MotoGP Quatar 2014 < ¡ Spoilers ! >

[thought]

Was the open class available last year and if so what changes were made to the open class rules from last year to this year? I'm trying to figure out why the open class is more competitive in these initial practice sessions. Is the softer tire the only difference?

http://www.motogp.com/en/MotoGP+Basics/bikes

"From 2014, teams not directly entered by one of the major manufacturers as a factory team or satellite outfit, will be categorised in the so-called “Open class”. Whilst all factory teams (MSMA entries) will have to use the spec Magneti Marelli hardware with their own software, the “Open class”, regardless of its mechanical make-up, will run the spec hardware as well as software. From a mechanical standpoint, the “Open class” in 2014 will consists of full-blown prototypes (with Magneti Marelli software), prototype chassis with factory-spec engines, as well as heavily tuned production engines in prototype chassis."

Open replaced CRT.. the factories basically conceded to making what were supposed to be lower cost satellite bikes.  Honda actually did make what was in the spirit of the Open rules, a non pneumatic valved factory bike.  Yamaha was at first only supposed to lease a engine out but in the end leased out a frame/engine... it's basically the '13 M1.  Ducati tried to make a Open bike but no one was interested in getting one

Open bikes get more fuel, softer tires, 12 engines per season, unlimited engine development, and have to use the spec ECU.  For the M1 it seems that the extra fuel is making it easier to tune to the bike as the M1 has traditionally had fuel limit issues.  But more than anything else it seems that it's Aleix that's the true factor in what's making the bike stand out so much.  He tore up the CRT class and now he's on more comparable hardware.  The next non Ducati Open class rider is Nicky and Colin in 13/14th place per FP3 to give more perspective.

[TACstrat]

Thanks. Qualifying has been more interesting so far and I bet racing will be too. Unfortunately, the rules may have made a dangerous sport even more dangerous if too many slower bikes start at the front of the grid only because they qualified on softer tires.

[Jester]

But yeah... This season is looking to be pretty fun.  When was the last time a non factory bike came close to winning a championship?

Technically Rossi won on the Nastro Azzurro team in his second year.

[misirlou]

Rossi lightens up Qatar
LED lights in the back of his helmet...only Rossi.

http://motorlikes.blogspot.be/2014/03/rossi-lightens-up-qatar.html

[IdZer0]

I wonder how long untill we see this on the streets; maybe in the form of an extra brake light/indicators?

[misirlou]

Yup wassup

http://motorlikes.blogspot.be/2014/03/bradley-smith-gigantic-high-side.html

[thought]

FP4:

Pos.    No.    Rider    Bike    Time    Diff. / Prev.
1    38    Bradley SMITH    Yamaha    1'55.427    
2    93    Marc MARQUEZ    Honda    1'55.432    0.005 / 0.005
3    41    Aleix ESPARGARO    Forward Yamaha    1'55.459    0.032 / 0.027
4    26    Dani PEDROSA    Honda    1'55.540    0.113 / 0.081
5    29    Andrea IANNONE    Ducati    1'55.586    0.159 / 0.046
6    19    Alvaro BAUTISTA    Honda    1'55.828    0.401 / 0.242
7    99    Jorge LORENZO    Yamaha    1'55.919    0.492 / 0.091
8    4    Andrea DOVIZIOSO    Ducati    1'56.045    0.618 / 0.126
9    6    Stefan BRADL    Honda    1'56.164    0.737 / 0.119
10    46    Valentino ROSSI    Yamaha    1'56.206    0.779 / 0.042
11    35    Cal CRUTCHLOW    Ducati    1'56.374    0.947 / 0.168
12    44    Pol ESPARGARO    Yamaha    1'56.589    1.162 / 0.215
13    45    Scott REDDING    Honda    1'56.614    1.187 / 0.025
14    5    Colin EDWARDS    Forward Yamaha    1'56.676    1.249 / 0.062
15    7    Hiroshi AOYAMA    Honda    1'56.713    1.286 / 0.037
16    69    Nicky HAYDEN    Honda    1'56.836    1.409 / 0.123
17    68    Yonny HERNANDEZ    Ducati    1'57.058    1.631 / 0.222
18    17    Karel ABRAHAM    Honda    1'57.194    1.767 / 0.136
19    8    Hector BARBERA    Avintia    1'57.748    2.321 / 0.554
20    9    Danilo PETRUCCI    ART    1'58.023    2.596 / 0.275
21    63    Mike DI MEGLIO    Avintia    1'58.297    2.870 / 0.274
22    70    Michael LAVERTY    PBM    1'59.076    3.649 / 0.779
23    23    Broc PARKES    PBM    1'59.115    3.688 / 0.039

