Round 1 Moto GP Qatar.

[Duke girl]

This Sunday is the 1st Round of the Moto GP at Qatar on the Losail Circuit. It will be again run under lights. Whats your 1st, 2nd & 3rd predictions for this Round?.

[Bikernereid]

First place Rossi, second Pedrosa and third Stoner. Would like to see De Puniet up there but that is just wishful thinking me thinks.

[Shaun]

Rossi
Stoner
Spies

[Crasherfromwayback]

Stoner

Rossi

Spies

[rachprice]

First place Rossi, second Pedrosa and third Stoner. Would like to see De Puniet up there but that is just wishful thinking me thinks.

Thats just cos he is a babe haha

I reckon
Stoner
Rossi
Lorenzo
Spies

Though 3 and 4 could swap.....that would be amazing!

[cmoore]

should be awesome this year.....stoner because he was fastest in testing...and not Rossi because he has never won there under lights....neither picks have anything to do with their looks....

Stoner
Rossi
Lorenzo
Spies

[Oscar]

Lorenzo
Rossi
Pedrosa

[Crasherfromwayback]

Lorenzo
Rossi
Pedrosa

Don't like Pedrosa's chance unless he can find some speed since the last test there!

[rachprice]

Lorenzo
Rossi
Pedrosa

You really dont like young casey do you?? Not even in the top three considering he has won at Losail the past 3 years and came back after his time off to get 2 firsts last year!

[steveyb]

1st Simoncelli
2nd De Puniet
3rd Barbera

[Crasherfromwayback]

You really dont like young casey do you?? Not even in the top three considering he has won at Losail the past 3 years and came back after his time off to get 2 firsts last year!

It's not that...it's just that Oscar knows Stoner is my boyfriend not his!

[Crasherfromwayback]

1st Simoncelli
2nd De Puniet
3rd Barbera

Stay of the weed!

[rachprice]

It's not that...it's just that Oscar knows Stoner is my boyfriend not his!

Oh of course, forgot you might get jealous!

[rachprice]

1st Simoncelli
2nd De Puniet
3rd Barbera

Hmmm interesting, care to elaborate?
you have the slowest qualifying rider at the last test in Losail on the 18th of March!!
Plus my boyfriend is fastest out of the 250 boys (:oi-grr: to Simoncelli and Barbera!)

[Shaun]

Don't like Pedrosa's chance unless he can find some speed since the last test there!


I just Don't like Pedrosa full stop

[CHOPPA]

I would have to agree!


Stoner

Rossi

Spies

[Cleve]

Depending on Lorenzo's arm;
Stoner
Rossi
Lorenzo/Spies

[HenryDorsetCase]

I picked Pedrosa last year. Stoner for the win all going according to plan.

The Superbikes were good on telly over the weekend. I actually like how rugby is professional and all the tv coverage is on sky and people pay for it. it leaves peasant TV free to show more motorsport. (oh, and netball which is nearly as tedious as rugby).

[rachprice]

Id love spies to get top 3!
Unlike the likes of Randy or James Toseland
He is a babe AND a demon on the track!!! I love his style!


Note: Before anyone gets upset of course those other two are amazing just not as amazing compared to the company they keep

[Crasherfromwayback]

I just Don't like Pedrosa full stop

I wouldn't mind one tenth of his riding ability though!

[R6_kid]

5th - Colin Edwards Jr.
But I'll be happy if he's above 10th.

[Peter Smith]

Stoner

Rossi

Spies

I second that. Stoner owns that track.

[Bren_chch]

I just Don't like Pedrosa full stop

Is that because he's taller than you?

[BMWST?]

Id love spies to get top 3!
Unlike the likes of Randy or James Toseland
He is a babe AND a demon on the track!!! I love his style!


Note: Before anyone gets upset of course those other two are amazing just not as amazing compared to the company they keep

toseland wont be anywhere cos he is back on superbikes
stoner rossi dovisioso lorenzo spies

[Bikernereid]

I just Don't like Pedrosa full stop

What is wrong with Pedrosa?

[Shaun]

Is that because he's taller than you?


Probally, I am that low, I can play hand ball in the gutter

[Shaun]

What is wrong with Pedrosa?


Don't like the look in his eyes

[Shaun]

I wouldn't mind one tenth of his riding ability though!

we can both crash as good as him? Does that count

[Bikernereid]

Don't like the look in his eyes

But he hardly ever looks at anyone?

[Crasherfromwayback]

we can both crash as good as him? Does that count

Maybe...but I've never in my life looped out a race bike practicing a start like that sulky midget did at PI

[boostin]

Maybe...but I've never in my life looped out a race bike practicing a start like that sulky midget did at PI

Shaun betters that by doing it on the start line at IOM!

[Whitebait]

Rossi is a God but I think this will be Lorenzo's year.

My picks

Lorenzo

Rossi

Simocelli

It's gonna be a awesome year racing.........a few more 250 riders in the mix on the last year of 800cc!!

Would love to see Barbera and Simoncelli bumping elbows at 300 + kmp/h 8)

[Duke girl]

I guess I should put in my prediction now.
1st.............Stoner (Go the Ducati)
2nd............Rossi (Cough Cough Cough)
3rd.............Pedrosa.

[puddytat]

Rossi
Lorenzo
Spies

You just never know eh.....

[Crasherfromwayback]

Rossi is a God but I think this will be Lorenzo's year.

My picks

Lorenzo

Rossi

Simocelli

It's gonna be a awesome year racing.........a few more 250 riders in the mix on the last year of 800cc!!

Would love to see Barbera and Simoncelli bumping elbows at 300 + kmp/h 8)

Ain't NO way old Fuzzjive is gonna get anywhere near the front just yet mate!

[roogazza]

Id love spies to get top 3!
Unlike the likes of Randy or James Toseland
He is a babe AND a demon on the track!!! I love his style!
Note: Before anyone gets upset of course those other two are amazing just not as amazing compared to the company they keep

Choose again ! and I want to see your hands !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL .

[Shaun]

Shaun betters that by doing it on the start line at IOM!


Ha Ha, that is a computer generated thing dude, NOT REAL

[discodan]

My prediction:

1st Rossi
2nd Stoner
3rd Dovi

4th Spies

DNF Hayden gets taken out by a rookie

[rachprice]

toseland wont be anywhere cos he is back on superbikes
stoner rossi dovisioso lorenzo spies

Oh yeah I know I was just saying hot dudes that ride hahaha
He isnt doing to well there either

[rachprice]

Choose again ! and I want to see your hands !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL .

bahahahhahahahah I have chosen I said stoner, rossi, lorenzo then spies but think that maybe lorenzo and spies could battle for third

Would love spies to be 3rd though

[carbonhed]

Stoner
Rossi
Lorenzo
Pedrosa
Edwards
Dovi
Hayden

Spies will bin it and he won't beat any of the top three above at any stage on the road this season unless something untoward happens or Kaycee feels a likkle unwell and needs a lie down. Edwards will beat him more often than not, finish ahead of him in the championship, and then retire back to Superbikes where he will win another championship for BMW.

Rossi won't win the title this year but God's being a little cagey on whether it'll be Lorenzo or Stoner that defeats him. I'll keep pressing the old bugger for a definitive answer and get back to you. :yes:

[pritch]

Stoner
Rossi
Lorenzo

And it galls me to write that.

When I was at Phillip Island in 2008 I thought Dovizioso was a real action man. On the Honda A team bike though he was majorly underwhelmiing. Now I read that he has had half his crew replaced including Kiwi crew chief Pete Benson.

So Benson goes from being a world champion crew chief in 2006 to being unemployed at the end of 2009.

All is not lost, Benson is now crew chief for Scott Redding in Moto 2. Somewhat of a come down...

Now to make a little Dovi doll to stick pins into :devil2: Although if he doesn't really get into the top four this year he'll be joining the dole queue. Both him and Pedrosa?

[Crasherfromwayback]

Stoner
Rossi
Lorenzo
Pedrosa
Edwards
Dovi
Hayden

Spies will bin it and he won't beat any of the top three above at any stage on the road this season unless something untoward happens or Kaycee feels a likkle unwell and needs a lie down. Edwards will beat him more often than not, finish ahead of him in the championship, and then retire back to Superbikes where he will win another championship for BMW.

Rossi won't win the title this year but God's being a little cagey on whether it'll be Lorenzo or Stoner that defeats him. I'll keep pressing the old bugger for a definitive answer and get back to you. :yes:

Still don't rate Spies eh? I'll go you a carton of Steinlarger that Spies beats Edwards in the championship!

[carbonhed]

Still don't rate Spies eh? I'll go you a carton of Steinlarger that Spies beats Edwards in the championship!

I do rate Spies. I just think you're underestimating the scale of the challenge... if things start well and he gets on a roll, who knows... if things go wrong and his confidence gets dented, could be a long and painfull year. We shall soon find out.

Gonna be real interesting in the Fiat Yamaha garage this year. Can you see that not blowing up in their faces? Stoner may just be left to pick up the pieces.

I'll take that bet and raise you another case on the "Spies will win going away at Laguna". Think we'll probably work out about even on that and then I won't have to disturb all the moths in my wallet... but whatever you want.

[wharfy]

I guess you have to be in :)

Rossi
Lorenzo
Stoner
Spies

And it will be close - unless someone gets hurt.

[slowpoke]

Not to put the mockers on anyone:

Rossi
Stoner
Hayden

Stoner is normally dominant in testing but Rossi has jumped outta the box this off season. Hayden has found something too, and when Lorenzo tries to win the championship in the first round and biffs it up the road Sticky Nicky will sneak onto the box.

[Movistar]

And finally we get to see some qualifying/practice on the telly!

Sunday morning 7.55am SS3 - as long as the plan doesn't change!

Hopefully this year it won't rain (so I don't get to watch 2 hours of dibble like I recorded last year!)

