MotoGP 2012

[SimJen]

its a sad sight alright, I don't think he's lost the ability I just think he's maybe not as hungry as he was and not willing to ride so close to the limit like perhaps Stoner was when he rode the Ducati.
I'm not writing him off yet though! I reckon another couple of races will tell us more of the capability of both the bike and Rossi!
Hayden was still way off the pace of the front runners and considering the newness of the bike, hopefully there is more to come????
If only there was more testing allowed it would help Ducati immensely!
Honda/Yamaha are effectively using developments of their 800's so already have a good starting point to work from.
Next few weeks will be interesting

[DidJit]

The man is human. Considering where he's used to being in the order of things, I thought he dealt with last year's travails rather well — in public at least. Very little throwing of toys. His frustration is understandable from where an onlooker like me sits. It seems quite reasonable that someone like VR, who is used to fighting for the podium, doesn't want to settle for the leftovers of 5th, 6th, 7th etc as being the highest he can hope to achieve on his current equipment. And, even though he's lashing out at the factory, it may very well be frustration at his own inability to get the temperamental beast to do what he wants, or ride it the way it needs to be ridden. Sometimes it's tough accepting things — especially when you're a 9-time World Champion — and to maintain faith in one's abilities in the face of more than 12 months of disappointment would be incredibly difficult.

[codgyoleracer]

GREAT START TO THE SEASON.....Lorenzo was awesome...although tempered by the speed of the Honda....twas super fast in the beginning.....moto2 was a great race....must be great to watch the racing under lights..onlt twoi things spoil quatar.....no drinking and the ummm grid girls are a bit covered up........anyway..what happened to the lap the CRT bike predictions??..i.e being lapped?

I agree, although 2min lap probably had something to do with. Was impressed with Bradle first race.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Was impressed with Bradle first race.

100% agree.

[Brett]

Which is a hell of a pity. While I like a number of the other riders out there, and will still follow the season through... Rossi was what started me watching the GP. I would have loved to see him up there dicing for the front again.

Hopefully this doesn't turn into another processional season. At least Moto2 and Moto3 seem to be shaping up a bit.

I'm with you. There are many 'Rossi Haterz' here, but I find that he brings character to the sport.

I wonder what his next move will be then? Surely he isn't ready for retirement at teh end of this season, I would have thought he would have done another 2 or 3 seasons. What would his options be...doubt Yamaha would take him back...

[Crasherfromwayback]

I'm with you. There are many 'Rossi Haterz' here, but I find that he brings character to the sport.

I wonder what his next move will be then? Surely he isn't ready for retirement at teh end of this season, I would have thought he would have done another 2 or 3 seasons. What would his options be...doubt Yamaha would take him back...

Even though sometimes I seem like one...I certainly am not. The sport will be far poorer when he leaves.

[Mental Trousers]

Loved the start to the GP season.

Moto3 was great. Freneti was a surprise (although that canny bugger steveyb tipped him as something special before the race). Vinales is going places. The bikes sound like a nonstop duck fart but other than that they're doing the job as they're meant to.

Moto2 was as crazy as last year. Marcquez is going places but he's gonna leave a hell of a trail of bad will behind him.

I reckon Herve is gonna be a nervous wreck by the end of the season if Dovy and Clutchlow are as fast as each other for the whole season. If Honda can cure their chatter problems and Stoner's missus starts putting out so he doesn't get arm pump anymore the rest of the season might turn into another Stoner benefit judging by the first 3/4 of that race. Spies needs to stop bending his bike during practice/qualifying cos it don't work properly in the race otherwise. I just wonder how long it's going to take Ducati to get around to building a different engine. Really, it's the only thing they haven't changed and there's still problems so they might have to suck it up and redesign the engine to be a narrow vee.

Five months to wait for this was madness too long. The break needs to be a lot shorter!!

[Cleve]

Loved the start to the GP season.

Moto3 was great. Freneti was a surprise (although that canny bugger steveyb tipped him as something special before the race). Vinales is going places. The bikes sound like a nonstop duck fart but other than that they're doing the job as they're meant to.

Moto2 was as crazy as last year. Marcquez is going places but he's gonna leave a hell of a trail of bad will behind him.

