2011 Silly Season

[derby]

sorry, i can't let a mention of capirossi being taken out by his teammate go without pointing out it's karmic payback for loris' own team violation:

Moto 250 GP Capirossi vs Harada Crash

this is loris torpedoing his teammate at the final round of the 1998 season to take the championship. aprilia was so pleased that they fired him.

[ducpainter]

+1 GM2, Capo is highly underrated. Hell, he managed the unrideable much better than anyone bar Stoner.

...and his wife is still hot.

[NoisyDante]

Tis confirmed that Stoner is going to Honda. Ducati sent an announcement an hour ago on facebook too.  Hopefully there will be more 2011 announcements now that this domino has fallen.


http://www.ducati.com/news/ducati_and_stoner_to_part_company_at_the_end_of_2010_after_four_fantastic_years_together/2010/07/09/1642/index.do


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5h6YjVK3vdY6-xEb8nOLiHd1iJMFQ

[desmoquattro]

Tis confirmed that Stoner is going to Honda. Ducati sent an announcement an hour ago on facebook too.  Hopefully there will be more 2011 announcements now that this domino has fallen.


http://www.ducati.com/news/ducati_and_stoner_to_part_company_at_the_end_of_2010_after_four_fantastic_years_together/2010/07/09/1642/index.do


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5h6YjVK3vdY6-xEb8nOLiHd1iJMFQ

C'mon Vale...

[gm2]

...hopes to team Stoner with current factory riders Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso in 2011.

interesting that they're being open about keeping Dovi/having 3 bikes

[DanTheMan]

...hopes to team Stoner with current factory riders Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso in 2011.

interesting that they're being open about keeping Dovi/having 3 bikes

i hope so, it sucks that it seems only the factory bikes have a chance at winning, and there are only 6 factory bikes on the grid (suzuki doesnt count). Hayden cant win anywhere other than Laguna so essentially 5. Dovi is kinda a random draw to win, so now were down to 4. Has anyone besides the top 4 won a race in the last few years? Excluding wet races.... 

Hate to say it but the factory teams are turing the racing to shit, unless they supply the sat teams with the same stuff. Why during the 990 years it seemed like there were many more sat teams that had a chance to win and did on occasion?

[gm2]

Why during the 990 years it seemed like there were many more sat teams that had a chance to win and did on occasion?

because most of those satellite riders were on the RC211V and that was one hell of a bike.

and there was tire competition.

[zooom]

and also there was the variance in riding styles which changed the charachteristics of passing and lines in the 990 era...

[Cider]

because most of those satellite riders were on the RC211V and that was one hell of a bike.

and there was tire competition.

Good point.  Rain races excluded, when was the last time a non-factory bike won a race that wasn't a Honda?  Any in the four-stroke era?

[desmoquattro]

Good point.  Rain races excluded, when was the last time a non-factory bike won a race that wasn't a Honda?  Any in the four-stroke era?

Marco Melandri at Phillip Island in 2006?

[zooom]

Good point.  Rain races excluded, when was the last time a non-factory bike won a race that wasn't a Honda?  Any in the four-stroke era?

you talkin the whole 4 stroke era, or just the 800cc era?

[desmoquattro]

you talkin the whole 4 stroke era, or just the 800cc era?

None in the 800cc era, IIRC.

[Spidey]

Good point.  Rain races excluded, when was the last time a non-factory bike won a race that wasn't a Honda?  Any in the four-stroke era?

Marco Melandri at Phillip Island in 2006?

That was a Honda.

[Spidey]

A coupla min skim of results shows none in the four-stroke era.

[bdfinally]

Didn't KR, Jr. led into the last lap @ Estoril '06 on the Honda/Roberts hybrid?