Ducati Monster Forum

Rossi fastest again (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81688)

Pos  Rider                Team               Time       Gap       Laps
 1.  Valentino Rossi      Yamaha             2m01.068s            47
 2.  Casey Stoner         Ducati             2m01.219s  + 0.151s  33
 3.  Andrea Dovizioso     Honda              2m01.631s  + 0.563s  52
 4.  Loris Capirossi      Suzuki             2m01.687s  + 0.619s  52
 5.  Ben Spies            Tech 3 Yamaha      2m01.843s  + 0.775s  42
 6.  Colin Edwards        Tech 3 Yamaha      2m01.897s  + 0.829s  35
 7.  Dani Pedrosa         Honda              2m02.036s  + 0.968s  47
 8.  Mika Kallio          Pramac Ducati      2m02.038s  + 0.970s  76
 9.  Alvaro Bautista      Suzuki             2m02.078s  + 1.010s  34
10.  Marco Melandri       Gresini Honda      2m02.086s  + 1.018s  52
11.  Nicky Hayden         Ducati             2m02.221s  + 1.153s  61
12.  Hiroshi Aoyama       Interwetten Honda  2m02.419s  + 1.351s  57
13.  Aleix Espargaro      Pramac Ducati      2m02.447s  + 1.379s  35
14.  Hector Barbera       Aspar Ducati       2m02.485s  + 1.417s  62
15.  Randy de Puniet      LCR Honda          2m02.535s  + 1.467s  76
16.  Marco Simoncelli     Gresini Honda      2m03.254s  + 2.186s  53
17.  Norihiko Fujiwara    Yamaha             2m04.681s  + 3.613s  51
18.  Wataru Yoshikawa     Yamaha             2m04.967s  + 3.899s  43

....you know what i'm gonna say...   ;D
 

[thumbsup]



(and go dovi?!)

Yeah, damn those Zukes are fast!  ;D

Bautista gettin' down.  [thumbsup]

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4387168071_f0b4284230_o.jpg)

Yup, the pics below pretty much sum it up for Day 1 for Simoncelli.  Rossi tagged him or Spies to be a rookie who could be in the mix with the aliens.

(http://pix.crash.net/motorsport/360/PA695134.jpg)

(http://www.rideontwo.com/gallery/d/97221-2/mgp_2010_02_25_Sepang_MarcoSimoncelli_2569.jpg)

Didja see that Stoner didn't even run the new Bridgestones and was still right on Rossi's butt?  That bodes well, assuming the new tires don't mess up whatever mix of components they've settled on for the GP10. 

cuz they be buddies.  and he's too big for the 250.. not that there's a 250 anymore.

Yeah, but if he keeps getting 16th, Rossi's gonna have to revise his newly declared "no more racing tips for Simoncelli now that he's in MotoGP" rule.

I really wonder how the new crop of 250 racers is gonna be performing in the second half of the season.  I have no idea, but my gut says that none of them are really going to shine.   Who knows?

Yeah, Simoncelli's struggling.

What's up with Hayden?

Just had a bit of work done on his arm, so maybe a little bit off from that.

As of 2pm on Friday's test:

Rossi      2min 0.271 sec
Stoner    2min 0.512 sec
Hayden   2min 0.703 sec
Edwards  2min 0.988 sec
Spies      2min 1.014 sec

Seems like Nicky found something.  [thumbsup]
We'll see if he can maintain rank through the day.

Simoncelli highsided on his 3rd lap of the day, off to the hospital for a checkup.  :P

the rest of the 2pm times:

1.   Valentino Rossi   ITA   Fiat Yamaha Team   2min   0.271   sec   (26 laps)
2.   Casey Stoner AUS   Ducati Marlboro Team   2min   0.512   sec   (20 laps)
3.   Nicky Hayden USA   Ducati Marlboro Team   2min   0.703   sec   (28 laps)
4.   Colin Edwards USA   Monster Yamaha Tech 3   2min   0.988   sec   (21 laps)
5.   Ben Spies   USA   Monster Yamaha Tech 3   2min   1.014   sec   (31 laps)
6.   Loris Capirossi   ITA   Rizla Suzuki MotoGP   2min   1.320   sec   (29 laps)
7.   Andrea Dovizioso   ITA   Repsol Honda Team   2min   1.439   sec   (18 laps)
8.   Alvaro Bautista SPA   Rizla Suzuki MotoGP   2min   1.732   sec   (21 laps)
9.   Randy de Puniet   FRA   LCR Honda MotoGP   2min   1.980   sec   (33 laps)
10.   Marco Melandri   ITA   San Carlo Honda Gresini   2min   2.078   sec   (28 laps)
11.   Mika Kallio   FIN   Pramac Racing   2min   2.117   sec   (34 laps)
12.   Hiroshi Aoyama JPN   Interwetten Honda MotoGP   2min   2.196   sec   (21 laps)
13.   Dani Pedrosa   SPA   Repsol Honda Team   2min   2.366   sec   (24 laps)
14.   Aleix Espargaro   SPA   Pramac Racing   2min   2.403   sec   (21 laps)
15.   Hector Barbera SPA   Paginas Amarillas Ducati   2min   2.487   sec   (32 laps)
16.   Marco Simoncelli ITA   San Carlo Honda Gresini   2min   3.689   sec   (2 laps)

