MotoGP 2010 Thread

[misnblu]

Thanks for the link Evil.
And no, they don't rebroadcast any of the MotoGP or others but once, that's it.
Official US broadcast from Speed is a joke. errrrrr

 

[Neal]

You're welcome

In that case US broadcast is woeful! Not that it helps but Eurosport UK repeat it a few times in the days following the race, surely SpeedTV could do the same even if it was through the night so it could be recorded.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

EDIT: Some interesting articles…looks the start of silly season!

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/25052010/23/jarvis-rider-line-isn-t-matter-money.html

Jarvis: Rider line-up 'isn't a matter of money'

He might have won the last two GPs back-to-back, he might be nine points clear at the top of the title standings and he might currently be showing the way to his record-breaking, seemingly unbeatable team-mate Valentino Rossi – but FIAT Yamaha will not enter into a bidding war with Ducati Corse in order to retain the services of Jorge Lorenzo next year, insists Lin Jarvis.

The Italian outfit’s team manager stated last week that FIAT Yamaha’s objective is to keep hold of both of its riders into 2011. Both are out of contract come season’s end – as, indeed, are the majority of the premier class field.

However, with the Italian and Spaniard having both come in for bids from rival teams – and the latter in particular having been pursued with some determination and a generous offer by Ducati last year – and Yamaha having suffered more than other manufacturers financially in 2009, it has been suggested that money could ultimately end up playing a deciding role.

An added complication is the uneasy relationship between the two team-mates, with nine-time world champion Rossi having sensationally claimed in Valencia last year that Yamaha would have to choose between him and Lorenzo in 2011 – in other words, between arguably the greatest competitor in motorcycling history but one who will likely soon be entering the autumn of his career, or the promising young rider across the other side of the pit garage who for many represents the future.

“That’s our programme,” Jarvis told Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. “They cost too much together? I don’t think it’s just a matter of money. We can give them an adequate retainer for their value, plus a very interesting technical situation and bike.

“I don’t like market talk so early in the season. However, we must accept it, so we are doing our talks and we hope to be able to define the 2011 team by mid season, let’s say by Laguna Seca, in order to be able to focus on results during the second half of the season. We certainly have no interest in fighting over [Lorenzo’s] retainer. FIAT are very happy and they would like to go on with the same people. In any case, we’ll sort out the riders first.”

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/25052010/23/stoner-honda-deal-admits-ducati-source.html

Stoner to Honda 'a done deal', admits Ducati source

Casey Stoner ‘has already decided’ to leave Ducati Corse for Repsol Honda in MotoGP 2011, a well-informed insider from the Australian’s current team has conceded – as his suitor admitted that it is also ‘interested’ in regaining the services of Valentino Rossi.

It was reported earlier this month that Stoner and Honda have all-but agreed terms for the 2007 MotoGP World Champion to switch camps for next season, and whilst Ducati itself has maintained its silence on the matter, a source within the Italian outfit has revealed to GPWeek that there is now no going back.

“As far as Casey going to Honda next year, I think it’s a done deal,” the ‘highly-placed’ team member stated. “I don’t have any hard information and I don’t want to go on the record, but it’s just a gut feeling. I think he has already decided to go.”

Chief amongst Stoner’s motivations to join Honda is the presence there of former Ducati team manager Livio Suppo, who oversaw the 24-year-old’s march to the crown three years ago in only his maiden campaign with the team and second in the premier class and has in 2010 moved to Honda in a marketing and managerial capacity.

Another carrot is the opportunity to return the Japanese manufacturer to title glory for the first time since 2006, as well as the personal prospect of joining the elite group of just Rossi, Eddie Lawson and Geoff Duke to successfully claim the premier class championship with two different marques.

Aside from an opportunistic victory for veteran Loris Capirossi in the wet/dry 2007 Japanese Grand Prix – the same event at which Stoner lifted the laurels – no other rider has triumphed for Ducati since the Queensland native joined the squad, during which time he has equalled the tally of 20 successes notched up over the same period by record-breaking multiple world champion Rossi, despite being sidelined by illness for some of last year, an episode that is believed to have created a degree of tension with title sponsor Marlboro.

There have also reportedly been rather too many accidents for his employer’s liking – including two in the first three races of 2010 alone – and Honda has made little secret of its desire to secure the signature of the 27-time race-winner.

Such an eventuality would mean one of the two present incumbents – Dani Pedrosa or the increasingly impressive Andrea Dovizioso – having to make way, with either Jorge Lorenzo or FIAT Yamaha team-mate Rossi looking to be in-line to replace Stoner at Ducati, despite Lin Jarvis’ protestations that the objective is to retain both riders. ‘The Doctor’ has similarly been mentioned in connection with Honda, although given the manner in which he left back at the end of 2003, a rapprochement does not appear likely.