http://motomatters.com/results/2014/03/22/2014_qatar_motogp_fp4_result_smith_sets_.html

Smith doesnt seem to have let that highside slow him down at all and Factory Hondas seem to have found their set up.

[kopfjäger]

Yup wassup

  That shit is make the beast with two backsing annoying.

[triangleforge]

Broken leg? What broken leg?

Q2:
1.    Marc Marquez    ESP   Repsol Honda Team (RC213V)    1m   54.507s   
2.    Alvaro Bautista    ESP   Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RC213V)    1m   54.564s   |   +0.057s
3.    Bradley Smith    GBR   Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)    1m   54.601s   |   +0.094s
4.    Andrea Dovizioso    ITA   Ducati Team (Desmosedici)    1m   54.644s   |   +0.137s
5.    Jorge Lorenzo    ESP   Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1)    1m   54.661s   |   +0.154s
6.    Dani Pedrosa    ESP   Repsol Honda Team (RC213V)    1m   54.703s   |   +0.196s
7.    Stefan Bradl    GER   LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V)    1m   54.871s   |   +0.364s
8.    Cal Crutchlow    GBR   Ducati Team (Desmosedici)    1m   54.888s   |   +0.381s
9.    Aleix Espargaro    ESP   NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha)    1m   54.986s   |   +0.479s
10.    Valentino Rossi    ITA   Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1)    1m   55.096s   |   +0.589s
11.    Andrea Iannone    ITA   Pramac Racing (Desmosedici)    1m   55.127s   |   +0.620s
12.    Pol Espargaro    ESP   Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)    1m   55.152s   |   +0.645s

Q1:
13.    Nicky Hayden    USA   Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R)    1m   55.894s
14.    Colin Edwards    USA   NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha)    1m   56.042s   
15.    Hiroshi Aoyama    JPN   Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R)    1m   56.479s   
16.    Scott Redding    GBR   Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RCV1000R)    1m   56.555s   
17.    Yonny Hernandez    COL   Pramac Racing (Desmosedici)    1m   56.648s   
18.    Karel Abraham    CZE   Cardion AB Motoracing (RCV1000R)    1m   56.715s   
19.    Hector Barbera    ESP   Avintia Racing (Avintia)    1m   57.006s   
20.    Danilo Petrucci    ITA   IodaRacing Project (ART)    1m   57.513s   
21.    Broc Parkes    AUS   Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART)    1m   57.574s   
22.    Mike Di Meglio    FRA   Avintia Racing (Avintia)    1m   57.667s   
23.    Michael Laverty    GBR   Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART)    1m   58.254s   

[lazylightnin717]

That's









Interesting

[thought]

Well... I like MM and all but it's just so much more fun to speculate when he's injured/out.  Once he's back in top form... its back to guessing who's going to be in second and third.

[derby]

Technically Rossi won on the Nastro Azzurro team in his second year.

that was still a full factory bike and team, just not running the repsol livery.

[triangleforge]

I thought this exchange was funny - Lorenzo reacting to Cal Crutchlow's comments to Crash.net that the Duc isn't suited to "Lorenzo style" riding:

[lazylightnin717]

Here we go 

[triangleforge]

 

(That is all)

Well, this too: