MotoGP 2016

[sugilite:Me]

Press Release from Shark: We are pleased to announce our collaboration with Lorenzo. We chose him as we know our product will get extra exposure at the podium ceremonies - Lorenzo will be wearing our custom made "low enddoh" helmet featuring special noise cancelling properties to drown out the booing from the crowd.

[pritch]

- Lorenzo will be wearing our custom made "low enddoh" helmet featuring special noise cancelling properties to drown out the booing from the crowd.

Maybe he has figured out that he should hold on to his helmet and his bottle of vino during the podium ceremony and not make silly hand gestures that upset the crowd. Then again apparently he couldn't figure out that he needed a nose guard in the rain.

Funny how we attribute intelligence to some people. It's safe to assume JL hasn't achieved what he has while lacking smarts. As Sterling Moss said way back, "Those who are doing the winning are those who are doing the thinking."

Then there's Ben Carson a retired brain surgeon, the very epitome of high intelligence. He's also a US Presidential candidate who comes across as an idiot.
The pyramids were built by a white guy named Joe for the purpose of grain storage according to Ben. If he's right there's going to be a lot of very learned people get a big surprise. On the other hand considering Carson, Trump, Cruz et al, maybe it's a requirement for Presidential candidates to be idiots.

Meanwhile back on topic...

[pritch]

Since there's no racing to discuss, the rider's comments on social media tend to relate to their recreational activities. Some are skiing in their tax havens, others have headed for warmer climes, Casey and Adriana are visiting Ben Spies in Texas, and Valentino Rossi is sitting at home watching YouTube clips. Like us peasants.

Specifically this clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFJSVtsckyI

He is moved to post on Twitter "John McGuinness-full first lap senior TT 2015-2 big balls."

Apparently McPint follows #46 on Twitter and replies, "I think I lost three tenth out of Ginger Hall."

Interstingly you can hear Rossi's accent in his writing, "infortunatly I don't know where is ginger all, but I think you can be a bit more stabile with half milly more rear preload"

From McGuinnes, "it's a good place to break down, it's a pub, the fans will always buy you a pint!"

Now there's a perk the GP riders don't get. (Oh, and both were using various emojis to indicate humour but they don't reproduce here.)

And that clip is great.

[Shaun Harris]

Since there's no racing to discuss, the rider's comments on social media tend to relate to their recreational activities. Some are skiing in their tax havens, others have headed for warmer climes, Casey and Adriana are visiting Ben Spies in Texas, and Valentino Rossi is sitting at home watching YouTube clips. Like us peasants.

Specifically this clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFJSVtsckyI

He is moved to post on Twitter "John McGuinness-full first lap senior TT 2015-2 big balls."

Apparently McPint follows #46 on Twitter and replies, "I think I lost three tenth out of Ginger Hall."

Interstingly you can hear Rossi's accent in his writing, "infortunatly I don't know where is ginger all, but I think you can be a bit more stabile with half milly more rear preload"

From McGuinnes, "it's a good place to break down, it's a pub, the fans will always buy you a pint!"

Now there's a perk the GP riders don't get. (Oh, and both were using various emojis to indicate humour but they don't reproduce here.)

And that clip is great.

After break downs and crashes at the TT, I have left the scene drunk a few times from the fans

[Crasherfromwayback]

Should never have the tail wagging the dog.

Oscar...be a bloody crying shame if Mike lost his job because of it.

http://superbikeplanet.com/2016/Jan/160106webbfired.htm

[Autech]

Should never have the tail wagging the dog.

Oscar...be a bloody crying shame if Mike lost his job because of it.

http://superbikeplanet.com/2016/Jan/160106webbfired.htm

Militant fans those VR46 crew, one should not piss of those customers.

Going to be interesting in 2017 if he retires. Who knows though, he's not exactly slow is he?

[Crasherfromwayback]

Militant fans those VR46 crew, one should not piss of those customers.

Going to be interesting in 2017 if he retires. Who knows though, he's not exactly slow is he?

No, he's as fast (if not faster) as he's always been. Still (as I always have) think he's a dickwad, and last year made me think so even more.

[sugilite:Me]

Should never have the tail wagging the dog.

Oscar...be a bloody crying shame if Mike lost his job because of it.

http://superbikeplanet.com/2016/Jan/160106webbfired.htm

Yeah, it would be. Dorna will have to come up with some good shit to counteract the Rossi factor when he eventually does retire.

