MotoGP Laguna !!SPOILER!!

[BarryG]

Rossi's interview after the race http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2007/Jul/070723-46.htm was all about tyres - his take, and not an unreasonable one really, is that the race is pretty much all about tyres only, and if Michelins are working one race, those so equipped run away and hide, and vice versa for Bridgestone. It's not exactly a whinge about not having the best tyres, rather saying that the quality of the racing has been compromised. As he says, the fan has a racer or bike he's keen on, not a tyre manufacturer.
Stoner is still brilliant, however, and the revelation of the season, in a year of learning about 800cc bikes for all the manufacturers, and Ducati with him seem to have their collective sums right, after banging on the door with the 990's.
Pity about Hopper and Nicky, especially considering how well Chris the V went all race, altho' I reckon Nicky would have had the same tyre issues as the other Michelin runners, and would have been unlikely for a third win here.
All in all, not much of a race, really, unless you like processions. Mind you, the dice for 7/8/9/10 was pretty entertaining, but typically, the TV did'nt spend a lot of time on it.
Cheers
Barry

[denill]

Thats cause Rossi crashed.......

Rossi crashed???

[BigG]

Rossi crashed???

Must have got the previous week, that cork screw is awesome eh. Grahameboy

[denill]

Rossi's interview after the race http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2007/Jul/070723-46.htm was all about tyres - his take, and not an unreasonable one really, is that the race is pretty much all about tyres only, and if Michelins are working one race, those so equipped run away and hide, and vice versa for Bridgestone. It's not exactly a whinge about not having the best tyres, rather saying that the quality of the racing has been compromised. As he says, the fan has a racer or bike he's keen on, not a tyre manufacturer.
Stoner is still brilliant, however, and the revelation of the season, in a year of learning about 800cc bikes for all the manufacturers, and Ducati with him seem to have their collective sums right, after banging on the door with the 990's.
Pity about Hopper and Nicky, especially considering how well Chris the V went all race, altho' I reckon Nicky would have had the same tyre issues as the other Michelin runners, and would have been unlikely for a third win here.
All in all, not much of a race, really, unless you like processions. Mind you, the dice for 7/8/9/10 was pretty entertaining, but typically, the TV did'nt spend a lot of time on it.
Cheers
Barry

Yeah, good points Barry. That's the same race that I saw. I read Val's comments on tyres and they make sense. BUT he did not voice those opinions till this year. Funny that?? Last year no-one seemed to have any big problems with the disparity.

The Control Tyre would make it very interesting, as it has for WSBK, despite all the misgivings - including mine!

As someone said though, what would happen to the Dunlop Team? Unless Dunlop was made the control tyre

[sAsLEX]

Yeah, good points Barry. That's the same race that I saw. I read Val's comments on tyres and they make sense. BUT he did not voice those opinions till this year. Funny that?? Last year no-one seemed to have any big problems with the disparity.

As its a new rule.

Last year Michelin was making tires at the track, exactly how Rossi and the others wanted them.

Cannot do that anymore.

[SimJen]

Rossi is not gay.... Uccio is his childhood best friend, they grew up together racing bikes around the streets of his home town Tavullia.
Rossi has had some famous (to europeans) girlfriends: ballerinas, models etc.
Some very hot chicks...

elisabetta canalis and another arianna matteuzzi.
He also seems to like the odd dooby

[denill]

Watching the after function at Laguna I reflected with no disrespect at all on - where is the lantern jawed, John Wayne type that one would expect from these death-defying gladiators who have been wrestling with their bucking machines on the knife edge of safety and disaster. Rossi, Stoner, Vermuelen et al just do not have the persona of 'Hard Men'. But that they are is of no doubt. Melandri typified that!

[SimJen]

Watching the after function at Laguna I reflected with no disrespect at all on - where is the lantern jawed, John Wayne type that one would expect from these death-defying gladiators who have been wrestling with their bucking machines on the knife edge of safety and disaster. Rossi, Stoner, Vermuelen et al just do not have the persona of 'Hard Men'. But that they are is of no doubt. Melandri typified that!

Sounds like you've been reading Doctor Costa's book of philosophy......

[denill]

A Good Read on Stoner:

[denill]

And here's a Very Different Angle:

[k14]

And here's a Very Different Angle:

Man I love this site:

Private Roger Lee Hayden

Action Hero

Being known in some circles as Nicky's dimmer brother meant that the expectations on Roger Lee were smaller than Pedrosa's Speedos.

Although I have to say this is the best bit of recent times:

Third was Championship leader Faubel, the flowery hippy one of the most consistent rider in the class. He was just ahead of the remarkable Bradley Smith. I may go on about him a lot, but his front row position was pretty spectacular. Just consider the facts:

1) He’s on a Honda
2) He’s got broken bones
3) He’s English
4) He’s ginger
5) He’s on a Honda
6) He’s ginger

Pretty cool, you have to say.

