrating on race set-up in q-session. While all the others where chasing the fastest lap he did long race simulation stints to check the setup and thereby staying far down the lists until the last 10 min and then picking himself a first row position. But I wouldn't call that sandbagging.
On the other hand, Honda has a reputation for sandbagging as you might see here: http://www.superbikeplanet.com/011203d.htm
That does include Rossi but if it was sandbagging it was a team order from Honda.
Hayden sandbagging now? I bet he would pay hefty sum of money for that being true. Considering his last test here he doesn't even know if he can go fast here on the current setup. His short stints also suggest a lot of changes on his bike, without success I might add.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dave T @ Mar 8 2007, 06:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I expect Hayden to move up the time sheet throughout the weekend, but hopefully not too far.He will place in his comfort zone ....... 6 or lower.
SS
SS
I doubt hayden would be sandbagging on purpose, he has been having trouble setting up the bike, fairing problems, and crashes all the way thru even he himself called it a disaster.
I dont think honda appriciates all the negative talk hayden is bringing to to repsol honda right now by him being so far down the charts and the slowest honda thats simply unacceptable for the #1 honda team and a rider sporting the #1 plate to be sitting in 15th.
And not only that Earl Hayden is probly beating his ... like a 5 yr old with a hose round the backside of the trailer right now to get his ... in gear asap lol
I dont think honda appriciates all the negative talk hayden is bringing to to repsol honda right now by him being so far down the charts and the slowest honda thats simply unacceptable for the #1 honda team and a rider sporting the #1 plate to be sitting in 15th.
And not only that Earl Hayden is probly beating his ... like a 5 yr old with a hose round the backside of the trailer right now to get his ... in gear asap lol
Joined Oct 2006
3K Posts | 34+
Tar Heel State
Sheri....Earl is in Daytona this weekend with his other two sons. He may have Aldon Baker, Nicky's personal trainer do the whooping I don't know?
I doubt both Nicky and Dani are sandbagging, they both obviously have some work to do, and I'm curious if they will get it right before qualifying. I doubt they will, but I have my fingers crossed.
I doubt both Nicky and Dani are sandbagging, they both obviously have some work to do, and I'm curious if they will get it right before qualifying. I doubt they will, but I have my fingers crossed.
Dani will, Nicky will get much closer than he is but he isn't gonna get to that top level that the first 4 guys have been on today.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Mar 8 2007, 10:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Dani will, Nicky will get much closer than he is but he isn't gonna get to that top level that the first 4 guys have been on today.Like the Cubs ......
Thars always next year.
SS
Thars always next year.
SS
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Mar 8 2007, 06:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>True, Hayden has no excuse when someone bigger than him is lapping quicker than Pedrosa.
I would say… Hayden has no excuse! That’s about it.
I would say… Hayden has no excuse! That’s about it.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sheri @ Mar 8 2007, 01:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>still no interview from him on motogp.com
Here you go...
http://www.motogp.com/en/motogp/motogp_new..._id=3§ion=1
PD. Haven't even read it!
Here you go...
http://www.motogp.com/en/motogp/motogp_new..._id=3§ion=1
PD. Haven't even read it!
Joined Jul 2006
11K Posts | 291+
Texas
