MotoGP 2015

[Drew]

Milandri doesn't have what it takes to ride at GP level, send him back to superbike.

[pritch]

Milandri doesn't have what it takes to ride at GP level, send him back to superbike.

The only problem I have with that comment is the memory I have of watching him win a GP at Phillip Island.

To answer a question someone asked, yes, Quatararo is the one they changed the rules for.

Overnight a certain elderly gent seemed to be playing head games again. He said that the SKY VR46 team members pick somebody they think will win the title. He picked Quartararo. This may have been intended as motivation for his riders who presumably pick themselves. He also said that while he thought Quartararo capable of winning the title, he didn't expect him to top the sheets at the first test. He also referred to Quartararo as "the new Marquez" and added that Marquez should be worried about him.

Can't see MM being worried about anything much yet though.

I don't think I mentioned this before? Casey was posting pictures of what I presumed to be his newest model racing car, a Ferrari sports car painted black with yellow - and the number 46.
Somewhat surprising I thought.

[denill]

I don't think I mentioned this before? Casey was posting pictures of what I presumed to be his newest model racing car, a Ferrari sports car painted black with yellow - and the number 46.
Somewhat surprising I thought.

I know. He's going to drive it over a cliff.

[Reckless]

Sum up of testing off the GP site for those that don't belong.

Cant help thinking that MM was testing something that didnt work and he'll be back to fastest soon.
Those Suzuki's did well
The New Ducati didn't

test Sepang2 Day1 middle day report
Sepang Test 2 Day 1 – Midday report
Monday, 23 February 2015
After the first few hours at a boiling hot Sepang International Circuit it was Movistar Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi who topped the time sheets.
His time of 2’00.414 putting him 0.129 seconds ahead of his closest nearest rival, Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa. The 9 times World Champion set the time on lap 25 of 32, seemingly benefitting from the upgraded seamless shift gearbox that his team have brought to the test. Yamaha wouldn’t confirm whether they have brought a “full” seamless shift gearbox to Malaysia, instead saying that this is an “evolution” of the one they were previously using.

Pedrosa, having settled on his choice of bike last month at Sepang 1, spent the morning fine tuning his setup before putting in his fastest time of the morning, 6 tenths of a second faster than his Repsol Honda teammate Marquez down in 6th.

The Monster Tech 3 Yamaha bike of Pol Espargaro was 3rd fastest, 0.462s behind Rossi, with the Spaniard focusing on fine tuning his electronics package in the morning and he obviously found the right setting as he was consistently lapping under the 2’02 mark.

The big surprise of the morning was the pace of his older brother Aleix on the Suzuki factory bike, as he managed to finish 4th, making the most out a new fairing that they have been developing in Japan, and some engine updates to address their previous lack of power.

Lorenzo finished 7 tenths off his teammate Rossi by the end of the morning, after putting in more laps than anyone else (44) as he adjusted to the gearbox and how it affects breaking stability, ending up 5th fastest.

Surprisingly the double World Champion Marc Marquez could only manage a 2’01.190, which was almost 2.3 seconds slower than his record breaking time from the first test, which left him 5th fastest in the through the morning and only 3 hundredths of a second ahead of 7th placed Cal Crutchlow.

The Brit on his CWM-LCR RC213V, seems to be getting to grips with the more aggressive riding style needed to get the most out of the Honda as he showed the kind of pace that could make him a serious podium contender for the season, and will be very happy with his efforts in the first morning of the test.

Bradley Smith was less than 2 hundredths of a second behind Crutchlow, as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury, with the second factory Suzuki of Maverick Viñales in 9th, 0.9s off the top.

Ducati unveiled their highly anticipated GP15 bike at the test, with riders Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone riding it back to back with the GP14.3 bike they used at Sepang 1. Dovizioso looked to adapt to the newer, smaller bike slightly better than his teammate finishing the morning in 10th 0.8 seconds ahead of Iannone who was back in 15th.

Scott Redding used this morning to test out some new brake updates and trying to find the optimal chassis set up for his Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS RC213V. He seemed to gain in confidence as the time went on, and will be pleased with his lap that put him into 11th place, just 1.1 seconds slower than Rossi.

The Aprilia Racing Team Gresini continued their development of the RS-GP bike by bringing an evolution of the machine used in the last test and it was good enough for Alvaro Bautista to grab 12th just behind the Avintia Racing Ducati of Hector Barbera.

[Mental Trousers]

The New Ducati didn't

.....

Ducati unveiled their highly anticipated GP15 bike at the test, with riders Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone riding it back to back with the GP14.3 bike they used at Sepang 1. Dovizioso looked to adapt to the newer, smaller bike slightly better than his teammate finishing the morning in 10th 0.8 seconds ahead of Iannone who was back in 15th.