I reckon Herve is gonna be a nervous wreck by the end of the season if Dovy and Clutchlow are as fast as each other for the whole season. If Honda can cure their chatter problems and Stoner's missus starts putting out so he doesn't get arm pump anymore the rest of the season might turn into another Stoner benefit judging by the first 3/4 of that race. Spies needs to stop bending his bike during practice/qualifying cos it don't work properly in the race otherwise. I just wonder how long it's going to take Ducati to get around to building a different engine. Really, it's the only thing they haven't changed and there's still problems so they might have to suck it up and redesign the engine to be a narrow vee.

Five months to wait for this was madness too long. The break needs to be a lot shorter!!

+1

Might take a while for us to get the new kids name right but Fenati in F3 was a revelation. Dr Steve had picked it but so too had a number of GP scribes for good reasons.

I feel we will be hearing great stories in the not too distant future of battles between Marquez, Fenati and Vinales in MotoGP.
Personally for me the Moto3 noise is no better or no worse than the ring ding of the 125's.

Moto 2 - well nothing changes there. Marquez - the man that may polarise more and more fans in the future. I count now at least 5 times the lad has done something bordering on attempted murder of another rider. Has Luthi been penalised for the post race punch (a la Casey Stoner on RdeP last year)? I have heard nothing...

MotoGP. Going to be a great year and I have no predictions. 3 Aliens for the whole season with the nearly Aliens and hopefully 1 ex alien all putting on a good show. The CRT bikes - can only get better and so early in the season already showing promise. Remember these are DETUNED sbk engines (Biaggi ran 28 engines last year in sbk and the CRT team guys only get 12 this whole season).

Roll on Jerez. Can't wait.

[steveyb]

Don't put Romano up on the pedestal just yet, it might be beginners luck.

But what it could also be is the ability of a larger number of riders who are genuinely good riders finding it easier to ride the 4-T bike over the 2-T bike. But also, in Year 1, the playing feild of bikes is much more even than it became latterly in 125 and 250. Let's see how he goes over a whole season.

The Ambrogio Next Oral/Aprilia, the Ioda and the Mahindra Moto3 bikes are obviously struggling.

One thing that I have been surprised and impressed with.... the abilities of the new batch of young euro riders to interview in passable or good English. This was unheard of even 3-5 years ago. Speaks to the value of the Rookies Cup where everything is done in English, and also to the globalisation of the sport (which some will argue is not such a good thing).

If Luthi gets penalised then Marquez should get penalised. Agreed, Toms actions did not look great, but the riders were all warned pre-race that they were allowed one line change only during braking and cornering. He clearly moved twice right into Luthi's path. That was hard racing and probably should be seen as such, but if it contravenes a pre-race ruling then it needs to be dealt with in that light. It seems though that we will hear nothing about either incident, probably the way it should be. My gut feeling is that Marquez now thinks he is invincible. But I think the other riders will show him a thing or two.

[Crasherfromwayback]

My gut feeling is that Marquez now thinks he is invincible. But I think the other riders will show him a thing or two.

And if not the Moto 2 crowd...the big boys next year certainly will.

[pritch]

Don't put Romano up on the pedestal just yet, it might be beginners luck.

As I said earlier he's the current Italian and European 125 champion, so "beginner" is a relative term.

Talk of Rossi retiring seems a bit premature, he's what 32 or 33?. If Ducati can't sort their bike, his options in MotoGP would appear limited,
which is why I mentioned WSBK. With the exception of Spies all the recent WSBK champs: Baylis, Biaggi, & Checa, have been distinctly fortyish.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Talk of Rossi retiring seems a bit premature, he's what 32 or 33?. If Ducati can't sort their bike, his options in MotoGP would appear limited,
which is why I mentioned WSBK. With the exception of Spies all the recent WSBK champs: Baylis, Biaggi, & Checa, have been distinctly fortyish.

I think seeing Rossi 'retire' to WSB would be sad.

[Mental Trousers]

Rossi's stuck with Ducati now. His options are

• CRT bike
• hope Suzuki gets their arse back to MotoGP soon
• a different competition like WSBK
• a completely different retirement option like cars

Both Yamaha and Honda have their choice of the best riders and there's lots of competition for seats with them so he can't go back there, even if there weren't any other reasons.

[Cleve]

Both Marquez and Luthi have been warned after their Qatar incident...
http://motomatters.com/news/2012/04/...MotoMatters%29

[denill]

Sad to read - but that seems to be how it is