105 replies to this topic

[sheelpriye]

Honda basically bought the championship this year. Poached the best talent, and probably spent triple what any other manufacturer did on R&D, and have over twice as many bikes on the field as the other teams.

I mean- they are great bikes... but when you have an unlimited budget it kinda fails to impress me when you win. OF COURSE you're going to win if you can spend whatever it takes. Just like Ferrari in formula one for the longest time.

Spies needs to perfect his start.

[rahul_rn]

well as expected stoner topped out.. wished rossi to gain a few places but he couldn.. but anyway there's always hope for the future..

[razorBlades]

rahul_rn said:

well honda's are masters at blasting off from the start line.. just they need to keep lorenzo and spies at bay.. which is possible for stoner as his record on this track's known by everyone.. just his team mates should be able to do the same..
well lets jus hope for an exciting 2011.. like the laguna seca couple years back..

sheelpriye said:

Honda basically bought the championship this year. Poached the best talent, and probably spent triple what any other manufacturer did on R&D, and have over twice as many bikes on the field as the other teams.

I mean- they are great bikes... but when you have an unlimited budget it kinda fails to impress me when you win. OF COURSE you're going to win if you can spend whatever it takes. Just like Ferrari in formula one for the longest time.

Spies needs to perfect his start.

i cant wait to see guys fight instead of a boring race. lorenzo will not  want to give up his championship, stoner is flying away all the time,  pedrosa wants to beat stoner, dovi does not want to be too far from the  two, spies wants to prove that he is a factory rider now, rossi trying  not to get embarrassed will be in the game after sometime, marco with a  work's honda machine just wont give up.. what a season it is going to  be!

satyenpoojary said:

You should put money into betting... just  dont put money on spies

hehe, yeah man!

rahul_rn said:

well as expected stoner topped out.. wished rossi to gain a few places but he couldn.. but anyway there's always hope for the future..

i see mid season for the perfect rossi!

[rahul_rn]

^^^^
ya man hope to see him fully recovered.. and then the real battle begins..
man this season already seems excitin just imagine next season..
just cant wait for the action season as the cc's are going to be back at 1k.. hell ya..

[razorBlades]

rahul_rn said:

^^^^
ya man hope to see him fully recovered.. and then the real battle begins..
man this season already seems excitin just imagine next season..
just cant wait for the action season as the cc's are going to be back at 1k.. hell ya..

very much.. when the cc's are upped we can see who will emerge the best

it might be a surprise like what casey did on the first 800cc switch! the racing days are getting more exciting for sure

[rahul_rn]

seriously want to see drifting.. hope to see next season atleast..

[razorBlades]

source:: http://www.motogp.co...view qatar race


Casey Stoner, Repsol Honda
"After a great pre-season, we came into this race weekend and everything  kept getting better and better for us. This morning in warm up we had a  few issues getting a good feeling with the bike, carrying a full tank  of fuel and this issue also affected us in the early part of the race.  We knew though as the fuel level decreased and the tyres aged, that our  bike would come back to us. Dani came past and we decided to follow to  see where he was strong and where I was weak. Then when I started to  feel more confident with the bike and had more grip and better turning,  we decided to push forwards and take advantage. Tonight the bike was  fantastic, as it has been for all the sessions and I'm very proud to be  racing for Repsol Honda and to take my first victory in the first race.  It is a great way to start the season! I'm really happy with how  everything has gone and the way the team has all worked together, a big  thanks to Honda and my best wishes to Japan in this difficult time".
  Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda
"I'm disappointed, not for the race I had, but for the physical problems  I had again with my left arm. Already in practice I felt something, but  I was not sure if it could be that bad. At the end I couldn't grab the  handlebar and in the last 7-8 laps I couldn't use the clutch at all. I  was just holding the arm and I was suffering a lot. The bike was perfect  all race, I had the chance to win but I had a very hard time, one of  the toughest races of my life. I don't know what I can do because I  should be ok after the rest I had this winter. I did the tests and  everything was in order. I feel sorry for my team as well, because the  bike was very good, fast, perfect also in the corners. I'm proud of how  I've been riding, I've been fighting with Casey in this circuit, as  nobody else did in the past, but at the same time, I feel sad because I  don't know what the future will bring. I know we will go to Jerez in two  weeks, where the bike will run very well, and I'm very strong and fast,  but I don't know what will happen".
  Andrea Dovizioso
“I’m a bit disappointed because our target was the podium but all in all  I had a good race. In the first laps I thought I could fight for the  podium. I’m satisfied with my pace, I also did my fastest time on the  last lap. The bike was consistent, but we need to make another step  forward to stay with Casey and Dani. I lost time in the fight with  Simoncelli, his passing manoeuvre was at the limit in my opinion. This  was a crucial moment because we lost time which we needed to fight for  the podium.  I want to thank my team for the work done on the bike. I’m  also happy of my physical condition because I finished the race without  being too tired although racing here is demanding".




Jorge Lorenzo, Yamaha Factory Racing
“I think maybe I am more proud of that podium than a race victory,  that’s how I feel tonight. I feel very proud of myself and my team who  never gave up and worked to give me the best bike that they can. I put  everything I have inside into my riding on the track for the race. From  the start to the end, I was on the limit every lap. I almost crashed on  one corner but I managed to stay on the bike and finished in second  position which is the best that I could do.”
  Ben Spies, Yamaha Factory Racing
“That’s the first race of the year done and dusted, it wasn’t picture  perfect and I got pushed out a bit in turn one, getting trapped behind  Barbera and Rossi the first few laps. They were fighting together which  meant I lost touch with the guys in front. Other than that it was a good  race, I struggled to get by Valentino for a while, he was riding really  well and he’s not an easy guy to get around! Once we were able to get  past, we set fast lap times and the bike was feeling good. It was just  the first part of the race that didn’t pan out. We race in two weeks so  I’m happy to get back on it at Jerez. It’s the first race of the year, I  didn’t make top five but we got some points so I’m happy.”


Valentino Rossi:
“For sure we’re not here to get seventh-place finishes, but there are  also positive things from this race, starting with the times, because we  were lapping pretty quickly. I had a great start, and that was a nice  feeling because the horsepower that this bike has really helps it to  launch. Then I made a small error in the first turn, which is a shame  because I got stuck behind Barbera for a few laps. Otherwise I would  have been closer to Simoncelli and Dovizioso, since anyway there was a  period when I lapped with them. I wouldn’t have beaten them though,  because at the end of the race, I’m no longer able to ride like I have  to. I’m not referring to the Ducati because even last year, after I hurt  my shoulder, I had the same problems in the latter parts of the races,  and since the two bikes are so different, it means that it’s really a  matter of me not being physically right. It’s not just that. We also  have to improve the bike because the others have clearly made a step  forward since last year. Still, I learned a lot in this test and in this  race, and we’ve already given very specific instructions about what  must be done in the long term, in order to improve for the second half  of the season for example. In the near term, on the other hand, we’ll  work on the setup, we’ll keep gathering experience, and I’ll continue  exercising and doing everything I can to recuperate physically.”
  Nicky Hayden:
“I got a bad start in the race, and then when De Puniet crashed, I just  about ran over him and had to come to a complete stop. I’m happy I  didn’t run into him, but that was a bad break, because I was dead last  with a gap to the next person. I started picking my way through, and  once I got into ninth, I got into a decent rhythm and started doing my  pace. I was trying to catch Edwards because I thought it would’ve been  nice to have a last-lap race with him, but I didn’t quite get to him.  It’s been a tough weekend for me on and off the track, but everybody  around here is working to the maximum. They’re the first ones in and the  last ones out. I can’t be happy with the ride, but I came from dead  last, and my fastest lap was my last one. We’ve got a lot of work to do,  but it’s just one race, and no one can say we weren’t trying.”

[razorBlades]

Marco Simoncelli (5th):
"I am delighted! I was a bit too nervous over the first few laps but it  was so good to be racing at the front of the field that I almost didn't  finish the race! Joking aside I am really happy because I thought my  pace would be in the 1'56"s but we were able to better it. At one point  when I passed Dovizioso I thought I might be able to go after Lorenzo  but I made a little mistake and it broke my rhythm. Then at the end in  the battle with Dovizioso I was slightly slower than him on used tyres  and I dropped off. Anyway, it was great to see the others so close up  and I am sure this was my best race – maybe not the result but in terms  of my consistency and the distance to the race winner.  Now we need to  take another step in the next race and have fun with the guys in the  team, who have done a fantastic job."
  Hiroshi Aoyama (10th):
"When we had the minute's silence at the front of the grid before the  race for the tragedies in Japan I felt really emotional. On behalf of my  countrymen I want to say thank you to everybody who has shown their  support during this sad time. I had a tough race because of the start.  De Puniet crashed in front of me and I lost precious ground on the  group. Then I got my pace together and recovered positions but it was a  shame because I wanted to have a good race tonight. Anyway, I am still  happy because I am sure that we will improve in the next race. My  feeling with the team is perfect, we are getting on great and they  believe in me, which is important if we are to grow together. I want to  give them positive results and excitement."




Héctor Barberá:
"It was a difficult race for us. I wasn't riding comfortably right from  the start, and I had realised that the bike wasn't working entirely as  it had been yesterday. I had noted this in the warmup. I didn't  understand what had happened, but all I knew was that there was no rear  grip. I had to hold off the gas, because if I went into the corners at  speed then I would slide about. It made me angry that all my braking  points were changing about, and I wasn't able to ride the same way that I  had done all weekend. We are looking at the origin of this problem, and  the telemetry shows that the bike wasn't performing like it had done  this weekend. We shouldn't get too down about it, because we just had  some bad luck that is sure to change for the better in Jerez. I will  look on the bright side; we were doing very well over the past few days  and are gradually finding the way to go this season."




Toni Elías:
“Well... this first weekend has been very tough for me and the team.  Since the two-day test prior to the race we have been struggling with  the bike set-up and even after. We have tried different adjustments to  find the right feeling on this track but at the end we could only lap in  the low 1’58”s. And that was my lap time during the race from the first  lap until the crash. We knew we could not do better than this as we  knew our limit but I feel sorry for the crash. I want to cancel this bad  weekend and start again in Jerez.”

[sheelpriye]

I feel that Pedrosa and Rossi are both one crash away from retirement. Or at least would not be able to compete fiercely. (Pedro doesn't anyways)
Your thoughts?

[razorBlades]

sheelpriye said:

I feel that Pedrosa and Rossi are both one crash away from retirement. Or at least would not be able to compete fiercely. (Pedro doesn't anyways)
Your thoughts?

well rossi has already opened his bar back at his home

ped is not recovered yet and will not in near future IMO!

but the race in spain will be fun to watch.. jlo and pedrosa will be racing their heart out i guess! fingers crossed!

and also on how the ducati performs on a track which has got crazzy corners

[rahul_rn]

well ducati seem to have the machine but not the man..
honda and yamaha on the other hand seem to have both..

[sheelpriye]

rahul_rn said:

well ducati seem to have the machine but not the man..
honda and yamaha on the other hand seem to have both..

So was Casey the rider Ducati had?

[rahul_rn]

nop that time ducati din't have the bike that he deserved..

[sheelpriye]

Sorry, but you got me confused here.

Which year's desmo are you talking about?

[rahul_rn]

last year's.. maybe the man-machine combo wasn't working out..
because stoner in 09 was way better then in 10..