Ducati Monster Forum

FP1:

Pos.   Rider   Team   Bike   Time
1   Dani Pedrosa   Repsol Honda Team   Honda   1:34.646
2   Jorge Lorenzo   Fiat Yamaha Team   Yamaha   1:34.779
3   Valentino Rossi   Fiat Yamaha Team   Yamaha   1:34.886
4   Casey Stoner   Ducati Marlboro Team   Ducati   1:34.967
5   Colin Edwards   Yamaha Tech 3   Yamaha   1:35.319
6   Chris Vermeulen   Rizla Suzuki MotoGP   Suzuki   1:35.502
7   Andrea Dovizioso   JiR Scot Team   Honda   1:35.574
8   Shinya Nakano   San Carlo Honda Gresini   Honda   1:35.672
9   John Hopkins   Kawasaki Racing Team   Kawasaki   1:35.743
10   James Toseland   Yamaha Tech 3   Yamaha   1:35.874
11   Loris Capirossi   Rizla Suzuki MotoGP   Suzuki   1:35.968
12   Alex De Angelis   San Carlo Honda Gresini   Honda   1:36.059
13   Randy De Puniet   LCR Honda MotoGP   Honda   1:36.134
14   Nicky Hayden   Repsol Honda Team   Honda   1:36.144
15   Marco Melandri   Ducati Marlboro Team   Ducati   1:36.359
16   Anthony West   Kawasaki Racing Team   Kawasaki   1:36.418
17   Toni Elias   Alice Team   Ducati   1:36.756
18   Sylvain Guintoli   Alice Team   Ducati   1:37.421

wheelchair... 2nd on the timesheets... wheelchair

I'm going to get both ankles broken before my next track outing, with my lap times it's worth a shot [roll]
I wonder why JT is struggling with his setup all of a sudden?

poor Jorge [evil] interesting listening to motogpod last week and what Bob's theory about this upcoming race was, although I would not be surprised if some frenchman won [laugh]

Full free practice times (1 and 2 combined) from the French Grand Prix at Le Mans, round five of the 2008 MotoGP season.

1. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 34.227 secs
2. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 34.276 secs
3. Colin Edwards USA Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 34.287 secs
4. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1min 34.487 secs
5. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 34.630 secs
6. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1min 34.886 secs *
7. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 35.047 secs
8. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 1min 35.073 secs
9. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 35.133 secs
10. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 35.239 secs
11. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 35.256 secs
12. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 35.378 secs
13. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP (M) 1min 35.450 secs
14. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 35.678 secs
15. James Toseland GBR Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 35.848 secs
16. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 35.877 secs
17. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 1min 36.039 secs
18. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 1min 36.414 secs

* time set in FP1

Both sessions were dry today, but rain remains a threat for Saturday's qualifying session and Sunday's race.

I think we should officially omit Edwards from now on.  He clutters up the results.  He's got the dong, but he has no idea what to do with it.   :P

FP3

1. Colin Edwards USA Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 33.765 secs
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1min 34.114 secs
3. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 34.229 secs
4. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 34.353 secs
5. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP (M) 1min 34.438 secs
6. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 34.746 secs
7. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 1min 34.767 secs
8. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 34.828 secs
9. James Toseland GBR Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 35.107 secs
10. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 35.128 secs
11. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 35.190 secs
12. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 35.321 secs
13. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1min 35.345 secs
14. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 1min 35.642 secs
15. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 35.700 secs
16. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 35.891 secs
17. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 1min 36.044 secs
18. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 36.228 secs

Edwards broke 1.34, fastest so far.

Yea, but he will run it off the track no less than three times during the race.  I like Edwards....a true showman, unlike most riders.  I don't think he can maintain his focus throughout a race much less with other bikes around him.