As for a prediction:
1st Stoner - for his fourth year in a row (and we get to see extended coverage of Adriana). This is as long as Rossi doesn't slip some milk into his coffee...
2nd Rossi - because he is Rossi (and because of this he may be 1st...)
3rd Spies - if he can make to the podium on his debut, look out. He took the double here last year in WSB...yes, a different animal to tame ths year, and with the sun shining on the other side of the earth, but a real potential.
4th Dovizioso - was 5th last year and is showing good times this year. Plus he hasn't got the whole "I can't get the Ohlins to work" issue that Pedrosa reportedly has...and he needs to get some results if he wants a ride in 2011

Things to note:
Lorenzo is damaged goods (in possibly more ways than one :whistle:) so may not even finish depending on his recovery.
Pedrosa was well down on times at testing - but if he gets a trademark lightning start and heads out in front, he may stay there (although I would suggest that Stoner would be hassling him for the lead).
Colin Edwards finished 4th last year, but I don't see him repeating that feat this year.

Moto2 is going to be chaotic with 40 bikes on the grid - will be like a 1000cc supersport race!

[puddytat]

Moto2 is going to be chaotic with 40 bikes on the grid - will be like a 1000cc supersport race!

And will probably be the better race to watch because of it....
To be honest Im looking fwd to that more than the 8 hundies

[shafty]

Yes it will certainly be interesting Guys and Girls, - and Pritch, don't forget Dovizioso is running hot times at Losail. I shall be wearing my Honda pit shirt but am realistic!

By the way, did I mention I fly down to Doha (from Bahrain) in the morning for the GP?

CAN'T FUCKIN WAIT! :yes:

...will do my best with some pix for ya's!

[cmoore]

you lucky bastard!! for the rest of us....

..................................Desc........Chan nel.................Date.............start......Fi nish

MOTOGP__ Round 1__Qualifying__SkySport 3____Sunday 11th April___7.55am---9.30am
MOTOGP __Round 1__Race______SkySport 3____Monday 12th April___5.00am---9.30am

WSBK_____Round 3__Race 1 _____SkySport 3____Sunday 11th April__9.30pm ---12.25am
WSBK_____Round 3__Race 2 _____SkySport 3____Monday 12th April__12.55am--3.00am

[Rcktfsh]

FROM MotoGPMatters.com

2010 MotoGP Season Preview - A New Golden Era
Submitted by David Emmett on Thu, 2010-04-08 11:21.
in MotoGPLosail, Qatar
The start of the 2010 season finds MotoGP in a deeply schizophrenic state. The MotoGP class remains sparsely populated, with just 17 riders on the grid - despite prospects of one new manufacturer running wildcards and another looking to enter the series full time once the paddock returns to Europe. Meanwhile, in the brand new Moto2 class which replaces the 250cc two strokes, 40 riders are scheduled to take to the start at Qatar.

This year sees a bumper crop of rookies enter MotoGP, bringing some much-needed fresh blood into the class, along with a healthy dose of excitement. At the same time, the podium lineup at every race is as good as fixed, with the Fantastic Four almost certain to claim the lion's share of the silverware, leaving the rest of the field to pick over what remains.

Added to this, we've had rules introduced to reduce costs, which this year at least have caused the manufacturers to spend more to prepare for the cost-cutting rules. With each rider having just 6 engines to last the full 18 races, the factories have had to pour resources into R&D to ensure riders aren't facing costly penalties if they don't quite make it all the way to Valencia without taking an extra engine. With that work now done, the factories will start to make big savings, as the need to fly back a cargo load of engines - often two or more per rider - to their R&D centers in Japan and Bologna to be stripped down and rebuilt has now been removed. By the end of the 2011 season, the engine rule should be paying dividends for the manufacturers.

The Fantastic Four...Five...Six...

What makes the 2010 MotoGP season such a mouth-watering prospect is that we are, as veteran MotoGP journalist Mike Scott put it a couple of weeks ago, in the middle of a new Golden Age for motorcycle racing's premier class. Arguably the greatest motorcycle racer the world has ever seen is at the very top of his ability, and being pushed to extend himself by the competition. That competition consists of not just one, but three other riders, while more wait in the wings. On any given day, the order of the podium is completely unknown, though the faces which fill it are nearly identical every week.

As reigning champion, Valentino Rossi is determined to defend his title for the 8th time, bringing him level with Giacomo Agostini's premier class record and bringing his total world title count to 10. Rossi has all but dominated pre-season testing, topping the timesheets in nigh on every session. While clearly much of that is down to the talent of the Italian, the results of the other Yamaha riders demonstrate that some of the credit has to go Masao Furusawa and the Yamaha race department, who have taken an already strong bike and made it even better. The new long-life engine has more torque and mid-range, yet those gains have not come at the expense of top end, the M1 easily matching the pace of the other bikes down the straights. A fast bike, a strong challenge and a few bottles apparently drawn from the Fountain of Youth stashed away somewhere, Rossi has found new motivation, which combined with his usual mixture of determination, guile and sheer talent, will make the Italian a very hard man to beat.

Hard, but not impossible. Especially given that Rossi's challenge comes from two opposite directions, meaning the Italian can neither allow his guard to drop nor focus on just one man. For if Rossi neglects Casey Stoner to concentrate on Jorge Lorenzo, then the Australian will not hesitate to plunge in the knife. The same holds true for Lorenzo: should Rossi get caught up in holding off Stoner for too long, Rossi's young Spanish teammate will be hovering like a starved hyena and ready to pounce.

Both Stoner and Lorenzo have the raw speed needed to beat the veteran Rossi, and both riders have had hard lessons in racecraft at the hands of The Doctor. Yet both men are also keen and diligent students, only likely to fall for something once. Casey Stoner had his lesson at Laguna Seca in 2008, when Rossi made his M1 so wide that the Australian dumped his Ducati in the gravel in frustration at not being able to get past. But 14 months later, Stoner showed he had learned his lesson, holding off Rossi at his home Grand Prix in Phillip Island with consummate skill, never giving the Italian a chance.

That victory was part of a run of three which signaled the Australian's return to racing, after a mystery illness - finally diagnosed as lactose intolerance - forced Stoner to miss three races in the middle of 2009, much to the annoyance of Marlboro, the Ducati team's big-money sponsor. But the break was needed, as the Australian's struggle with his health had been painfully obvious, finishing races from Barcelona onwards in a state of utter exhaustion.

Once they'd narrowed the problem down during the summer break, Stoner was back, and stronger than ever. Finishing second at Estoril, the Marlboro Ducati rider took the next three races in a row, and only a mystery tire problem which saw Stoner highside out on the warmup lap at Valencia put paid to further success.

Casey Stoner starts the 2010 season with a winter of training - both physical and in identifying foodstuffs which could cause him problems - behind him, fitter and probably faster than ever before. In addition to that, Ducati have hugely improved the Desmosedici, giving it a new big bang firing order making much easier to ride at the limit. With everything in place for Casey Stoner to succeed, the Australian is going to mount a formidable challenge for 2010, a challenge which might just prove insurmountable.

Brothers In Arms

Valentino Rossi won't be the only rider vying to dismiss Stoner's challenge, though. Rossi's teammate Jorge Lorenzo will be right there with Rossi and Stoner every step of the way. Lorenzo's second season in the premier class saw him lose much of the wildness he had displayed in his rookie year in MotoGP, crashing both less frequently and less painfully, helped in part by the new D-Air "airbag" leathers from Dainese, which probably saved his collarbone from worse at Laguna Seca.

Along with smoothing off his rough edges, Lorenzo also received a little one-on-one tutoring from his Fiat Yamaha teammate Valentino Rossi. At Barcelona, Lorenzo allowed Rossi to dive underneath him in the final corner, convinced he already had the race in the bag. Then at Brno, keen to avoid a repeat of the Barcelona experience, Lorenzo slid out of the race trying to hold Rossi off. He learned quickly, though, forcing Rossi to make an almost identical mistake at the next race, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

With another year's experience under his belt, Lorenzo looks like posing the toughest challenge yet to Rossi's title aspirations. The Spaniard is on identical machinery - a demand he forced through during contract negotiations last summer - and was on course to get his best shot at taking the title before cracking a thumb in a training accident. Lorenzo starts in Qatar with a painful hand, and still not fully recovered. With the competition as tough as it is, the Spaniard will start the season with one hand tied behind his back. By Jerez, though, Lorenzo should be back to full fitness, and a serious threat once again.

The last of the Fantastic Four is in danger of losing his Alien status. Dani Pedrosa was brought into the Repsol Honda squad to reclaim the title that HRC regards as rightfully theirs. But after a strong - if tainted, after that incident at Estoril - start to his career, Pedrosa has failed to score better than his by now ritual two wins a season.

Only part of that is down to the Spaniard though. In 2007, the bike HRC built to be small and agile, and suit lightweight riders, was completely blown away by the high-powered Ducati. Improvements came in 2008, but the bike still had problems with balance and stability, problems which continued through 2009. A switch to Ohlins suspension was meant to cure that issue, but problems continue - at least for Pedrosa - despite HRC's extraordinary mea culpa, blaming itself for not providing Pedrosa the bike to win.

Patience on both sides is starting to wear thin. For the first time in years, Pedrosa starts the season fully healthy and recovering from neither injury nor surgery, but he finds himself confronted with a bike he is struggling to ride. The Spaniard finished the final test of the preseason in lowly 13th position, far below where both he and Honda expect and demand to be, and over a second and a half behind the leader, Casey Stoner.

Pedrosa's problems revolve around the Ohlins suspension, which HRC is now using in place of Showa. Pedrosa grew up using Showa, racing on them throughout his career in 125s, 250s and now MotoGP. With Showa gone, Pedrosa is having to completely relearn bike setup, and is struggling to eliminate the pumping from the rear shock that is upsetting his balance on the brakes. All of the 2010 RC212Vs are suffering similar problems, but Andrea Dovizioso and LCR Honda's Randy de Puniet - who have both been using Ohlins for some time now - were 3rd and 8th fastest respectively at Qatar a month ago.

Pedrosa will need to find solutions quickly, as will Honda. Pedrosa's status as the fourth Alien is in danger, with riders coming up behind him. There's still no doubt that Pedrosa has the talent to win, his problem seems to be that he can only win when he has his day. The other three members of the Fantastic Four seem to be able to take victories any time, anywhere.

Knocking At The Door

Snapping at Pedrosa's heels come a pack of hungry young - and old - riders, eager to take a step closer to the podium and transform the Fantastic Four in the Fabulous Five, or Superb Six, or Special Seven. The rider widely tipped to be the first to break into that select group is the man who shocked the World Superbike paddock last season, Ben Spies. The Texan entered the WSBK class last year and from the very start, took poles and wins at tracks he had never even visited before - including a double victory at Losail in Qatar, the site of the MotoGP season opener. By the end of the season - thanks in no small part to his crew chief, Tom Houseworth and his mechanic, Greg Wood - Spies had taken the championship at the first attempt, holding off the man that many had penciled in for the title, Xerox Ducati's Noriyuki Haga.

Spies brings both House and Woody to the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team, and perhaps more importantly, he brings their solid and methodical way of working. But any hopes that Spies and his crew can repeat what they achieved in World Superbikes need to be tempered. Firstly, Spies still has some learning to do - though the fact he consistently finished inside the top 5 during testing demonstrates his ability to learn.

The Bridgestone front tire poses a particular problem for the Texan. Spies is finding it very hard to wrap his head around just how fast the front tire is up to temperature, and how hard it can be pushed from cold. He is still finding the limits of the tire at the start, though he told a press conference last week that he was fine once the tire started to lose grip, around the halfway stage. Given how well Spies did in the second half of the race at Valencia, fighting his way through to 7th after dropping to 11th in the early stages, the American could become a real threat once the season gets underway.

To expect Spies to factor at the start of the year is a little too much to ask, though. Firstly, the series doesn't really hit tracks he has ridden at until the time MotoGP arrives at Assen, at the end of June. Secondly, but perhaps more crucially, despite the obvious talent on the World Superbike grid, Spies is up against the four best riders in the world, together with another handful capable of beating most riders on most other days. The chance that Spies will equal the record of Kenny Roberts Senior, and take the premier class title at the first attempt is very slim indeed.

Even a win will be difficult, though Spies' teammate Colin Edwards believes this year represents the best chance that satellite riders - and Spies and himself in particular - have ever had of winning a race. The engine limits - so vilified by the purists - may end up boosting the fortunes of the privateers. Though the factory riders will still have the latest upgrades first, engine upgrades will be far less frequent, keeping the playing field level for longer and improving the chances of the satellite riders.

Edwards hopes to be the prime beneficiary of this change, and finally get the win he has been chasing for so long. Like Rossi, Edwards is improving with age, though the Texan is a good deal older than his Italian former teammate. Last year, Edwards showed that he deserved the #5 he uses by finishing the season in 5th position, ahead of four other factory machines. He may find that position a good deal more difficult to hold on to this year, though: The Yamaha M1 is unquestionably good, and probably still the best bike on the grid, but along with a hungry teammate, he faces fresh challengers as well.

Taking Over

The strongest challenge is likely to come from the man he pipped to 5th in the title race last year. Andrea Dovizioso has used the experience he gained from his mid-season switch to Ohlins suspension last year to find a very strong base setup for his Repsol Honda RC212V. The Italian finished ahead of his teammate in the two last tests, and is sounding increasingly confident in interviews, a stark contrast with the barely-disguised despair of Dani Pedrosa.

But Dovizioso is under pressure to succeed. The Italian will need to start getting closer to his teammate if he is to keep his job at the end of the season. The contracts of the Fantastic Four are all up at the end of the year, and Dovizioso could find the second seat at Repsol Honda a popular target for rookies and veterans showing promise as part of a larger HRC shakeup. If Pedrosa moves and Dovizioso fails to keep pace with the front four, he could find himself exploring other options, despite his strong ties to HRC.

Dovizioso isn't the only rider to be under pressure. The burden of needing to start scoring regular results falls even more heavily on Nicky Hayden in 2010. After a high-profile switch to Ducati for 2009, the likeable Kentucky native was baffled and befuddled by the hard-to-tame Desmosedici GP9. Hayden only just kept his job at Ducati after Jorge Lorenzo turned it down in the middle of last year, though the fact that Hayden helped sell a lot of Ducati 848 Laguna Seca replicas helped him in that respect.

There is plenty of reason to be hopeful, though. Two factors have conspired to give Nicky Hayden his best chance of redemption since winning the 2006 MotoGP title. The first is the greatly improved rideability of the Ducati Desmosedici, the big bang firing order engine making the bike more tractable, while simultaneously saving fuel. The second is simply experience, having data he can use when he turns up at a track. Hayden and his crew spent several races chasing their tails last year, desperately searching for a setup which would work for him. With a year's data to work from, Hayden hopes to be up to speed much more quickly, so he can concentrate on getting the last few tenths out of the bike, instead of struggling to find a second or more. Given Hayden's improved results during testing, the Marlboro Ducati rider could finally have be competitive week in and week out.

The question of whether Randy de Puniet can run at the front with the Fantastic Four still remains open. The Frenchman has often shown exceptional speed, but a lack of consistency and a linger tendency to crash - largely dissipated by the switch to Bridgestones - keep preventing De Puniet from making a major breakthrough.

Just as at Yamaha, though, the satellite Hondas are much closer to the factory bikes this year, giving De Puniet a genuine shot at the front of the field. With a strong chance of factory seats opening up next season, De Puniet's chances of getting a factory ride have never been better. As long as he gets the results.

C'Era Una Volta

Once upon a time, Marco Melandri was penciled in for a factory ride, after some outstanding results aboard the Gresini Honda at the end of the 990cc MotoGP era. But since the switch to 800s, Melandri's fortunes have waned, hitting a low point during his year at Ducati in 2008. The Italian redeemed himself astoundingly last year, riding a Kawasaki rebadged as a Hayate, after Kawasaki pulled out of MotoGP.

This year he returns to the Gresini team, no longer sponsored by Fortuna as in Melandri's heyday, but instead by San Carlo, and a host of other smaller sponsors. Melandri had been hoping for a return of his glory days, but so far, the Italian has suffered a similar fate to Dani Pedrosa and his teammate Marco Simoncelli. Melandri has struggled to find any pace, suffering the same lack of balance that Pedrosa has reported with the Ohlins suspension. If Melandri and HRC can't find a solution to those problems, Melandri's last chance at a factory ride will be gone, and 2010 could well end up being his last season in MotoGP.

Every year, fans and commentators speculate that this season will be Loris Capirossi's last in MotoGP. And every year, the Italian veteran - scheduled to start his record-breaking 300th Grand Prix on Sunday - earns the right to stay on for yet another season. He starts his 21st season at Qatar, and has already told the press he hopes to stay on for a season aboard the 1000cc bikes, due to make their debut in 2012.

During testing, Capirossi has been very strong, the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R finding some of the performance that it was lacking last year. But Suzuki's problem has always been that they usually do well in testing at Qatar and especially Sepang, the two venues for pre-season testing this year. So we will only get a real idea of the Suzuki's potential once the series moves on to Japan, and from there back to Europe. There is no question about Capirossi's motivation or his sheer talent, 21 years at the top of the motorcycle racing world is testament enough to that. The key to Capirossi's success lies not with the 37-year-old Italian, but in Japan, with Suzuki's engineers. Have they finally come up with the goods to turn the GSV-R from also-ran to front runner.

From testing, it's clear that this is exactly what Ducati have done, and that will surely help Mika Kallio. The Finnish rider had a strong rookie season, regularly beating the suffering Nicky Hayden, but still struggling to get well into the top 10. His best chance came at Assen, when he crashed out in the penultimate corner, while scrapping over 6th place with James Toseland.

During testing, Kallio has continued to run in the bottom of the top 10, so there is still room for improvement for the Pramac Ducati rider. With a pack of rookies snapping at his heels - riders who he rode against and only occasionally beat - Kallio will have to show some improvement to be certain of his job in 2011.

Fresh Meat

It is a truism that the first person a racer has to beat is his teammate, but that is particularly apt in the case of Kallio. He is joined once again by Aleix Espargaro, the Spaniard who took the place of Niccolo Canepa at the end of last season. Of the bumper crop of rookies joining MotoGP in 2010, Espargaro is perhaps the dark horse - though it is debatable whether Espargaro and Spies can truly be regarded as rookies, despite qualifying under the strict definition set out in the FIM rulebook.

The Spaniard raised a few eyebrows last year, subbing first for Kallio, then for Canepa in the Pramac Ducati team. With a full off-season of testing under his belt, his first goal will to beat Kallio, and then to start challenging for the top 5. The depth of talent in MotoGP this season is going to make that a pretty formidable task.

If Espargaro is one dark horse, then Hector Barbera could be even more of a surprise. The former 250 title candidate comes off victory in the final 250cc race ever held, at Valencia at the end of the 2009 season, and he moves up to MotoGP along with one of the most respected and impressive teams in the paddock. The Aspar team have utterly dominated both 125 and 250, and team boss Jorge Martinez has been angling to get into the MotoGP class for several years.

With Aspar running the team, the organizational side is solid. The rest is up to Barbera, and the Valencian could well turn a few heads. Previously known for his wild and positively hazardous passing maneuvers, Barbera mastered his intemperate nature in 2009, showing a cooler head and neither crashing nor taking other riders out nearly as often as in previous season. So far, Barbera has impressed aboard the Ducati, finishing up the order and usually ahead of his fellow rookies - the notable exception being Ben Spies.

While a victory in both his and the team's rookie season is extremely unlikely for Hector Barbera, the Pagina Amarillas (the Spanish Yellow Pages) rider is a prime candidate to cause an upset. When I expressed surprise at Barbera's strong showing on his debut on the Ducati at the post-race test at Valencia, one paddock wag remarked "he'll do fine on the Ducati. He doesn't have a brain..."

Star Turn

If Hector Barbera is the man most fans are likely to overlook - despite the garish yellow paint job on his Aspar Ducati - Marco Simoncelli and Alvaro Bautista arrive in MotoGP amid a blaze of publicity and attention. Simoncelli is adored in Italy, where he is being groomed as Valentino Rossi's replacement in publicity terms, while his archrival Alvaro Bautista was, until recently, hailed as Spain's next great hope at a title.

The price of being so heavily hyped is that it makes it that much harder to live up to expectations, however. Both Simoncelli and Bautista have had baptisms of fire on the entry into the MotoGP class. Simoncelli has struggled with the San Carlo Gresini Honda, finishing at or near the bottom of the timesheets at every test so far. Simoncelli's problems have confounded everyone, after his dazzling debut on the Aprilia RSV4 at Imola last year, but a V4 superbike is apparently a completely different kettle of fish to a V4 MotoGP bike, and the Fabulous Furry Freak Brother will have his work cut out this year just to avoid humiliation.

After a poor start, Alvaro Bautista's fortunes have looked up recently, as the performance of the new Suzuki GSV-R has picked up. The worry for Bautista is that the spec Bridgestones have a stiff construction and a soft compound, Bautista preferring a softer construction and a harder compound, a different approach at achieving a similar level of grip. The altered construction of the Dunlops last season was one of the reasons Bautista struggled on the Aspar Aprilia, failing to pick up the title he was so hotly tipped for. If he can learn to handle the Bridgestones, Bautista may regain some of the form he seemed to lose last year.

The Quiet Champion

The man that Bautista and Simoncelli lost the title to is another rider likely to surprise a good many people. Entering MotoGP as reigning - and last ever - 250 World Champion should mean you join the class in a hail of publicity, but that simply doesn't suit Hiroshi Aoyama's quiet and unassuming nature. Aoyama moves up to MotoGP with another new team, the Interwetten Honda team run by Daniel Epp's Paddock GP, the man behind the Caffe Latte effort in 250 and 125. Aoyama is lucky to even be in MotoGP, as Epp had originally intended to run his protege, former 125cc champion Thomas Luthi.

But Luthi disappointed in 250s in 2009, while Aoyama truly shined. The Japanese rider took his underpowered Honda RS250RW - a bike that was virtually unchanged since Andrea Dovizioso last rode it in 2007 - and squeezed every last drop of speed out of it, braking later and carrying more speed than Aoyama's opponents could handle. When I asked about the performance of that 250, Aoyama's crew chief Guido Cecchini was clear: "Hiro uses this bike more than 100%" he said. That extra is what won Aoyama his title.

His former crew chief also praised his set-up skills, something that the Interwetten Honda rider will need in MotoGP. Aoyama's methodical and patient way of working, along with his attention to detail, have seen the Japanese rider make slow but steady progress, creeping closer to the front in the same quiet, unassuming way that he won the 250 championship.

The Stage Is Set

Looking at the rookies in isolation, Ben Spies is almost certain to take the rookie of the year award, given his already strong start to the season. But though Barbera might score the odd surprise result, and Bautista perform better than might be expected, Hiroshi Aoyama is likely to be the best-of-the-rest rookie, sneaking up on the top 10 almost unnoticed. Aoyama and Spies are surprisingly alike, though in very different ways. Both are calm and focused, and they share a careful and thoughtful approach to racing. They are both modest, despite their achievements, more focused on what they have to learn than what they know already. Spies and Aoyama will be the rookies to watch in 2010.

The addition of Spies, Aoyama, Simoncelli, Bautista, Barbera and Espargaro to MotoGP make this the strongest field the series has seen in a long time. There may be only 17 permanent riders in the series, but 13 of those riders have a total of 27 world titles between them, in various classes. Even more significantly, with the arrival of the top rookies into MotoGP, the arguments over who deserves to be in the class and isn't there are more or less over. Though there is still plenty of talent left in World Superbikes and Moto2, there are very few, if any, riders who deserve to be in MotoGP over the riders already signed.

The field in MotoGP may be deep, from the front of the grid just about all the way to the rear, what makes the 2010 season special is the fact that the title race is so open, and almost impossible to predict. Valentino Rossi is close to confirming his status as the best motorcycle racer of all time, while both Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo are making him work harder to preserve that status than ever before. Even Dani Pedrosa cannot be written off yet: On his day, he can still beat Rossi, Stoner and Lorenzo with relative ease, and if Honda give him the bike he needs, his day may come more often. And Ben Spies may just turn out to be another alien, transforming the Fantastic Four into a Fantastic Five. As Mike Scott says, we truly are living in a Golden Age.

[Rcktfsh]

FROM MotoGPMatters.com

2010 MotoGP Season Preview - A New Golden Era
Submitted by David Emmett on Thu, 2010-04-08 11:21.
in MotoGPLosail, Qatar
The start of the 2010 season finds MotoGP in a deeply schizophrenic state. The MotoGP class remains sparsely populated, with just 17 riders on the grid - despite prospects of one new manufacturer running wildcards and another looking to enter the series full time once the paddock returns to Europe. Meanwhile, in the brand new Moto2 class which replaces the 250cc two strokes, 40 riders are scheduled to take to the start at Qatar.

This year sees a bumper crop of rookies enter MotoGP, bringing some much-needed fresh blood into the class, along with a healthy dose of excitement. At the same time, the podium lineup at every race is as good as fixed, with the Fantastic Four almost certain to claim the lion's share of the silverware, leaving the rest of the field to pick over what remains.

Added to this, we've had rules introduced to reduce costs, which this year at least have caused the manufacturers to spend more to prepare for the cost-cutting rules. With each rider having just 6 engines to last the full 18 races, the factories have had to pour resources into R&D to ensure riders aren't facing costly penalties if they don't quite make it all the way to Valencia without taking an extra engine. With that work now done, the factories will start to make big savings, as the need to fly back a cargo load of engines - often two or more per rider - to their R&D centers in Japan and Bologna to be stripped down and rebuilt has now been removed. By the end of the 2011 season, the engine rule should be paying dividends for the manufacturers.

The Fantastic Four...Five...Six...

What makes the 2010 MotoGP season such a mouth-watering prospect is that we are, as veteran MotoGP journalist Mike Scott put it a couple of weeks ago, in the middle of a new Golden Age for motorcycle racing's premier class. Arguably the greatest motorcycle racer the world has ever seen is at the very top of his ability, and being pushed to extend himself by the competition. That competition consists of not just one, but three other riders, while more wait in the wings. On any given day, the order of the podium is completely unknown, though the faces which fill it are nearly identical every week.

As reigning champion, Valentino Rossi is determined to defend his title for the 8th time, bringing him level with Giacomo Agostini's premier class record and bringing his total world title count to 10. Rossi has all but dominated pre-season testing, topping the timesheets in nigh on every session. While clearly much of that is down to the talent of the Italian, the results of the other Yamaha riders demonstrate that some of the credit has to go Masao Furusawa and the Yamaha race department, who have taken an already strong bike and made it even better. The new long-life engine has more torque and mid-range, yet those gains have not come at the expense of top end, the M1 easily matching the pace of the other bikes down the straights. A fast bike, a strong challenge and a few bottles apparently drawn from the Fountain of Youth stashed away somewhere, Rossi has found new motivation, which combined with his usual mixture of determination, guile and sheer talent, will make the Italian a very hard man to beat.

Hard, but not impossible. Especially given that Rossi's challenge comes from two opposite directions, meaning the Italian can neither allow his guard to drop nor focus on just one man. For if Rossi neglects Casey Stoner to concentrate on Jorge Lorenzo, then the Australian will not hesitate to plunge in the knife. The same holds true for Lorenzo: should Rossi get caught up in holding off Stoner for too long, Rossi's young Spanish teammate will be hovering like a starved hyena and ready to pounce.

Both Stoner and Lorenzo have the raw speed needed to beat the veteran Rossi, and both riders have had hard lessons in racecraft at the hands of The Doctor. Yet both men are also keen and diligent students, only likely to fall for something once. Casey Stoner had his lesson at Laguna Seca in 2008, when Rossi made his M1 so wide that the Australian dumped his Ducati in the gravel in frustration at not being able to get past. But 14 months later, Stoner showed he had learned his lesson, holding off Rossi at his home Grand Prix in Phillip Island with consummate skill, never giving the Italian a chance.

That victory was part of a run of three which signaled the Australian's return to racing, after a mystery illness - finally diagnosed as lactose intolerance - forced Stoner to miss three races in the middle of 2009, much to the annoyance of Marlboro, the Ducati team's big-money sponsor. But the break was needed, as the Australian's struggle with his health had been painfully obvious, finishing races from Barcelona onwards in a state of utter exhaustion.

Once they'd narrowed the problem down during the summer break, Stoner was back, and stronger than ever. Finishing second at Estoril, the Marlboro Ducati rider took the next three races in a row, and only a mystery tire problem which saw Stoner highside out on the warmup lap at Valencia put paid to further success.

Casey Stoner starts the 2010 season with a winter of training - both physical and in identifying foodstuffs which could cause him problems - behind him, fitter and probably faster than ever before. In addition to that, Ducati have hugely improved the Desmosedici, giving it a new big bang firing order making much easier to ride at the limit. With everything in place for Casey Stoner to succeed, the Australian is going to mount a formidable challenge for 2010, a challenge which might just prove insurmountable.

Brothers In Arms

Valentino Rossi won't be the only rider vying to dismiss Stoner's challenge, though. Rossi's teammate Jorge Lorenzo will be right there with Rossi and Stoner every step of the way. Lorenzo's second season in the premier class saw him lose much of the wildness he had displayed in his rookie year in MotoGP, crashing both less frequently and less painfully, helped in part by the new D-Air "airbag" leathers from Dainese, which probably saved his collarbone from worse at Laguna Seca.

Along with smoothing off his rough edges, Lorenzo also received a little one-on-one tutoring from his Fiat Yamaha teammate Valentino Rossi. At Barcelona, Lorenzo allowed Rossi to dive underneath him in the final corner, convinced he already had the race in the bag. Then at Brno, keen to avoid a repeat of the Barcelona experience, Lorenzo slid out of the race trying to hold Rossi off. He learned quickly, though, forcing Rossi to make an almost identical mistake at the next race, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

With another year's experience under his belt, Lorenzo looks like posing the toughest challenge yet to Rossi's title aspirations. The Spaniard is on identical machinery - a demand he forced through during contract negotiations last summer - and was on course to get his best shot at taking the title before cracking a thumb in a training accident. Lorenzo starts in Qatar with a painful hand, and still not fully recovered. With the competition as tough as it is, the Spaniard will start the season with one hand tied behind his back. By Jerez, though, Lorenzo should be back to full fitness, and a serious threat once again.

