MotoGP 2015

[pritch]

Fuck yeah!

I'll see yours and raise you one - wheel.

[carbonhed]

I'll see yours and raise you one - wheel.

Awesome! And ten other characters.

[samgab]

Nice images. I love some of the high res, slow mo footage these days...

[roogazza]

Ryder Notes: On to Mugello
by julian ryder, on the ground in the uk, thanks
Thursday, May 21, 2015
click for larger version - image: thanks, Marco G
An Italian on pole for Mugello. Question is: which one?
image: thanks, Marco G

Two wins in a row after missing out on the podium shows the strength of mind you need to be a world champion. That's what Jorge Lorenzo did this month and turned the world championship around from the path we thought it was on. As

As usual, the picture has become clearer now that we've done a couple of races back in Europe, and we know the man who dominates on the run of great, classic tracks from Jerez through to Assen has a very, very good chance of becoming champion.

Valentino Rossi arrived back in Europe leading the title with Marc Marquez languishing over 30 points behind. After Jerez and Le Mans he is still 33 points behind the championship leader. Frankly, it already looks like a terrible year for Honda. Pedrosa's arm-pump problem and Marquez's Argentina crash have put Honda third in the constructors' championship and in danger of conceding that and the teams' title to Yamaha and even Ducati. Not even a comeback by Marquez could extinguish the pain of that one.

And that comeback may be hindered by the performance of the Honda. When Marc was massively faster than the field in Sunday morning warm-up at Le Mans on a track significantly warmer than it had been all weekend, everyone thought the game was over. A couple of years ago it was a truism that the Honda needed heat in the track to grip rather than spin whereas the Yamaha's corner speed dropped off with an increase in temperature. In France, Jorge managed the grip of the right side of his front tyre perfectly, never lapping outside the 1min 33sec bracket until he took some time to wave to the fans on the last lap. His tem mate couldn't quite manage the same trick, and crucially he couldn't qualify on the same row.

A few years ago when Valentino Rossi was engaged in open warfare with Casey Stoner he said that he would have to improve his qualifying if he were to beat the Ducati. The next thing that happened was Laguna 2008. He must be thinking the same thing right now if he wants to beat his team mate, because if he doesn't start qualifying within range of Jorge the 15 points between them will evaporate muy pronto. And only four points further back is the man who is extracting the maximum from the new Duke, Andrea Dovizioso. If he hadn't had a ricket at Jerez, he would be right up behind Rossi. And we can expect a Ducati to be on pole at Mugello next timeout - I think Iannone, shoulder allowing, is the man for the task of a lap of the autodromo on and slightly over the edge. Dovizoso is the man to frighten the Yamahas in the race.

I haven't mentioned the Hondas yet. I'm still trying to work out what's going on there. At Le Mans Marquez was throwing it into corners as usual but the bike wasn't doing what he wanted. He was unbelievably lucky to get away with that lunge at Dunlop on the first lap and then with the major moment on the brakes while dicing with Smith and Iannone. I truly thought he was going to skittle field with the first move and that he was on the floor when the Honda twitched madly going into Chemin aux Boeufs. Was it just the bumps on the ageing French tarmac? There are bumps on most circuits but they are unavoidable at Le Mans.

The most illuminating commentss came from Dani Pedrosa. He talked about his arm for a couple of minutes as expected but then got onto the bike. He was a lot more worried about the bike than he was about his arm, and he talked about it for longer. He didn't know why he crashed and when I asked if the problem was corner entry or traction coming out he said "Both." As British journo Neil Spalding pointed out at the time, bringing four chassis to Sepang II for Marquez to test wasn't a sign of strength, it was a sign of weakness and confusion.

As the championship gets into the meat of the season there are a couple of things we know for certain: the Ducatis will get faster and the Yamahas will work everywhere they go. I wonder who'll win the constructors' championship?

