MOTO GP 2012

Max Headroom wrote: »

As usual another nail-biting Moto 3 race , those boyz are mental.....thankfully...:)
Although i dont like Marquez it shows just how good he is when he has to be...the motogp boys better look out, maybe thats why Stoner is getting out...while he can still walk...
Spies should have thrown in the towel weeks ago, ..someone in Crutchlows garage needs a P45 me thinks.....

I don't think Crutchlows fuel issue was anyones fault, he was on his own for much of the race, not drafting and full throttle.
Thats going to cost more in fuel. However I did see a good few flames on the overrun.
Marquez won't be able to race like that in the 1000cc class, those Moto2 bikes are slower than Supersport 600's. Stick him on the big bike and things will change a lot, another 120hp will make him concentrate a lot more.
Something wrong with Spies garage, how can he have all these problems with his brakes FFS? Its simple maintenance.
Houseworth not doing his job right?

Infoanon wrote: »

Moto 3 - another classic last lap - such a pity Maverick wasn't taking part - Aspar or KTM next year ??

They made offers but his personal manager and also Avintia Blusens team manager apparently didn't show him the offers!
No wonder Maverick was pissed off, after signing for two more years with them.
That has to be a conflict of interest.
Interesting that ELav tweeted that the same manager refused to shake his hand two years ago after the Silverstone race.
Sounds like a nice piece of work.
Looking forward to seeing Maverick on some competitive machinery next year.

Please Kill Me wrote: »

The highlight of the race was the brilliant dicing with Dovi, Bradl and Bautista. Some great racing with them three lads. As for Dani - this was his chance and he blew it!!

Dani had to go for it - his chances of taking the title were slim thanks to Hector Barbera - and he has won 5 of the last 6 races.

Going into 2013 the Honda should be the best bike on the grid - Marquez will take a few races to find the limits and that should open up a chance for Dani to take the 2013 title.

Great battle for 3rd in Moto 3 and Moto GP ,and great last few laps in Moto 2.

CJhaughey wrote: »

Marquez is good on a Moto2 bike, There are plenty of good riders that couldn't make the jump to MotoGP bikes though.
120 hp vs 250+hp is a big difference.

I'd have a lot of confidence in Marquez ability to ride the 1000cc bike. From talking to riders this year it's been pretty clear that adjusting to the bike isnt the major issue for them but rather the equipment that they have at their disposal.

Saying that though it's always a difficult situation for a young rider and for one as small as Marquez there are obviously certain aspects that will be a major question until he rides the RCV. Having Pedrosa ride the bike so well though shows that a small rider can still perform on it so I'd be pretty surprised if Marc wasnt a pacesetter in the big class.

CJhaughey wrote: »

The RCV might just be the fastest but as far as handling goes the M1 is still superior, you just had to look at the slo-mo footage from Phillip Island and the difference between the Honda and Yamaha in suspension movement coming out of the last corner.
Pedrosa and Stoners bikes were bucking and weaving all over the place, Lorenzo's machine was as calm and settled compared to them.
Casey doesn't mind a machine that moves thats why he could ride the Ducati but I am not so sure other riders find it as easy.

Honda horsepower versus Yamaha agility, it's been the fight for 30 years as both manufacturers find their solutions to the age old racing problem. I dont see too much difference between the bikes but if you ask any racer which would he prefer between a difficult to handle bike that has a power advantage for a slightly slower (in a straight line) bike that can handle well and the rider will always say the powerful one!

I think next year is shaping up very nicely with Rossi back on the Yam and the Hondas having a strong stable of riders....cant wait for the Valencia test when we all start looking toward 2013!

ninja900 wrote: »

Reckon Ducati will keep Rossi off the Yamaha until 1st Jan? Or are teams still allowed do that?

Na he's testing the Yamaha on the Tuesday after the race.

are you going to be at the test Frostie?

Ant West failed a doping test at the French GP and will be banned for a month. He failed it for a product used for dietary supplement and also offers benefits for racers such as an increased sense of awareness according to some reports Ive seen. He can appeal and might be racing at Valencia.

paddy147 wrote: »

It will be interesting to see how Spies and Crazy Joe get on with the Pramac Ducati (Ducati Jnr team) next year.

Spies needs a fresh start after a miserable year and Iannone could be superb on a MotoGP bike. He needs to find consistency but when he's on it he's amazing to watch.

Who's 71? A wild card?

Infoanon wrote: »

Anyword on the weather for Sunday ? word of mixed conditions earlier - normally Valencia is a good spot to top up the Sun tan this time of the year

The weather was really nice today, shorts and t-shirts stuff, but the forecast is for rain tomorrow....and lots of it in the afternoon!

