***Official Moto GP Thread***

Just got in. Friday morning I put on full gortex suit and a new storm cover for my camera. It really never stopped raining. By the last Moto GP practice it was a monsoon. By the end moisture totally shut my camera down. The new track configuration looks real good. I have never seen these guys before and all I can say is "wicked fast." You can't talk on the phone when there on the track, you can hardly talk to someone next to you. I couldn't stay because of family tonight and tomorrow I have to go watch the F-Chat celebs at the NASA National Championships. I'll sort through the rest of these pics later.

Nicky Hayden at speed, I figure close to 200 mph. rain slowed them a bit.

Danny Pedrosa entering pit lane through a big puddle.
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Rossi said today that he didn't think it was safe to race in the rain. Considering the remnants of Ike are set to deluge the midwest with several inches of rain, i wonder if it will possibly be cancelled. Of course Rossi could just pull in and still have a 50 point lead also.

 

200 mph. on a bike. in the rain. between two cement walls. thin line between bravery and stupidity....

wish I could have gone but schedule didn't allow it. hopefully next year!

Hey Michael, how was the atmosphere? You mentioned lots of Europeans (that was true w/ the F1 race too, esp. with the dollar in the tank). were the Americans locals watching the latest freak show or bike enthusiasts from out of town? did a lot of people show up on bikes? dedicated bike parking lots? etc.

 

Americans from all over. Not local. Destination guys on a trip. Bikes had preferred parking at the north gate that I could see. Downtown last night had blocks closed for MC's only. Stuff in the local paper this AM talks about Dorna's effort to promote. The entire front straight was the Red Bull graphic like in the pic. That's 5/8ths of a mile of banner. Real big deal unlike I've seen before, even for F1. Ike won't be here til Monday, but they may have local weather that might be wet.

 

Holy cow, i REALLY like Moto GP now.

Really sad to see a Ducati 1098s tri color and others blown over in the Ducati parking today

Didnt get a pic of the bikes tipped over.

 

Mike,
It was nice to meet you at the track. Photos look great, glad your camera survived! Seeing those bikes at speed, in the rain, and lifting the front wheel coming onto the front straight was really a great experience.

Looking forward to the rest of your pictures.

 

Pleasure to meet you Bill. Your hospitality is appreciated. The camera did not survive but the chips did. No power here today. 70 mph sustained winds yesterday. Celltop signal doesn't like pics much. Post some later. Moto GP to Aug. 30th next year for those who want rooms now.

 

Well what can i say i survived a wet and soggy Sunday at Indy and had a blast. Found a great vantage point to shoot from in the Turn 6 area with no fence to block the view and such. Here is a link to the first group that i have started to process, of the 2000 shots i took Yesterday more to come.

http://www.jet-fighters.net/motogpindy08.html

 

It used the front straight, but none of the corners.

Interesting to be there once, but I likely won't return.

 

Today Hayden was confirmed as riding on the Ducati factory team next to Stoner for 2009.

 

NICKY HAYDEN TO JOIN CASEY STONER AT DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM

Ducati Corse hereby announces that Nicky Hayden will join its factory MotoGP team for 2009. The 27-year-old from Owensboro, Kentucky, will line up alongside Casey Stoner and will make his debut on the Desmosedici GP9 on the 27th October in a test immediately following the Valencia Grand Prix.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Sep/080915d.htm

 

I think this will do wonders for both Nicky and Ducati's profile in the US.

However...we've seen Nicky get bested by Vale at Honda, will the same happen to him at Ducati? Stoner's a phenomenal talent, and I'd assume he's the #1 rider.

 

I would expect Hayden to be the "face" of Ducati in the US and in many other countries as well.

Stoner will win a lot, so he will get major exposure as well, and of course will be the main man in Australia.

Gibernau's name in Spain is still big, so expect him to be promoted heavily in that market.

If the rumors are true that Nori Haga will take Bayliss' spot on Ducati Xerox WSBK, expect him to be the advertising focus in Japan.

The new rumor today is that Spies' performance at Indy has made him a candidate for the second Alice bike in MotoGP, we will have to see if it happens (hope so!).

 

Indeed; and being torn between my support for Hayden and Ducati I will have the best of both worlds in 09

Was at the race as well in the Ducati Island/grandstands - anyone see the card flash at the beginning of the race? I was a red card, top of the D.

Beast, those are some nice shots on that jetfigher link

Anyone hear about the guy who OD'd on alcohol at the race? Found him dead in a lawn chair. My buddy offered it was probably a despondent Melandri fan
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Here is what the picture looks like so far in 2009. I will try to indicate whether they are rumored.

MotoGP:
Yamaha: Rossi & Lorenzo at Fiat Yamaha. Edwards & Toseland at Tech 3

Kawasaki: Hopkins & Melandri at Kawasaki. Third Kawasaki rider N/A. Possibly still Ant West, another rider mentioned is Bautista.

Honda: Pedrosa & rumored Divizioso at Repsol Honda. De Angelis & rumored Elias at Gresini Honda. de Puniet at Team LCR Honda. Rumored Nakano takes over HRC testing role for HRC. Whether there will be a bike for both JIR and Scot is unknown. Takahashi rumored for Team Scot if they get a bike. Rider for JIR unknown, but rumored to be Spies or even Carlos Checa.

Suzuki: Capirossi and Vermuelen for Rizla Suzuki. No third bike except for wild cards.

Ducati: Hayden & Stoner on Marlboro Ducati. Rumored Canepa and rumored Kallio for Alice Ducati. The Alice bikes will be closer to full factory in 2009. Sete Gibernau makes a comeback on Onde 2000 Ducati (fifth bike!)

So if JIR and Scot both get Hondas, and Kawasaki & Ducati add an extra bike, that means 21 bikes on the grid, which is a very good thing.

WSBK:
Yamaha: The only current MotgoGP rider who would be left out in the cold is Sylvain Guintoli. Newest rumor is that he will ride for Yamaha Italia in World Superbike (Spies is also rumored to have this ride as well). Tom Sykes (BSB rider) will ride the other Yamaha. Current Yamaha riders Haga and Corser are rumored to be going to Ducati and BMW, respectively.

Ducati: Haga on the Ducati (taking Bayliss spot) is a great move for both rider and manufacturer. It will give him his best chance at the elusive championship. Fabrizio will probably be second rider.

BMW: Corser (rumored) is a great developer and teamed with Xaus could surprise some people next year on the BMW (which is very conventional in design).

Honda: Kiyonari & rumored Checa on Ten Kate Honda

Aprilia: Biaggi has signed, second rider unknown. In the past Aprilia has sometimes used one rider.

Suzuki: Neukirchner and Nieto. Kagayama might be out. Third rider unknown.

Kawasaki: As miserable as Kawasaki has done this year, who knows. Tamada reportedly wants out in the worst way. On a good bike (Suzuki?) he could challenge for wins. You could conceivably see a Japanese 1-2-3 next year (Haga, Kiyonari,Tamada) if he can get on a decent bike.

 

Team JIR will NOT a get a bike from Honda, so Spies is likely out of MotoGP chances.