i'll say.. that's the closest he's been to stoner ever!

Where's Jorge?

who cares?  ... i mean, mx accident.  =)

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81539 (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81539)

Like him or not, without him, last year's season would have been that much less interesting to watch. When there were duels between him and Rossi it seemed like those were the few high points to the racing.

Final times from Friday  [beer]

Pos.    Rider             Bike          Time    Diff    Diff previous  Fast lap    Total
1    Valentino Rossi    Yamaha    2'00.271    0.000               12     39
2    Casey Stoner      Ducati      2'00.512    0.241    0.241    13    33
3    Nicky Hayden      Ducati      2'00.703    0.432    0.191    20    42
4    Colin Edwards     Yamaha    2'00.988    0.717    0.285    18    35
5    Ben Spies           Yamaha    2'01.014    0.743    0.026    11    44
6    Loris Capirossi      Suzuki     2'01.320    1.049    0.306    6    50
7    Andrea Dovizioso    Honda    2'01.439    1.168    0.119    13    46
8    Dani Pedrosa        Honda      2'01.478    1.207    0.039    56    57
9    Hiroshi Aoyama    Honda      2'01.692    1.421    0.214    47    50
10    Alvaro Bautista    Suzuki    2'01.732    1.461    0.040    17    25
11    Randy De Puniet    Honda    2'01.980    1.709    0.248    4    58
12    Marco Melandri    Honda      2'02.078    1.807    0.098    3    60
13    Hector Barbera    Ducati      2'02.080    1.809    0.002    45    52
14    Mika Kallio            Ducati    2'02.082    1.811    0.002    65    66
15    Yamaha Test T    Yamaha    2'02.287    2.016    0.205    17    18
16    Aleix Espargaro    Ducati      2'02.367    2.096    0.080    49    49
17    Marco Simoncelli    Honda     2'03.689    3.418    1.322    2    2
18    Yamaha Test O    Yamaha    2'04.500    4.229    0.811    11    43

Hayden!  [thumbsup]

+1. and is Suzuki (gasp) becoming relevant?

Hayden!?!  Ho-leeee shit.  That's the closest he's been to Casey since 2006. 

Man, that's just awesome.  I'm a fan of every rider in the top 5 (actually, the top 7).

I scoured the text from interviews with Hayden, and listened to the interview here:
http://www.motomatters.com/news/2010/02/26/motogp_sepang_test_audio_interviews_with.html (http://www.motomatters.com/news/2010/02/26/motogp_sepang_test_audio_interviews_with.html)

He didn't really *say* what they found that let him pick up the pace.

Reading between the lines, it sounds like when they get the setup close enough to right, then he can push hard.
Perhaps the Duc is just very much a razor's edge setup, off a little bit and you're make the beast with two backsed.

Casey is lauding this years Duc as a more complete bike and a bit easier to ride.  I think that plays into Hayden's hands more than Stoner as far as overall improvement.

Two thoughts:

I'm really surprised how far off the pace Simoncelli has been, and Pedro isn't getting along with Ohlins atm.

even with the improved big bang characteristics i think that one is beyond a shadow of a doubt.  you need be WFO or it just no worky.

Go Nicky


mitt

new speed = need elbow sliders

(http://img49.yfrog.com/img49/4807/2c4e.jpg)

i looked up the qualifying times for the last race at sepang the pole was 2'00.518 (Rossi)and 2nd was 2'01.078 (Lorenzo) so that would put both ducs on the front row and Lorenzo in the third row behind Spies. I think this is going to be a whole diffrent season if it keeps up it might be as exciting as SBK.