Awesome races! WSBK showing the way. Shame about Rea's final punt in race 2.........congrats BMW
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
Im not so sure. Could have had a 1-2 weekend for both races, instead one of their Pedrosesk riders ...... up playing part in a double DNF. Melandri was out of control executing .... bonsai moves (both races). Race 1 he left Haslam out to dry. Could leave well enuf alone and shut off his brain. Impossible move coming from so way back in race 2. No ....... way he was gonna hold that line. And whats up with the garage shots every 5 minutes.
Well, we got a bit of NASCAR action this weekend. Biaggi and Sykes were the big beneficiaries. Rea is in touch on the championship table, but most of the time, not while they are racing. Melandri would have been in great shape if not for the traffic jam he started in the final corner. He thought he'd have a look, after all, worst he could finish was 2nd or third. But Rea had a different idea.
Melandri couldn't have won the championship at Donnington, but he did move himself one step closer to losing it. 25pts in 2 races doesn't win championships. I wonder if the BMW guys have big bonues in the contracts for winning races, specifically doubles. Not that Melandri needs greed to motivate him to do dumb things, but a northern European bean counter may be in need of a swift kick in the pants.
Melandri couldn't have won the championship at Donnington, but he did move himself one step closer to losing it. 25pts in 2 races doesn't win championships. I wonder if the BMW guys have big bonues in the contracts for winning races, specifically doubles. Not that Melandri needs greed to motivate him to do dumb things, but a northern European bean counter may be in need of a swift kick in the pants.
Joined Aug 2007
11K Posts | 3K+
Pomona NY
Two great races. Too bad about that last lap pass. Happened so fast I wasn't really sure who knocked them down. Never seen Haslam so aggressive. Loved it. ....... Melandri.... seems like he's gotten more cutthroat since coming to WSBK. Rea was impressive - even if he did screw up in that last lap.
Yeah I see your point, but Leon also had a few bonzai's of his own, one on Max straight after Melandri went underneath him, very close call and sent Max wide. They were all guilty of hard moves.......just that Rea's was the dumbest at the worst time. But I loved it nonetheless, both races awesome! BMW deserve the win in race 1, been a long time coming.
Add to that '4' manufacturers going at it all race, different lines, varying strengths/weaknesses. Classic stuff, the flammini's have it sorted. Time for some management in the premier class to open their eyes and pull their heads out of the sand. Even Rossi commented on how good the racing was, and how boring Motogp has become on twitter! Interesting.........reminiscent of the late nineties........the rise of the new premier series commoth!
Yeah, it's one of the craziest WSBK race and enjoyed it. Not so sure about Melandri move but I think he could use his brain next time. Even Rossi made comments on how MotoGP was so boring compared to WSBK.
Joined May 2008
3K Posts | 79+
Southern Aridzona - Hell's doorstep.
Race 2, last corner.
I've watched it several times and still don't see that Melandri did anything but screw himself up. He was so far inside Haslam, and overcooked so badly, I don't think it had any effect on Leon at all. Haslam seemed to enter the corner wide, and stayed wide far longer than seemed prudent given the situation. Rea zoomed under, right on the edge of the track, and then drifted a foot or so out from the curb just as Haslam was finally closing the corner .... boom.
IMO, 50% racing incident, maybe 50% Rea 'pushing it' a little, trying to squeeze into into a suddenly closing gap, and overcooking very slightly.
I've watched it several times and still don't see that Melandri did anything but screw himself up. He was so far inside Haslam, and overcooked so badly, I don't think it had any effect on Leon at all. Haslam seemed to enter the corner wide, and stayed wide far longer than seemed prudent given the situation. Rea zoomed under, right on the edge of the track, and then drifted a foot or so out from the curb just as Haslam was finally closing the corner .... boom.
IMO, 50% racing incident, maybe 50% Rea 'pushing it' a little, trying to squeeze into into a suddenly closing gap, and overcooking very slightly.
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
Geo, u say melandris ........ move had no effect on haslam but say rea went for closing gap? Looked to me haslam took that line to avoid colliding with stupid and bowling ball melandri, rea imagined a gap which only existed in his imagination. There was no gap, and rea simply used haslam as a backstop with the 'get out of jail' excuse that melandri had created a gap. It was no racing incident, it was a gang mugging by two idiots who switch their tiny brains off.
What pisses me off so much is when these fools .... somebodys great race craft and sure win by attacking without regard for what is possible. Who here thought as soon as melandri tipped in that he would make that turn? It was so obvious, much less the rider behind him. Even rea wasnt gonna make it and the force of ramming haslam kept him frim running wide. .... them both. Whats disappointing and shocking is how easily we can wave off another rider's incompetence at the serious detriment of a rider whos done the business. That was no better that Checas torpedo on Neuker nor Rossis ramming of Sete. .... Melandri and Rea!
What pisses me off so much is when these fools .... somebodys great race craft and sure win by attacking without regard for what is possible. Who here thought as soon as melandri tipped in that he would make that turn? It was so obvious, much less the rider behind him. Even rea wasnt gonna make it and the force of ramming haslam kept him frim running wide. .... them both. Whats disappointing and shocking is how easily we can wave off another rider's incompetence at the serious detriment of a rider whos done the business. That was no better that Checas torpedo on Neuker nor Rossis ramming of Sete. .... Melandri and Rea!
