MotoGP Aragon...Spoilers

[duccarlos]

Dunno how Iannone is doing it.

Dovi finished ahead of him in 4 out of the first 5 races this year, yet has only beat him once in the 9 races since then.

That's why I was wondering if they were going a wrong direction on setup.

Iannone has been hurt for the whole season, right? Maybe his shoulder was much worse or he's managed the pain better in the latter part of the season.

[triangleforge]

(snip)

That's why I was wondering if they were going a wrong direction on setup.

I suspect you're right -- one thing I picked up in the article is that Dovi is one of the best in the field under braking, but admits that his mid-corner speed isn't all that great. My guess is that the bike's biggest current weakness dovetails with Dovi's greatest strength, and that it's both messing with his rhythm and confidence, and his crew is coming up with increasingly desperate solutions that are making things worse.

Iannone style isn't as dependent on late, deep braking to make good time - and, ironically, the shoulder injury may be making him LESS hard on the brakes and more focused on smooth, Jorge Lorenzo-style corner speed. I dunno.

[The Architect]

If the bike does not fit the riding style he's been developing his whole career, then what can you do? How does Iannone ride that bike that much better?

That may be the difference.  Dovi's been riding for a while and has a motogp riding style.  Iannone is a motogp blank slate.  I hope the Duc doesn't ruin Iannone. 

[Speeddog]

Iannone has been hurt for the whole season, right? Maybe his shoulder was much worse or he's managed the pain better in the latter part of the season.

He got hurt just before LeMans, round 5.
And thereafter, a fairly solid podium threat.

Perhaps that's the key, whatever a bum shoulder does to his riding, makes the Duc work better.

If they can get the thing to stop the way Dovi likes, it'd be a good combination with the rocketship motor.

[ducpainter]

Dovi has claimed he has a problem under braking that is not allowed him to ride the way he wants.

Andrea Dovizioso: “Let’s say that I am pleased and not pleased at the same time. With the race pace that I had, I think I managed to bring home the best possible result, but this doesn’t make me happy. For sure we have to work to improve the bike, because I am unable to brake and ride the way I want, and as a result I am not as fast as I would like to be. If I look at today’s race however, considering that I was starting from thirteenth on the grid, finishing fifth is a good result.”

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2015/09/29/dovizioso-i-am-pleased-and-not-pleased/185823

[duccarlos]

I presume it's boiling it down to stability under braking. I presume that the Honda would be considered (at least last year's chassis) as the best braking.

[Speeddog]

That seems to be what gets sacrificed to improve grip when on the side of the tire.

More lateral flex in the chassis gives better corner grip, but allows the front wheel to wander around when they've got it on the nose in braking.

[duccarlos]

So the Yamaha has the most lateral flex and it's why they have to maintain corner speed instead of hard braking and accelerating out of the corner?

[Raux]

Which is why the frameless did so horribly and needed all that grunt. Also why 888 is touted by many racers as best handly sbk compared to other duc sbk.

[thought]

I think the way that Dovi hasnt adapted to the bike is why he's not an alien. All the aliens seemed to have issues with their bikes but then adapted their riding style to the bike eventually. Dovi seems to be stuck in his personal style of riding and that's just not meshing with the bike.

[ducpainter]

I think the way that Dovi hasnt adapted to the bike is why he's not an alien. All the aliens seemed to have issues with their bikes but then adapted their riding style to the bike eventually. Dovi seems to be stuck in his personal style of riding and that's just not meshing with the bike.

Pretty sure an two aliens have been on the bike...

Stoner was successful until the other manufacturers caught up and they changed the bike...Rossi was not. Then Dall'Igna came along and made the bike better.

...but...

the thing is...'difficult' to say the least.

[duccarlos]

Any time a rider has to change his riding style to fit a bike is a bad situation. Dovi is not an alien because he doesn't have the talent. It's nothing to be ashamed of since in the last decade only 5 guys can really be considered an alien. We will see next year if another crop comes up.

[Triple J]

Any time a rider has to change his riding style to fit a bike is a bad situation. Dovi is not an alien because he doesn't have the talent.

I don't know about the first part. The Yamaha is currently the best bike on the grid, and both Rossi and JLo have had to change their riding styles to get the most out of it. Particularly Rossi. I think riders continually change their styles to suit the bike...at least the successful ones.

Agreed on Dovi though. Iannone is proving to have more talent IMO, although still not quite an alien. Close though.