MotoGP: Qatar Test 3/18-19 (Spoilers)

[Jester]

This is making me hard.  I'm hoping Pedro gets it sorted, Lorenzo heals up, and Spies keep the pace.  It would be fun to see 5 guys up front this year.

[gm2]

this kind of thing really ought to be on tv.

[gm2]

final times

Session 1 as of 24:00 - 18/03/10

Pos   Rider   Team   Fastest lap   Prev. Gap   Lead. Gap   Laps
1   Valentino Rossi   Fiat Yamaha Team   1:55.402   -   -   64
2   Casey Stoner   Ducati Marlboro Team   1:55.717   +0.315   +0.315   48
3   Ben Spies   Monster Yamaha Tech 3   1:55.954   +0.237   +0.552   44
4   Colin Edwards   Monster Yamaha Tech 3   1:56.540   +0.586   +1.138   59
5   Randy De Puniet   LCR Honda MotoGP   1:56.588   +0.048   +1.186   54
6   Andrea Dovizioso   Repsol Honda Team   1:56.811   +0.223   +1.409   65
7   Jorge Lorenzo   Fiat Yamaha Team   1:56.838   +0.027   +1.436   45
8   Nicky Hayden   Ducati Marlboro Team   1:56.855   +0.017   +1.453   77
9   Mika Kallio   Pramac Racing Team   1:56.923   +0.068   +1.521   72
10   Dani Pedrosa   Repsol Honda Team   1:57.047   +0.124   +1.645   60
11   Loris Capirossi   Rizla Suzuki MotoGP   1:57.099   +0.052   +1.697   40
12   Marco Melandri   San Carlo Honda Gresini   1:57.605   +0.506   +2.203   63
13   Hector Barbera   Aspar Team   1:57.822   +0.217   +2.420   62
14   Hiroshi Aoyama   Interwetten-Honda MotoGP   1:57.888   +0.066   +2.486   75
15   Marco Simoncelli   San Carlo Honda Gresini   1:57.891   +0.003   +2.489   63
16   Aleix Espargaro   Pramac Racing Team   1:57.898   +0.007   +2.496   67
17   Alvaro Bautista   Rizla Suzuki MotoGP   1:57.960   +0.062   +2.558   56

[Spidey]

I wanna know who was running which tires before I start spoogin' all over the screen about Team Texas and The Ben particularly.  That said, Rossi is gonna crush this year.  

[gm2]

http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=39781

Ben Spies 3rd 1.55.954 – 44 laps

“I know this track from last year but riding under the floodlights is definitely a bit different and nothing I've experienced before. The perception of speed is much faster with it being at night but I'm having a lot of fun. It's really well lit up but there are a couple of darker spots on the track that you have to get used to but I've not done too bad in adjusting to the lights. I know the track but any track I go to on a MotoGP bike makes it definitely different because of the lines you take. Some of the lines I'd take on the superbike just don't work but I felt like it was coming together good and following a couple of people it felt like I was doing more of the right things than I was in Malaysia. Obviously it is great for me to be high up the timesheets but I'm still taking baby steps to improve and not getting carried away. The crash was nothing too serious. I was running the hard front and I wasn't getting a good feeling from it. We changed the pressure to try and help for my second run but I just lost the front at the second corner. But to be third is fantastic for my guys at Monster Yamaha Tech 3. They have been giving me great support.”

Colin Edwards 4th 1.56.541 – 59 laps

“It was a good night. It didn't start off too great and it took me a while to get into the groove. We played around with the set-up using some of the new parts I'd liked in Sepang and also running some of last year's pieces to get some good information. The lap time was about the same so around this track the new parts aren't making the difference like they did in Malaysia. I did a long run on the hard front and I like it. I did race distance on it and it felt really good. I ended up doing 27-laps on it, which is five more than race distance, and it still felt really good. I'm getting the feedback I need at full lean angle and it holds the turn much better."

[mitt]

OK, so did Ben help Colin, or vice versa?  Or, is the bike that good? 

mitt

[Jester]

I think the bike is that good.  I'm guessing the satellite yams are very close to the factory bikes this year.  The engines are probably identical, which wasn't always the case in the past.

I'm predicting Rossi signs an extension after this season, Jorge leaves, and Ben takes his factory spot.  Jorge goes to Honda to ride with Dovi, Pedro moves to Suzuki to replace Capirex, Stoner stays put, Hayden goes to Tech3 Yammy.

[Spidey]

From rideontwo.com.   



















Sorry, no Rossi or Lorenzo actions shots.    Here's one of Rossi in the background . . .

[Speeddog]

Good pics. 

Man that Pramac green is pukey. 

[gm2]

I think the bike is that good.  I'm guessing the satellite yams are very close to the factory bikes this year.  The engines are probably identical, which wasn't always the case in the past.

while the rate of parts availability to tech 3 differed throughout the year, that was the whole idea from 2008 ->.  after the 800 introduction debacle, yamaha changed their satellite strategy.

~wildcard issue this year is the new longer lasting motors, which do not appear to be down on power at all.  so the factories spent a ton of moolah making that happen.  cost savings!


GO TEXAS


and heck yeah, great pics.

maybe that's not the same corner, but look at that pic of casey vs. nicky.  casey is visibly more out there on the ragged edge.

[Spidey]

Twerpy McDouchnozzle desperately trying to smile.   



This photo is ripe for a caption contest.

[Speeddog]

~~~SNIP~~~

maybe that's not the same corner, but look at that pic of casey vs. nicky.  casey is visibly more out there on the ragged edge.

IMO, that's the same corner.
Looks like Nicky is further into it, from the shadow.
Casey does have a lot more load on the front tire.
Too bad we can't see the rear tire.
I think Nicky's on corner exit, more throttle and less lean.

[mitt]

To my untrained eye, it looks like Nicky has thinned down this year.  I wonder what he is weighing in at and if it is helping his times?  He almost looks Stonerish.

mitt

[gm2]

To my untrained eye, it looks like Nicky has thinned down this year.  I wonder what he is weighing in at and if it is helping his times?  He almost looks Stonerish.

mitt

http://superbikeplanet.com/2010/Mar/100315lightleathers.htm

ben also lost about 10lbs

[Triple J]

Wow...those guys are small!