“We haven’t drawn a programme for next year yet,” HRC vice-president Shuei Nakamoto told Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Maybe we’ll do it in July, but the four best riders have their contracts expiring so it’s normal we are interested in all of them, Valentino too.

“Because Honda is not content with podiums, we want to win, we’ve asked Colin Stoner (Casey Stoner’s father and manager) if they would like to come with us. However, we absolutely didn’t get into the details – like number of years or retainer – at all.”

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-stoner-facing-impossible-odds/P1

Stoner Facing ‘Impossible’ Odds

Casey Stoner admits he has made his 2010 MotoGP title campaign virtually "impossible" this year following his dramatic early exit from last Sunday's French Grand Prix. It was a crushing blow to the young Ducati rider who is now in 13th place and a demoralizing 59 points behind series leader Jorge Lorenzo.

At Le Mans, Stoner lost the front end for the second time in a race this season. His earlier mistake came at the season opener in Qatar where he was expected to cruise to a comfortable win aboard the GP10.

As he began the third lap of the French GP Stoner was convinced he had the pace to run with eventual race winner Lorenzo, having closed quickly onto the lead group of Valentino Rossi, Lorenzo, and Dani Pedrosa. Stoner had just passed Ducati teammate Nicky Hayden, who was behind in fifth place, when Stoner made his shock early exit.

'"I pushed to catch up to them and Nicky was dropping back so I wanted to close the gap, and by Turn 1 I was on them," Stoner said. "I was relaxed and I was ready and making sure no one was getting away and then all of a sudden the front goes. It slipped, I caught it, then the front slipped again and I couldn't catch it. This is hugely disappointing.

"I pushed that bike really hard all weekend to see what the front end would do; I didn't have the same problem as Jerez and Qatar, and it never faltered or wobbled when I pushed it. I was going through a corner that doesn't put much pressure on the front tire -- there's not much to do in that corner other than being smooth on the way out and pick it up for the exit. So at the most unimportant part of a corner on the whole circuit and I lost the front and to be honest I have no idea.

"I believe I could have run Jorge's pace but he made the others look a little silly, hats off to him, he did the job and I had to pick myself up out of the gravel."

Ducati's switch to a big-bang engine has provided much-needed rear grip to the GP10, and although the team have worked to get the balance right, Stoner has no clear theory.

"Maybe it's the engine giving us a little bit too much traction," he said. "We scrubbed the tires in the warm-up but in race they didn't have the same feeling; the front I didn't have problem with but the rear felt very slippery. Maybe we didn't have enough grip in the middle of the turn, but I can't explain it."

Whatever the reasons for Stoner's sudden demise as early season championship contender, the French GP confirmed Lorenzo's status as a clear threat to the domination of Rossi in the Yamaha squad.

Lorenzo now has back-to-back wins following his triumph in Jerez earlier this month and has edged just nine points clear of Rossi.

Stoner's immediate task is attempt to win races and see how the title pans out later in the season. With four fast men with claims to win races -- Rossi, Lorenzo, Stoner, and Pedrosa -- this championship is more than ever about consistency.

“For this championship it is important not to crash and to finish all the races," Lorenzo said. "Casey is so fast and aggressive but he has already crashed two times in the first three races and for sure he will need to win a lot of races to recover the points. I think right now that myself and Valentino have the consistency that the other riders don’t have."

The once erratic Lorenzo appears to be racing with a devastating calmness. And if he sticks to a plan to accept fewer points on the days he cannot win then his tilt at the title will take some beating

 

[RickyRacer]

Once again, Speed Channel or let's say Nascar Channel had the last week full of Nascar bull****.
No races, nothing.
Something needs to be done about this because I'm missing all the races and that's two in a row now.

I live in Santa Rosa CA and have Comcast, they aired the MotoGP at 5:00 in the morning. Good thing I have a DVR or I might have been in the same boat as you...

Yeah the races are a bit boring because the differences in performance in bikes is too big!!...and they need to change something,otherwise for next season more teams will quit and go to Moto2 or WSB...i mean who wants to finish 30 seconds behind the leader every race?....

If you read several forums on the net,lots of fans are edging towards the Superbikes now,and i don't blame them...the Superbike races are very,very exiting and full of drama and always close...

I'll always be a MotoGP fanatic but I enjoy the superbikes races much more these days. Every week different manufacture are fighting for the win and the races are always competitive.

I'll always be a MotoGP fanatic but I enjoy the superbikes races much more these days. Every week different manufactures are fighting for the win and the races are always competitive.

 

[Small_Fryz]

Its the premier class, its always been like this?? in fact the last few years have been amongst the best ive seen. sure its not production bike racing but its never suppose to be

 

[Neal]

Ducati Going 900cc (Or 930) For 2012?

Hands up who thinks they should increase the fuel capacity from 21 litres for 2012 so fuel economy is less of an issue and the 1000cc engines can be tuned to their full potential?

I know it wouldn't please the tree hugging hippies but I want to see more tyre smokin' sideways action that the big engines would bring.

Ducati engineering guru Filippo Preziosi is planning a radical approach to the new MotoGP engine rules for 2012 with a 900cc, V4 concept. Even a 930cc engine is on the cards with Preziosi’s innovative mind set on finding a winning engine for the new rules, which are capped at 1,000cc.

Preziosi is not convinced that the 1,000cc plan, as targeted by the Grand Prix Commission, is the most efficient capacity. He is searching for the winning balance of fuel economy and horsepower with the limit of a 21-liter tank size.

What is clear is that Ducati will build a prototype motor, controlled by sophisticated electronics, for the 2012 rules which also cater for hot-rod production based motors.

The new rules say engines can be “up to 1,000cc” with a maximum bore size of 81 mm. Preziosi is currently analyzing the engine options at Ducati’s Bologna headquarters and a final decision will be made in the second half of this year.

“We have started the conceptual design to define the best displacement for power delivery and fuel consumption, we are concentrating on this,” Preziosi said. “It is not clear that 1,000cc is the best, there is a compromise. A 900cc is very possible, maybe even a 930. And perhaps the displacement will change year-by-year depending on development. Once we have made the final decision I expect a prototype of the new bike to be ready for testing in mid-2011.”

The 81 mm bore size will mean a longer stroke engine bad thus a reduction in RPM from the current 800cc motors running in excess of 18,500 rpm.

To manage the fuel allowance the new 2012 engines will be down in the 16,000 rpm range.

Despite more torque from a 900cc engine, the leaner fuel settings to use 21 liters will also mean a more peaky power delivery. The motors may be even more difficult to ride than current 800s and will use advanced electronic engine management systems.

“For sure there will be a compromise in this area and our first task is design a bike that is better than the current one (the 800cc GP10),” said Preziosi.

 

[PAPPACLART]

Once again, Speed Channel or let's say Nascar Channel had the last week full of Nascar bull****.
No races, nothing.
Something needs to be done about this because I'm missing all the races and that's two in a row now.

I have the last race in 720p on my computer, if you have an ftp could upload to you?

 

[misnblu]

I'm not sure what an ftp is and pardon the ignorance here.
But I'm fine with not seeing the race as I now know the winner etc.
Thank you very much for the offer and hopefully I'll be able to see the next few races with no issues with other motorsports taking priority over the MotoGP races.
Thanks again.

 

[Neal]

Big race coming up this weekend, can't wait




Lorenzo ready for Rossi home showdown

Rossi working to be 'back to his best' for Mugello

 

[misnblu]

I hope I'll finally be able to watch it next weekend.
*fingers crossed*

*mail bomb ready for Speed Channel if Nascar has priority*
lol

 

[Neal]

Fingers crossed indeed, I'd have the Speed Channel Exec's voodoo dolls out by now!

 

[misnblu]

WSB on SpeedChannel. Woot

 

[RickyRacer]

Since the getting screwed on this years early GP's I now look a week in advance and found out that U.S. Speed Channel has a early broadcast of the GP's. For people with recording devices it really is worth recording the early broadcasts just in case another Nascar override happens...

Sundays MotoGP Schedule​

5:00 a.m.(PST) Mugello MotoGP (8:00 EST)
2:00 p.m. (PST) Mugello Moto 2 (5:00 EST)
3:00 p.m. (PST) Mugello MotoGP (6:00 EST)

 

[Small_Fryz]

Interesting article, Rossi is very smart, this message coming from a qualified doctor would have a much stronger effect on the other riders physiologically than coming from the man himself.

MotoGP doctor Claudio Costa says Valentino Rossi's shoulder injury is worse than most people believe.

"The situation with his shoulder has always been more serious than anyone thought," Costa told Motosprint magazine.

"First of all, the shoulder almost dislocated in the crash, and this has caused an instability, albeit a limited one.

"He has an inflammation of the bursas: what is known as periarthritis; there is a very important tendinitis at the long head of the bicep; and the cartilage is damaged in the area that completes the skeleton of the shoulder blade [glenoid cavity]. It's an important temporary disability."

