Moto GPs around the corner. Anyone watching?

I miss alot of the races but I really like the series.

 

All new re-engineered 1000cc bikes for this
year.

Hopefully Ducati delivers a winner for The Doctor
and Hayden.

Hard to bet against Stoner though.

BHW

 

Looking forward to the opening of the new season!

 

Looking forward to it. I'll miss Sic though.

 

About to watch the first free practice for MotoGP... can't wait to see who is where with the 1000's...

 

+1

I'll be cheering for Ducati, Nicky and Vale as always

 

I haven't seen any footage of the new bikes. Here's hoping that the rear slides like the old days.

 

Should be interesting with the three levels of bikes in the MotoGP class; works, satellite and CRT... especially if the CRT guys use the extra engines they're allowed to turn the wick up on a couple tracks...

 

Hell yes, I'll be watching! Been looking forward to this since the end of last season. Looking forward to see what Rossi can do on the Duc this year.

 

I'll be watching.

Hope Val can bag a championship on the Duc.

 

where are you watching the free practice? Tv or in person?

 

Things are getting from bad to worse for Rossi.

Not only he is slower than Hayden by 1.2 sec in qualifs, but he is even beaten by the private Ducatis!

With his ex-team mate on pole with a Yamaha, he must surely reflect on his last career move!

So strange that the Ducati was a winner with Stoner, and never since ...

 

Yamaha looks STRONG.

agree, something's up with Vale, either he doesn't like the bike or he's lost some form. haven't really looked into it.

although I've always had the impression that his move to Ducati was a bit of a retirement gig for him.

 

Just found out that you can view live qualifying on Speed2, watched Qatar quali this am. Check it out for the next race.

 

Rossi says he can't ride the Ducati.

Considered just pulling in when Barbera passed him.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98678

If things do not radically improve, I wonder...
1) if Rossi will remain with the team even through this year or quit mid-season
1a) ride for another team mid-season (Gresini?)
1b) Retire?
1c) sit at home and wait for 2013?

2) What does Ducati do to entice top riders to the team? It seems radioactive at this point.
2a) Would Ducati pull the plug on MotoGP and go back to dominating WSBK with the Panigale next season?

The Lorenzo vs. Stoner vs. Pedrosa drama is interesting, but all eyes will be on Rossi and Ducati in these first few rounds.

 

Yeah, I read with surprise Autosport's report about Rossi statement. It seems that Vale has already thrown the towel and given notice of his departure to Ducati.
The comment is a veiled threat after a year of disappointment. Rossi doesn’t trust Ducati to provide him with a competitive bike this year either.
His place is at the front, fighting for win; not struggling at midfield. That is very damaging to his image and he deserves better. I hate watching his star fading that way.
As for Ducati, it should be in Superbike with several work-supported teams. Ducati is synonym with Superbike; that’s where it belongs.
If Ducati leaves MotoGP, it will be a huge blow from this ‘prototype’ championship that has become too expensive and slightly irrelevant. Even Japanese factories start having second thought. MotoGP may have to become a specs series like GP2 and GP3 to leep the cost down. It has become too specialised, although I love watching 250hp bikes racing.

 

It wasn't his choice.

Art

 

If you watched yesterday's race, Pedrosa was also fighting for the lead, and indeed, ended up second, after Stoner had killed his tires.

Art

 

They've lost me. After years of buying a season pass - forget it. They did a great job in taking MotoGP from my favorite sport to making it a sport I really have little interest in.

 

Stoner himself didn't blame his tires after the race, but confessed suffering from "arm pump" on the throttle side and being almost unable to control his bike during the last 3 laps.

I hope things will get better for Stoner. When Freddie Spencer started suffering from 'arm pump', a form of muscular spasm, that signaled the end of his competitive career.

 

Personally, I find Superbikes more entertaining.

 

The talent level is much lower in Superbike. As a former competitor in the Superbike Class here in the USA, I can tell you that the guys riding MotoGP are the best of the world champions of all classes including superbike. Notice how quick they promoted Ben Spies after he won the World Superbike title, on his first year there? He hasn't set the world on fire in MotoGP, has he? Tell you something about how good those guys are (motogp riders)?

A lot of the Superbike contenders are either never were in MotoGP or over the hill ex-motogp riders.

As for the arm pump, watch the last three laps. Do it in slow motion, and watch his bike slide more than either Pedrosa or Lorenzo coming off the corners, costing him the drive. He got passed at the end of the straight, because he didn't have sufficient drive off the last corner's exit.

Art