MotoGP 2011 -- Rd 1 Qatar (Race Spoilers)

[gm2]

toby moody: Hopkins not actually worded as a reserve rider for Suzuki, just as every other team don't have one present here this weekend.

[zooom]

...how happy is carmelo right about now.

he is probably on the verge of shitting kittens....

[gm2]

so why not stick Ant West on the suzi?

[gm2]

uh oh...  http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/90021

[derby]

uh oh...  http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/90021

fwiw, i don't think anybody has found the limit on their new bikes.

[Buckethead]

fwiw, i don't think anybody has found the limit on their new bikes.

Well, Bautista did. Kinda. But not in the way we like to see.

[DRKWNG]

Yeesh!  Wish someone would post a version of FP2 that I could use on RU.

Guess it's time to renew the MotoGP subscription...

[fastwin]

the most interesting new graphic of Rossi's isn’t on his helmet itself, it’s a new graphic element on the Desmosedici GP11 that’s a possible nod to trouble Rossi is having taming the machine. This characature of Rossi trying to desperately cling on to the Ducati, snapped by Motoblog.it ,adhered to his front fender is new this weekend. In the testing and initially in the free practises Rossi  has been struggling to turn competitive lap times aboard the GP11, and this is his humorous way to reflect exactly that.

Oh my God!! Someone got Ed "Big Daddy" Roth to do a graphic of Rossi as the 1960's Rat Fink!!!

[OT]

RIP....

Doubt it's an 'in trouble' image....http://tinyurl.com/4zdppsr

Now, back to our regularly scheduled program....  

[Speeddog]

Pos     No.     Rider                      Bike     Time     Diff     Diff Previous
1    27    Casey STONER            HONDA    1'54.137         
2    26    Dani PEDROSA            HONDA    1'54.342    0.205    0.205
3    1    Jorge LORENZO            YAMAHA    1'54.947    0.810    0.605
4    58    Marco SIMONCELLI      HONDA    1'54.988    0.851    0.041
5    11    Ben SPIES                  YAMAHA    1'55.095    0.958    0.107
6    8    Hector BARBERA           DUCATI    1'55.223    1.086    0.128
7    4    Andrea DOVIZIOSO      HONDA    1'55.229    1.092    0.006
8    35    Cal CRUTCHLOW          YAMAHA    1'55.578    1.441    0.349
9    46    Valentino ROSSI          DUCATI    1'55.637    1.500    0.059
10    5    Colin EDWARDS           YAMAHA    1'55.647    1.510    0.010
11    14    Randy DE PUNIET      DUCATI    1'55.656    1.519    0.009
12    7    Hiroshi AOYAMA           HONDA    1'55.724    1.587    0.068
13    69    Nicky HAYDEN             DUCATI    1'55.881    1.744    0.157
14    65    Loris CAPIROSSI        DUCATI    1'56.323    2.186    0.442
15    17    Karel ABRAHAM          DUCATI    1'56.665    2.528    0.342
16    24    Toni ELIAS                   HONDA    1'57.992    3.855    1.327
     19    Alvaro BAUTISTA           SUZUKI

[Jester]

Seeing how Stoner can pretty much run into the 1:54's on hard tires if he has to, there is no way he's losing this race unless he dumps the bike, and frankly I don't see him doing that unless its a freak event.  He was slamming out 1:55.0 consistantly and there is no one else that can touch that pace every lap.  Pedro can run that pace in spurts, but I don't think he can run that pace over 22 laps.  I'm pretty sure Stoner had a 1:53 in the bag if he really pushed that bike to the edge.

The battle behind Stoner should have some great moments.

[pennyrobber]

The battle behind Stoner should have some great moments.

+1

Hopefully Stoner doesn't bin it.

[Raux]

wow, who would have thought Ducati=also runs, back of the pack

[The Don]

What does that say about Stoner as a rider, after what he did on that duke over the years? I wonder why and how he ever took pole positions and even a title with that bike.

[derby]

best. interview. ever.

http://www.motogp.com/en/videos/2011/Edwards+reviews+qualifying+in+Qatar