Rossi injured his shoulder in a motocross accident in April and has been racing in pain since then, according to Costa.

"When he came back from Le Mans, Valentino told me that the situation didn't convince him, he wanted to further analyse the shoulder," he added.

"We did a magnetic resonance that revealed the situation, after which we established a plan. Valentino wants to race in the best possible conditions at Mugello.

"Valentino is not the type of person looking for excuses, but he is suffering. In fact, I congratulated him because seeing him with that kind of fighting spirit while remaining silent is a very nice thing."

Yamaha crew chief Jeremy Burgess says the injury has been slowing Rossi down in recent races, where he has been overshadowed by team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.

"The telemetry is clear regarding the way Valentino is forced to ride these days: he is forced to enter turns more slowly, he has to adopt an inefficient position on the bike and sometimes he rides one-armed, in order to rest the other arm," said Burgess.

"Valentino is suffering, this shoulder is a problem, so we are racing in a damage limitation sort of way.

"After the race I heard the usual silly talk on Valentino's crisis and the strength of his rivals. But the problem is just the shoulder, nothing else. That's what's slowing him down, in fact if I was in our rivals' shoes I'd make the most of it, because when Valentino heals, his races won't certainly be like these ones."

Article

 

[Neal]

Very clever indeed, I love the way he plays his mind games so nonchalantly even though it looks bloody obvious what he's up to. I wonder if it actually works on the other riders though

 

[red7]

Yikes! Rossi has broken his leg in a practice crash.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/84151

 

[GTP_Deathwalker]

Yikes! Rossi has broken his leg in a practice crash.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/84151

Wow!! just watched that after getting back from Chatsworth, horrid crash, get well soon Valentino!!

 

[red7]

Can't embed it here(disabled) but here is the link showing the crash:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsizLwehunk


Oooooooouuuuuuchh!!


edit: thanks evilneal

 

[misnblu]

Oh noes.
I agree, get better.

But the silver lining is more competition between the other riders. woot

 

[Neal]

Poor guy, he's lucky it wasn't worse. It looks bad enough to shatter his pelvis or something equally career ending. With a 3 - month estimate for him to recover there's a good chance he won't be back again this season. Gutted.

Horrible clips below.

 

[misnblu]

It happens to the best and that's a part of the nature of riding at the limit at all times while on the track.
Best of luck to Rossi.

 

[GTP_Deathwalker]

Everybodies opinion, Rider Error or Mechanical Failure?? Hayden seems to think Mechanical from following Rossi

 

[red7]

These bikes are packing all sorts of traction control, anti-wheelie, anti-highside software these days. If something didn't react the way he anticipated while at the limit, I could see that causing such a nasty snap like that. I believe Rossi has expressed his dislike for this ever growing rider aid intervention. Seems to me a good rider could anticipate and catch a sliding bike easier than trusting life and limb to a bunch of code?

 

[GTP_Deathwalker]

Red i agree, without all this Traction Control riders wouldnt have to rely on the above mentioned code, we could have seen a more gentle, flamboyant slide like the Rossi of old (pre-07). I see this as an opportunity for them to push for a standardised ECU like seen in F1.

 

[Neal]

I must admit 1000cc engine size and no traction control would be a good move in my opinion but I guess until the cause of the crash is known a judgement on electronic aids can't be made.

At least his surgery has gone well, hopefully he doesn't have any complications.

Rossi fracture pinned during successful surgery

Reigning seven time MotoGP world champion, Valentino Rossi, has emerged from surgery on his right tibia, which he fractured in this morning's free practice session at Mugello.

Rossi was flung from his Fiat Yamaha at highspeed on entry to Turn 13 and was clearly in considerable pain as he lay in the gravel trap. Initially taken to the circuit medical centre, Rossi was then transferred by helicopter to hospital in Florence where he underwent immediate surgery.

Rossi was operated on by Dr. Roberto Buzzi and assisted by Dr. Claudio Costa of the Clinica Mobile. Dr. Buzzi made the following statement following the 2.5 hour operation:

"We received Valentino Rossi at the Careggi Hospital, where we made detailed checks in order to rule out any other injuries, and the results were satisfactory. We therefore decided to proceed with the surgery for the exposed fracture of the right leg. We performed a spinal block (epidural) and cleaned and washed the fracture, which was then aligned and stabilised with a pin.

“The surgery had good results; the alignment was good and the bone is now stable. The wound remains open, as is usual in these cases, and it will be stitched in the next few days with another short surgery. We are confident that Valentino will be able to leave the hospital in a week to ten days, able to put weight on the leg with the aid of crutches.

