Interested in MotoGP?

**gav** · 20th October 2008, 18:12

Well considering it was originally advertised as coverage from 7.00pm - 11.00pm it was pretty poor. I can see Sky responding with "We suggest you install MySky etc " Wonder if the 125's and 250's will be shown?

**gav** · 20th October 2008, 18:30

After the brief official announcement earlier today, details of Bridgestone's tire proposal have started to leak out, little by little. As yet, it is all the result of informal briefings and what riders have told the press, the exact details are to be presented in a formal announcement "later" to quote the Bridgestone statement. But this is what we know, or think we know:

* 20 tires per weekend, 8 fronts and 12 rears;
* One carcass construction only;
* 7 different compounds, of which 2 will be available at each race, a "hard" and a "soft". Presumably, Bridgestone will decide which 2 compounds to bring;
* Riders will have equal numbers of hard and soft tires;
* 150 tires for all of winter testing: 100 to be supplied free of charge, 50 to be supplied at the surprisingly reasonable rate of 200 euros for a front and 400 euros for a rear, according to MotoGP stalwart Julian Ryder over at Soup.
* Testing to be limited to 6 tests lasting 2 days each, that would leave the riders with 12 tires a day, approximately. As Nicky Hayden is wont to do 100+ laps a day during a test, that would mean the tires lasting at least 20 laps each.
* One wet compound, a medium. Earlier, there was talk of only 4 wet tires being supplied, but no numbers are being mentioned any more.

The outcry predicted here has failed to erupt, but the riders have already forced a few concessions from Bridgestone. The main complaint was that 20 tires would be too few, and the riders have extracted promises from Bridgestone that they would reexamine the situation as the season progressed. Valentino Rossi told GPOne.com "they (Bridgestone, Ed.) said that we should trust them, and that 20 tires will be enough, because they will bring tires with a wide enough temperature range to cope, and in any case, they have assured us that if problems arise, they will try to correct this by bringing more tires. Put like that, it's a situation we can accept."

What remains to be seen is just how the riders will adapt. The regulations favor riders who can set a bike up to make the best of the tires on offer, over those who are used to having tires made to meet their requirements. You might expect people who can manage tires well, such as Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden, to do well, as well as riders like Casey Stoner, who is a master of matching the bike to his tires.

The riders who will suffer will be those who need a perfect setup to function. Marco Melandri is a name that springs to mind in this respect, as does Toni Elias. Elias is likely to have another problem, as like Dani Pedrosa, the lighter riders will have problems getting heat into tires. The single carcass on offer is likely to be stiff, as this will suit more riders, and stop grip levels and corner speeds from getting too high.

But stand by for a winter of wild speculation. The new regime is likely to go into effect at the second test of the season, at the end of November at Jerez, with Bridgestone probably having plenty of the "old" tires left at Valencia. So it's going to be a while yet before we get a definitive answer on how this is going to work out. It may even take until mid-season before the new regulations begin to work themselves out.

If you were getting bored and frustrated with all this talk of tires, better start counting to ten; there's months more of this to come. Actually, better make that a hundred. Thousand.

**k14** · 20th October 2008, 18:35

Originally Posted by gav

"We suggest you install MySky etc " Wonder if the 125's and 250's will be shown?

I do! But it still didn't assist in a.) watching the races live and b.) watching the 125s and 250s!

**gav** · 20th October 2008, 18:46

Apparently 125's and 250's to be shown Tuesday 6.30am!

**Kendog** · 20th October 2008, 20:11

Originally Posted by skaz

Thats quite strange, I was pretty anoyed about the delayed coverage but I got the whole race when I recorded it. My sky comes via telstra clear so maby that had something to do with getting the whole race

I got the entire race as well. Taped last night from 10pm till morning using Cable TV.

**denill** · 21st October 2008, 06:00

Originally Posted by denill

A copy of my email to SKY A waste of fucking time - but I think they are arseholes.

Where do I start?

I am tempted to use the expletives to protest the cavalier and arrogant contempt with which SKY treats motorcycle sport fans that I used when the DELAYED coverage of the Sepang MotoGP that I had recorded - ceased with 10 laps to go…………. But that would not be a good look and would project the very same attitude of SKY public relations. That is the metaphorical ‘fingers” to their minority viewers.

The fact that I was required to record the delayed coverage (Midnight?) of the Malaysian GP, held in a time zone that would have made for a reasonable viewing time slot is reason enough to rant at SKY’s treatment.

But then to tack it on to the end of a cricket match (live -Australia vs India?), with the possibility of running over time is just another indication, along with the many others over the years, that SKY does not care about me or the others who subscribe to SKY to get motorcycle sport.

But SKY does it because they can. Goodwill has nothing to do with it.

Thanking you for nothing!

Bill Walch

The response:

Hello Bill

Thank you for your email and comments.

Due to the volume of live events we had this weekend, SKY had to delay the coverage of the MotoGP and ultimately the decision was made to move the Malaysian MotoGP 125cc and 250cc races to be played out delayed on Tuesday the 21st of October at 6:30 am on Sky Sport 3. This decision was confirmed on the 8th of October and both your EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) and our website schedules were updated.

Due to live cricket overrunning, the delayed Grand Prix went to air later than the amended time slot of 12am last night though there will be a replay this morning on SKY Sport 3 after the 125cc and 250cc races.

We sincerely regret the inconvenience and frustration this has caused to our MotoGP fans and I have passed your feedback on to our Sports Department.

With kind regards,

Maria

**roogazza** · 21st October 2008, 08:01

No excuses are good enough for me Bill. Being older and grumpy, I'm keeping my boot on their throat.
I mean, fuck me ! How much cricket do we need ? Hopefully Sky will get plenty of complaints and start thinking ? (yeah right ! ) Gaz

ps I like the look of Hayden for next year, he seems to have a new lease on life ? Wingnut might just be number two in that team ??? he heh.

**denill** · 21st October 2008, 08:20

Originally Posted by roogazza

No excuses are good enough for me Bill. Being older and grumpy, I'm keeping my boot on their throat.
I mean, fuck me ! How much cricket do we need ? Hopefully Sky will get plenty of complaints and start thinking ? (yeah right ! ) Gaz

Good on ya Gaz. I know it's pissing into the wind - but hey ya gotta do it. Otherwise NOTHING will ever change. Hope a few more here did what you've done?

Originally Posted by roogazza

ps I like the look of Hayden for next year, he seems to have a new lease on life ? Wingnut might just be number two in that team ??? he heh.

Bring it on. It will be another interesting few races at the beginning of '09. And yeah I like Hayden's determined style.

**codgyoleracer** · 21st October 2008, 08:20

Wingnut may well mature a lot after this years experience.
The carbon fibre Duke may be a risk or it may stun us all. Rossi has his work cut out for sure.
The control tyre rule may well work in favour of this years Bridgestone runners (in the early part of the season anyway).
I suspect that the winning rider will be the one that can handle riding on shagged rubber - as the liklelyhood of a control tyre exactly suiting the individual tracks will be a lot less.
(we all know who the best rider on shagged rubber is aye......)
Glen