Ducati Monster Forum

Event Schedule (All times PST):

Thursday, 23 April 2009
125 FP1          21:05 - 21:45
MotoGP FP1     22:05 - 22:50
250 FP1           23:05 - 23:50

Friday, 24 April 2009
125 FP2           17:05 - 17:45
MotoGP FP2      18:05 - 18:50
250 FP2            19:05 - 19:50
125 QP             21:05 - 21:45
MotoGP QP       22:05 - 22:50
250 QP             23:05 - 23:50

Saturday, 25 April 2009
125 WUP           16:40 - 17:00
250 WUP           17:10 - 17:30
MotoGP WUP      17:40 - 18:00
125 RACE           20:00
250 RACE           21:15
MotoGP RACE      23:00

(http://resources.motogp.com/files/images/xy/2008/MotoGP/n492602_231838_Aerial+shot+of+the+Motegi+Circuit-1280x960-sep23-3.jpg._original.original.jpg)


Track length: 4801m, 2.983 miles
Track width: 12-15m
Longest straight: 762m, 0.473miles
Track left corners: 6
Track right corners: 8

SPOILERS?....nothings happening yet!....unless we are talking about the front valances on the cars they are driving around there!   LOL

safer to just have it up there... it'll be a relevant warning soon enough

What do you mean?  Spidey put the length of the track and schedule times - some people might not want to know until the race.













j/k  [cheeky]

mitt

WSBK, MotoGP, and AFM in the same weekend....the choices i have to make sometimes!

easy choice for me....it's called, set the DVR and go ride!...LOL...specially since I am supposed to going to a Baseball game on Sunday.

I'm busy tomorrow and Sat and won't be able to update the thread title like derby does with up-to-date spoiler info (i.e. Qualy spoilers, FP spoiler, Race spoiler).  I decided to err on the side of caution.  If Nate or mitt want to monitor the thread and keep the spoiler warning updated, they can if they want. 

nice image!

sweaty palms

I never realized how pretty the scenery is around that track.  Wow.  I don't like this track though--too many long straights and then these really severe turns.  It's weird to watch.  I wonder which bike has the advantage in this kind of configuration.  (I'm gonna go geek out and look for it.)   [cheeky]

MotoGP | 250cc | 125cc
POLINI GRAND PRIX OF JAPAN
MotoGP Free Practice Nr. 1 Classification 
Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Motorcycle Lap time Km/h Gap
1 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1'48.545 286.472 
2 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1'48.601 284.885 0.056
3 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team Yamaha 1'48.965 294.117 0.420
4 7 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1'49.382 291.813 0.837
5 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'49.697 289.466 1.152
6 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 1'49.980 288.615 1.435
7 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'50.030 278.350 1.485
8 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team Kawasaki 1'50.123 287.769 1.578
9 24 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1'50.209 293.000 1.664
10 52 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'50.342 289.621 1.797
11 3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'50.391 283.315 1.846
12 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati 1'50.393 287.081 1.848
13 72 Yuki TAKAHASHI JPN Scot Racing Team MotoGP Honda 1'50.404 286.548 1.859
14 59 Sete GIBERNAU SPA Grupo Francisco Hernando Ducati 1'50.538 284.510 1.993
15 15 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1'50.601 282.648 2.056
16 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 1'50.669 285.487 2.124
17 36 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing Ducati 1'51.643 290.010 3.098
18 88 Niccolo CANEPA ITA Pramac Racing Ducati 1'51.929 273.141 3.384

Speed actually covering motorcycle racing on Sunday:

    * 3:00PM ET
    * FIM World Superbike
    * Netherlands - Race 1

    * 4:00PM ET
    * FIM World Superbike
    * Netherlands - Race 2

    * 5:00PM ET
    * MotoGP 250
    * Japan

    * 6:00PM ET
    * MotoGP World Championship
    * Japan

4 hours straight of MC racing? I will KILL anyone who bothers me...

+1, but I'm setting the DVR just in case.

