Michael Schumacher stuns in Ducati 800 MotoGP ride | FerrariChat

Michael Schumacher stuns in Ducati 800 MotoGP ride

Discussion in 'F1' started by YellowbirdRS, Nov 7, 2007.

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  1. YellowbirdRS

    YellowbirdRS Formula 3

    Nov 9, 2005
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    #1 YellowbirdRS, Nov 7, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Ferrari Formula One legend Michael Schumacher has shown he is no slouch on two wheels today in Valencia with an incredible performance on Casey Stoner’s world championship-winning factory Ducati.

    Seven-times Formula One world champion Schumacher has clocked an incredible best lap of 1.37.89 in a special guest ride on Stoner’s GP7.

    That time is just a fraction over five seconds outside of Dani Pedrosa’s new lap record, which the Spaniard set in winning the Valencia GP yesterday. Repsol Honda rider Pedrosa’s new lap record in the 30-lap race was a 1.32.748.

    Schumacher is no stranger to Ducati’s MotoGP bike as rode a 990cc Desmosedici at the Mugello circuit in Italy back in 2005.

    Today he completed 58-laps and admitted he was surprised to have set such an impressive pace, and he wasn’t even using super powerful carbon brakes, preferring instead to run steel brakes normally used in MotoGP in the rain.

    “It is difficult to come here and set times. I remember the last time I was riding and I was about 15 seconds slower than what you could do, so I thought maybe if I could run within ten seconds, that would nice, “said Schumacher, who rode Stoner’s bike on which the Aussie dominated on in 2007, winning 10 races to crush Valentino Rossi and Pedrosa.

    He said was impressed with the performance of the 22-year-old and said: “I am very impressed. If you remember that last year no one would have bet on him at all and Ducati took the risk to take him on board. Sure he got a good bike and there is the tyre situation but he beat his team-mate and other guys on the same tyres so a big credit to him. He rode it so smoothly, so perfectly, I’m very impressed.”

    Was he surprised to be so fast? “As I said I didn’t expect anything, I just wanted to be quicker than last time and I achieved this.”

    Schumacher was given some useful pointers by Randy Mamola for his first ride on an 800cc MotoGP bike. “Randy is good friend and he gives me tips and explains to me what I’m doing wrong. It was nice to ride in the end together and see him and he explained to me a couple of details. It is a great help if you have an experienced guy around you, “added the German, who used special pads on the fuel tank to help him grip the bike with his legs. He said the 800 was smoother and easier to ride than the ’05 990 he previously rode, but shrugged off any suggestion that he would contemplate competing in a MotoGP race in the future.

    “I’m just doing this for fun. I don’t I want to race, “said Schumacher, who at 38 is the same age as Ducati’s factory World Superbike star Troy Bayliss. “Maybe we could be team-mates, “laughed Schumacher, who won five world titles with Ferrari before retiring at the end of 2006.

    Harley rider Schumacher said he wouldn’t find it difficult to go back to riding on the road after his taste of Stoner’s bike, saying: “My Harley is pretty fast. I love motorbikes so I ride motorbikes. There is a little track and I do some supermoto in Italy and several other things."

    Schumacher said that he couldn’t think of anything else he could compare the feeling of riding a MotoGP bike to, not even a Formula One car.
    “I tried to find a good comparison but it is difficult to say. It is impossible to compare the two (Formula One and MotoGP), as they have nothing to do with each other. It helps you to find the line because when you drive you understand what you have to do, in principle, but not in detail. But to compare these two things is two different worlds - it is like being on earth and going to the moon.”

    Schumacher ducked being drawn on the Ferrari and McLaren spy controversy that rocked Formula in 2007.

    He added: “I’m lucky enough that I don’t have to explain. It was a pleasure to look from the outside with everything that was going on and it was an even bigger to pleasure to see that we (Ferrari) won both championships.”

    Asked what he thought of the thrilling title between Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen, Schumacher said: “The best one won.”

    download hi res photos: http://rapidshare.com/files/68218675/ducati.rar
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  2. ItaliaF1

    ItaliaF1 F1 Veteran

    Aug 28, 2005
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    Great photos.

    Thanks for posting.
     
  3. SrfCity

    SrfCity F1 World Champ

    The guy's a gawd, what can you say. Good way to get your bell seriously wrung, but hey, it's your head. :)
     
  4. 1_can_dream

    1_can_dream F1 Veteran

    Jan 7, 2006
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    Haven't seen this many pix so thanks for the post. I wish I could hop in or onto anything just for fun and be withing five seconds of the lap record.
     