Qualifying Times

1. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 32.647 secs
2. Colin Edwards USA Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 32.774 secs
3. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 32.994 secs
4. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1min 33.157 secs
5. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1min 33.269 secs
6. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 33.286 secs
7. James Toseland GBR Tech 3 Yamaha (M) 1min 33.396 secs
8. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 33.440 secs
9. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 33.628 secs
10. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Team Scot MotoGP (M) 1min 33.689 secs
11. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 33.707 secs
12. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 1min 33.723 secs
13. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 34.077 secs
14. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 1min 34.561 secs
15. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 34.670 secs
16. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 1min 34.747 secs
17. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 35.081 secs
18. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 35.349 secs

Valentino Rossi:


 [laugh]

RACE SPOILERS below!
















































looks like he stuck with it today.  ;D

great race!  [thumbsup]

tough luck for hopper w/ his chain coming off. stoner, too, for whatever happened to his scoot.

btw, class act rossi letting angel nieto ride his bike on the cooldown lap.

Not too bad of a race.  The 1st 10-15 laps were really exciting.  I was hoping everyone would be able to hang with Rossi to make it exciting at the finish, but oh well. 

Rossi definitely looks like he's back on form.  Guess the question of whether Rossi or Stoner would be better on equal tires has been answered the last couple races!  ;)

Wonder what happened to Stoner's bike?  ???  I'm not sure he would have made the podium anyway though...he seemed to be losing it a bit.

Lorenzo is a bad ass.  Broken bones in both ankles and still finishes second!  [thumbsup]

It was a good race.

Looked like Stoner lost a clutch or gearbox downshifting at the end of the straight.

Great Race.

To bad for Stoner  :-\

Nice to see Rossi figuring everything out the last few races.

Hayden is weak sauce this year again.  ;D

I had a feeling Rossi would be back to winning form after his result in China.  He just needed his confidence back.  Game on.

Are you guys crazy?  He didn't need confidence, he needed a package that was capable of winning.  He needed a bike that wasn't nearly the slowest on the grid, one that didn't suffer multiple mechanical DNFs two years in a row, one that had tires that could compete with the guys that were running up front.  And now that he has that, we're back to seeing what we're used to seeing out of Rossi - dominance. 

Tell us how you really feel  ;D

This season has been fantastic so far.  Races like this one are why I love motorcycle racing so much!

short memory, tomato, tomahto, crazy...  [coffee]

To be fair, Rossi himself admitted to wondering if he could win again after such an absence from the top of the podium.  Sure, the guy doesn't lack much in that area, but he did need the reassurance of that first victory to truly get his swagger back.  Now we have two wins in a row heading into Mugello, where ( knock on wood ) we will very likely see Rossi make it three straight in two weeks.

he's already, what is it, 6, straight there heading into mugello...

If I'm not mistaken Rossi has never NOT won at Mugello since he's been in GP.  I'd say there's a pretty good chance he's gonna go for 3 in a row. 

Back on the general race topic.  I think people need to be scared of Honda in the near future.  That bike was pulling HARD and that's with the conventional valvetrain, I've got a feeling the pneumatic engine is gonna be topping the charts hp-wise.

it is a bummer hopper lost his chain and stoner lost something...
i am very impressed with lorenzo's finish... is this guy human?
it's amazing what these guys do to their bodies for this sport.

all in all... great racing  [thumbsup]

On the Honda topic, Yamaha is giving some upgrades pretty soon, but I didn't catch what they were.  Rossi cited them waiting for more reliability, so maybe they are giving him even more power?  He didn't specifically say what it was they were upgrading, but it kinda sounds like further engine improvements.  Anyone else heard anything?  If Rossi and Lorenzo get even more power, and the engines don't go up in smoke, they will decimate the field.

the most they've said publicly is "upgrades" and that rossi's form in shanghai took the pressure off introducing them earlier than barcelona.

what that tells me is that they don't 100% trust the reliability of whatever they're introducing and, given the performance of rossi/lorenzo/edwards, there is no need to chance rushing something into production that may not survive a race.