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
And while im ranting, it also pissed me off that these idiots ...... up what had so far been a great race. This is the kind of close racing that makes me want contrast this with GP. But how can i say, hey ur stupid for not tuning in to see Wsbk when the race ends in amateur hour? .... Melandri & Rea.
I suspect those calm voices here watch without much vested interest in any particular rider. That kind of stupid .... had happened by one of the top riders in GP, there would have been hell to pay.
I suspect those calm voices here watch without much vested interest in any particular rider. That kind of stupid .... had happened by one of the top riders in GP, there would have been hell to pay.
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
But Jum, this is good hard fairing bashing racing .
Its a fine line bro. Im for close racing, im for showing wheeles and challenging riders, but when u see a guy already .... up by trying an impossible dive then running wide, then try it again, thats amateur. Thats arrogance NOT racecraft or close racing. I know ur being funny, but u wernt laughing when Rossi did similar move on Stoner.
Joined May 2008
3K Posts | 79+
Southern Aridzona - Hell's doorstep.
Sorry, Bro, I just don't see Melandri's bomb doing anything more than make Haslam giggle in amusement. They were never close, and I don't see Leon swerving to avoid. Haslam does seem to wobble slightly (twice) as he tries to turn in, and I wonder if he was pushing the front somewhat.
Believe me, I'm no Rea fan. He strikes me as a stuck-up punk.
Haslam leads.
13551:01 - Haslam leads.jpg]
Melandri Bombs In. Leon is several feet wider than anyone else.
13552:02 - Melandri bombs in.jpg]
Wilie Coyote zooms on by.
13553:03 - Melandri zooms by.jpg]
Haslam is wide, leaves door open.
13554:04 - Haslam is wide.jpg]
Leon still wide. Legitimate room for Rea(?)
13555:05 - Leon still wide, legitimate room for Rea at this instant.jpg]
Rea goes for it. He appears to be right on the curb.
13556:06 - Rea on the curb, Hasmal still wide.jpg]
Impact in 3..2..
Rea has drifted a hair wide, just as Leon finally aims for an apex.
13557:07 - Just before impact. Rea appears to have drifted out a foot or so, Haslam finally aims for apex.jpg]
Bowling for Beemers. Haslam crashing but still upright for another few milliseconds.
13558:08 - bowling for Beemers. Haslam upright, but already crashing.jpg]
Believe me, I'm no Rea fan. He strikes me as a stuck-up punk.
Haslam leads.
13551:01 - Haslam leads.jpg]
Melandri Bombs In. Leon is several feet wider than anyone else.
13552:02 - Melandri bombs in.jpg]
Wilie Coyote zooms on by.
13553:03 - Melandri zooms by.jpg]
Haslam is wide, leaves door open.
13554:04 - Haslam is wide.jpg]
Leon still wide. Legitimate room for Rea(?)
13555:05 - Leon still wide, legitimate room for Rea at this instant.jpg]
Rea goes for it. He appears to be right on the curb.
13556:06 - Rea on the curb, Hasmal still wide.jpg]
Impact in 3..2..
Rea has drifted a hair wide, just as Leon finally aims for an apex.
13557:07 - Just before impact. Rea appears to have drifted out a foot or so, Haslam finally aims for apex.jpg]
Bowling for Beemers. Haslam crashing but still upright for another few milliseconds.
13558:08 - bowling for Beemers. Haslam upright, but already crashing.jpg]
Attachments
-
01 - Haslam leads.jpg -
02 - Melandri bombs in.jpg -
03 - Melandri zooms by.jpg -
04 - Haslam is wide.jpg -
05 - Leon still wide, legitimate room for Rea at this instant.jpg -
06 - Rea on the curb, Hasmal still wide.jpg -
07 - Just before impact.jpg -
08 - bowling for Beemers. Haslam upright, but already crashing.jpg
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
Nice sequence Geo. i went back to watch it again. Melandris line was ridiculous. I dont see Haslams line wide but rather Melandri's line so impossible inside that it makes Leon appear wide, where Leons entry would have been proper for that apex, certainly would have made that corner. Maybe Haslam realized Marco would try this and set up to go underneath, and it would have worked but he didnt plan on Eyes Closes Rea to use him as a burm. I think Rea took similar line as Melandri, perhaps fixating, and would have run wide had Haslam not been there in the correct space. I see the wobble, i think thats part of being upset in braking and setting up to Melandri coming up on him. There was no way Melandri was gonna out brake Haslam, much less the rider who was behind Marco.
Your quite right Jum's, if this was in Motogp and Stoner was involved, the thread would be 30 pages long by now......Melandri was stupid, but on this occasion it was harmless, he didn't put anyone off really, Rea's line was idiotic-Geo's great shots show that Rea was just on Leon's back wheel and they were already mid corner, never going to make it, I'm surprised there wasn't a protest....or was there?
Totally agree with you Jum. I reckon Leon got ...... over because 2 riders decided to make passes that just weren't on. The race was bloody exciting as was race one. But to be a classic they all needed to finish not take each other out. Great racing but the passing was amatuer hour at times.