The last of the Fantastic Four is in danger of losing his Alien status. Dani Pedrosa was brought into the Repsol Honda squad to reclaim the title that HRC regards as rightfully theirs. But after a strong - if tainted, after that incident at Estoril - start to his career, Pedrosa has failed to score better than his by now ritual two wins a season.

Only part of that is down to the Spaniard though. In 2007, the bike HRC built to be small and agile, and suit lightweight riders, was completely blown away by the high-powered Ducati. Improvements came in 2008, but the bike still had problems with balance and stability, problems which continued through 2009. A switch to Ohlins suspension was meant to cure that issue, but problems continue - at least for Pedrosa - despite HRC's extraordinary mea culpa, blaming itself for not providing Pedrosa the bike to win.

Patience on both sides is starting to wear thin. For the first time in years, Pedrosa starts the season fully healthy and recovering from neither injury nor surgery, but he finds himself confronted with a bike he is struggling to ride. The Spaniard finished the final test of the preseason in lowly 13th position, far below where both he and Honda expect and demand to be, and over a second and a half behind the leader, Casey Stoner.

Pedrosa's problems revolve around the Ohlins suspension, which HRC is now using in place of Showa. Pedrosa grew up using Showa, racing on them throughout his career in 125s, 250s and now MotoGP. With Showa gone, Pedrosa is having to completely relearn bike setup, and is struggling to eliminate the pumping from the rear shock that is upsetting his balance on the brakes. All of the 2010 RC212Vs are suffering similar problems, but Andrea Dovizioso and LCR Honda's Randy de Puniet - who have both been using Ohlins for some time now - were 3rd and 8th fastest respectively at Qatar a month ago.

Pedrosa will need to find solutions quickly, as will Honda. Pedrosa's status as the fourth Alien is in danger, with riders coming up behind him. There's still no doubt that Pedrosa has the talent to win, his problem seems to be that he can only win when he has his day. The other three members of the Fantastic Four seem to be able to take victories any time, anywhere.

Knocking At The Door

Snapping at Pedrosa's heels come a pack of hungry young - and old - riders, eager to take a step closer to the podium and transform the Fantastic Four in the Fabulous Five, or Superb Six, or Special Seven. The rider widely tipped to be the first to break into that select group is the man who shocked the World Superbike paddock last season, Ben Spies. The Texan entered the WSBK class last year and from the very start, took poles and wins at tracks he had never even visited before - including a double victory at Losail in Qatar, the site of the MotoGP season opener. By the end of the season - thanks in no small part to his crew chief, Tom Houseworth and his mechanic, Greg Wood - Spies had taken the championship at the first attempt, holding off the man that many had penciled in for the title, Xerox Ducati's Noriyuki Haga.

Spies brings both House and Woody to the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team, and perhaps more importantly, he brings their solid and methodical way of working. But any hopes that Spies and his crew can repeat what they achieved in World Superbikes need to be tempered. Firstly, Spies still has some learning to do - though the fact he consistently finished inside the top 5 during testing demonstrates his ability to learn.

The Bridgestone front tire poses a particular problem for the Texan. Spies is finding it very hard to wrap his head around just how fast the front tire is up to temperature, and how hard it can be pushed from cold. He is still finding the limits of the tire at the start, though he told a press conference last week that he was fine once the tire started to lose grip, around the halfway stage. Given how well Spies did in the second half of the race at Valencia, fighting his way through to 7th after dropping to 11th in the early stages, the American could become a real threat once the season gets underway.

To expect Spies to factor at the start of the year is a little too much to ask, though. Firstly, the series doesn't really hit tracks he has ridden at until the time MotoGP arrives at Assen, at the end of June. Secondly, but perhaps more crucially, despite the obvious talent on the World Superbike grid, Spies is up against the four best riders in the world, together with another handful capable of beating most riders on most other days. The chance that Spies will equal the record of Kenny Roberts Senior, and take the premier class title at the first attempt is very slim indeed.

Even a win will be difficult, though Spies' teammate Colin Edwards believes this year represents the best chance that satellite riders - and Spies and himself in particular - have ever had of winning a race. The engine limits - so vilified by the purists - may end up boosting the fortunes of the privateers. Though the factory riders will still have the latest upgrades first, engine upgrades will be far less frequent, keeping the playing field level for longer and improving the chances of the satellite riders.

Edwards hopes to be the prime beneficiary of this change, and finally get the win he has been chasing for so long. Like Rossi, Edwards is improving with age, though the Texan is a good deal older than his Italian former teammate. Last year, Edwards showed that he deserved the #5 he uses by finishing the season in 5th position, ahead of four other factory machines. He may find that position a good deal more difficult to hold on to this year, though: The Yamaha M1 is unquestionably good, and probably still the best bike on the grid, but along with a hungry teammate, he faces fresh challengers as well.

Taking Over

The strongest challenge is likely to come from the man he pipped to 5th in the title race last year. Andrea Dovizioso has used the experience he gained from his mid-season switch to Ohlins suspension last year to find a very strong base setup for his Repsol Honda RC212V. The Italian finished ahead of his teammate in the two last tests, and is sounding increasingly confident in interviews, a stark contrast with the barely-disguised despair of Dani Pedrosa.

But Dovizioso is under pressure to succeed. The Italian will need to start getting closer to his teammate if he is to keep his job at the end of the season. The contracts of the Fantastic Four are all up at the end of the year, and Dovizioso could find the second seat at Repsol Honda a popular target for rookies and veterans showing promise as part of a larger HRC shakeup. If Pedrosa moves and Dovizioso fails to keep pace with the front four, he could find himself exploring other options, despite his strong ties to HRC.

Dovizioso isn't the only rider to be under pressure. The burden of needing to start scoring regular results falls even more heavily on Nicky Hayden in 2010. After a high-profile switch to Ducati for 2009, the likeable Kentucky native was baffled and befuddled by the hard-to-tame Desmosedici GP9. Hayden only just kept his job at Ducati after Jorge Lorenzo turned it down in the middle of last year, though the fact that Hayden helped sell a lot of Ducati 848 Laguna Seca replicas helped him in that respect.

There is plenty of reason to be hopeful, though. Two factors have conspired to give Nicky Hayden his best chance of redemption since winning the 2006 MotoGP title. The first is the greatly improved rideability of the Ducati Desmosedici, the big bang firing order engine making the bike more tractable, while simultaneously saving fuel. The second is simply experience, having data he can use when he turns up at a track. Hayden and his crew spent several races chasing their tails last year, desperately searching for a setup which would work for him. With a year's data to work from, Hayden hopes to be up to speed much more quickly, so he can concentrate on getting the last few tenths out of the bike, instead of struggling to find a second or more. Given Hayden's improved results during testing, the Marlboro Ducati rider could finally have be competitive week in and week out.

The question of whether Randy de Puniet can run at the front with the Fantastic Four still remains open. The Frenchman has often shown exceptional speed, but a lack of consistency and a linger tendency to crash - largely dissipated by the switch to Bridgestones - keep preventing De Puniet from making a major breakthrough.

Just as at Yamaha, though, the satellite Hondas are much closer to the factory bikes this year, giving De Puniet a genuine shot at the front of the field. With a strong chance of factory seats opening up next season, De Puniet's chances of getting a factory ride have never been better. As long as he gets the results.

C'Era Una Volta

Once upon a time, Marco Melandri was penciled in for a factory ride, after some outstanding results aboard the Gresini Honda at the end of the 990cc MotoGP era. But since the switch to 800s, Melandri's fortunes have waned, hitting a low point during his year at Ducati in 2008. The Italian redeemed himself astoundingly last year, riding a Kawasaki rebadged as a Hayate, after Kawasaki pulled out of MotoGP.

This year he returns to the Gresini team, no longer sponsored by Fortuna as in Melandri's heyday, but instead by San Carlo, and a host of other smaller sponsors. Melandri had been hoping for a return of his glory days, but so far, the Italian has suffered a similar fate to Dani Pedrosa and his teammate Marco Simoncelli. Melandri has struggled to find any pace, suffering the same lack of balance that Pedrosa has reported with the Ohlins suspension. If Melandri and HRC can't find a solution to those problems, Melandri's last chance at a factory ride will be gone, and 2010 could well end up being his last season in MotoGP.

Every year, fans and commentators speculate that this season will be Loris Capirossi's last in MotoGP. And every year, the Italian veteran - scheduled to start his record-breaking 300th Grand Prix on Sunday - earns the right to stay on for yet another season. He starts his 21st season at Qatar, and has already told the press he hopes to stay on for a season aboard the 1000cc bikes, due to make their debut in 2012.

During testing, Capirossi has been very strong, the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R finding some of the performance that it was lacking last year. But Suzuki's problem has always been that they usually do well in testing at Qatar and especially Sepang, the two venues for pre-season testing this year. So we will only get a real idea of the Suzuki's potential once the series moves on to Japan, and from there back to Europe. There is no question about Capirossi's motivation or his sheer talent, 21 years at the top of the motorcycle racing world is testament enough to that. The key to Capirossi's success lies not with the 37-year-old Italian, but in Japan, with Suzuki's engineers. Have they finally come up with the goods to turn the GSV-R from also-ran to front runner.

From testing, it's clear that this is exactly what Ducati have done, and that will surely help Mika Kallio. The Finnish rider had a strong rookie season, regularly beating the suffering Nicky Hayden, but still struggling to get well into the top 10. His best chance came at Assen, when he crashed out in the penultimate corner, while scrapping over 6th place with James Toseland.

During testing, Kallio has continued to run in the bottom of the top 10, so there is still room for improvement for the Pramac Ducati rider. With a pack of rookies snapping at his heels - riders who he rode against and only occasionally beat - Kallio will have to show some improvement to be certain of his job in 2011.