Why make the beast with two backs with a package that is dominating the field - factory and satellite?  Yami would be crazy to introduce it until it's either proven reliable or they need to risk it for the extra oomph to keep up with whatever secret sauce Honda introduces.

Rossi's ride was clinical in it's precision.  Excellent race.  Lorenzo is the real deal.  He IMO will be the dominating force in GP for the next 5 years.  You can't deny he's tough as nails and has the heart and desire to win after his performance in the last 2 races with his injuries.

As far as Stoner I think he's actually showing his world champion mettle this year.  That bike is a beast this year and he's riding his ass off to tame it.  Watching it in slow motion as compared to the bikes around him was incredible -- they are stable frame to frame and his is all over the place.  I hope they get it sorted and don't lose confidence before the schedule gets to their preferred tracks.

IMO the Ducati GP bikes have been evil slithering beasts since they came back to GP...

The 800 even more so than the 990

with the fact that 1-in-7 riders can get anything out of it at all... yup.

[beer]
Rossi doesn't need to be on the best bike as Stoner did last year. Rossi just needs to be on a bike that is not so far behind that it's impossible to do anything with. This is the first year that anyone besides Rossi has been consistently competitive. If that's not in indication of the level of his superior skill then I don't know what is.

I don't have anything against Stoner but I remember last year how everyone was calling Rossi a whiner and he was making excuses. I saw the smirk on the faces of the Ducati team whenever they were questioned about Rossi. Karma is a pregnant dog I guess.  [laugh]

Great race, I can't believe that a cripple made second  :o Lorenzo is bring some serious cards to the table.

shame about hopkins and stoner, although I don't think stoner was going to podium anyway, but still points lost.

Real shame about Toselands crash

During the broadcast I heard the commentators say he didn't want to remount after he made it back to the pits and it was his crew the urged him to get on the back-up bike.

Any validity to that?

I heard that to.  Definitely disappointing if true.

Homeboy is killing me this year! I really would love to see him do well but man  [bang]

yes.

Priceless...rofl. Five races into the season, looks like he doesn't like the taste of his own medicine.

Drink up Stoner... [drink]

Me too.  I'm definitely not a fan of his (I know you're all shocked), but I thought he was a better competitor than that. 

I'm most interested in how he's gonna react if things keep going badly.  Will there be more "sabotage" or will he nut up?

Easy now.  He's yet to blame anyone but himself and his team for his showing and has remained positive and optimistic about the season even following Le Mans. 

And Choco -  By this point last year two other certain riders were calling for rules changes, complaining about tires and whining about the unfairness when faced with similar disappointing results.

It's been a great season so far and the rest will be great to watch.  Drama yet to come

-- Rossi and the Yamaha's in general hold their advantage the rest of the way?
-- A healthy Lorenzo will continue to press Rossi for team resources and potentially take the Championship lead?
-- Pedro may or may not get a boost from the new Honda technology?
-- Stoner will be getting to the tracks they dominated (6+ second victories) last year. Will he again?
-- Yamaha will have to weigh Risk/Reward with their new technology?
-- The satellite teams with A list riders will win one at some point (Toseland, Edwards)?

My point being that his not wanting to go back out on the bike could either be the first of many or an isolated incident by an understandably frustrated rider.  I'm just waiting to see what will happen based on what happened in '06. 

the last guy who just didn't feel like finishing a race got fired.  granted he was far from holding the #1 plate, but.. lame.

Not "feeling like finishing a race" is a far cry from limping a bike in with aprox 8 laps to go and not seeing the point in taking advantage of conditions and riding back out on a bike with wet tires -- finishing so far last that the cameras are packed and the champagne is flat. 

Am I disappointed it is was his attitude?  Sure, I'd prefer he fight for every point (this season will be close as hell IMO) but what happened is a far cry from him being a quitter.  Who's to say it wasn't just a momentary feeling and when pushed said make the beast with two backsin a right - lets fight for every point!