  5. Ferrari250GTO

    Ferrari250GTO Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2006
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    A little funny seeing him in orange :D
     
  6. Ambassiatore

    Ambassiatore Formula Junior

    Jan 30, 2007
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    David Figueredo T.
    ...and with that picture...the "Newspaper" BILD will say they have HARD PROOF of Schumi making a comeback in a spyker!!!
     
  7. GrndLkNatv

    GrndLkNatv Formula Junior

    Sep 13, 2006
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    Rides his Harley all over the place here in Colorado every summer... He prefers the southern end of the state but he usually lines up quite a few friends and they stay here in Colorado for a month or so, always being based out of Vail..... They say he can ride a bike every bit as good as he can drive a car and this proves it...
     
  8. Remy Zero

    Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 26, 2005
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    thats Ralf disguised as Michael?
     
  9. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

    May 21, 2005
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    Mr. Sideways
    Speechless...
     
  10. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    That's way cool....Ducati rules and I for one an very glad to see Schumi enjoying himself like that.

    My family has forbidden motorcycles.........after a near fatal street accident 8-28-82.

    Thanks for your post.
     
  11. DMOORE

    DMOORE Formula 3

    Aug 23, 2005
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    Darrell
    A day spent at the track on a bike, makes driving a sportscar seem like driving a bus. The experiance is not even close.


    Darrell.
     
  12. yzee

    yzee F1 Veteran
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    Just out. Duc Desmosedici RR based on the 06 Moto GP Duc. V4. Carbon rear sub-frame. Tricked out. 300 to the states.

    Only $72.5K.
     
  13. 1_can_dream

    1_can_dream F1 Veteran

    Jan 7, 2006
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    My parents would disown me if I ever purchased or started riding motorcycles.
     
  14. Ferrari250GTO

    Ferrari250GTO Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2006
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    :D
     
  15. ernie

    ernie Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Nice post. I heard about it from a buddy at work today, and was thinking that it had to be nothing more than a guest ride. Thanks for confirming my thoughts.
     
  16. SoftwareDrone

    SoftwareDrone F1 Veteran
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    Jan 19, 2004
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    Ehh.... I could do better...
     
  17. 1_can_dream

    1_can_dream F1 Veteran

    Jan 7, 2006
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    Prove it ;)
     
  18. GrndLkNatv

    GrndLkNatv Formula Junior

    Sep 13, 2006
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    Mark Stephens
    Piero Ferrari is a majority holder of Ducati.....
     
  19. Prova85

    Prova85 Formula 3

    Nov 13, 2003
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    Rossi has hinted that he could be with Duc in 09 if Yamaha doesn't deliver the goods next year. Stoner and Rossi will have some awesome to watch duels on equal bikes and tires. Fingers crossed that happens.

    And with Schumi testing the F2007 sans TC next week, his wife must be a nervous wreck. :D
     
  20. Senna3xWC

    Senna3xWC F1 Rookie

    Nov 30, 2006
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    What is it with MotoGP riders and ridiculous facial hair? That guy talking to Schumacher looks like an idiot with that stupid soul patch and sideburns that would embarrass a Beverly Hills 90210 actor?
     
  21. Choptop

    Choptop F1 Rookie

    Aug 15, 2004
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    Within 5 secs of a lap record? daaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn. He's gotta be one hell of a rider. Riding a motorcycle like that aint a hop on and go fast kinda thing. LOTS of skill involved.

    the old saying goes:

    F1 - 90% car, 10% driver
    MotoGP - 90% rider, 10% bike.
     
  22. tundraphile

    tundraphile F1 Veteran

    May 16, 2007
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    That is Vito Guareschi, he is the chief test rider for Ducati's MotoGP program. To my knowledge he has never had the opportunity to actually race the bike despite being with the program since its inception in 2002.
     
  23. Brakefade

    Brakefade Formula Junior

    Apr 8, 2007
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    Luis
    Michael can talk to cars, and bikes too now. I was watching the Moto GP finale last night, and these bikes are probably a lot closer to old school F1 cars (50s and 60s) than the F1 cars of today.
     
  24. Papa G

    Papa G Formula 3

    Dec 29, 2003
    1,406

    Actually, Pierro Ferrari has a controlling stock of Piaggo Aero. The Piaggo motorcycle/scooter business includes Aprilia and Moto Guzzi plus a few others including the Vespa. Ducati is not part of this group.
     
  25. Remy Zero

    Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 26, 2005
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    Thanks for the pics YB :)
     

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