I'm getting tired of Dean Adams relentless I hate Stoner rhetoric.
I would laugh if he came out at Philip Island and roosted in the established top 4 faces.

[pritch]

I have followed GP racing off and on since 1959. It was after some years away that I started to hear stories about this young guy who was just playing with the field until the last three laps when he would disappear over the horizon. That was mildly interesting but didn't reignite the flame. Then Rossi left Honda for Yamaha. That did it. And to that extent I'm one of the 30%.

If you decide you don't like Rossi that's fine. We make our judgements on very little real information, but we can still change our minds. I didn't like Hayden, but he went up in my estimation after the shafting he got at Honda and the way he maintained his dignity throughout. He was the reigning champion but was ignored in favour of their next champion Pedrosa. We're still waiting for that one.

Under the infuence of Puig, Pedrosa was an unlovely little character but he has been coming out of his shell since Puig moved on. Pedrosa emerged from all the controversy at the end of last season with more credit than anyone else. So he too has gone up in my estimation.

I'm not quite so silly that I believe Rossi's public persona is the real man, but there is a lot to like. Like us he is a fan of the sport. Many of the others know nothing much of the history beyond their part in it. The most recent example being that while Bradders was skiing in Andorra, Johnnie Rea was visiting Phillip Island, and others were sunning themselves God knows where, Rossi was sitting at home watching motorbike racing. I like that.

The movie "Senna" showed how the national loyalties of officials can determine the outcome of a race or a championship. David Emmett considers Mike Webb is as straight as a die. Being a Kiwi, Webb has no dog in the fight. If Rossi was to move behind the scenes to remove Webb we could very likely end up with a Spanish Race Director. Out of the frying pan? There is every indication that Rossi is smarter than that. We'll see...

[sugilite:Me]

Very Well put Pritch

[Mental Trousers]

Mike Webb is one of the best race directors GP racing has ever had, a large part of which is due to being a Kiwi. If he goes there's a good chance things will start looking FIFA or various Olympic Games committees over the years. That would be bad.

If you decide you don't like Rossi that's fine. We make our judgements on very little real information, but we can still change our minds. I didn't like Hayden, but he went up in my estimation after the shafting he got at Honda and the way he maintained his dignity throughout. He was the reigning champion but was ignored in favour of their next champion Pedrosa. We're still waiting for that one.

Under the infuence of Puig, Pedrosa was an unlovely little character but he has been coming out of his shell since Puig moved on. Pedrosa emerged from all the controversy at the end of last season with more credit than anyone else. So he too has gone up in my estimation.

That's me as well.

Nicky Hayden is still one of my favourites because of the way he always conducted himself. Even when Honda were ignoring him, even when Ducati had their collective heads up their arses, you never once saw Nicky bitch or moan. He was always a total professional and the best possible job in the circumstances.

I'm a Pedrossa fan these days. Since Puig moved on Pedrossa has been a different person and these last couple of seasons have shown that he's a good bugger. He doesn't give a shit about all the crap that's going on he just gets out there, goes hard and doesn't give up until the end of the race.

[jasonu]

, a large part of which is due to being a Kiwi..

Please explain.

[Autech]

I'm a Pedrossa fan these days. Since Puig moved on Pedrossa has been a different person and these last couple of seasons have shown that he's a good bugger. He doesn't give a shit about all the crap that's going on he just gets out there, goes hard and doesn't give up until the end of the race.

I think he came across really good in the Hitting the apex doco too when talking about his luck, went along the lines of: "Yes I have had some shitty luck and my numbers could be better, but I get to race motorbikes every weekend which is fucking awesome, and when you are at home you remember the sensation or riding, not the shitty numbers or bad luck"

Still got my finger crossed for a Pedrosa title at long last, after supporting him for so long... Bring on Qatar!

[pritch]

I note that Casey Stoner was quoted this morning as having pointed that on the two occasions Rossi has been taken to the last round of the Championship he has lost.

That statistic might give Stoner a certain pleasure, but he had fuck all to do with either occasion. Perhaps he has decided to plant seeds of doubt in Rossi's head?

[Reckless]

I note that Casey Stoner was quoted this morning as having pointed that on the two occasions Rossi has been taken to the last round of the Championship he has lost.

That statistic might give Stoner a certain pleasure, but he had fuck all to do with either occasion. Perhaps he has decided to plant seeds of doubt in Rossi's head?

The only way Stoner will place seeds of doubt is to get on a bike and beat Rossi