MotoGP 06 pre season

[loosebruce]

Well i dont know how many of you have been following the pre season testing leading up to the 06 season but oh man it's looking likes it's going to be the best year ever, just recently the 1st offical MotoGP test was held at Catalunya where Rossi's dominated in the day setting the fastest time of 1.42.477 on the thrid day when the riders challenge to win the BMW M award it was soaking wet and Colin Edwards came through to take the win and the car, in normal test conditions in the wet Edwards went faster again but Gibber's snuck in showing he's more than up to speed on the Ducati in wet and dry, good ol Kenny Roberst honda mounted this year showed he's still demon in the wet, pity won't rain every race!

Running at the moment is the 3 day Jerez test, less than 2 weeks out from the first Race at Jerez, so you'd think the testing times here are going to give us a good indication to what will happen at this race, everyone remembers old Rossi duffing up Gibbers on the final turn last year, and so far after the second day with Ducati scoring a 1-2 finish on the first day the results are thus:

1. Shinya Nakano - Kawasaki Racing 1'40.047
2. Loris Capirossi - Ducati Marlboro 1'40.544
3. John Hopkins – Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1'40.791
4. Randy de Puniet - Kawasaki Racing 1'40.839
5. Dani Pedrosa - Repsol Honda 1'40.859
6. Valentino Rossi - Camel Yamaha 1'40.915
7. Carlos Checa - Tech 3 Yamaha 1'40.943
8. Sete Gibernau - Ducati Marlboro 1'40.964
9. Colin Edwards - Camel Yamaha 1'41.105
10. Chris Vermeulen – Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1'41.110

Nakano is over 1/2 a second inside the cricut record at this stage and close to 1/2 a second quicker than nearsest rider Capirossi, John Hopkins on tyhe new GSV-R put in a claen cut lap and de Puniet is well on the pace, whats interesting is the trouble Ducati, kawasaki, Suzuki were having with the bridgestones last year, nearer the end of the season it was said that bridgestone had made huge steps forward with there tyre's, with ducatis, Loris Capirossi scorings wins and podiums, now it looks like Bridgestone have got it sorted with the top 4 bikes all bridgestone shod.
The little midget and the only Honda rider in the top 10 Pedrosa, admitting he very much dislikes the wet conditions found at the final day at catalunya put in a large amount of laps on his specailly modified RCV211V (why cause he can not touch the ground when sitting on the stock bike :rofl: boy can ride though, he's faster than Rossi) what happened to last years end of season hero's Melandri and Hayden? You know they still have got bucket loads of talent so don't count em out just yet.
Chris Vermeulen put another strong effort in, in his bid to get to grips with the GSV-R, no one can take a top 10 placing away when riders such as Melandri and Hayden are behind you, lets hope to bigger things from the young aussie and to add to that so far, Colin Edwards is really the only mordern day rider to make the switch from World Superbikes to MotoGP and do anything with it.
One more thing to consider though is that is testing, some teams maybe testing a new chassis, different tyres, slightly altered feul mapping, new suspension, all of which my not be allowing them to be going as fast as they could, so we could see those times drop even more on the final day.

So with 11 days and 6 hours and 33mins (seconds keep chainging) to go, i for one can't fricken wait, it's gonna be big, will update tomoorow with the final days test results.

[cowpoos]

I'm surprised you hav the ability to type that many words bruce... rep for that!

[loosebruce]

I'm surprised you hav the ability to type that many words bruce... rep for that!

Why thank you MR Poo's, i much surprised myself in fact, aiseds from the amount of speeling and gramatical (is that a word?) mistakes that are bound to be in there.

[Skunk]

Cheers loosebruce. Those times you quoted... are they in the wet? Can't see it as Nakano is 'inside the circuit record' but kwakas do better in the wet in the past (hp thing I think)

and bling for you

[loosebruce]

Na mate those are dry times at Jerez, the wet test mentioned was at Catalunya on the 3rd day of testing, and when the BMW M award was run.

[Toast]

The pre-season testing has showed most teams to be pretty competitive at different times. It'll be cool to the Duc's competing with the Jappers regularly for a change...not to mention the Kwaka's being up there too. Can't wait for it.

That's a cool shot of Shinya on the ZX too. Cheers Bruce :niceone:

[DemonWolf]

any of the testing televised?

[Toast]

any of the testing televised?

I doubt it...not in this country, on any channel. We have to watch late night replays of the real races. I'm ready to be corrected though.

[Pickle]

Just think only 27 weeks before watching it live at Phillip Island :niceone:

[Smokin]

Awesome write up there. Looking foward to seeing it on the tv now.

[loosebruce]

Day 3 results came through and once again the Bridgestone shod bikes are doing the bizzo, check this out:

1. Loris Capirossi - Ducati Marlboro 1'39.411
2. Sete Gibernau - Ducati Marlboro 1'39.663
3. Shinya Nakano - Kawasaki Racing 1'40.354
4. Dani Pedrosa - Repsol Honda 1'40.416
5. Randy de Puniet - Kawasaki Racing 1'40.468
6. Nicky Hayden - Repsol Honda 1'40.570
7. Colin Edwards - Camel Yamaha 1'40.721
8. Toni Elías - Fortuna Honda 1'40.732
9. Chris Vermeulen - Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1'40.750
10. Valentino Rossi - Camel Yamaha 1'40.907

Talks with Loris after the final days test confirmed he wants it, he wants the title this year, in saying that a lot of things have changed with the ducati and major steps forward in delvelopment of the bridgestone tyres have helped no end, Capirossi's team mate Gibbers the only other rider to break into the .39', it's been positive all through testing with Ducati either scoring a 1-2 finish at the top of the timing sheets or damn near too it.
Shinya and de Puniet continued some fine riding on the Kawasaki and things are looking good for the start of the season, Honda lifted there game all be it slightly with Pedrosa happy with the time he's been able to get in on the RCV and agin was the fastest Honda rider, Nicky hayden making his way into the top 10 and Elias showing the form that was coming through nearer the end of the season. Suzuki's Vermeulen improved again beating world champ Valentino Rossi, with Rossi's teammate being the top Yamaha rider, what happened to Hopkins, maybe he didn't test on the final day.
It was said that the final day a lot of the teams were concerntrating on tyre testing so it won't be until the first free practices of the 1st round of the 06 season that we will see the ture championship contenders, but as said it's looking real good right now.

[Grahameeboy]

I still see Rossi winning in 2006...he isn't too bothered about test/qualifying results which showed last year....he is a very clever "player"......

[Fishy]

I hope someone with a dvd recorder is gonna record this season:niceone: ??......

[Grahameeboy]

I hope someone with a dvd recorder is gonna record this season:niceone: ??......

Just watch it ya poof.....or don't ya have Sky TV.....

[Fishy]

Nah mate I don't have sky, hardly ever have time to watch tv. But if someone is gonna record it I would shell out some $$$ for a copy of it.

[loosebruce]

I just so happens that i have a DVD recorder at home, and lucky for i'm a nice guy, sometimes, but unlucky for you, you ride a honda, but lucky for you you admit it as a shit bike, so i'll see what i can do.

So is it on SKY this year instead of Prime?

[loosebruce]

I would shell out some $$$ for a copy of it.

Ohhh if thats the case $100 per race, of course a good dsicount to $2.00 per race if you trade in on a GSXR? Thank you come again.

[Grahameeboy]

Nah mate I don't have sky, hardly ever have time to watch tv. But if someone is gonna record it I would shell out some $$$ for a copy of it.

How much then??

[Grahameeboy]

I just so happens that i have a DVD recorder at home, and lucky for i'm a nice guy, sometimes, but unlucky for you, you ride a honda, but lucky for you you admit it as a shit bike, so i'll see what i can do.

So is it on SKY this year instead of Prime?

