2009 MotoGP Round 10 - Donington Park (Race Spoilers)

[Spidey]

That was a pretty dumb race to watch.  WTF?  Glad Dovi got the win though.

[redxblack]

That was a pretty dumb race to watch.  WTF?  Glad Dovi got the win though.

+1
It was nice to hear Stoner not whinge about the decision to run wet tires. He took this one on the chin, no excuses.

[ZLTFUL]

That was a pretty dumb race to watch.  WTF?  Glad Dovi got the win though.

Why? Because it was actually a race and involved strategy and a whole bunch of balls?
Or was it because 2 riders didn't run away from the rest of the field and then end up finishing 15 seconds ahead of them with 3 seconds between 1st and 2nd?

In case you missed some of the more important parts of the race...
The person who finished 2nd was nearly last at one point of the race.
1 race leader crashed out.
1 person who had a shot at making it on the podium crashed out.
1 race leader crashed and remounted back in 11th or 12th place and still managed to finish in 5th.
Crashy McSmurf got passed by alot of people.
The winner was on the top of the podium for the first time in his premier class career.
Second and third place were on the podium for their first times this year.
A team with one of the championship contenders made a HUGE gamble and lost.
Some teams chose to swap bikes with less than 10 laps left.

To me, and I may be grasping here but having a race where the lead actually changes regularly, where things are actually happening throughout the race, where the leaders aren't winning by more than 5 seconds over the rest of the field...it was refreshing.

Don't get me wrong...the Rossi/Lorenzo battles of late have been spectacular but hardly the stuff that make great races. This...THIS was a great race, start to finish. From Championship points leader to back marker, everyone had some part in this race.

[zooom]

I agree with ZLTFUL....but one of the other things that made this race great IMHO is the fact that very clearly the traction control systems were the right wrist of each rider and how much or how little they twisted and wrung em out....and personally...I think that is where it is at and one of the things I majorly miss from the 990 era....I think traction control robs the audience of seeing moreso where and why these guys are exactly where they are....rain is the great equalizer IMHO and this was just one of the finest examples of exactly that!

[tufty]

It was interesting that Herve Ponche-whatever-his-name-is, said that in his opinion the only thing between Colin and the top step of the podium was "Parts!"

(That was for all you satellite and factory bikes are the same crowd.)

[gm2]

GM2..2 for Edwards last year?  We're those at the beginning of the season.  It's been so long..I can't remember the last time I've seen him up there!!

le mans and assen.. first half of the year.  before michelin went completely off the reservation.

[cyrus buelton]

That is a bit surprising that a team would run BOTH riders on wet tires.

[Spidey]

Why? Because it was actually a race and involved strategy and a whole bunch of balls?
Or was it because 2 riders didn't run away from the rest of the field and then end up finishing 15 seconds ahead of them with 3 seconds between 1st and 2nd?

In case you missed some of the more important parts of the race...
The person who finished 2nd was nearly last at one point of the race.
1 race leader crashed out.
1 person who had a shot at making it on the podium crashed out.
1 race leader crashed and remounted back in 11th or 12th place and still managed to finish in 5th.
Crashy McSmurf got passed by alot of people.
The winner was on the top of the podium for the first time in his premier class career.
Second and third place were on the podium for their first times this year.
A team with one of the championship contenders made a HUGE gamble and lost.
Some teams chose to swap bikes with less than 10 laps left.

To me, and I may be grasping here but having a race where the lead actually changes regularly, where things are actually happening throughout the race, where the leaders aren't winning by more than 5 seconds over the rest of the field...it was refreshing.

Don't get me wrong...the Rossi/Lorenzo battles of late have been spectacular but hardly the stuff that make great races. This...THIS was a great race, start to finish. From Championship points leader to back marker, everyone had some part in this race.

I definitely don't want to see Rossi and Lorenzo battle it out for every race, 10 seconds ahead of everyone else.  That said, the race still sucked. 

The only 'strategy' was whether to stay out on wets.  And the choice came so late in the race, there wasn't a choice for the leaders.  They were stuck out there on slicks and just had to ride through it.  Not what I'd call an exciting strategy race.

Ducati took a big gamble and as a result, we didn't get to see one of the championship leaders compete in the race.  Not really exciting when one of th leaders is out from the start. 

There were two crashes that had almost nothing to do with whether the rider was on the limit or pushing it.  Just stupid wet white lines.  Not exciting.

Wet weather riding on slicks, where the riders are creeping through turns, is not exciting.

The passing in the wet on slicks is not exciting.

Basically, the race was like watching a crapshoot.  Too much chance and unpredictability that had nothing to do with racing or with riding.  Not interesting.

[Desmostro]

Best 2 quotes both from Colin Edwards in his most delicate "agricultural language."   

"Paradise Island, what would we do without it?"

"I'm getin' too old for this shit...   I just wanna finish this damn race I don't care I just wana get off this bike... then right at the end I saw him an' - well I'm gona have to have a go."

                   
Way to go COLIN! 

Here's my question, what happened to intermediate tires? I only heard slicks and full wet mentioned. There's no tire for a little rain?
Why did it have to be this "big gamble."

[zooom]

Here's my question, what happened to intermediate tires? I only heard slicks and full wet mentioned. There's no tire for a little rain?
Why did it have to be this "big gamble."

or even some hand cut slicks!?!?!?

[kopfjäger]

One time I would like to see a MotoGP race where they reverse the field. Just once.

[Jester]

One time I would like to see a MotoGP race where they reverse the field. Just once.

At least penalize Pedro 5 grid positions on a per race basis or enforce a "three brick rule" in his belly pan to negate the migit start effect.

[ZLTFUL]

I definitely don't want to see Rossi and Lorenzo battle it out for every race, 10 seconds ahead of everyone else.  That said, the race still sucked. 

The only 'strategy' was whether to stay out on wets.  And the choice came so late in the race, there wasn't a choice for the leaders.  They were stuck out there on slicks and just had to ride through it.  Not what I'd call an exciting strategy race.

Ducati took a big gamble and as a result, we didn't get to see one of the championship leaders compete in the race.  Not really exciting when one of th leaders is out from the start. 

There were two crashes that had almost nothing to do with whether the rider was on the limit or pushing it.  Just stupid wet white lines.  Not exciting.

Wet weather riding on slicks, where the riders are creeping through turns, is not exciting.

The passing in the wet on slicks is not exciting.

Basically, the race was like watching a crapshoot.  Too much chance and unpredictability that had nothing to do with racing or with riding.  Not interesting.

Well then I guess we will respectfully disagree over a bottle of Templeton Rye...

[DanTheMan]

I think the wet races have been the best races all year. brings back the suprise to racing. Otherwise its been the same top 4 all year . Really wanted to see Colin get the W.

[superjohn]

I thought the race was great as well. I'm convinced that there's a general negative reinforcement loop propagating some notion that racing so so much better in the good old days. Having gone back and watched some of those old races in Indycar (CART/USAC whatever), F1, and motorcycles I'm convinced that racing now is every bit as good as it used to be.

Asbestos underwear donned.