ENDS

[Autech]

The most illuminating commentss came from Dani Pedrosa. He talked about his arm for a couple of minutes as expected but then got onto the bike. He was a lot more worried about the bike than he was about his arm, and he talked about it for longer. He didn't know why he crashed and when I asked if the problem was corner entry or traction coming out he said "Both." As British journo Neil Spalding pointed out at the time, bringing four chassis to Sepang II for Marquez to test wasn't a sign of strength, it was a sign of weakness and confusion.

Very odd to see any of the top riders go down even when they've been off the bike for a few rounds like Dani had. It was when I noticed all the Honda's start to drop like flys I realised that the front end was not very good. Marquez looked very uncomfortable and came very close to loosing it, he truly is the luckiest rider out there not to end up on the floor every race.

Yamaha for the championship but who? Gone are the days when Lorenzo chucked it down the road when Rossi was challenging him... Gunna be a good'un!

[Crasherfromwayback]

Yamaha for the championship but who? !

MM for the title.

[carbonhed]

MM for the title.

Big call! Lorenzo for me.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Big call! Lorenzo for me.

I reckon. But I'd also like to see Lorenzo win another. Prefer Dovi too though, as he's the only one that'll give me a return. Highly unlikely though.

[Reckless]

Prefer Dovi too though, as he's the only one that'll give me a return. Highly unlikely though.

They could find something on that Ducati in the next race that could change the whole season, its not far off.
Especially in light of the roll reversal that Honda and Yamaha are having? Who would of thought Honda couldn't get their bike to handle?
MM is starting to get desperate from couple of those moves last race wondering how his head is and if he'll stay upright if they cant find a solution?

Still want Rossi to prove he's the goat, just for us old fellas. Even with him the pressure is showing his negatives ie his lack of qualifying lap pace.

I say back your man at this stage. Anything else is futile this season Damn good Championship so far

[carbonhed]

They could find something on that Ducati in the next race that could change the whole season, its not far off.
Especially in light of the roll reversal that Honda and Yamaha are having? Who would of thought Honda couldn't get their bike to handle?
MM is starting to get desperate from couple of those moves last race wondering how his head is and if he'll stay upright if they cant find a solution?

Still want Rossi to prove he's the goat, just for us old fellas. Even with him the pressure is showing his negatives ie his lack of qualifying lap pace.

I say back your man at this stage. Anything else is futile this season Damn good Championship so far

I was going to say exactly that... so I won't bother.

Ducati have been testing at Mugello recently... think that was where Crazy Joe screwed his arm... so that could be really interesting.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Damn good Championship so far

Be great to see three or four of them going hammer and tongs at the pointy end of the championship.

[Autech]

MM for the title.

Naaaahhhh, too much heat for him this year, he only just squeezed out a title in 2013 by knocking people off and out of the way .
Last year he was unstoppable for the first half of the season then not fantastic for the 2nd... You wont get me singing his song ever though.

Lets see how she goes though, no money on any of it so I will keep my mind open and cheer on my man Dani the unlucky.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Naaaahhhh, too much heat for him this year, he only just squeezed out a title in 2013 by knocking people off and out of the way .
.

You must be watching different races than me. 2013 Lorenzo was way more aggressive than MM, and MM had to cope with an incredible amount of pressure at the last round. Front end issues won't help at Mugello though...so hopefully they can get that thing sorted.

[BMWST?]

Who would of thought Honda couldn't get their bike to handle?

twas ever thus.....a good bike one season is not so good the next,last years pig is this years lipstick......its an art still,not a science.a chasis that is slightly to rigid is no good ..I reckon MM had front brake issues,maybe caused by the first lap bump?
Dont write him or honda of yet,he should have shown you fellas by now that its not just luck that causes him not to crash.Remeber a couple of seasons ago the Hondas were crap at first with chatter..they fixed that pronto

[carbonhed]

[QUOTE=BMWST?;1130865878
Dont write him or honda of yet,he should have shown you fellas by now that its not just luck that causes him not to crash.Remeber [/QUOTE]

True that. He's a God no question. Is he a big enough God to overcome a cranky bike and beat the other God's.

I love the way he can arrow that bike down to the apex and it's just crashing all the way down... but not.