Fresh Meat

It is a truism that the first person a racer has to beat is his teammate, but that is particularly apt in the case of Kallio. He is joined once again by Aleix Espargaro, the Spaniard who took the place of Niccolo Canepa at the end of last season. Of the bumper crop of rookies joining MotoGP in 2010, Espargaro is perhaps the dark horse - though it is debatable whether Espargaro and Spies can truly be regarded as rookies, despite qualifying under the strict definition set out in the FIM rulebook.

The Spaniard raised a few eyebrows last year, subbing first for Kallio, then for Canepa in the Pramac Ducati team. With a full off-season of testing under his belt, his first goal will to beat Kallio, and then to start challenging for the top 5. The depth of talent in MotoGP this season is going to make that a pretty formidable task.

If Espargaro is one dark horse, then Hector Barbera could be even more of a surprise. The former 250 title candidate comes off victory in the final 250cc race ever held, at Valencia at the end of the 2009 season, and he moves up to MotoGP along with one of the most respected and impressive teams in the paddock. The Aspar team have utterly dominated both 125 and 250, and team boss Jorge Martinez has been angling to get into the MotoGP class for several years.

With Aspar running the team, the organizational side is solid. The rest is up to Barbera, and the Valencian could well turn a few heads. Previously known for his wild and positively hazardous passing maneuvers, Barbera mastered his intemperate nature in 2009, showing a cooler head and neither crashing nor taking other riders out nearly as often as in previous season. So far, Barbera has impressed aboard the Ducati, finishing up the order and usually ahead of his fellow rookies - the notable exception being Ben Spies.

While a victory in both his and the team's rookie season is extremely unlikely for Hector Barbera, the Pagina Amarillas (the Spanish Yellow Pages) rider is a prime candidate to cause an upset. When I expressed surprise at Barbera's strong showing on his debut on the Ducati at the post-race test at Valencia, one paddock wag remarked "he'll do fine on the Ducati. He doesn't have a brain..."

Star Turn

If Hector Barbera is the man most fans are likely to overlook - despite the garish yellow paint job on his Aspar Ducati - Marco Simoncelli and Alvaro Bautista arrive in MotoGP amid a blaze of publicity and attention. Simoncelli is adored in Italy, where he is being groomed as Valentino Rossi's replacement in publicity terms, while his archrival Alvaro Bautista was, until recently, hailed as Spain's next great hope at a title.

The price of being so heavily hyped is that it makes it that much harder to live up to expectations, however. Both Simoncelli and Bautista have had baptisms of fire on the entry into the MotoGP class. Simoncelli has struggled with the San Carlo Gresini Honda, finishing at or near the bottom of the timesheets at every test so far. Simoncelli's problems have confounded everyone, after his dazzling debut on the Aprilia RSV4 at Imola last year, but a V4 superbike is apparently a completely different kettle of fish to a V4 MotoGP bike, and the Fabulous Furry Freak Brother will have his work cut out this year just to avoid humiliation.

After a poor start, Alvaro Bautista's fortunes have looked up recently, as the performance of the new Suzuki GSV-R has picked up. The worry for Bautista is that the spec Bridgestones have a stiff construction and a soft compound, Bautista preferring a softer construction and a harder compound, a different approach at achieving a similar level of grip. The altered construction of the Dunlops last season was one of the reasons Bautista struggled on the Aspar Aprilia, failing to pick up the title he was so hotly tipped for. If he can learn to handle the Bridgestones, Bautista may regain some of the form he seemed to lose last year.

The Quiet Champion

The man that Bautista and Simoncelli lost the title to is another rider likely to surprise a good many people. Entering MotoGP as reigning - and last ever - 250 World Champion should mean you join the class in a hail of publicity, but that simply doesn't suit Hiroshi Aoyama's quiet and unassuming nature. Aoyama moves up to MotoGP with another new team, the Interwetten Honda team run by Daniel Epp's Paddock GP, the man behind the Caffe Latte effort in 250 and 125. Aoyama is lucky to even be in MotoGP, as Epp had originally intended to run his protege, former 125cc champion Thomas Luthi.

But Luthi disappointed in 250s in 2009, while Aoyama truly shined. The Japanese rider took his underpowered Honda RS250RW - a bike that was virtually unchanged since Andrea Dovizioso last rode it in 2007 - and squeezed every last drop of speed out of it, braking later and carrying more speed than Aoyama's opponents could handle. When I asked about the performance of that 250, Aoyama's crew chief Guido Cecchini was clear: "Hiro uses this bike more than 100%" he said. That extra is what won Aoyama his title.

His former crew chief also praised his set-up skills, something that the Interwetten Honda rider will need in MotoGP. Aoyama's methodical and patient way of working, along with his attention to detail, have seen the Japanese rider make slow but steady progress, creeping closer to the front in the same quiet, unassuming way that he won the 250 championship.

The Stage Is Set

Looking at the rookies in isolation, Ben Spies is almost certain to take the rookie of the year award, given his already strong start to the season. But though Barbera might score the odd surprise result, and Bautista perform better than might be expected, Hiroshi Aoyama is likely to be the best-of-the-rest rookie, sneaking up on the top 10 almost unnoticed. Aoyama and Spies are surprisingly alike, though in very different ways. Both are calm and focused, and they share a careful and thoughtful approach to racing. They are both modest, despite their achievements, more focused on what they have to learn than what they know already. Spies and Aoyama will be the rookies to watch in 2010.

The addition of Spies, Aoyama, Simoncelli, Bautista, Barbera and Espargaro to MotoGP make this the strongest field the series has seen in a long time. There may be only 17 permanent riders in the series, but 13 of those riders have a total of 27 world titles between them, in various classes. Even more significantly, with the arrival of the top rookies into MotoGP, the arguments over who deserves to be in the class and isn't there are more or less over. Though there is still plenty of talent left in World Superbikes and Moto2, there are very few, if any, riders who deserve to be in MotoGP over the riders already signed.

The field in MotoGP may be deep, from the front of the grid just about all the way to the rear, what makes the 2010 season special is the fact that the title race is so open, and almost impossible to predict. Valentino Rossi is close to confirming his status as the best motorcycle racer of all time, while both Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo are making him work harder to preserve that status than ever before. Even Dani Pedrosa cannot be written off yet: On his day, he can still beat Rossi, Stoner and Lorenzo with relative ease, and if Honda give him the bike he needs, his day may come more often. And Ben Spies may just turn out to be another alien, transforming the Fantastic Four into a Fantastic Five. As Mike Scott says, we truly are living in a Golden Age.

[Grubber]

I guess I should put in my prediction now.
1st.............Stoner (Go the Ducati)
2nd............Rossi (Cough Cough Cough)
3rd.............Pedrosa.

Ditto! With a maybe Lorenzo in 3rd instead of Pedrosa. Like Lorenzo. Got some personality>

[Movistar]

Yes it will certainly be interesting Guys and Girls, - and Pritch, don't forget Dovizioso is running hot times at Losail. I shall be wearing my Honda pit shirt but am realistic!

By the way, did I mention I fly down to Doha (from Bahrain) in the morning for the GP?

CAN'T FUCKIN WAIT! :yes:

...will do my best with some pix for ya's!

Can you stop rubbing our nose's in your gloating Shafty...

Seriously though, good on ya mate!

Post the pix and make us extra jealous - bastard!

I'll look out for the Honda pit shirt on the telly :corn:

[roogazza]

Purely an emotional guess but, Rossi for title number 10.
Horhay has a hand injury, but may be foxing .
Stoner has had a great run at Qatar and the pressure is there to do it again, but a glass of milk will fix him.
Yamaha has the bases covered for sure and we'll all be experts Monday Morning. G.

[Crasherfromwayback]

I do rate Spies. I just think you're underestimating the scale of the challenge... if things start well and he gets on a roll, who knows... if things go wrong and his confidence gets dented, could be a long and painfull year. We shall soon find out.

Gonna be real interesting in the Fiat Yamaha garage this year. Can you see that not blowing up in their faces? Stoner may just be left to pick up the pieces.

I'll take that bet and raise you another case on the "Spies will win going away at Laguna". Think we'll probably work out about even on that and then I won't have to disturb all the moths in my wallet... but whatever you want.

Yeah I'm sticking with my Laguna prediction! I know how big the challange is for Spies...but I think he's smart enough and good enough to make the jump up. This is interesting too I thought...
http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Apr/100408rydernotes.htm

[racefactory]

I think Rossi has one more in it for him but this will be stoners race.

I've got bets on sport365 $2 on stoner for the win and $2 for a stoner, rossi, lorenzo podium finish. Should be good.

[Cleve]

Yeah I'm sticking with my Laguna prediction! I know how big the challange is for Spies...but I think he's smart enough and good enough to make the jump up. This is interesting too I thought...
http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Apr/100408rydernotes.htm

Ah yes I love the mind games. And Rossi is still the master at that. Now is Stoner really lactose intolerant or is the reason he and wifey disappeared mid season because a certain Italian was trying to get into her knickers??!!

[denill]

Stoner

Rossi

Spies

Yep, I'll have a bit of that too.

Going to be a good season, yee haa............:yes: :yes:

[denill]

Stoner
Rossi
Lorenzo

And it galls me to write that.

When I was at Phillip Island in 2008 I thought Dovizioso was a real action man. On the Honda A team bike though he was majorly underwhelmiing. Now I read that he has had half his crew replaced including Kiwi crew chief Pete Benson.

So Benson goes from being a world champion crew chief in 2006 to being unemployed at the end of 2009.

All is not lost, Benson is now crew chief for Scott Redding in Moto 2. Somewhat of a come down...

Now to make a little Dovi doll to stick pins into :devil2: Although if he doesn't really get into the top four this year he'll be joining the dole queue. Both him and Pedrosa?

Yeah, you make some good points. There won't be many as nervous going into this season as the Honda racing hierachy.

Could be a good old fasioned 'fall on the Samuri' if they don't do the business? :shifty: :shifty:

[Rcktfsh]

FP1 just run,

Stoner
Lorenzo
Rossi
Dovi
hayden
spies
bautista
de puniet
kallio
barbera
pedrosa
edwards
capirossi
simocelli
espargo
melandri
aoyama

Stoner put his fast lap in on lap 7 whilst all other top riders put theirs in at end of session. Early days but looks like Dovi has carried his good form in testing on and a big suprise to see Bautista right up Spies arse. Hayden's also looking impressive in 5th showing the new Duc big banger has been civilised this season. Qualifying is live on sky sport 3 at 8.00am tomorrow.