"It is difficult to say how long the post surgery rehabilitation will take, we need to evaluate the progress of the patient and also what the x-rays will show. But I think that we can reasonably think of six weeks partial weight-bearing with crutches, after which Valentino needs to be re-evaluated, according to his feedback and further x-rays."

Six weeks on crutches surely rules Rossi out of the next six rounds, up to and including Laguna Seca on July 20, after which the summer break begins.

"It was a very sad day today for Yamaha and the Fiat Yamaha Team, seeing Vale in so much pain and seriously injured for the first time in his career,” said Lin Jarvis, managing director of Yamaha Motor Racing.

“It is especially tough for Vale to have this accident at his home Grand Prix and this w ill surely be a huge disappointment for him and for all his fans here at the Mugello circuit and around the world.

“As a team we are very deflated right now because we had our two riders challenging for the championship lead and now that challenge is over - at least for the immediate future. We wish Vale the very best for a speedy recovery and hope to have him back with us as soon as possible."

Rossi is presently second in the 2010 MotoGP World Championship, nine points behind team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, who will start Sunday's race from second on the grid. Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa starts on pole with Ducati's Casey Stoner third.

Rossi's injury brings an end to 230 consecutive grand prix appearances since his 125cc debut in 1996.

 

[Small_Fryz]

the accident seems very strange. Will be interesting to see the data telemtry.

 

[spyrrari]

Get well soon Vale!!!...

Whas looking foreward to this gp today...now not so much anymore...



spy.

 

[misnblu]

Wow, that story above actually brought tears to my eyes.
Get well Vale, we'll miss you.

 

[Neal]

As they say the show must go on and although today's race without Rossi was an anticlimax it still had it's moments.

Ben Spies had a very good start and ended up with a good result, the same can't be said for his team mate so I hope he sorts that out sooner rather than later. Dovi had another good race and got another podium so it looks like he's got his act together. Pedrosa did his typical thing when he wins of getting to the front a disappearing after which the main interest was the battle for 4th. Stoner won that battle but Melandri had a blinding race and will no doubt be made up with 5th. Once Lorenzo was in front of Dovi all he had to do was keep it upright to get some decent points in the bag but he went up in my estimations for his tributes to Vale, he's a good guy at heart.

The good news is that Rossi seems to be doing ok all things considered and has given his first interview after the crash below, if anyone can understand Italian there is a link to the audio on the MotoGP.com page.

Rossi in high spirits after operation

Valentino Rossi displayed some of his characteristic humour as he spoke from his hospital bed at the Centro Traumatologico Ortopedico (Centre for Orthopaedic Trauma) in Florence, Italy on Sunday.

The World Champion, who had an operation to repair his fractured right tibia on Saturday, was interviewed by journalist Guido Meda from Mediaset just before Sunday’s Gran Premio d’Italia TIM at Mugello, the first race he has missed since making his 125cc World Championship debut in 1996.

Rossi’s initial words were ones of thanks to Doctor Buzzi at the CTO, the man who performed his successful operation, and the nine-time World Champion also explained how touched he was by the range of tributes from his fellow riders on Sunday which included a message from Fiat Yamaha team-mate and rival Jorge Lorenzo calling him a ‘legend’.

“I want to thank everyone at Mugello and also all the riders who have wished me well: it’s always a great feeling,” said Rossi. “The operation went well, Doctor Buzzi has been exceptional and they are treating me like I’m part of the family here. I have had a pin inserted into my leg and tomorrow they will close and stitch the wound, then we will wait and begin a good rehabilitation programme.”

Rossi recounted the crash in the practice session which threw him from his bike. “They were difficult moments because it was a bad crash and a bad injury. I’ve watched the accident again and to see how my ankle looked was not a good feeling. There were a few moments of fear, but now I’m doing well,” he stated.

“Now I can say my morale is reasonably high because I’ve discovered I have a great rapport with morphine!” he joked, before going on to show that he was well and truly on the road to recovery with another comment about the race, which Dani Pedrosa won shortly after the interview. “I hope nobody wins!”

Rossi now wants to ensure that he takes enough time to fully recover, and added: “It will take some time, but the important thing is that I’ll return at 100%.”

 

[hornet_burnout]

Great stuff battling for 4th. Not as exciting as the awesome fight for 2nd in Moto2, but still, very good!

 

[misnblu]

My boy Stoner pulled off some nice moves to get into 4th and reassert 4th position with another nice move to regain it.
Nice race for sure and I really thought that Spies would be more at the forefront of it all.

I finally got to see the race. Yay