Here's his quotes from post race.

+1.

I'm with you Cowboy. [thumbsup]

Was there ever an announcement in regards to what happen to stoner's bike  ???

This is my first year really getting into Motogp so I don't even know if they hide everything under a blanket or if they tell you whats going on with the Bikes when they malfunction.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/67587


depends on how much of their hand they want to tip.

That was pretty informative.... [roll]

Not your part derby....

something broke...we figured out what...really?   [laugh]

I think the most Stoner said in the MotoGP.com interview after the race was he lost traction on the right side(early on) I think and then near the end had a misfire and it totally craped out on the way in?

The engine was running when he put his hand up.

You could hear him revving it just prior to that with no apparent connection to the rear wheel.

here is an earlier interview w/ suppo where he mentions stoner's front tire issue:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/67539

The post-race testing activity in Le Mans concluded early for Ducati Marlboro and 2007 MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner, with the team solving the riddle of their Sunday engine breakdown.

Stoner undertook a series of race tyre-shod laps on Tuesday morning after a full day´s riding on Monday, and his early run was enough for the Ducati mechanics to get to the bottom of the problem. A faulty component was localised by the Australian´s crew and, unable to rectify the situation on the spot and rather than risking further damage to the fleet of Desmosedici GP8 engines, the team opted to conclude their work and head back to Borgo Panigale to replace the part in question.

Stoner had completed 50 laps on Tuesday, which permitted him to work on Bridgestone rubber for the upcoming Gran Premio d´Italia Alice. Teammate Marco Melandri followed the 22 year-old´s schedule, and his second day was an abridged affair. He took to the track at 10.30am as a result of chilly temperatures early on, and joined Stoner in packing up shop at the 12pm lunch break.

Stoner finished outside the points for the first time in his Ducati tenure last Sunday, whilst Melandri also experienced engine problems and stalled on the starting grid.

IMHO Stoner should not pregnant dog about trying to get some very important point, regardless of whether the bike had rain tires or he fell behind.  Points are points and when your trying to stay at the top ALL POINTS COUNT.

Indeed, championships have been won and lost on a single point.

Hi folks, I'm back from vacation and didn't get to see the Le Mans GP...nice result for Vale!

Can someone fill me in on Toseland, did he crash, what happened? I heard snippets from Dovizioso saying that he wasn't riding very courteously, did i hear right?

Thanks.

well considering in all the GP races so far, he's come into contact with someone....  ;D

So what happened?

Per James:

    ` I´m pretty frustrated because a little mistake ruins all the hard work myself and the team have put in. I wish I could have a second go at it now like you get in Superbikes! I got a great start and really wanted to try and get away with the leaders but I lost a couple of places when John Hopkins came by with a hard but fair move. Andrea then made a small mistake and went slightly wide at the fourth corner and as I tried to go underneath him he came back on line and took my front wheel. It was just a racing incident but very disappointing because after that good start I felt like I could have got a good result. I´m already looking forward to coming back strongly at Mugello and having done a bit of testing there before it won´t be completely alien for me. Congratulations to Colin because he has been awesome all weekend. He has been on the pace since pre-season testing and he´s deserved that podium, as has the team for all their effort. It was great for Yamaha to dominate the podium so it proves what great work was done in the winter.´

I guess he has nothing to lose and may be able to work out some kinks for Pedro...
Here comes the pneumatic valve train for Hayden -
http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/165093-0/hayden_gets_pneumatic_for_donington.html (http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/165093-0/hayden_gets_pneumatic_for_donington.html)

"Hayden also has nothing to lose by trying what must still be regarded within HRC as an experimental design, as he holds only ninth place in the MotoGP championship and is out of contention for this year's world title."

Word! I really hope home boy drops the hammer a little just to show them he can do it.... I know I am probably dreaming but I hope he puts in a good showing.