[denill]

There won't be many as nervous going into this season as the Honda racing hierachy.

Could be a good old fasioned 'fall on the Samuri' if they don't do the business? :shifty: :shifty:

<a href=http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Apr/100407burgessintervi.htm>This (long) interview with Jeremy Burgess</A> is a reminder of how Honda first started emulating the fall of the Roman Empire by deciding they were bigger than a few individuals. Whoever made the decision to 'let them go' must be having terrible dreams now!

That event coincided withe rise of the Yamaha factory in the racing world. :shifty:

[Crasherfromwayback]

Yep, I'll have a bit of that too.

Going to be a good season, yee haa............:yes: :yes:

Here ya go then...
http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Apr/100409mgp1.htm

[pritch]

Now is Stoner really lactose intolerant or is the reason he and wifey disappeared mid season because a certain Italian was trying to get into her knickers??!!

Wow! Is that from out of left field or what? Have bling for the most salacious explanation I've yet seen for Stoner's mid season vcation.

[denill]

And finally we get to see some qualifying/practice on the telly!

Sunday morning 7.55am SS3 - as long as the plan doesn't change!

Hey thanks for the 'Heads Up'.

I would NEVER have picked Sky would show that...................

[Cleve]

Wow! Is that from out of left field or what? Have bling for the most salacious explanation I've yet seen for Stoner's mid season vcation.

Cheers... but is it unbelievable?!

[shafty]

Picked up the tickets, watched some practice under lights last night - it's ALL GOOD. Pity they don't have programmes for the Public yet, but after my stir up yesterday, am hopeful they will send some over from the VIP Stand!!

[Movistar]

Picked up the tickets, watched some practice under lights last night - it's ALL GOOD. Pity they don't have programmes for the Public yet, but after my stir up yesterday, am hopeful they will send some over from the VIP Stand!!

Beautiful...the track I mean!

What's the weather forecast there? Much night time wind whipping up to test those fancy new Bridgestones?

[shafty]

Beautiful...the track I mean!

What's the weather forecast there? Much night time wind whipping up to test those fancy new Bridgestones?

Yeah, the track too.

Sundays Forecast in todays local rag says: " Mostly clear, 22-33 degrees"

It's up to 35C today - bloody hot!

And dusty today as well, which appears in the sky as a "smoggy" look, when it is actually dust - that could be a challenge for the lads, though I'm sure they "know what they're doing"

[Warr]

Have amended the Moto GP Racing. Its now on Sky 2 with Race 8.00-9.30am Monday morning :)

you lucky bastard!! for the rest of us....


MOTOGP __Round 1__Race______SkySport 2____Monday 12th April___5.00am---9.30am

125ccRAC__05:00, Moto2RAC__06:15, MotoGPRAC__08:00



WSBK_____Round 3__Race 1 _____SkySport 3____Sunday 11th April__9.30pm ---12.25am
WSBK_____Round 3__Race 2 _____SkySport 3____Monday 12th April__12.55am--3.00am

[racefactory]

Thanks heaps, I would never have picked up on the qualifying on sky sport this morning.

[Wingnut]

Qualifying times: Go old Loris!!!!

1. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 1m 55.007s
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 1m 55.362s
3. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team 1m 55.52s
4. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP 1m 55.831s
5. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1m 55.899s
6. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team 1m 55.963s
7. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 1m 55.99s
8. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1m 56.005s
9. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro Team 1m 56.163s
10. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Interwetten Honda MotoGP 1m 56.227s
11. Ben Spies USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1m 56.271s
12. Mika Kallio FIN Pramac Racing 1m 56.283s
13. Alvaro Bautista SPA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1m 56.45s
14. Aleix Espargaro SPA Pramac Racing 1m 56.652s
15. Marco Simoncelli ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 1m 56.957s
16. Hector Barbera SPA Paginas Amarillas Aspar 1m 57.13s
17. Marco Melandri ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 1m 57.325s

[roogazza]

Qualifying times: Go old Loris!!!!

1. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 1m 55.007s
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 1m 55.362s
3. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team 1m 55.52s
4. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP 1m 55.831s
5. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1m 55.899s
6. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team 1m 55.963s
7. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 1m 55.99s
8. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1m 56.005s
9. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro Team 1m 56.163s
10. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Interwetten Honda MotoGP 1m 56.227s
11. Ben Spies USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1m 56.271s
12. Mika Kallio FIN Pramac Racing 1m 56.283s
13. Alvaro Bautista SPA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1m 56.45s
14. Aleix Espargaro SPA Pramac Racing 1m 56.652s
15. Marco Simoncelli ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 1m 56.957s
16. Hector Barbera SPA Paginas Amarillas Aspar 1m 57.13s
17. Marco Melandri ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 1m 57.325s

I thought Horhay might be foxing, but then he might just be tough ? Repsol Hondas improved, and the old guys Capirossi/ Edwards did ok. The new guys dropped back when it got serious, but who knows how they'll race ? G.

[denill]

And the factory Honda's woes are following them into 2010:

The factory Hondas continue to puzzle. Dovizioso has been respectably fast all weekend without being convincing, while Pedrosa's bike has new bits thrown at it in what looks like an effort to stiffen it up. There was one TV shot this morning that showed the RCV shimmying down the front straight in a quite frightening manner. Dani started qualifying well but was pushed back to the front of the third row. The best Honda was the satellite LCR team bike of Randy de Puniet, and this was no one-lap wonder. He's been quick all weekend and was also the fastest Honda in free practice.

De Puniet's only rival for stand-out rider in qualifying—excepting the three Aliens at the front—had to be Hiro Aoyama. To be top rookie and only 0.4sec slower than the best Honda is pretty impressive. Watch Hiro, he is that contradiction in terms, a thinking racer.

[lostinflyz]

just caught the moto2 qaulifying. Man that is going to be one kick arse class. Certainly no electronics on those.

ohhh and 41 ON THE GRID!!!!

[rachprice]

Yeah I have to eat my words about Randy.....good to see him up the top!!!
Aoyama is a classy rider!

Whoohoo I cant wait

[slowpoke]

I notice all the Moto2 critic's have gone a lil' quiet. The times are comfortably quicker (4-5sec) than the 125's and 40-odd riders funnelling into that first corner is gonna be spectacular. Should be a great race.

[Crasherfromwayback]

I notice all the Moto2 critic's have gone a lil' quiet. The times are comfortably quicker (4-5sec) than the 125's and 40-odd riders funnelling into that first corner is gonna be spectacular. Should be a great race.

I still think they suck arse! Over a second slower than the bikes they replaced and they're not 250 two strokes!

[2wheeldrifter]

Stoner
Rossi
Lorenzo
pedrosa
hayden
spies

[denill]

I notice all the Moto2 critic's have gone a lil' quiet. The times are comfortably quicker (4-5sec) than the 125's and 40-odd riders funnelling into that first corner is gonna be spectacular. Should be a great race.

Has Kenny Roberts fielded a Team?

See Ant West has qualified in 39th. I wouldn't expect him to be there if all things were equal.................

[shafty]

Local weather forecast:
34°C - 93.2°F
Humidity: 30%.
High Tide: 02:45 AM
Low Tide: 08:00 PM
Sunrise: 05:17 AM

A weather warning of strong winds at sea also, - Bring it onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Sunset: 05:56 PM

[Movistar]

Local weather forecast:
34°C - 93.2°F
Humidity: 30%.
High Tide: 02:45 AM
Low Tide: 08:00 PM
Sunrise: 05:17 AM

A weather warning of strong winds at sea also, - Bring it onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Sunset: 05:56 PM

Looks like you'll have a bit of time to get some fishing in too...

[eelracing]

Well who'd a thunk it eh?What a race,I won't spoil it by revealing the outcome but well worth the watch.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Awesome! If that race is anything to go by we'll see one hell of a season!

[Kendog]

Yep, great start to the season.

[denill]

Been awhile since it's been a 'siiting on the edge of the seat" MotoGP race.......................

[NZsarge]

Been awhile since it's been a 'siiting on the edge of the seat" MotoGP race.......................

I dunno, Rossi and Lorenzo were having some of the best battles on two wheels you're ever likely to see last year.
But was an interesting start to the year in many ways.

[roogazza]

:wari::wari::wari: :shutup: LOL Cheers Bill, so it's on again !!! G.

QUOTE=denill;1129715483]Been awhile since it's been a 'siiting on the edge of the seat" MotoGP race.

[Oscar]

You really dont like young casey do you?? Not even in the top three considering he has won at Losail the past 3 years and came back after his time off to get 2 firsts last year!

You're lucky this site has no "insufferable smug bastid" smilies....:shifty:

[Badjelly]

Casey, Casey, Casey :no:

[cmoore]

what an awesome start to the season.....three Yamaha's in the top five......!!!......Stoner just seems to have these racing issues...he's always good in practice......

and the Moto2 racing was fantastic as well.....the passing moves and position swapping was breathtaking....

[svr]

what an awesome start to the season.....three Yamaha's in the top five......!!!......Stoner just seems to have these racing issues...he's always good in practice......

and the Moto2 racing was fantastic as well.....the passing moves and position swapping was breathtaking....

Was a good race, although if Stoner had stayed upright it would have been like previous years at Qatar where he's just pissed off. And how good is Spies???!!!
Moto2 just looks slow. I've heard that they've got a fair bit less power than a decent supersport. Will be plenty of `action' tho as full grids of good riders overriding slow bikes = lots of crashes.

[Badjelly]

You're lucky this site has no "insufferable smug bastid" smilies

I find one can usually get the effect across without a smilie. :innocent:

[Toast]

I still think they suck arse! Over a second slower than the bikes they replaced and they're not 250 two strokes!

You think they'll still be slower after a season of development?


Was a good race, although if Stoner had stayed upright it would have been like previous years at Qatar where he's just pissed off. And how good is Spies???!!!
Moto2 just looks slow. I've heard that they've got a fair bit less power than a decent supersport. Will be plenty of `action' tho as full grids of good riders overriding slow bikes = lots of crashes.