I think it is still on Prime.......odd cause last year Sky said they were not ging to do Motogp and now they buy Prime....should be interesting.

[Fishy]

Ohhh if thats the case $100 per race, of course a good dsicount to $2.00 per race if you trade in on a GSXR? Thank you come again.

$2/race - bargain!.

My Honda will be traded in on either a Gixxer or ZX10 sometime early next year I reckon. Does that qualify for the discount??? Pleeeease....

[Grahameeboy]

$2/race - bargain!.

My Honda will be traded in on either a Gixxer or ZX10 sometime early next year I reckon. Does that qualify for the discount??? Pleeeease....

How about a warm bed...breakfast and coffee...come on ya know it is a good offer...

[2_SL0]

:spudbooge Nakano :spudbooge

[Matt Bleck]

I still see Rossi winning in 2006...he isn't too bothered about test/qualifying results which showed last year....he is a very clever "player"......

Not if michelin can't sort out the vibration problem that both him and Edwards are having.

[motobob]

Usually the preseason trials spit up some new reasons to get excited but then the usual suspects surface with the race wins. hopefully this year may be different with the Kwakas putting up good times and the new infusion of riders. But who would bet their mortage on any one but Rossi to win the Championship. The guy and his team have consistency as their number one weapon.
But lets hope the others especially Ducati really take it to Yamaha this year.

Oh and lets hope that Sky don't fuck up the coverage by dropping it from Prime.

[DemonWolf]

hmmm can anyone point me to vid of the pre-season 'tests'?? please

[gav]

MotoGP will be on Prime, so Fishplayer dust off the video and buy some blank tapes, most races are around midnight on a Sunday night/Monday morning. But as you rarely watch TV guess you'll miss them. So how are you going to find time to watch DVD's? :psst:
Rossi to win by a country mile, good scrap for second. Hope Bridgestone can come up with some consistently competitive tyres.

[denill]

Mmmm. Some very interesting permutations here from the last day at Jerez - where the first round of the MotoGP series will be staged on the 26th March..............

1.Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team, 1'39.411

2.Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team, 1'39.663

3.Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team, 1'39.776

4.Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team, 1'40.416

5.Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team, 1'40.468

6.Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team, 1'40.570

7.COLIN EDWARDS (USA) Camel Yamaha Team, 1'40.721

8.Toni Elias (SPA) Fortuna Honda, 1'40.732

9.Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP, 1'40.750

10.VALENTINO ROSSI (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team, 1'40.907

11.Carlos Checa (SPA) Tech 3 Yamaha, 1'41.134

12.Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda, 1'41.208

13.John Hopkins (USA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP, 1'41.208

14.Makoto Tamada (JPN) Konica Minolta Honda, 1'41.380

15.Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Roberts, 1'41.673

16.Jose Luis Cardoso (SPA) D'Antin Pramac, 1'41.761

17.Alex Hofmann (GER) D'Antin Pramac, 1'42.034

18.James Ellison (GBR) Tech 3 Yamaha, 1'42.686

19.Vittoriano Guareschi (ITA) Ducati, 1'42.759

20.Tadayuki Okada (JPN) HRC, 1'43.513

Jerez Lap Record: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2005 - 1'40.596

Jerez Best Lap: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) 2005 - 1'39.419

[Grahameeboy]

Not if michelin can't sort out the vibration problem that both him and Edwards are having.

but they said he would not win when he first joined Yamaha and what happened?

[Mental Trousers]

wtf is Okada doing in 20th on that list?? Good to see the Kwaka's coming right - finally. Gets a bit boring with 2 makes winning everything.

[Matt Bleck]

Dude, I'm just stating the facts...

[denill]

wtf is Okada doing in 20th on that list?? Good to see the Kwaka's coming right - finally. Gets a bit boring with 2 makes winning everything.

My understanding is - Tady is a test rider and not an offical team member. So guess he was trying to find a solution to the reason why the Hondas are not on the pace.