MotoGP: Qatar Test (SPOILERS)

[zooom]

So by far Casey and Whoreghey have posted the best lap times. The flying laps are more for preparing for qualifying.

exactly.....and race pace maintained overall isn't being measured either...so one of the guys who maybe is puttering as far as times, who is laying down what they are doing consistantly is likely to be potentially further up the pecking order maybe...

[pennyrobber]

My prediction is that either Casey or You'regay will crash during the first race. You heard it here first. (unless someone else already said it)

[gm2]

final (published, best) times: casey, dani, ben.  rdp ahead of george.  =)

http://motomatters.com/results/2011/03/14/2011_motogp_qatar_day_2_test_times_final.html

[pennyrobber]

Maybe Rossi is pulling the greatest mind-F of his career by sand bagging until the race where he'll win it by several seconds. 

[gm2]

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/167413/1/rossi_explains_13th_place_at_tough_final_test.html

[DRKWNG]

Maybe Rossi is pulling the greatest mind-F of his career by sand bagging until the race where he'll win it by several seconds. 

Maybe.  But as good as he is at playing mind games on folks, he is still in the recovery process of shoulder injury/sugery.  Couple that with the fact that the Desmo is known to require a lot of rider input to load up the front end and get it to respond well into the turns (which requires a decent amount of upper body strength), it wouldn't be too surprising if this will be a learning (first half of a) season for him.

[swampduc]

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/167413/1/rossi_explains_13th_place_at_tough_final_test.html

wow. The comments, particularly the negative ones, after that article are completely irrational. No consideration of how development time and tire changes affect the bike. I don't worship rossi, but give the man half a season at least.

[Speeddog]

Lots of trolls under the bridge at Crash!.....

wow. The comments, particularly the negative ones, after that article are completely irrational. No consideration of how development time and tire changes affect the bike. I don't worship rossi, but give the man half a season at least.

[gm2]

wow. The comments, particularly the negative ones, after that article are completely irrational. No consideration of how development time and tire changes affect the bike. I don't worship rossi, but give the man half a season at least.

it's less fun to be rational.  or to remember that he's got a still-healing shoulder, or that the last time he rode a non-japanese bike was 1999, etc..

[Speeddog]

This pic struck me as totally descriptive of the Ducati pre-season:

[gm2]

could be a new thread, but whatever.  great article.

http://plus.autosport.com/free/feature/3351/why-motogp-2011-will-be-an-epic/

this as well:  http://motomatters.com/report/2011/03/16/2011_motogp_season_preview_the_factory_r.html

[Drjones]

Considering the way things are in Japan I'd say the season will be interesting rather than epic since moto racing isn't exactly high on the pecking order right now.

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/nakamoto+interview

From HRC

" . . . Another problem is related to our suppliers. Many of them cannot work at the moment, and this is a potential problem for the racing activities in the coming weeks. So far we have all spare parts we need for Qatar and Jerez races, but after that, if the situation does not change, we will have to manage this carefully. . . ."