+2

Speed is probably freaking out to have such a long break with no Nascar content.

mitt

MotoGP Free Practice Nr. 2 Classification
Pos.   Num.   Rider   Nation   Team   Motorcycle   Lap time   Km/h   Gap
1   5   Colin EDWARDS   USA   Monster Yamaha Tech 3   Yamaha   2'01.841   252.042   
2   46   Valentino ROSSI   ITA   Fiat Yamaha Team   Yamaha   2'01.893   256.653   0.052
3   27   Casey STONER   AUS   Ducati Marlboro Team   Ducati   2'02.497   250.580   0.656
4   99   Jorge LORENZO   SPA   Fiat Yamaha Team   Yamaha   2'03.007   247.876   1.166
5   7   Chris VERMEULEN   AUS   Rizla Suzuki MotoGP   Suzuki   2'03.427   258.064   1.586
6   69   Nicky HAYDEN   USA   Ducati Marlboro Team   Ducati   2'03.723   256.288   1.882
7   15   Alex DE ANGELIS   RSM   San Carlo Honda Gresini   Honda   2'04.136   253.223   2.295
8   59   Sete GIBERNAU   SPA   Grupo Francisco Hernando   Ducati   2'04.454   262.518   2.613
9   14   Randy DE PUNIET   FRA   LCR Honda MotoGP   Honda   2'04.469   258.992   2.628
10   3   Dani PEDROSA   SPA   Repsol Honda Team   Honda   2'04.489   242.478   2.648
11   4   Andrea DOVIZIOSO   ITA   Repsol Honda Team   Honda   2'04.536   259.179   2.695
12   72   Yuki TAKAHASHI   JPN   Scot Racing Team MotoGP   Honda   2'04.619   269.326   2.778
13   65   Loris CAPIROSSI   ITA   Rizla Suzuki MotoGP   Suzuki   2'04.651   258.558   2.810
14   36   Mika KALLIO   FIN   Pramac Racing   Ducati   2'04.807   270.608   2.966
15   24   Toni ELIAS   SPA   San Carlo Honda Gresini   Honda   2'04.994   264.835   3.153
16   88   Niccolo CANEPA   ITA   Pramac Racing   Ducati   2'05.327   248.676   3.486
17   33   Marco MELANDRI   ITA   Hayate Racing Team   Kawasaki   2'06.553   226.083   4.712
18   52   James TOSELAND   GBR   Monster Yamaha Tech 3   Yamaha   2'06.734   246.013   4.893

 [thumbsup] Nicky

mitt

what is the weather supposed to be like at racetime?

MotoGP Qualifying Cancelled, Rossi On Pole (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Apr/090425a.htm)

(http://radarimg.weatherbug.com/images/AWSRadars4/EasternAsia_ir/0/radar0.jpg?rnd=2-042520091626&rnd2=1240667681444)
forecast Sunday 4/26/2009
64F partly cloudy
Winds WSW 41km / 25 MPH

Traffic conditions:
dry bumpy first lap with heavy over taking into the first corner with chance of possible run offs or high-sides as tires warm,
followed by highly advanced leader positions with not much passing.
Look for a flurry of desperate attempts in laps 15 through 18 and fast as sh*t 20th through 23 laps.

70% chance of at least one Spaniard taking flight while one Italian, one American and one Ausi on podium;
followed by a 90% chance of one Italian engineer accepting factory leader award.

90% of champagne showers on scantily clad girls in the early evening

 [coffee] fingers crossed.

One hell of a race.  I really hope Lorenzo keeps form this year and I hate to say it, but thank God Pedro is back in the groove.   [bow_down]

I got myself a motogp.com subscription finally.  Where have I been?  Speed can kiss it.

I bought the single event pass and can't fond the race anywhere.  I had to look pretty hard to find the non-existant race and ended up seeing all the results. [bang]

 I'm pretty agroed as I can't watch the race this afternoon.  Oh well, two races in and I haven't seen a single race lap yet.

you should've watched the race(s) live last night.

as you can see, they haven't posted the full race vid yet. i usually don't bother checking for it until a half-day after the event.

Damn...

if it weren't for bad luck Nicky wouldn't have any luck at all.

Curse of the Ducati.   :'(

where do these guys think they are, world superbike?  =)

helluva race.

and wtf, was takahashi aiming at nicky?   >:(

so these always show on the speed ch on sunday?

not always

this is the first time that I am into them I have watched teh first 2 on speed, if its not on speed on teh next race where can I watch?

the not always was for not always on sunday.  they're all on speed... well, all but a couple that'll be on one of the major networks sometime mid-season.  and they're almost always on sunday.  not always the same time. 