[deeknow]

Sure, Stoner can ride.. and apparently stay on the bike when he doesnt have to make up for whatever disadvantage he had on the LCR-Honda.

But I really do feel sorry for him... he may be young... and loaded... and a superstar... but he's foolishly also got a long-term girlfriend who follows him to all the race meets. How's he gonna live the Barry Sheene lifestyle now.

[k14]

but he's foolishly also got a long-term girlfriend who follows him to all the race meets. How's he gonna live the Barry Sheene lifestyle now.

Thats his wife actually.

[sAsLEX]

Thats his wife actually.

yeah it would be hard having to put up with this every morning

[denill]

Nieto, Martinez, Criville, Alzamora and Pons share their views on the 2007 MotoGP season thus far:

All of them have been Repsol riders and have won an astonishing 22 world titles. Ángel Nieto, Jorge Martínez ‘Aspar’, Álex Crivillé, Emilio Alzamora and Sito Pons analyse the most burning aspects currently under discussion in the championship which is now on summer holidays until 19th August when the Czech Republic GP starts.

What is the most surprising thing for you at the halfway mark?

Ángel Nieto: “Obviously Ducati and Stoner. I think that this is something that has surprised us all; we did not expect this reaction from Ducati and Stoner. Casey did not arrive with a great record – he fell a lot in 250cc – and last year in MotoGP too. Logically he was not among the favourites. But he is having an incredible season and making things difficult for Honda and Yamaha.”

Jorge Martínez “Aspar”: “I am surprised with the great balance achieved by Ducati, Bridgestone and Stoner. I was convinced that Honda was going to be much higher up. The truth is that this is a surprising season all round. Not one that many people would have been able to predict at the beginning. Not even me! I did not think that what is happening was going to happen either.”

Alex Crivillé: “It is clear that Stoner`s performance on the Ducati is what has most surprised me.”

Emilio Alzamora: “Well, the most surprising is Stoner and his Ducati. People thought he would have difficulties above all on the twisty circuits, but this is not the case. He has been competitive right up to the present day, half a season, at all the circuits, in all conditions, whether in the wet or in the dry, and in complicated training sessions… This is what has been the most surprising.

At the same time pehaps the negative surprise has been Dani Pedrosa`s position and where he is now, because I think he is a rider that has what it takes to be higher. He had had a year that few riders ever have and that was in his first season in the top category. But this year he has come across some difficulties and a new bike that even HRC has admitted was wrong, the concept and the MotoGP project, and this means that we are not seeing Dani where he should be halfway through the season.”

Sito Pons: “The truth is that this season is surprising because Stoner is showing great consistency. I think that he has been the revelation of the season. Above all because he is showing a great maturity for his age. It is clear that he was a fast rider, with talent and with a great future, that is what we thought when we thought about signing him up for the MotoGP project, so that he could take a step up. But now with the Ducati and the Bridgestone tyres, I think that this combination has given him the confidence necessary not to make mistakes and to have this great season.”

Your opinion of the battle between Bridgestone and Michelin in MotoGP. Is it fair that they make so much difference?

Ángel Nieto: “The truth is that for me people speak too much about tyres. Lately it seems they are the reason why some win and others lose. I think that the tyres work when the chassis and all the other components on the bike are in their place. Then the tyre behaviour can always be better or worse, and if the chassis is giving problems they are going to wear down more and the rider will probably not feel comfortable. I think that a machine is the whole, what happens is that the tyres have their importance. Bridgestone and Michelin are fighting to win the championship, another war apart from that of the rider`s and the constructor`s. The World Championship is exciting!”

Jorge Martínez “Aspar”: “We are speaking about a World Championship. The rules are what they are and tyres have always marked the difference when it comes to titles. In any category. With the situation we have at the moment perhaps Michelín is complaining more, because it has always been the one that dominated but now without a doubt it is Bridgestone that is ahead.”

Alex Crivillé: “I think it is OK. This year it seems that Bridgestone is winning the battle with Michelín, but we have to finish the season. There is nothing decided yet and Michelín of course is pulling the stops out. They are going to work well and are going to win races this year as they have already done.”

Emili Alzamora: “We are in the middle of a complicated year for the constructors and riders, because the new regulations that limit the number of tyres means that there are changes and we have already seen some this year. I think that Bridgestone, with the experience it had and with the new regulations, is one step ahead. Tyre technology should also be limited a little, because the behaviour of a bike depends a lot on them.”

Sito Pons: “I think that it is just another ingredient to make the championship more exciting.”

Technological progress. Do you think this ruins the spectacle?

Ángel Nieto: “Yes, a little. What happens is that the bikes gain in safety. What I like least is to see riders falling and in this sense technological progress is good. But we do not see sliding as we did in the 2 stroke 500cc category. Traction control is great, but a little of the spectacle has been lost. Although at the same time it is true that it is still spectacular because we see a lot of makes and many riders have a chance of winning. Now some of the races we see in MotoGP are like those in 125cc, with seven or eight riders fighting to win during the whole race.”

Continued: