Qatar - *Spoiler*:

[denill]

The season looks like a ripper and surely nobody will whinge at the racing that unfolded. :niceone:
It appears that we do not give enough credit to Mrs Stoner's husbands abilities. :Oi:

Where were the other Ducs. Melandri 11th? And the next Bridgestone was Val's.

I think Stoner would have won on ChengShins.

And thanks Gaz for you very generous PM acknowledgement.
But I'm not so generous.
Eaten yer humble pie yet Gaz.:msn-wink:

But MotoGP was the winner. Toseland - superb effort. Valentino - even if he never wins another race - he has my utmost respect.

Cheers
Bill

[Crasherfromwayback]

Valantino now has the tyres he cried so badly to get...and he gets beaten by his new team mate on Michelins. I find that REALLY funny.

Stoner is as I've said before...the next Doohan.

[Matt Bleck]

Go the wingnut!!!

[denill]

Valantino now has the tyres he cried so badly to get...and he gets beaten by his new team mate on Michelins. I find that REALLY funny.
Or- ironic? :msn-wink:


Stoner is as I've said before...the next Doohan.
Could be right. :niceone:
I now see him in a new light as, an exceptional rider whose talent reaps the rewards - rather than the machine package.

[NZsarge]

Yes I cannot deny that Stoner rode an intelligent and well measured race, Lorenzo was brilliant and Rossi got his arse handed to him but was not for the lack off trying (respect to all of them), still, long a season lays ahead but I think for the most part it's gonna be for the most part a Stoner/Ducati benefit...:mellow:

[Pussy]

Valantino now has the tyres he cried so badly to get...and he gets beaten by his new team mate on Michelins. I find that REALLY funny.

Stoner is as I've said before...the next Doohan.

+1 there, Pete!!

[roogazza]

Valantino now has the tyres he cried so badly to get...and he gets beaten by his new team mate on Michelins. I find that REALLY funny.
I'll take that one on the chin Pete, but still remain loyal !
Your boy certainly looked great but Vale showed a hint of the old self, Jorge Brilliant, Edwards the usual, but on the whole, Yamaha pretty good.
Rd 2 , in three weeks. Gaz.

[MIXONE]

Hats off to Stoner.I think he would have won running on the wheel rims.
Still a Rossi fan though.

[denill]

I'll take that one on the chin Pete, but still remain loyal !
Your boy certainly looked great but Vale showed a hint of the old self, Jorge Brilliant, Edwards the usual, but on the whole, Yamaha pretty good.
Rd 2 , in three weeks. Gaz.


And with Toseland with a *good* motor, who knows. :bye:

I would imagine that the *good* motor just may be fast tracked to the Pom now.

[Crasherfromwayback]

I'll take that one on the chin Pete, but still remain loyal !
Your boy certainly looked great but Vale showed a hint of the old self, Jorge Brilliant, Edwards the usual, but on the whole, Yamaha pretty good.
Rd 2 , in three weeks. Gaz.

The problem with throwing your toys out of the cot (Rossi) and DEMANDING the same tyres as the world champ (Stoner) is...if your Yamaha is the same in speed etc as your new young team mate...and your tyres are the same as the current world champ...you're gonna look a tad bad if you get beaten by both. No more excuses for Rossi. Yes he's without doubt one of the best we've seen...but like I've also said before...his time in the limelight is over.

[MIXONE]

I find it just great to see different manufacturers scrapping it out.No holds barred,fairing bashing etc.To a casual observer you would think that some of these guys don't get on off the track.:bash:

[gav]

Stoner is truely awesome, isn't he? Seems the Duc hasnt got quite the motor on the rest of the pack, first 10 laps or so, he couldn't pass the others down the straights like he did last year.
Last year he was acknowledged as winning the champ due to the Duc and the B'stones, I wonder if this year, it will be winning the title despite racing a Duc on B'stones!? :2thumbsup

[Crasherfromwayback]

Stoner is truely awesome, isn't he?
Last year he was acknowledged as winning the champ due to the Duc and the B'stones, :2thumbsup

Only by people that couldn't see it was simply Stoner wringing the Ducatis neck!

[johan]

The Ducati still have the top speed advantage according to this table.

[Crasherfromwayback]

The Ducati still have the top speed advantage according to this table.

Correct...but it's not doing Melandri and his mates much good is it?

[NZsarge]

Correct...but it's not doing Melandri and his mates much good is it?

True but it's plainly an advantage the Stoner can use when racing the likes o Lorenzo and Rossi.

[johan]

Correct...but it's not doing Melandri and his mates much good is it?

True, it more proves Casey's true talent.
I hope this years race will be more even, not more or less be dominated by one rider. Obviously, Ducati doesn't have as much advantage as in last year's first race, the others bikes have improved quite a bit, which is good!

Too bad that pneumatic engine wasn't finished in time.

[gav]

Toseland's bike faster than Pedrosa's? uh huh ...... :innocent:

[denill]

The Ducati still have the top speed advantage according to this table.

Top speeds as per TV?

Melandri 334.4
Stoner 330.6
Elias 328.4
Rossi 326.2
Pedrossa 325.6
Guintoli 324.4
Lorenzo 323.4
Toseland 322.4
Vermuelin 321.8

[roogazza]

Only by people that couldn't see it was simply Stoner wringing the Ducatis neck!

Pete, take off your Stoner cap for a minute. What do you think happened to make Rossi push to the front in the first ten but then slowly seem to fade, tyres ? or motor ? he seemed his old self, something looked to happen ?

Ok put the cap back on .... the Duc seemed to have plenty when he decided to use it, tho not as much as last year ? Gaz.

[Badjelly]

Has Dani Pedrosa ever outbraked Valentino Rossi into a corner? He had a couple of goes at Qatar at the end of the main straight and couldn't do it.

[denill]

Not a bad <a href=http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Mar/080309rq1.htm>READ ON QATAR:</a>
Except for - "It is probably the only thing that will have really annoyed the Doctor over the whole race weekend." :jerry:

What do you think?

[roogazza]

I dunno Bill, like everyone, just guessing. Have read a few reports this morn with all the excuses etc. Seems like he just wasn't fast enough, thru to they're working on it. We'll have to wait till Jerez ? Gaz.
ps. I'm eating pie till then. :crybaby:

[denill]

I dunno Bill, like everyone, just guessing. Have read a few reports this morn with all the excuses etc. Seems like he just wasn't fast enough, thru to they're working on it. We'll have to wait till Jerez ? Gaz.
ps. I'm eating pie till then. :crybaby:


Not suckin up Gaz, but I can't accept that Rossi has actually 'lost it'.
I have never hidden my belief felt that Stoner had his measure, but to be comprehensively beaten by Lorenzo et al???? I dunno, just doesn't seem right???

Bring on Jerez!!! :2thumbsup

[denill]

Not suckin up Gaz, but I can't accept that Rossi has actually 'lost it'.
I have never hidden my belief felt that Stoner had his measure, but to be comprehensively beaten by Lorenzo et al???? I dunno, just doesn't seem right???


I know! Put some Yamaha stickers on a Ducati and paint in Fiat colours, haha. :yes: :yes:

BTW. If you notice I am not around as from tomorrow and for the next few weeks - I am not sulking. We will be riding some Aussie back roads on a hired BMW R1200GS and staying in small towns. Going: Brisbane, Tenterfield, Tamworth, Dubbo, Canberra, Thredbo, Cann River, Omeo, Bright, Lockhart, Bathurst, Hunter Valley, Armidale, Cassino, Tamborine and back to Brizzy. 'Bout 5,000ks - which is not far in Aussie. But - Yeeehaaa.................. :2thumbsup
:scooter: :scooter: :scooter:

[SlowHand]

Don't they tune the chassis to work with the particular brand of tyres? I remember reading about Ilmor project having to go back a couple steps when their tyre supplier changed.

Sure, Rossi and Burgess would have thought about the effects of swapping brands, but what happens to the development parts when the 3 bikes have Mitchelins and the 1 bike with former multiple world champ is on Bridgestones?

[denill]

Sure, Rossi and Burgess would have thought about the effects of swapping brands, but what happens to the development parts when the 3 bikes have Mitchelins and the 1 bike with former multiple world champ is on Bridgestones?

Yeah, what happens?

Are the bikes built round the tyres? :msn-wink:

Or the tyres built to suit the bike? :msn-wink:

The set-up differences between the two Fiat Yamahas will be HUGE! :rolleyes:

[BarryG]

The setup difference between two riders, even on the same tyres, can often be huge too. Rossi reckoned having Colin as a team mate was a good thing as their settings were apparently often quite similar (mind you, the cynic in me reckons Rossi would not have likely wanted a team mate he couldn't beat!) I rather doubt much information sharing would have been evident between Rossi and Lorenzo this year, even on the same tyres.
Of course, Rossi's self belief is legendary, and even Lorenzo won't shake that, but this year, if he doesn't win more races than last year, he might just be starting to see the faint outlines of the writing on the wall.
Fascinating first race, and the lights weren't nearly as naff as I initially feared, so a bit of Gaz's crow has to be eaten here too!
Enjoy your Aussie trip, Bill.
Cheers
Barry

[gav]

While Rossi no doubt enjoyed Edwards as a team mate, its interesting reading an interview with Edwards now he has left. His comment was whenever Rossi had a problem the majority of his team left him to work with Rossi, and Edwards would be left with just one engineer. Also Bridgestone supply the same tyres to all teams, its up to Rossi and his team to get the bike to suit the tyres, he won't get the same personal attention as he had from Michelin. Don't forget that Ducati were one of the first teams to switch to Bridgestone, that experience is going to be hard to replicate overnight. Apparently the Fiat team had extra tyre testing done at Phillip Island but only Bridgestone tyres were tested, no support for Lorenzo! With the showing of the Tech 3 team, you think Rossi might be suggesting that the new engines can just wait a little longer before Tech 3 get them (if at all?) :confused: