2009 MotoGP Round 17 - Valencia (Qualifying spoilers)

[Spidey]

oh, so NOW you're a spies fan. 

Been a Spies since he turned me around at Road Atlanta (at least that's where I think it was).  Ride through to 15th or so on the grid and then finished 2d?!?  Dayum.  I didn't like him much before that.  

OTOH, I'm also a realist.  Which is why The Ben *shouldn't* have won more WSBK races than Haga.  And why he *shouldn't* beat Edwards at Valencia.  Then again, he's also superhuman, which keeps throwing a wrench into my betting strategy.  

I'll stick with Edwards.  The only advantages The Ben has this weekend are (a) he has nothing to lose, (b) he's on a 2010 factory test bike and (c) he's not human.  

[derby]

is he on a 2010 bike or a 2009 test bike?

[gm2]

The way Toseland's been going lately, I think The Ben is going to mop the floor with him. 

esp since ben has already spent significant, successful time on bridgestones and jt really can't seem to get on level terms with them

I suspect Ben's bikes are going to be set to 'Full Tilt Boogie'.
I don't think the engines are really 'worth' all that much, assuming the 2010 motors are totally new.

unless maybe ben's engines are 2010 engines.. or 2009.8 engines.  who knows.  valuable for yamaha not only to give him the best chance they can (especially now) and get some real race testing data for the new engines now... when they can't give them to the other 4 guys.

[Spidey]

is he on a 2010 bike or a 2009 test bike?

Errr . . . dunno.  All I know is that it's a test bike from Japan.  I assumed that meant it's a 2009.9 bike.  Not quite the 2010 bike, but further along (for good or for bad) than the existing M1.  

I can't imagine they're gonna give him a full-tilt boogie engine.  That'd be pointless in terms of getting him some testing time for the bike and some baseline data for next year.  He needs to learn to ride an M1 that's tuned so that they can get within the 8(?) engine limit for next season.  

[Edit:  I think I just said the same thing gm2 did.  Shoulda just went with +1.]

[gm2]

I can't imagine they're gonna give him a full-tilt boogie engine.  That'd be pointless in terms of getting him some testing time for the bike and some baseline data for next year. 

unless they really are giving him an early version of a 2010 engine in order to get data on it when it's turned up to 11.  better to understand then how to make it last for 2 or 3 races next year.

i dunno.. i can imagine reasons for going either way.

[Speeddog]

For 2010, do they have to allocate and seal *all* engines before the start of festivities?

[derby]

For 2010, do they have to allocate and seal *all* engines before the start of festivities?

not sure.

this year they were able to allocate and seal them in batches.

[EvilSteve]

For 2010, do they have to allocate and seal *all* engines before the start of festivities?

I thought I read somewhere that The Ben gets his own allocation of motors just like any other new rider. Did any of the other riders not starting at the first race have to borrow motors?

[mitt]

I thought I read somewhere that The Ben gets his own allocation of motors just like any other new rider. Did any of the other riders not starting at the first race have to borrow motors?

He gets 8 engines for 1 race     


mitt

[EvilSteve]

Nice!

[derby]

[zooom]

niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice!

[gm2]

back to 11 eh...

[Speeddog]

That bike goes to 11. 

[gm2]

That bike goes to 11. 

guess that means colin gets 12th....