That was fvcked up for sure.  Poor Nicky.

Not to try and start a debate, but this seemed like the race were the king was surrounded by the heirs to the throne, and they were all biting at him like a bunch of small fish taking on the shark.  In other words, it seemed like a pretty good lead group full of the ones to watch in the future.

mitt

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74852 (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74852)

So if he agrees with me, does that make me like famous or noble or something?   ;D

mitt

Yeah, pending the manufacturers sticking around, We're definately seeing what the next decade of GP has to offer.  Stoner, Lorenzo, Pedro, Dovi... and I'm waiting on Simoncelli and some of the other 250 guys to come up and maybe Spies in a few years.  The Rossi era isn't done, but we probably only have another 2-3 years if he sticks around for one more contract.  Will be sad to see him go, but exciting to watch the young guys doing well.

So where does Nicky go after the Ducati eats up his career like everyone else?  ;D  ( yes I know its premature, just sayin' )

duh: wsbk.  :)


and spies could come up next year, if he wanted to.  Herve Poncharal has already said he wants him.

Didn't Ben say he was happy where he was?...of course he could change his mind.

yeah, he more or less said where i am now is fun and i think GP is a little screwed up lately. 

of course, what else is he going to say at this point...

Yeah that's what I thought Spies had said, so I figured it would be a few years before he makes a switch.  He may or may not take the wsbk title this year.  I'd imagine he'd stick around for a few seasons to take care of business there before any more changes.  /shrug

GP is going to get shaken up again next year with the rule changes too, so I'm not sure its the best or most stable environment to come into.  Hopefully they will keep the 800cc limit, but settle down on changes after next year and let the factories all catch up to each other.  ( wishful thinking )

sounds like he's telling it like it is.

Awesome race! Good for Lorenzo, that battle between Rossi and Pedro was crazy. It seemed like Lorenzo hit another gear near the end and left em all behind. I'm happy to see Rossi get 2nd. I really thought Stoner was going to win going into the race. I really hope the season is full of contenders. As much as I like Rossi it does get boring when he runs away with races. And as much as I love Ducati it's boring when Stoner leaves everyone behind.

I also think Ben should stay in WSBK. GP is really about the team. If your not in one of the three top factory teams, Fiat Yamaha, Repsol Honda or Marlboro Ducati then forget it. You really have no chance of winning anything. I hope that changes in the near future.

if by "anything," you mean a championship, you're probably right. if you mean races, that's not entirely true. see melandri's '05 and '06 seasons, for example.

I'm wondering if the customer bikes will eventually win a GP race in the 800cc era? How many years did it take a non-factory rider to win on a 990?

If this is what the racing is like when they don't get the time to work on set-up, I vote to get rid of practice entirely.  It was almost as fun as watching WSBK. 

It took 13 races into the 990cc era before a non factory bike won.  Barros took first place in the 13th race of the seaon, after riding the first 12 still on a 500cc two stroke.  He took 2 wins, and 4 podiums in four races after the switch, with one pole.  Biaggi took race 10 on the Factory Yamaha, and Ukawa took race 2 on the factory Honda, with Rossi cleaning up the other 10 before Barros broke through.


I will say that once Dorna makes all the hot rookies first go to satellite teams, that we will then eventually see a customer win.  Until then, no.  There isn't enough talent in the saddles of the customer bikes to do it.  Edwards is probably the best shot the customers have, so um, yeah.

i am still too upset (about nicky) to talk about it  :'(

great race otherwise  [thumbsup]

No shit. Any word on injuries? he seemed to be having a helluva time trying to get up.

Stoner, wtf?

So stoked for Lorenzo, he's the other rider I root for  [bow_down] [bow_down] [bow_down]

He said he was ok.  He landed on the same part of his back that he hurt in Qatar, but he said it wasn't really a problem. 

“I don't want to say much about that, I don't want to look like a cry-baby but, you know, it was the first lap… luckily I feel okay. I actually landed in the same place on my back as the crash in Qatar and my leathers and helmet have got exactly the same marks.

Stoner hampered by brake issue (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74871)

yea, i'm still hopeful for nicky, but if he doesn't place 1st in the next 2 or 3 races, he's not going to have a chance of regaining the title. he needs to win to get his confidence back. when was his last win?

watch out for pedrosa...

I don't think anyone realistically thinks Nicky can--or earlier thought that he could--win the title this year.  But stranger things have happened (e.g., I'm pretty sure I saw both Lorenzo and Pedrosa smile during post-race interviews). 

yea, i don't how realistic it is, just hopeful  :)

win?  he hasn't done much of that, ever.

IIRC, he has 3...2 of them at Laguna (2005/2006).

he's only won at laguna???
i thought he won somewhere else but i guess not...
well that puts everything into perspective.

EDIT: i though he won at least 4 or 5 since he's been in the motogp

he has 3 total wins.  2 at laguna ('05, '06), 1 at assen ('06).

he won the championship in 2006 because he was on the podium 10 times.  (and because valentino lost it in valencia)

yes, that's right...assen...

wasn't hayden 5th or 6th in the standing going into valencia '06?

^^ Like gm2 said...he won twice at Laguna, once at Assen, and was on the podium a bunch of times in 2006.

Heh.  No Hayden was in second place... I believe it was 8 points back of Rossi.  Valencia was the last race of that year for Hayden's championship.    Rossi was around 7th position or so and lowsided trying to play catch up.  Hayden rode out a good race in second place, never needing to push it after Rossi binned it.  I remember Edwards slowing pace and letting Rossi by for some points, but it didn't really matter.

Only reason Hayden was in that hole to begin with was due to Pedrobot taking em both out prior to Valencia.

Pedrosa is a douchebag

...third.  bayliss and capirossi were out of reach.

Come on, Carlos...that's rather cruel to douchebags.

Statistics:


Total number of Grand Prix wins by Italians    :   702
208   500cc/MotoGp class
190   250cc class
216    125cc Class

1st place all time wins ITALY

Total number of Grand Prix wins by Americans:  172
153   500cc/MotoGp class
19     250cc class
0     125cc Class

4th place all time winnings USA


Italy has more wins in 125cc than the USA has total.
Nicky's win at Laguna was #153. That's pretty huge if you give it a little perspective.
When Vale wins it's a drop in the bucket.

those numbers are skewed by the inordinate number of europeans in the smaller gp classes.

the stats for premier class only aren't so uneven.

True. It's funny though that I think we in the US kind of tend to discredit the smaller cc classes.
When Vale won his "8th," I heard many people & media say, "uh...no, 6 wins. The first 2 were in the 'baby-GP' class."   [laugh]

I stand corrected.  If memory serves right, Hayden had the pace to fight for victory, but backed off after Rossi was clearly out of contention?  I remember watching that race, but its slightly foggy.  I think Rossi was having a hell of a time getting past Stoner and pushed it too hard... I think.

I know we've gone around on this topic before, but you could almost argue that the lower class championships hold more weight due to the nature of close racing that those machines bring to the table.

not me. i only say so in this case because it's rather uncommon for americans to participate in the 125 and 250gp classes.

Slightly off topic, has Vale ever run the number 1 plate?  Maybe back when he won a "baby moto-gp"? [laugh]

I don't believe so. He's always said that #1 is very heavy....

nope... he's always run his dad's competition number.

http://www.crash.net/MotoGP/News/146074/1/bridgestone_apologises_for_pedrosa_tyre.html (http://www.crash.net/MotoGP/News/146074/1/bridgestone_apologises_for_pedrosa_tyre.html)

(http://pix.crash.net/motorsport/360/PA576204.jpg)

Holy crap.  How did he ride on that thing?!?

Cause he's a talented douchebag.

that's nothing
I've personally have been witness to observing Luca ride on a tire with less meat on it.... and doing it pantsless

It's a conspiracy....

cuz he's a douchebag.

Looks like there was a problem with the bond between the compounds...

I'm sure that made the handling interesting.  :P

you are hereby banned for mentioning Luca, pantless, and meat in the same post.



that tire pic is pretty amazing.

a lot of work went into wording it just right  [laugh]

the evil midget has skills (and brass tiny balls)