MOTO GP 2012

frostie500 · 13-07-2012 2:54pm

Infoanon wrote: »

Btw the Ducati engine is apparently the only strong point on the bike

The engine is one of the most powerful on the grid but the problem is that there actually too much power to be transmitted. Basically when you see the riders open the throttle you can see how the bike pushes to the outside of the track and the riders have to ease out of the power.

It's got the power required but it is too savage by all accounts and with the team having tried so many different chassis variations it's pretty clear that the chassis isnt the main problem. They need to change the engine and the new upgrade might make it more usable but I'd be surprised if it solves the underlying problems

frostie500 · 15-07-2012 9:02pm

Few things from Mugello, I heard from a couple of journalists that the Marc VDS Ducati deal is pretty close to being confirmed and that Scott Redding will be the rider. It's been known as being on the cards the last few weeks but now it seems that they're just dotting the i's and crossing the t's.

Crutchlow still hasn't been offered a contract and with Ducati enjoying record sales in the US it's quite possible that the team are now having second thoughts about Nicky Hayden. Nicky is a great asset to any factory and his easy going nature and PR savyness is in stark contrast to the "say it like it is" Crutchlow. I've been impressed by Cal this year and I'd be surprised if he doesn't sign for them, possibly before Laguna.

Toni Elias and Aspar have split by "mutual consent" I've a piece on the website about what I think are the reasons, basically financial and lack of performance.

Infoanon · 15-07-2012 10:26pm

frostie500 wrote: »

Toni Elias and Aspar have split by "mutual consent" I've a piece on the website about what I think are the reasons, basically financial and lack of performance.

Rumours abound that Gino Rea will be making way at Gresini for Elias...

Incredible Moto 3 race , Great Moto 2 race and great battles in Moto GP at Mugello today.

Tomorrows test days should be interesting - the 2013 Honda, new engine layout and Colin Edwards testing 3 different Bikes - Suter BMW/FTR Honda/Aspar Aprilla - it is CRT after all ! and more upgrades on the Dukes

Frostie500 - is it 'confirmed' that the MarcVDS Ducati is the Pramac entry ??

Monkeybonkers · 15-07-2012 11:23pm

What a boring race today

frostie500 · 15-07-2012 11:33pm

Infoanon wrote: »

Rumours abound that Gino Rea will be making way at Gresini for Elias...

It's likely that he'll be linked but I think that Gresini are quite happy with Rea's performances this year when they consider that only three or four years ago he was a club racer. He's shown flashes of impressive speed but for Elias he might not want to keep racing the Suter.
There's that many rider changes in Moto2 recently that pretty much any seat could open for him. Maybe he'll do some wild cards in WSBK just to test the water there too.

Infoanon wrote: »

Frostie500 - is it 'confirmed' that the MarcVDS Ducati is the Pramac entry ??

No but it's well known that Pramac are struggling to raise the budget needed and with Abraham also saying that they are unwilling to spend 5 million on a bike that leaves them in 10-12th place they are viewing it that they would be better served to save four million and race a CRT unless they can get their hands on a customer Honda (very unlikely until the production based RCV is released)

The Marc VDS bike would be new customer and they would likely get a cutprice deal so that Ducati can keep some customer bikes on the grid. If it's a single bike team Redding will be the rider by all accounts but with Kallio starting to show life again I wouldn't be too shocked if they look to run a two bike team. He has experience of the Ducati and was good enough as a rookie to replace Stoner when he was sick.

Sids Not · 16-07-2012 9:25am

Monkeybonkers wrote: »

What a boring race today

Stick em all on the same bikes , a la moto 2, 3...........:)

Infoanon · 16-07-2012 5:31pm

LIGHTNING wrote: »

I haven't seen a decent Moto GP race in ages, I seem to keep watching the crap ones! Thankfully the support races are usually decent.

Take out Lorenzo & Pedrosa and you had one heck of a battle between Dovi / Bradl / Hayden / Rossi / Cal and Stoners' fightback (he did apologise to Bautista later) was good too.

Mugello was one of the better races this year

frostie500 · 16-07-2012 7:07pm

I thought it was three pretty good races. Moto2 and 3 were as good as ever and the big class was very competitive behind Lorenzo and Pedrosa, and at one stage I though Dani had a tyre advantage that could have given us a great finish.

I havent had a chance to do anything with my photos from the race yet but here's one of Esteve Rabat's Moto2 crash....

frostie500 · 20-07-2012 11:12pm

I was just going through some of my photos from Assen and Mugello, here's a couple of facebook headers if anyone is interested. I have shots of pretty much any of the MotoGP, Moto2 or Moto3 riders (as well as F1, Sportscar or NASCAR drivers) and if anyone is looking for anything in particular let me know and I'll do one up for you!

Infoanon · 21-07-2012 11:47pm

Hector Barbera has broken his leg while training and will almost certainly miss the Laguna Seca Moto GP round.

Thankfully it coincides with the start of the summer break but will cash starved Pramac field a bike at Laguna and if so will it give a chance to a Moto 2 rider (there is no Moto2 race at Laguna).

No confirmation if Karl Abraham or the Carbion team will participate at Laguna either

Grim. · 22-07-2012 11:17pm

Latest silly season rumor original article here

Google translated from French

On March 7, GP-Inside you announced, exclusively, the takeover of Volkswagen by Ducati, thanks to information provided by a staff member at Borgo Panigale (read here ).

This time, this knowledge is another Italian who just pass this information from a person very close to Valentino Rossi, but also to Andrea Iannone!

According to him, Valentino Rossi will replace Ben Spies to Yamaha, while Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Iannone will become the two new spearhead Ducati.

Exit then Ben Spies also Nicky Hayden. Finally, if this information is true, one of the big losers in this little game of musical chairs could be Andrea Dovizioso, who had clearly made its second factory M1 target.