Goodbye to Casey Stoner and also to my interest in who wins the title next year. I'm just hoping for some good racing next season with Rossi coming back to Yamaha and Marquez coming in to Moto GP. Can't say I'm really a fan of any of the current riders so won't be rooting for anyone in particular.

Really wish Sic was still around but hopefully VR will keep Lorenzo honest.
More consistency from the likes of Bradl and Crutchlow should mean more bikes battling for the podium, whatever about wins.
If Pedrosa can avoid injury again next year and get a little bit better luck, it could be his best title shot.

Ricky Scarce Stick wrote: »

Do you like him?

I find him a detestable **** tbh, hes no loss.

He's no loss? Come on! He's probably the most talented rider of his generation (yes I'm including Rossi in that) and one of the most spectacular riders we have ever seen. He brought so much to the sport for the last ten years and to disregard that is ridiculous.

Ricky Scarce Stick wrote: »

Do you like him?

I find him a detestable **** tbh, hes no loss.

I'm not a huge fan of Stoner but it's only because I find him a bit of an ass, apparently though he is a nice guy it just does not come across on camera too well. To say he is no loss is a bit stupid. His talent is absolutely unquestionable, what he can do on a bike is crazy.
I don't really like the whole Rossi v's Stoner debate. I don't think one is better than the other, they are both outstanding riders.

Ricky Scarce Stick wrote: »

Better than the goat? You joking

I didn't say that Stoner was the greatest rider ever but I do think that he is the most talented that we have seen. Casey is the epitome of the star that shines twice as bright burns half as long. From a year standing trackside I have seen him do things on his bike that no-one else could even contemplate doing.

His feeling for what the bike is doing is beyond that of anyone else on the grid. In my view it plays a pretty big role in how often we see Casey giving out about track surface and tyre performance etc. He feels things that the rest of the field dont, he is ultra sensitive to what is going on around him.

Were it not for some decisions that he made and some bad luck he would have been even more successful than he has been since coming into the premier class. He split with Alberto Puig before moving to Grand Prix in 2002. It means that he raced for LCR in 250cc's while Dani Pedrosa got the Puig backing and raced for five years (and three titles) with Telefonica Honda in 125s and 250s.

Saying all that Stoner's numbers in the junior classes are still quite good. But it was in MotoGP that we really saw him shine. Here's the numbers since 2006 when Casey and Dani joined MotoGP:

Wins: Stoner-38, Rossi-26, Lorenzo-23, Pedrosa-22
Podiums: Pedrosa-71, Stoner-69, Rossi-60, Lorenzo-60
Poles: Stoner-39, Lorenzo-25, Pedrosa-24, Rossi-21

Obviously Rossi has the edge in sheer numbers but its undeniable that the last six years have been the most competitive in MotoGP with four riders all capable of beating each other. Look back to Rossi's first six years in the 500/MotoGP class and you'll see that he did it against weak competition (Robers, Biaggi, Giberneau etc) Good riders all but in the big class were never a match for the current group.

Rossi's inability to win on the Ducati while Stoner was dominant on it also has to play a part in his legacy. He is the only rider with enough feel to ride the Ducati and win on it. If it were not for the inability to diagnose his lactose intolerance and he would have been even more successful.

I'm not saying any of this to disparage Rossi, I also think that he will be remembered as the greatest of all time, but I think that Casey's talent and speed are greater than Rossi's.

Here's a couple of race shots:
Moto3 Race:
Moto2 Race:
MotoGP race:

h3000 wrote: »

Nice shots Frostie. Can I ask what camera and lens you're using for them.

Cheers! It's a Canon 60D and for most of these shots it was a 300mm lens. Check out my gallery here for everything else from Valencia. If anyone's interested all the images in my gallery are available for sale as framed prints or on canvas so PM me if youre interested

Anyword on who shall ride the CRT Gresini now that the sponsorship has been tied up ?

And will San Carlos colours be adorning the Yamahas next season ?

ZX7R wrote: »

Frostie any news from Suzuki on a return next year ,or are they waiting on the rule changes for 2014

Lots of rumours but precious little facts. It looks as though Dorna have demanded that if Suzuki are looking to return to the sport that they will have to guarantee their place until 2019. Dorna were hurt pretty badly by Suzuki pulling out after giving them a lot of dispensations with engines/testing/riders to keep them happy and on the grid.

One of the most interesting rumours I heard at Valencia was that they had approached Randy de Puniet to be their test rider next year (and do some wild card entries.) Not sure about it though as I didnt talk to anyone from Suzuki or Randy over the weekend but he's a big loss to be flopping around on a CRT machine instead of a proper bike

Ricky Scarce Stick wrote: »

Do you like him?

I find him a detestable **** tbh, hes no loss.

I do. Brilliant rider. He could tame bikes that nobody else could.