It's the first time they've ridden it. They've already logged more time on it than the test rider has I think (he got to take it for a spin a few days ago to make sure nothing fell off and also did a few laps on the test day before Dovi and Crazy Joe). Unrealistic expectations to think it'll do better than it has with only about 1/2 a days testing.

[Reckless]

It's the first time they've ridden it. They've already logged more time on it than the test rider has I think (he got to take it for a spin a few days ago to make sure nothing fell off and also did a few laps on the test day before Dovi and Crazy Joe). Unrealistic expectations to think it'll do better than it has with only about 1/2 a days testing.

Fair enough comments there

[Luckylegs]

Milandri doesn't have what it takes to ride at GP level, send him back to superbike.

Nah! He'll be sweet... He's bluffing them. You wait!

GO MARCO!!!!!!

[Reckless]

Good read I got off a mate on FB.
Did you read it first MT LOL :P

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/moto...-test-preview/

Tyre comments at the end interesting too


The Marco bit
Marco Melandri looked like a man who would rather be anywhere than riding Aprilia’s MotoGP bike, and ended the test dead last, behind the Open bikes, behind the factory test riders, and even behind Alex De Angelis on the Ioda Racing Aprilia ART, the much older and much slower version of Aprilia’s MotoGP machine.
Melandri will have to turn himself around, before he can work on improving the bike.


MM Brake issues today ( from another source)
Marc Marquez:

"Today was a slightly strange day and not very productive, because I had some difficulties with the front brakes from the first run-out. We focused on improving that aspect of the bike and could only do runs of one or two laps. That took up the time we had allotted for trying other things and prevented us from progressing. Now we will try to find the source of the problem and tomorrow we hope to continue with the testing plan

[Mental Trousers]

Good read I got off a mate on FB.
Did you read it first MT LOL :P

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/moto...-test-preview/

Saw that a couple of days ago. Pretty much says the same thing - it hasn't been tested yet. Although it turns out the Andrea's did get to ride it on the Monday, not just Pirro like the article says.

[Autech]

Milandri doesn't have what it takes to ride at GP level, send him back to superbike.

The only problem I have with that comment is the memory I have of watching him win a GP at Phillip Island.

When I first started watching Motogp it was when Melandri was on the sole Kawasaki, I remember watching him put in some impressive finishes on what was by far an inferior bike. That's where my fanship of him started, which moved with him to WSBK as he went from Yamaha to BMW then Aprillia finally.
I do wonder if he should have stuck with WSBK though, he definitely would have had one hell of a shot of winning the title this year.

He was off the pace on the Aprilia superbike at the beginning of 2014 in WSBK, but never to the tune of 2 or 3 seconds a lap behind his team mate and eventually he mastered the bike and got her moving well. Wonder what exactly his issue is with the bike? I've done some googling but the most I can find out is he doesn't like the tyres or something. As it stands were he to enter a race today he would get lapped by most the field and possibly his team mate.

Fantastic to see the Suzuki's up there, I love Aleix Espagaro's riding and it would be great to see what he could do on an equal machine as the big boys, I think he's got what it takes. If Suzuki is reading this, you have two of the best riders riding for you, so give em a fucking good bike please.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Casey was posting pictures of what I presumed to be his newest model racing car, a Ferrari sports car painted black with yellow - and the number 46.
Somewhat surprising I thought.

He'll voodoo dolly that thing.

[Shaun Harris]

04:22
UK Time
Dovizioso looks to have underlined yesterday's strong first impressions of the new Ducati - now up to 3rd, 0.4s from Marquez

[pritch]

Vinales has turned heads with his performance on the Suzuki.

Rossi says the new Ducati is quick, the riders say it turns, so much so that initially Dovizioso was hitting the curb on the inside of the corner. Rossi says the Duc will be faster with the soft rubber in qualifying.

Milandri posted a rather difficult to understand comment about his ride. Difficult but definitely negative. So far the only comment is in Italian but he may be in danger of losing his ride. His SBK ride is gone because his replacement is quick.

Crutchlow and Hayden are making hopeful noises.

[Mental Trousers]

Milandri posted a rather difficult to understand comment about his ride. Difficult but definitely negative. So far the only comment is in Italian but he may be in danger of losing his ride. His SBK ride is gone because his replacement is quick.

About the only thing I've seen so far is that he's not comfortable on the bike, it doesn't feel right. But in vague, motorbike racer English that could mean anything.

[Reckless]

His SBK ride is gone because his replacement is quick.

Watched Philip Island last night OMG damn good racing almost like Moto3 but on superbikes.