| Author | Message | ||
     Vagelis46 |
"Michelin had yet another disastrous race weekend, and to add insult to injury it was their home race Even their wet tyres are no match for Bridgestone this year. Another Bridgestone 1-2-3 won't be too popular back at head office. " I am not 100% with that. Vermulen and Melandri are excellent in the wet, and would do great on Bridgestone, Michelin, Dunlops or even street tires. Also the HRC Hondas with Michelin were performing OK in the wet. Hayden was pretty quick but unfortunately he crashed. Pedrosa is not very good in wet races but he did OK with no dramas. In my opinion Yamaha had the real problems, not Michelin. Once again Rossi's crew chose the wrong compound. Watching the tv, the right side of Rossi's tire looked bad. Stoner is riding very cleverly, I think that Ducati and himself are going very serious for a title efford. He plays the role excellently. He just races Rossi. As long as he overtook him, he relaxed and finished the race. I rate him more and more after each race weekend. He also proved that he can do really good in the wet. Also well done to his Ducati crew. They seem very well prepared. Stoner&Ducati also proved very fast round the corners. Le Mans was supposed to be very difficult for them. But he was, overall the fastest in the dry. I think if we had a dry race he would have won. He looks good in setting up the the bike as well. And he is only 21. Ducati must be feeling very lucky for signing Stoner. Rossi also mentioned the fact that Stoner&Ducati are very fast in the corners, and that it will be very difficult for Rossi&Yama in Muggelo with the long straight. I just would like to say one last thing about Rossi. Nowdays, it takes more than the best rider to win in motoGP. | ||
| Trojan |
This is what is ridiculous (and dangerous) about the new tyre rules. Riders are only allowed 17 rear tyres in total for the weekend, excluding full wets. However, included in that allocation must be any cut slicks or intermediate tyres that they may want to use. None of the teams chose to keep a cut slick or intermediate tyre in their allocation for this weekend because it would have left them with insufficient slicks for the practice/qualifying/race. This led to the ridiculous and dangerous situation at the start of the race, where riders had the choice of either full slicks or full wets, neither of which were suitable for the conditions. Given a free tyre choice most riders would probably have started the race on intermediates. Rossi did not 'choose' the wrong compound of tyre, but had to go with what Michelin had available in wet compounds (which were harder than the Bridgestones). Funnily enough these suited the Honda a lot better than the Yamaha on this occasion and that could be for a number of reasons other than rider ability such as power delivery, weight transfer etc. Honda must now be praying for rain for the rest of the year so that they can get their RC212 competitive at last. Vermulen and Melandri are excellent in the wet, and would do great on Bridgestone, Michelin, Dunlops or even street tires. Of course that is true, although it can normally be applied to Rossi & Edwards too. The difference this time was that Michelin are way off the mark set by Bridgestone so far this year and need to improve markedly. I doubt if any other current GP rider could have nursed Rossi's bike to the same position he got on Sunday without crashing. In the meantime we can look forward to more 'upside down' races where the tail end leads the field no doubt  Current tyre rules make a mockery of what is supposed to be the pinnacle of world motorcycle racing, and need to be changed before everyone involved loses interest. Having to choose tyre compounds on Wednesday before even first practice is nothing short of a joke and will eventually get somebody seriousluy injured or worse. Either a return to a completely free tyre situation or a blanket 'one make' tyre rule such as in WSB need to be applied, not this wishy washy 'solution' to a problem that did not exist. Nowdays, it takes more than the best rider to win in motoGP. I agree, just look at last year's result Unfortunately people want to see the best riders win, not the guy who guessed the right compound 3 days before the race even began. | ||
| Vagelis46 |
I could agree that the new tire rule is bad, but it seems that only Yamaha is having problems with the tires, at the moment. I think that usualy people are against changes, and I think that a 100% professional racing team like Yamaha should be able to adjust to the new rules faster than they have done. If Yamaha is a bike hard on the rear tire, then it is not Michelin's fault. Last year Yamaha had a front end chatter that made a front tire break down. Maybe this year they have problems with the rear end. http://www.flyride.gr/ | ||
| Buell2001b |
sweet, Ducati and Stoner get another podium. i just hope he can keep it going thru the year and take the title. its nice to see an italian Bike outperform the big 4 jappaneese bikes. | ||
| Jaimec |
How do you say "Only Yamaha is having a problem with the tire rule??" In the team standings, the satellite Gresini Honda team (on Bridgestones) is higher in the standings than the Factory Repsol team (on Michelin)!! Sounds like a problem to me. But Michelin and Bridgestone have to follow the same rules (stupid as they are). It is definitely working for Bridgestone, Michelin just has to get their act together. I don't see MotoGP going to a "one tire" rule like WSBK. For one thing, besides being a thrilling spectator sport, it is also a laboratory for all of the manufacturers to test out new technology (that's what a prototype is). Right now you have three tire manufacturers using that laboratory to develop future product and that's a good thing for everyone. Limiting MotoGP to a single tire manufacturer would severely limit tire development (I think). I agree when Kenny Roberts says "No one goes to root for a tire manufacturer" but it's still an important part of the event. Otherwise, why not turn MotoGP into a high-priced "Boxer Cup" style race where every racer rides an identical motorcycle and you're free to root for the RACER you like? | ||
| Trojan |
I agree that turning to a singpe tyre manufacturer is not the ideal answer, but the current situation is ludicrous and is doing nothing to further tyre development. It really is a lottery at the moment, and is made worse by the act that the teams have not had the opportunity to test the new 800's at most of the tracks. If the new rule had been brought in a year later it would have allowed the teams to build up some data to make an 'informed' choice of tyres rather than the current 'best guess' principle. I don't know what the answer is but I am sure that the sport is suffering badly as a result of this rule. | ||
| Vagelis46 |
So far the only rider who is complaining about tires is Rossi. Of course this does not mean that it is only his problem and that the rest of the Michelins are OK. But I have read no complaints from Honda. Maybe they have other things to warry about. I remember Bridgestone riders struggling for grip and having tire problems, even last year. Remember that Ducati's performance last year was very different from track to track? So maybe this year Michelin is having problems, maybe only Yamaha. So what? The sport is not suffering from the new rules, only Rossi is. I can live with that , and for me MotoGP does not loose its glamour. I still bealive that this year so far, the best bike&rider have won in every single race. Regarding rain tires, teams have unlimited tires to choose from. The new rule, limiting no. of tires, does not apply for rain tires. The teams can choose from as many tires as they want. Yamaha chose the wrong compound and HRC Honda the right one. So far Yamaha is choosing the wrong tires for all the races. This is Yamaha's weakness, not Michelin. Maybe so far there was no mechanism in the Yamaha team for tire choices, because they were thinking that they can make a last minute change. This is their weakness not Michelin. Maybe they were keeping no tire records for the tracks? It sounds crazy but it might be true. Maybe they were relying in Rossi's talent and his ability to test things and then make the right tire choice the last moment. For me, this tire rule is good since it is simple. CHOOSE THE DRY TIRES BEFORE THE RACE. Wet tires are unlimited. | ||
| Blake |
You cannot win without each of a competitive team, rider, bike and tires. Any of them get to being much inferior to the competition and you won't win a championship. You might win an odd race, but not a championship. So what is the solution to your complaint re the tires, Matt? I say give them a couple set of rains and intermediates separate from the dry tire allotment. Problem solved? | ||
| Davegess |
I think wet and intermediate tries are unlimited. | ||
| Vagelis46 |
That is correct, rain tires are unlimited. I just watched the Le Mans race for the second time and more relaxed this time. Rossi started to lose time as soon as the rain got heavier. His team predicted a light rain scenario and went for hard compound tires. Also when the rain became heavier Vermuelen increased the gap to Melandri and had an easy win. I hope the next 2 races are dry, and we watch a Rossi vs Stoner battle. Let the best win....... | ||
| Blake |
It ain't just about the man riding the bike. I say... Let the best combination of man, machine, team, and tires win.  One of the biggest attractions of MotoGP racing for me are all the differing configuration of machines competing head to head. I wish they would allow even broader diversity, like maybe allow 600cc machines with superchargers and twin cylinder machines 1000cc displacement etc... | ||
| Jaimec |
I'm surprised no one's entered a rotary. Didn't Norton race a rotary some years back? There was a LOT of controversy over how you rated their displacement in regards to the piston engines, as I recall... | ||
| Jaimec |
MotoGP becomes a family affair! http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2007/May/070522i.ht m | ||
| Rocketman |
Exciting racing for the armchair spectators but not a true picture of ability or even the best bike. Nothing could be more true. I still bealive that this year so far, the best bike&rider have won in every single race. Any of the usual suspects would win if they were on the Ducati. The more advantage Stoner gains from riding the Ducati, the less his skills will be noticed. Rossi on the other hand, has shown his stunning and unique brilliance having his talents measured by the prowess of the Ducati. Dry race last weekend. Rossi would have won. Rocket | ||
| Vagelis46 |
"Any of the usual suspects would win if they were on the Ducati." I am happy that almost everyone thinks that the Ducati is the best MotoGP bike. Of course the above statement is not 100% true, otherwise Capirossi's performance would be close to Stoner's. "The more advantage Stoner gains from riding the Ducati, the less his skills will be noticed" I think it is exactly the opposite. The better Stoner does at tracks (Le Mans) and conditions (wet)where he is expected to struggle, the more his great skills are becoming obvious. Rossi admitted that Stoner is very fast in the corners. Sometimes I do not get Rossi fans. When Rossi wins it is his "skills" and "brilliance". When he loses it is either Michelin, Yamaha's speed, Ducati's Hp, bad lack, Elias' dangerous ridding....etc The fact is that, so far, when we have Stoner Vs Rossi, Rossi is making the mistakes. And that is something remarkable. | ||
| Rocketman |
Like most things in life, motorcycle racing is a fickle game. When Rossi won every weekend, year in year out, same as Schumacher in F1, a majority of the viewing public get tired of seeing the same winner. Thus Stoner's skills won't be seen so much, no matter how good he is on twisting or wet tracks if he keeps on winning all season. On the other hand, Rossi's fight back becomes the interesting viewing, and the viewing public root for his efforts rather than in this case Stoner's winning ways. That is all I meant Vag. Rocket | ||
| Trojan |
When Rossi wins it is his "skills" and "brilliance". When he loses it is either Michelin, Yamaha's speed, Ducati's Hp, bad lack, Elias' dangerous ridding Quite the contrary, it is Rossi's skills that enables him to coax the Yamaha around into 6th place when Colin Edwards couldn't even get it within 3 laps of the winner. No other rider has managed to have any success in the 4 stroke era riding the Yamaha. Edwards has yet to win a race and scored his only pole position at LeMans. Every other Yamaha rider looks decidely average in comparison with Rossi, and his skills flatter the Michelin tyres far more than you would imagine. Honda have so many problmes that tyres are the least of them. They can't get the Repsol bikes to handle anyway, so it would probably do just as well on Supercorsas than on Michelin race rubber. Therefore the diference in wet/dry performance is far less marked than the Yamaha, which is using all of the available Michelin performace and more. It is telling that the privateer Gresini Hondas are doing far better than the Repsol bikes this year using Bridgestone tyres. There is now a movement amongst the teams and riders (led by Rossi) to abandon the current tyre rules, and not a moment too soon I think. It will be interesting to see just how far they are willing to go in their fight. Maybe we'll see a repeat of the rider strikes of the late '70's early '80's, but I doubt it. On a more positive note, young Brit Bradley Smith scored his first 125GP podium last weekend at the tender age of 16, and after just 19 GP starts. He actually looks about 13 years old and you would expect to see him on a BMX bike instead of a GP bike, but he is a stunning talent that Honda need to hold onto and nurture for the future. I hope he can make it into the big time of MotoGP despite his British passport. Congratulations Bradley | ||
| 12r |
I enjoyed his interview with Suzi Perry on Sunday. Bradley's race face was crumbling towards the end as raging hormones started to take control lol | ||
| Vagelis46 |
"Quite the contrary, it is Rossi's skills that enables him to coax the Yamaha around into 6th place when Colin Edwards couldn't even get it within 3 laps of the winner. No other rider has managed to have any success in the 4 stroke era riding the Yamaha." Rossi's skill's are remarkable and unquestionable. But he chose to stay with Yamaha till the end of 2008. It was his choice, when all the teams were at his feet. So, pointing out Yamaha's weakness does not make sense to me. It sounds like more of an excuse. Rossi needs no excusses. It is very early in the season to draw conclusions, regarding Yamaha's and Michelin's performance. | ||
| Trojan |
I'm not trying to point out Yamaha & Michelin's weaknesses as these are evident for all to see. I was just trying to highlight that Rossi's skills have not deserted him as some seem to think this year, and that if anyone can get the bike & tyres to work it will be him. Jerry Burgess says that the 3 races in June will decide the outcome of the championship, and I think it will be interesting to see if Michelin can get their act together enough to allow Rossi & the other factory teams to close the gap in these three important mid season races that run on consecutive weekends. I would certainly not write off Rossi or even Pedrosa for the championship this year yet. | ||
| Slaughter |
WHAT PLANET HAVE I BEEN ON??? I just "googled" Suzi Perry. Forget Rossi! Forget Stoner! Forget Yamaha, Honda, Michelin, Pirelli, Bridgestone... forget the weather! Where can we get Suzi Perry!!?? Why do you Brits get the good viewing!!?? | ||
| 12r |
No Suzi in the States ? Aww  what other reason is there to watch a bunch of overpaid foreigners race around a little track ? When Suzi caught 'flu' in China it was a disaster - we had to put up with Steve Parrish and Charlie Cox on their own. My whole weekend was ruined. | ||
| Simond |
Personally I prefer the Eurosport commentary but always watch Suzi with the pre-race interviews. She always seems to get the best out of Mr Edwards! | ||
| Rocketman |
I've met Suzi! She's a petite little thing in the flesh. Flesh? Wouldn't you like to know  Rocket | ||
| Rocketman |
It is remarkable that a woman knows so much about every aspect of motorcycle racing. From the talk to the technical, she is that woman.  Rocket | ||
| Norcal_blast |
everybody thought that a 250 GP riding style would be the way to go with the 800s... except Ducati. They went with a screamer engine (higher but less manageable power) and Stoner is riding it like it's a 500 GP bike, squaring off the corners and standing the bike up as soon as possible on the exits... "Capirossi demands help from Ducati By Michele Lostia and Pablo Elizalde Loris Capirossi has demanded his Ducati team to help him in order to bounce back from his disappointing start to the 2007 season The veteran rider has struggled to be competitive so far this year, having climbed onto the podium just once in five races. In contrast, teammate Casey Stoner has scored four wins and is leading the championship with 102 points. Capirossi has scored 38 and is seventh in the standings. The Italian, who last year scored three wins on his way to third place in the standings, has been struggling to adapt his riding style to the GP7 bike, and he reckons Ducati must now focus on helping him get out of his difficult situation. "The beginning has been difficult," Capirossi was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport. "The bike is a winner, but I haven't been able to get the results I was hoping for. I'm struggling, I'm not riding well. I must change my style, but Ducati must help me too. "I've always given it all, even when things weren't going right. Now that it's me needing a hand, I demand some help. I developed the bike from zero and I won races. If the Ducati has reached the level it has, it's also thanks to me." Although the bike was developed mainly by Capirossi, the Italian reckons too many changes were made since then. "When we discussed the project with (Ducati's technical director Filippo ) Preziosi, we concluded that with the aid of electronics we could gamble on a screamer engine," he added. "At the beginning I felt good on the 800cc, I was quick. After that, a lot of parameters were modified, especially on fuel consumption: this GP7 has nothing to do with the one from back then." He added: "Casey corners more sharply, which allows him to get on the power with the bike almost upright. My speed in turns is a lot higher, even 15 km/h on fast corners, but at turn-exit Stoner launches on the straight like a bullet. It's easy to say but difficult to do. "If there are two riders, they must both be competitive. It's totally wrong to think that with Stoner winning it's fine as it is." The 34-year-old, a three-time champion in other categories, says his lack of pace has nothing to do with his motivation, and he claims he remains as committed as ever. "No way, there's no relaxation," he said. "At Le Mans I was among the fastest in the first and second sectors, the one with the quick sweeping corners. If one slows down, he does it in the quick sectors, not in the slow ones. "It's understandable that looking from the outside, with Stoner winning, one might think I'm over the hill, but I'm not. I'm a brave rider, I don't shy away, I've never whinged, I've never looked for excuses. "Now I'm asking for some help and I won't quit racing until I get back to winning ways"" | ||
| Blake |
"it is Rossi's skills that enables him to coax the Yamaha around into 6th place when Colin Edwards couldn't even get it within 3 laps of the winner." That isn't at all a fair comparison for rider's skill.  | ||
| Rocketman |
That isn't at all a fair comparison for rider's skill. Which is why I think it's important to quote the whole chapter. ...........No other rider has managed to have any success in the 4 stroke era riding the Yamaha. Edwards has yet to win a race and scored his only pole position at LeMans. Every other Yamaha rider looks decidely average in comparison with Rossi, and his skills flatter the Michelin tyres far more than you would imagine. Rocket | ||
| Jaimec |
I think Speed should hire Leeann Tweeden to do the color commentary for MotoGP in response to Suzi Perry... | ||
| Trojan |
"it is Rossi's skills that enables him to coax the Yamaha around into 6th place when Colin Edwards couldn't even get it within 3 laps of the winner." That isn't at all a fair comparison for rider's skill. Same bike, same team, same tyres....what better comparison could there be? France was an extreme example, but Colin hasn't caught sight of Rossi's bike after lap one all year so I don't think it is unfair at all. Especialy as Edwards says that he is happy with thebike this year. |
