MOTO GP

[jihem]

for those interested in knowing a bit more about Vale, he wrote an (auto) biography two years ago.

 

 

It's called "What if I had never tried it ? " and it's covers quite a few subjects: Biaggi, Vale's carreer from his early days as kart/minibike rider until 2005 when he switched from the HRC to Yamaha, why he didn't sign for Ducati, why he desesperately had to win the Suzuka 8 hours, his tribe and friends, his quasi mystical approach to motorbikes, his jokes, why he sometimes sleeps with his bikes, in the paddock, his superstitions, his numerous troubles with the local police, in Italy, etc...

 

The man is a rider of exception, but also a very special character, actually he sees himself more as an artist.

[g.forrest]

well he's suffering the frustration of an artist at the momment, last season heyden and now stoner. much has been written on the subject and the blame put on machinery and tyres and now his concentration due to his taxation woes. the god like worship is slipping from his supporters. maybe it's just that his finest works have been completed. can he cope with two years without a masterpiece.

or will he severe an ear.

[antonio carroccio]

he sees himself more as an artist.

Do we have a doubt about it?

[g.forrest]

casey on pole! and with rossi in pos 2 and hayden in third. i wouldn't be surprised if thats the way they'll finish. but then again i wouldn't be surprised to see a suzuki in the mix.

[gthyni]

but only 5th on the warmup this morning... let's hope for a tight race

[g.forrest]

and i'm hoping that suzi pilot is an aussie, i hear he's been going quite well on this track. i hope that just wasn't when it was damp.

[g.forrest]

well! we wanted a race! what better outcome. pity abought the repsol riders though.

making it look good for phillip island.. cheers

[gthyni]

with 3 of the hottest contenders of the weekend (RdP, Pedrosa and Rossi) out after just a few laps it turned out as a usual 2007 race, quiet boring <_>

[antonio carroccio]

Looks like it starts to become boring, or is it just me?

I am afraid I have got this right.

[Guzzirider]

For sure when someone runs away with it the race becomes more boring, just like it used to do when Doohan won every race easily.

 

But lets give Casey lots of credit- everyone is complaining and whining about tyres, but the truth is that he is simply kicking everyone's butt- including a lot of riders that have the same tyres.

 

I think Rossi has the right attitude- I want to beat this guy in the long run so am testing a new engine because I realise the chase is over and I want to get ahead next year. It was a risk that backfired but it shows he and his team are doing something positive to redress the gap, rather than just feeling sorry for themselves, and blaming the Michelins.

 

Guy

[jihem]

But lets give Casey lots of credit- everyone is complaining and whining about tyres, but the truth is that he is simply kicking everyone's butt- including a lot of riders that have the same tyres.

 

I think Rossi has the right attitude- I want to beat this guy in the long run so am testing a new engine because I realise the chase is over and I want to get ahead next year.

 

i totally agree.

 

It's boring, yes, but if feels SO GOOD to see Ducati kicking the Japanese factories' butts

 

I really like Vale, and he's an awesome rider, fun to watch and his gags were so cool, but he may have passed his time I'm afraid. A friend/motorbike journalist was telling me how different his riding used to be earlier in his carreer: always latest on the brakes and always first on the gas, and these last two years it just isn't the same anymore.

[Martin Barrett]

My take on it is that Stoner might have the best bike/set up but he consistently eeks the best out of it and doesn't do anything wrong. Loris must hate him

It has become quite predictable but when you compare it to F1 when it's often Ferrari/Mclaren/Williams/whoever 1&2 that shows which car is the best and the drivers aren't able to prove the difference

in the bikes the rider is making so much more a difference

eg Rossi on the inferior Yamaha,

Look at the qualifying - 5 different bikes first 5 places this isn't unusual

 

Any way there was some good overtaking maneuvers on the 250's as always.

[Morris Sod]

Most Aussies I've talked to don't put Vale down but rather respect him for all his attributes, superb brave riding, never say die attitude, his fun antics on and off the track, his respect for his young contemporaries and I must say his sticking it at the tax authotities (a real aussie hero) we're just disappointed he hasn't been around in a hard cut and thrust match between him and casey all season just so the racing doesn't become boring. I'm sure casey would have preferred to have won the title rather than having been given it by removing Valentino from the equation. Casey's been putting in the hard yards too for many years with a dogged determination to be the best in his field, this year the timing was right.

 

Surely Michelin could have tried a bit harder to have made the adjustments they needed to overcome their advantage they had when the "fly in" rule was available.

 

Ducati also are a very tight team and being small do not have the unwieldy decision making network that must plague the bigger makes.

 

And OMG wot this I hear of a prospective Ducati/HD merger. truth or rumouur

[Pierre]

Ducati also are a very tight team and being small do not have the unwieldy decision making network that must plague the bigger makes.

 

Hats off to Ducati, I agree. I miss Rossi's antics, but I have to respect Stoner's dominating performance. Seems like a good kid as well, so what's not to like? Maybe the two Suzuki and two Honda riders (all 4 beginning to hang around the podium regularly) can find some answers to that dominance before the season is out. It has become a little boring. Speaking of Dani and Nicky, that was a bone head move by De Puniet.

 

And OMG wot this I hear of a prospective Ducati/HD merger. truth or rumouur

I've already put in my order for a set of assless race replica leathers. A new era in posing is about to begin!

[g.forrest]

RND 14 estoril portgual. so does casey take the crown this round or next? and what a surprise to see hayden on pole, it's been a while. it's looking to be a good race, rossi has a good chance to pull back some points ''if the yamahas sorted''? but is still down on speed. hoping for a good one here.