Yeah less power than a supersport bike so that they stay reliable. Lap times will surpass 'em

Quite a good article in the June issue of Superbike about the Moto2 class. I wasn't a massive fan before but reading about the stories of the different chassis manufacturers giving it a go got me pretty keen on the whole thing!

[Oscar]

I find one can usually get the effect across without a smilie. :innocent:

It was much easier when I owned a BMW.
BMW owners do a good line in smug and insufferable.
The bastid thing comes natural to me....:killingme

[rachprice]

You're lucky this site has no "insufferable smug bastid" smilies....:shifty:

Ahhh I still haven't seen it though I downloaded to watch the first opportunity I get!

Though I did hear what happened....silly casey, he pulled the pin and tucked the front even though he was way ahead (not the first time he has done that either)

Bet Rossi was pissing himself laughing in his helmet going shit yeah you little champion because I still reckon if he didnt bin it he would have shat all over them!

Go spies in 5th!! Definitely one to watch, and I also hear he pulled a pretty sweet move on old pedrosa.....doesnt care who they are just that they are in front of him haha I cant wait till he gets closer up the front!

Also great to see Nicky Hayden up the front too!

[Kiwi Graham]

Fantastic to watch;

Moto 2, what a massive grid!! this class can only get better. I hope polotics doesnt come to the party but with the buy right on engines hopefully its been squashed before it can start.

Moto GP, Casey up to his race fails again, good to see someone else pushing the Yamahas for position and what about Spies..his corner speed and lean angles are bloody impressive eh!!
Role on two weeks.
KG

[Peter Smith]

Spies is a man on a mission. His fastest lap of the race was quicker than Haydens and Divo's.
For the first race of the season and to be only 4 sec behind the winner was awesome.
He may even get a win this season.
Its going to be good.

[PirateJafa]

Haha! Good bloody work Hayden - especially after a dismal last year!

[Crasherfromwayback]

Spies is a man on a mission. His fastest lap of the race was quicker than Haydens and Divo's.
For the first race of the season and to be only 4 sec behind the winner was awesome.
He may even get a win this season.
Its going to be good.

Aye. I think those here that said he would only ever be good on a Superbike must be feeling like dolks now.

[denill]

Spies is a man on a mission. His fastest lap of the race was quicker than Haydens and Divo's.
For the first race of the season and to be only 4 sec behind the winner was awesome.
He may even get a win this season.
Its going to be good.

Fastest Lap of Each Rider
1 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team DUCATI 1'55.537 5 5
2 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team YAMAHA 1'56.042 19 22 0.505 0.505
3 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team YAMAHA 1'56.043 20 22 0.506 0.001
4 11 Ben SPIES USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YAMAHA 1'56.087 17 22 0.550 0.044
5 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team HONDA 1'56.157 16 22 0.620 0.070
6 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team DUCATI 1'56.162 13 22 0.625 0.005
7 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP HONDA 1'56.221 8 22 0.684 0.059
8 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team HONDA 1'56.398 4 22 0.861 0.177

[denill]

Moto GP, Casey up to his race fails again,

Stoner said:
"The bike bogged at the start so I didn't get away well but I felt good and I was able to pass the other guys. Once I got to the front I started to get into my rhythm but I lost the front end a couple of times in long corners so I made the decision to try to ride a bit smoother and not put so much pressure on the front tyre with the full tank. Unfortunately that is what led to the crash because looking at the telemetry I didn't have enough load on the front, so I guess in hindsight I should have stuck to the way I'd been riding all weekend. It's my mistake and I apologise to the team because we'd done a great job this weekend and we leave empty handed. Having said that it's not a complete disaster because we've found this weekend that the bike has improved in areas where we have struggled in the past - for example the rear grip was unbelievable - and we have a long, long way to go."

[codgyoleracer]

Notes:
1) Man the Honda was F A S T - in a straight line.......
2) IMO - Rossi was never going to lose it after Stoner hiffed it away
3) Stoner did his fastest lap on the lap preceding falling , got a pit board reading Rossi coming & lasted one corner.......
4) Spies, Impressive with a capital F
5) pass of the race - Lorenzo on Dovi.........

[Crasherfromwayback]

Notes:
1) Man the Honda was F A S T - in a straight line.......
2) IMO - Rossi was never going to lose it after Stoner hiffed it away
3) Stoner did his fastest lap on the lap preceding falling , got a pit board reading Rossi coming & lasted one corner.......
4) Spies, Impressive with a capital F
5) pass of the race - Lorenzo on Dovi.........

Aye...as much of a Stoner fan as I am...the boy needs to stay on!

Best pass of the race for me...Spies on Pedrosa.

[roogazza]

Stoner said:
"The bike bogged at the start so I didn't get away well but I felt good and I was able to pass the other guys. Once I got to the front I started to get into my rhythm but I lost the front end a couple of times in long corners so I made the decision to try to ride a bit smoother and not put so much pressure on the front tyre with the full tank. Unfortunately that is what led to the crash because looking at the telemetry I didn't have enough load on the front, so I guess in hindsight I should have stuck to the way I'd been riding all weekend. It's my mistake and I apologise to the team because we'd done a great job this weekend and we leave empty handed. Having said that it's not a complete disaster because we've found this weekend that the bike has improved in areas where we have struggled in the past - for example the rear grip was unbelievable - and we have a long, long way to go."

Got ya message Ta Bill.
If you are having a couple of loses with the front with a full tank and then you ease off and biff it ??? Bit of a no win situation, no ?
As Glen said in No3 note, the lap before, he got the message Rossi was coming ! That's gotta put the shits up ya . No doubt he qualifys well and is fast, but shit happens. G.

[carbonhed]

Aye. I think those here that said he would only ever be good on a Superbike must be feeling like dolks now.

If I knew WTF a dolk was i might be able to confirm or deny whether I felt like one. Certainly a very impressive ride from Spies. Still... he had an injured Lorenzo dangling just in front of him and when push came to shove... said Lorenzo rode away from him and overtook Hayden and Dovi for second. Magic!

Great to see Nicky and Andrea flying again (must have loved showing Rossi the wheel :-) ).

Presumably Honda will be able to calm Pedrosa's ride down eventually because it looks really fucking scary at the moment!

Good to see Bautista and Simoncelli going at it hammer and tongs still... although I imagine binning it on the last corner in a dispute for 11th may eventually come to be frowned on.

Best Moto GP race for ages... long may it last.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Best Moto GP race for ages... long may it last.

Sorry...meant dork! But hey...we agree on something. Gonna be an awesome season if that's anything to go by.

You're right...our Steinie bet could balance out too.

[Rcktfsh]

Stoner said:
"The bike bogged at the start so I didn't get away well but I felt good and I was able to pass the other guys. Once I got to the front I started to get into my rhythm but I lost the front end a couple of times in long corners so I made the decision to try to ride a bit smoother and not put so much pressure on the front tyre with the full tank. Unfortunately that is what led to the crash because looking at the telemetry I didn't have enough load on the front, so I guess in hindsight I should have stuck to the way I'd been riding all weekend. It's my mistake and I apologise to the team because we'd done a great job this weekend and we leave empty handed. Having said that it's not a complete disaster because we've found this weekend that the bike has improved in areas where we have struggled in the past - for example the rear grip was unbelievable - and we have a long, long way to go."

What a load of crap, you can clearly see in the coverage that the flag marshall on that corner was eating a cheeses sandwich which set of casey's lactose intolerance, probably lucky to have survived.

[Rcktfsh]

Aye. I think those here that said he would only ever be good on a Superbike must be feeling like dolks now.

Not ready to kiss my box of heinies good bye quite yet.

[Cleve]

For me one of the best things to come out of this race was that there may no longer be just the 4 aliens at the top. We may have 7 battling for the lead all season with Dovizioso, Spies and Hayden all up there as well.

[TonyB]

My theory: Stoner has won/battled for championships on a bike that no one else could ride fast. Ducati seem to have sorted that if Haydens performance was anything to go on.
Therefore I reckon Stoner will be even faster this year than he has been in the past.
I reckon next year Spies will go well on a 1000

[slowpoke]

My theory: Stoner has won/battled for championships on a bike that no one else could ride fast. Ducati seem to have sorted that if Haydens performance was anything to go on.
Therefore I reckon Stoner will be even faster this year than he has been in the past.
I reckon next year Spies will go well on a 1000

Don't know about that. Stoner hasn't been dominant in testing and Hayden was getting to grips with the Ducati last year but was hampered by other numpty's taking him out on the first lap. Hayden is no mug.

[Movistar]

Notes:
1) Man the Honda was F A S T - in a straight line.......
2) IMO - Rossi was never going to lose it after Stoner hiffed it away
3) Stoner did his fastest lap on the lap preceding falling , got a pit board reading Rossi coming & lasted one corner.......
4) Spies, Impressive with a capital F
5) pass of the race - Lorenzo on Dovi.........

Agree with you there on all that Glen...


Certainly a very impressive ride from Spies. Still... he had an injured Lorenzo dangling just in front of him and when push came to shove... said Lorenzo rode away from him and overtook Hayden and Dovi for second. Magic!

Great to see Nicky and Andrea flying again (must have loved showing Rossi the wheel :-) ).

Presumably Honda will be able to calm Pedrosa's ride down eventually because it looks really fucking scary at the moment!

Good to see Bautista and Simoncelli going at it hammer and tongs still... although I imagine binning it on the last corner in a dispute for 11th may eventually come to be frowned on.

Best Moto GP race for ages... long may it last.

I think Lorenzo burgled that a bit.
"My poor hand" - then had a blinder...

On the grid before the race I thought Hayden was going to hurl up his dinner :sick: man he looked ill...

Yes, the 250 boys were certainly up to their old tricks, haven't they learned that it always ends in tears...

[BigG]

All the raceing is goingto be good from Superbikes to MotoGP, Stoner just needs to learn notto push it to much, he is certainly the quickest about.

[Cr1MiNaL]

any updates on round 2? Delayed what etc... I heard it would be on tv 1 at 2.30 today. no cuch luck however. Ta