MotoGP Qatar 2015 ****Spoilers****

[ducpainter]

The Ducs and Hondas were running the same rubber.
Rossi was the only rider in the money to use a hard front. Even You'reghey was running the same choice as Dovi.

I think the GOAT pulled one over on the kids.

[koko64]

The old fox! 
What is he, 36, 37?
I was nearly his age when I started racing.

[OT]

Great race! Rossi wasn't going to be denied.  Amazing how he spent so many laps in 4th, 3rd and 2nd watching/learning the Duc's capabilities, and then put Dovi away...as close as it looked, it wasn't a contest at the end.

Watching the Duc fly past on the straights reminds me of Stoner in, when was it, '08?  Over the rest of the season, Yamaha and Honda clawed back that speed.  Besides, as Ducati continues to podium they will lose their "factory" rules advantage.

[ZLTFUL]

Today I had a Moto Orgasm 
Before Ferrari coming back to win a GP after three and half centuries. Then MotoGP season starts with VR46 first, followed by Ducati with two Italian racers.
For the absolute perfect Sunday, it was only missing getting laid with Scarlett Johansson!
But the Sunday here is not over yet ... call me Scarlett! 

 

Thank you for the F1 spoiler alert.

[kopfjäger]

Thank you for the F1 spoiler alert.

I meant to school him on that. My bad

[Blackout]

The old fox! 
What is he, 36, 37?
I was nearly his age when I started racing.

He's 49 years old still riding like that! Wow.

[duccarlos]

MM royally make the beast with two backsed that first corner. He did an excellent job riding through the field. Did they ever figure out how he supposedly took out Bautista?

Rossi, what can you say? He is the GOAT.

The Ducs were there, but I agree that Dovi should have just kept Vale within striking distance and really only passed him at the end. Excellent race craft. The Duc will definitely win at least a race this year.

Lorenzo's riding style simply does not work during the latter part of races. I would have thought that it would save enough grip for the end, but nope.

The Turd is done. He will win a race or 2 and steal points from the front guys, but he has no pace in the race to keep up.

The rest of the field are just spectators.

[ducpainter]

Marquez took out some brake sensors on Bautista's bike so only one side was working.

The Turd pretty much announced he won't race until he gets his arm pumped fixed, so he may very well be done... http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/217087/1/pedrosa-i-cannot-continue-racing-this-way.html

You'reghey is blaming a helmet issue... http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/217094/1/helmet-issue-cost-lorenzo-chance-of-victory.html if he keeps getting beaten by Iannone he better come up with a better excuse.

[HotIce]

I meant to school him on that. My bad

Sorry about that.

[duccarlos]

Marquez took out some brake sensors on Bautista's bike so only one side was working.

The Turd pretty much announced he won't race until he gets his arm pumped fixed, so he may very well be done... http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/217087/1/pedrosa-i-cannot-continue-racing-this-way.html

You'reghey is blaming a helmet issue... http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/217094/1/helmet-issue-cost-lorenzo-chance-of-victory.html if he keeps getting beaten by Iannone he better come up with a better excuse.

MM is just showing off now. How difficult is it to blow off someone's sensor and to do it twice? Anyway, the Turd is out for the championship this year.

Jorghey has always been a strong starter. He needs to build a big lead within the first 10 laps. Granted, the Yamaha wasn't on pace at all this weekend. The fact that they were able to get 1st and 4th was surprising to say the least.

[HotIce]

Truth to be told, Losail has been a track favorable to the M1 more than the HRC.
Last year on this track MM won at the last lap on VR, but in other tracks he just took off.
So I would wait 2..3 GPs before coming out with statements about a more level season this year.
For sure, Ducatis are much faster than last year on race day.

[duccarlos]

Truth to be told, Losail has been a track favorable to the M1 more than the HRC.
Last year on this track MM won at the last lap on VR, but in other tracks he just took off.
So I would wait 2..3 GPs before coming out with statements about a more level season this year.
For sure, Ducatis are much faster than last year on race day.

The Yamahas sucked all weekend and the Hondas dominated up to the point when the Ducs put on the soft tires. If it wasn't for MM screwing up turn 1, he would have been up there. HRC still has the strongest all around bike out there plain and simple. The next 2 tracks are new, where Vale usually struggles. MM will want to get back the points he lost. He will be very happy if he can put the Ducs between himself and the Yamahas, specially now that he knows that the Turd will not be doing it.

[Triple J]

I don't buy the statements that the Yamaha isn't as good of a bike. Down on top speed a bit maybe, but otherwise just as capable as the Honda.

Qatar top 10 - 4 Yamahas, 3 Hondas, and 3 Ducatis.

Look at the season results last year. Remove MM and his string of 1st places, and Yamaha dominated. Even with him, there are more Yamahas in the top 10 (3 Hondas, 5 Yamahas, 2 Ducs).

I don't know how they continually convince people they're the underdog, but the results don't back it up.

[duccarlos]

I don't underestimate Yamaha. I did say that they sucked the whole weekend. If anything I'm saying not to put too much stock on the Ducs. They have obviously improved, but they still need to prove themselves to be consistent the rest of the year.

Now, the bombshell that I will drop is I'm completely convinced that if one of the Aliens was riding the Duc, they would have won. If only Rossi was riding it last night...

[HotIce]

I don't buy the statements that the Yamaha isn't as good of a bike. Down on top speed a bit maybe, but otherwise just as capable as the Honda.

Main thing both VR and JLo are complaining about, is breaking and bad tire deterioration (WRT HRC). This since last year.
You add that, to lower top speed, and it does not take much to make the 200..300ms per lap.
IMO power balance between HRC and M1 remained the same as last year, but now the Ducs are likely to be in the middle of the action in many (if not all) GPs.