Regarding fuel consumption and track conditions, of course I had considered both. I wasn't trying to explain why Spies was slower over the final laps and particularly the final sector on the last couple of laps, just that he was. Besides, the stats don't have to take anything into account - just to say what went down. We're the ones that do the taking into account a posteriori. And if you want to argue that the conditions favoured Stoner at the end of the race then why did they so clearly seem to favour Spies a few laps earlier?
I totally agree. My point is that he might have felt like he was giving it his all just like every other lap but for one reason or another his 100% just wasn't 100% anymore, if you know what I mean. Injuries, track conditions, running lean, no tyres left, snack attack, whatever.
I'm not out to argue, just making a point which isn't necessarily opposite to yours. The lap times and split times are enough for me to draw a certain conclusion, which is simply that whatever the reasons behind this particular finish were, it didn't just come down to Honda grunt as some people are painting it. I just don't want to have to put up with another round of 'he only won it because of the bike' ......... that's not aimed at you mate, I bet you feel the same, I just don't want to sit through more crap like after 2007.
Which reminds me, Lorenzo was up in the Spanish commentary booth early in the race and he spoke specifically about the difference between the Honda and the Yamaha. He stated very generously that the difference was smaller than everybody had made out, that it varied from track to track, and that at a number of circuits the Yamaha had an advantage this year. Takes a big man to say that when the easiest thing would just be to go with the flow and talk about the gearbox that costs more than a house. I wonder how this race would've turned out if he'd been riding.