Of course, as when redeeming Ducati by Volkswagen, this information is to be taken with the distance it must as it has not been officially confirmed by the individual

frostie500 · 22-07-2012 11:26pm

Read Grim's post wrong....

Grim. · 22-07-2012 11:31pm

have you had a look at Ben's tweets tonight frostie?, he seems to be hinting at his exit from Yamaha and possibly motogp.

frostie500 · 22-07-2012 11:53pm

Grim. wrote: »

have you had a look at Ben's tweets tonight frostie?, he seems to be hinting at his exit from Yamaha and possibly motogp.

Just after seeing it now, and yeah I still just think that he's going back to World Supers. I'm a fan of Spies and genuinely like the guy but I think his underperformance this year means that Yamaha can't keep him at the factory squad. I still think that Dovi replaces him at the factory squad but if they take Valentino back it would mean Ben has nowhere to go in MotoGP other than replacing Cal at Tech3 (obviously they wont keep Bradley Smith in their lineup.)

I actually read what you posted as saying that Spies was going to Ducati for some reason! I think Iannone would be a good hiring as he is one of the few Moto2 riders who is good enough for the premier class and willing to ride the Ducati

h3000 · 23-07-2012 12:20am

He just tweeted twice more and is not denying a WSBK return.

frostie500 · 23-07-2012 2:32am

h3000 wrote: »

He just tweeted twice more and is not denying a WSBK return.

AMA are supporting MotoGP this weekend at Laguna so don't rule out a return to America either...

h3000 · 23-07-2012 9:55pm

Elias is in for Barbera for Laguna Seca.

Hotblack Desiato · 24-07-2012 1:00am

If Lorenzo hadn't signed up with Yamaha then maybe, but with him there it's very hard to see Rossi returning to race alongside him. Rossi has quite a few burned bridges behind him at this stage.

Magown3 · 24-07-2012 8:45am

ninja900 wrote: »

If Lorenzo hadn't signed up with Yamaha then maybe, but with him there it's very hard to see Rossi returning to race alongside him. Rossi has quite a few burned bridges behind him at this stage.

But if Rossi DID actually return to the factory Yam, the racing would be EPIC. A must watch race every race weekend I would think and great for the promotion of Moto GP... which I'm sad to say, am getting a little bored of.

I'd prefer to watch a WSBK or British Supersport race with Jack Kennedy in it than the Moto GP these days

P.S. GO JACK :cool:

CJhaughey · 24-07-2012 3:45pm

Spies is leaving Yamaha at the end of 2012, where is he going?
WSBK?

h3000 · 24-07-2012 4:15pm

CJhaughey wrote: »

Spies is leaving Yamaha at the end of 2012, where is he going?
WSBK?

http://superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jul/120724spiesnoy.htm

His also on twitter speaking about it.

It could be WSKB but as Frostie said above it could easily be AMA too. I believe he is not a huge fan of traveling around the world all the time.

CJhaughey · 24-07-2012 4:25pm

h3000 wrote: »

http://superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jul/120724spiesnoy.htm

His also on twitter speaking about it.

It could be WSKB but as frostei said above it could easily be AMA too. I believe he is not a huge fan of traveling around the world all the time.

Yup. I can see how that would get old fast.
Door open at Yamaha for VR46 perhaps?
Maybe Spies back to Suzuki for MotoGP?

Magown3 · 24-07-2012 8:23pm

Ben Spies wrote:

Ben Spies ‏@BenSpies11

I thought I'd be dramatic like all the sites and reporters are haha maybe nothing changes except to be back were we are meant to be!

I read into this "were we are meant to be" that he's heading home for AMA.

Also, the tweet about not being impressed living in a hotel room suggests the same....

h3000 · 25-07-2012 9:01am

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/Lorenzo%20interview%20USA%20preevent

Jorge Lorenzo wrote:

"I hear some rumours. And some rumours say that Valentino is going to come back. It could be a good thing for Yamaha. We have been a good couple in the past years, but it hasn’t been decided yet. My preference is to have a competitive rival in the team."

I could be jumping the gun but is this a yes Rossi is coming back.

frostie500 · 25-07-2012 11:22am

h3000 wrote: »

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/Lorenzo%20interview%20USA%20preevent

I could be jumping the gun but is this a yes Rossi is coming back.

Jorge has been saying the same thing all season. At Jerez he started to say he was open to a Rossi return

h3000 · 27-07-2012 6:05pm

Hayden to stay with Ducati next year.

Hotblack Desiato · 27-07-2012 8:10pm

Yeah, confirmed on motogp.com

Infoanon · 27-07-2012 8:59pm

h3000 wrote: »

Hayden to stay with Ducati next year.

That has come quicker then expected ! - so is it Ducati keeping a rider they know with Rossi about to leave ? or is it retaining Hayden as part of Keeping Rossi ? - Hayden would be Rossi's preference as a team mate .

One thing I am confused by is Rossi saying he had 3 options for 2013 ? - Ducati / Yamaha - but whose the 3rd option - a satellite Honda ??

Decision to be made after the summer break according to Rossi

Magown3 · 27-07-2012 10:22pm

Infoanon wrote: »

One thing I am confused by is Rossi saying he had 3 options for 2013 ? - Ducati / Yamaha - but whose the 3rd option - a satellite Honda ??

Did he say that all 3 options were in Moto GP tho?
Maybe Panigale in WSBK

Grim. · 27-07-2012 10:25pm

Magown3 wrote: »

Did he say that all 3 options were in Moto GP tho?
Maybe Panigale in WSBK

The Panigale is rumored to be an even bigger dog than the Desmo, so much so that Carlos Checa is talking to other manufacturers for next year.

MOTO GP 2012

Comments