MOTO GP

[Pierre]

Wow, Hopper to Kawasaki next year!

 

http://tinyurl.com/2hcdb3

[g.forrest]

signed for a reported $5.5 mil us, for a rider who hasn't yet won a moto gp race he had better do the kawasaki some justice .

[jihem]

signed for a reported $5.5 mil us, for a rider who hasn't yet won a moto gp race he had better do the kawasaki some justice .

 

 

I think Hopper has got "it", and so does the Kwack. They just need the right momentum...Now, his departure kinda makes the silly season even more silly

 

 

As for this Saschenring race this week-end, I'm veryyyyy curious. If Casey can make it to the podium, i think Rossi can kiss the 2007 world championship crown good bye. This is not at all a circuit that favors a Ducati and it'll be interesting !

[g.forrest]

I think Hopper has got "it", and so does the Kwack. They just need the right momentum...Now, his departure kinda makes the silly season even more silly

As for this Saschenring race this week-end, I'm veryyyyy curious. If Casey can make it to the podium, i think Rossi can kiss the 2007 world championship crown good bye. This is not at all a circuit that favors a Ducati and it'll be interesting !

 

i'm with you on hoppers capabilitys. he's shown it recently in the major event, and the kwaka has shown it to. being a gp tragic i've been viewing past seasons at sachsenring, and it gives mixed results. but one thing that stands out at this circuit is rossi's passing ability, and it seems to stand out on this particular circuit.

''bring it on '' 1 rossi

2 hopper

3 stoner

4 pedrosa- heydon........

[gthyni]

sachsenring:

1. Rossi

2. Pedrosa

3. Stoner

 

 

5, 6 or 7. Hopkins

[g.forrest]

first practice, and stoner has allready broken course record, stopped early due to rain, fine 32c day forecast for race day.

[Guzzirider]

first practice, and stoner has allready broken course record, stopped early due to rain, fine 32c day forecast for race day.

 

 

The Sachsenring is a great leveller and often negates the advantage of having the best bike- I see Guintoli is up there near the front (he also goes well when its wet) but Hayden is way back in 17th.

 

My money's on Rossi to win.

 

Guy

[g.forrest]

well! not many guessed the result.. pedrosa rode it like a 250. he obviously loves the track and did hold the race lap record beforehand, good for the world champion to be on the podium again, he will be on a high at laguna seca, should help make it an excellent round! capirossi ''tyre choice'' contract times

and casey. well he's 32 points ahead. good race. and a good result for west.

[gthyni]

The mighty HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) is back, beware all small players.

but perhaps is to late in the year for little Dani to conquer to championship.

[badmotogoozer]

Very interesting that the Ducati's no longer seem to have an advantage on the straights. Stoner wasn't pulling away from the Hondas anyway... Perhaps HRC has found a way to level the playing field.

 

Wait to see if this is still the case on a longer straight...

 

Rj

[Pierre]

Very interesting that the Ducati's no longer seem to have an advantage on the straights. Stoner wasn't pulling away from the Hondas anyway... Perhaps HRC has found a way to level the playing field.

 

Wait to see if this is still the case on a longer straight...

 

Rj

Looks to me the playing field has been leveled a bit. We're down to tires quite often. This was a big Michelin weekend. With the exception of Capirossi, Bridgestones seemed off the pace. Not sure how to explain Capirossi's finish - except maybe compound choice. Apparently Hopper finished with large chinks missing from his rear tire. It does seem like the Suzuki is particularly hard on tires - the warmer it gets the worse the bike seems to punish the tires.

 

Was hoping to see Rossi take another win and close the points gap. He's being tested hard this season. We may be seeing his best riding ever ... and it may come up short ... through no fault of his. Moto GP has always been about the "bike" as well as the rider. With the bikes getting closer ... it's the "tires" that seem to be playing an out sized role.

 

Wonderful intertwining of sub plots. I love it.

[Pierre]

Looks like this is the Indy Moto GP layout.

 

[Pierre]

... and Capirossi signs with?

 

http://tinyurl.com/24tyly

[Guzzirider]

Imagine being a 20 year old British lad, at Laguna Seca for the first time in your life to ride in the AMA supersport race, then being approached in the pits to ride a Moto GP Ducati to fill in for the injured Alex Hoffman.

 

Then a few minutes later, you pull on Hoffman's leathers and you are out there with the big boys on a strange difficult track riding with the big boys.

 

Happened to Chaz Davies yesterday- and unsurprisingly he is last on the time sheets but only 0.7 secs behind Du Hamel who obviously knows the track well.

 

What a great opportunity for the lad.

[Pierre]

...

Then a few minutes later, you pull on Hoffman's leathers and you are out there with the big boys on a strange difficult track riding with the big boys.

So that's why "leathers size" was on his resume! Smart kid. Hell of an opportunity.

 

Silly season, and Laguna Seca gonna' be the silliest part of it. FWIW, much as I like Duhamel, he looks slow. Hope he picks it up a bit. As I too am an old timer still entertaining visions of glory on the track (club level, no comparison intended), Miguel is my hero. Plus he's still one of the best interviews in racing.