2013 MotoGP Round 2 - COTA <Spoilers? You Bet!>

[triangleforge]

C'mon! Here it is Thursday morning, we've got a new race on a new track with lots of Yam/Honda backstory from the private tests, Ducati riders talking about taping course map to the tank, Rossi AWOL for hours trying to stitch together air travel to Austin, the Tech 3 pit BURNS TO THE GROUND and the Yamaha Factory pit suffers EPIC FLOODING in the attempt to put out the conflagration* - and it's radio silence around here.

Where's the unfounded speculation? Lorenzo Bashing & Vale worship? Ducati Corsa despair?

OK, let me get this started: Dovi on his first look (from a rental car) at the new track: http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Apr/130418dovi.htm

Dovi explains his reaction when seeing the track for the first time. "We go around in a car and we stop and get out and we say ...'fuuuuk, which way the track go? Which line we use?'.

 

*Well, not really.

[desmoquattro]

Probably because the conversation has largely moved to social media, and message boards are no longer all that relevant?

[Raux]

FP1

1MARQUEZ M.Repsol Honda Team2:08.756
 2LORENZO J.Yamaha Factory Racing+0.253
 3PEDROSA D.Repsol Honda Team+1.600
 4DOVIZIOSO A.Ducati Team+1.909
 5HAYDEN N.Ducati Team+2.045
 6ROSSI V.Yamaha Factory Racing+2.072
 7BAUTISTA A.GO&FUN Honda Gresini+2.154
 8CRUTCHLOW C.Monster Yamaha Tech 3+2.476
 9BRADL S.LCR Honda MotoGP+3.173
 10SPIES B.Ignite Pramac Racing+4.057
 11HERNANDEZ Y.Paul Bird Motorsport+4.302
 12CORTI C.NGM Mobile Forward Racing+4.929
 13EDWARDS C.NGM Mobile Forward Racing+4.938

[MadDuck]

The two Texas boys will be kind of close to each other.   

[xsephirot]

They're still some 5 seconds off the pace of the private test. Be interesting to see which riders learn the track fastest. So far Marquez is dirty fast and Lorenzo is real steady.

[triangleforge]

The FP1 results sheet at Soup notes "All riders are complaining of a lack of grip." I'd imagine that will improve as more rubber gets laid down over the next practice/qualifying sessions. Wonder what changed in the month since private testing - wind & dust?

[Speeddog]

The FP1 results sheet at Soup notes "All riders are complaining of a lack of grip." I'd imagine that will improve as more rubber gets laid down over the next practice/qualifying sessions. Wonder what changed in the month since private testing - wind & dust?

wind, sun, recent rain.
<edit> It's quite a bit colder than it was in testing, too.

Marques flogging it.

Lorenzo and Pedrosa more effected by lack of grip.
They both know it's FP1, no point in decking it, they're thinking championship.
And I reckon they're only concerned with Marquez and each other on Sunday.

Ducatis doing well, normal service in low grip conditions.

[gm2]

or "All riders are complaining of a lack of grip." is just a general comment about motorcycle racers.   

[gm2]

fp2 http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Apr/130419fp2.htm

evidently they found some grip.  and 3 seconds.

Pos.   Rider   Team   Bike   Time
1   Marc Marquez   Repsol Honda Team   Honda   2:05.031
2   Dani Pedrosa   Repsol Honda Team   Honda   2:05.585
3   Stefan Bradl   LCR Honda   Honda   2:06.173
4   Jorge Lorenzo   Yamaha Factory Racing   Yamaha   2:06.637
5   Valentino Rossi   Yamaha Factory Racing   Yamaha   2:06.868
6   Cal Crutchlow   Monster Yamaha Tech 3   Yamaha   2:06.899
7   Andrea Dovizioso   Ducati Team   Ducati   2:07.236
8   Alvaro Bautista   Go&Fun Honda Gresini   Honda   2:07.256
9   Nicky Hayden   Ducati Team   Ducati   2:07.699
10   Ben Spies   Ignite Pramac Racing   Ducati   2:08.034
 

[Raux]

grip is found and down goes Ducati

[desmoquattro]

grip is found and down goes Ducati

...which is why they need to start racing on surfaces made of ball bearings.

[swampduc]

In the airport in NOLA. Be there in a few hours 

[Raux]

[ducpainter]

In the airport in NOLA. Be there in a few hours 

Nice place.

[duccarlos]

Smith is so make the beast with two backsing overrated. He's on arguably the best satellite bike. Crazy Joe is right there on the shitty Duc.