All hail the new champ...

Sylvain Guintoli.

Tom had nothing for him at Qatar, and finished 3rd in both races while Guintoli doubled.

Baz second in the first race, ignoring his pit board to lose a place to Sykes.

Johnny Rae second in race two.

He had to win.... many mouths to feed in that mans family.

Great races to watch

Talking Head: "Sylvain, you've done a wonderful job this year, and come out on top of a very close title chase, congratulations!"

Sylvain: "Thank you, it was a very exciting season!"

Talking Head: "So, how do you feel about the challenge of riding a Fireblade next year?"

Sylvain: "Bbbb...ffft....ahhh....what did you just say?"

Talking Head: "Riding a Fireblade, next year. How do you feel about that?"

Sylvain: "I've got to ride a FIREBLADE next year?"

Talking Head: "Yes, for Ten Kate/PATA. This is a bit awkward...."

Sylvain: "Hey, Ronald's a great guy, and they're a great team, and I love those DaVinci Chips.....but...."
Sylvain: "but.....bloody hell....a FIREBLADE?"
Sylvain: "Where's my manager? He told me it would be a  RC213V-S. I'm going to strangle him."

But....Rea made it look not so bad yesterday.

Quote from: Grampa on November 03, 2014, 10:32:33 AM
But....Rea made it look not so bad yesterday.

Other than the fact it still looks like it's hooked to a post when the Ape goes by....

Aprilia!!! 

So does Guintoli get to run the #1 plate on his Honda?? That is odd indeed. I'm not sure what the Aprilia guys are thinking...letting Laverty go was a mistake as well IMO. I'm not a Melandri fan though.

The #1 plate belongs to the rider.

Quote from: ducpainter on November 03, 2014, 11:02:36 AM
Other than the fact it still looks like it's hooked to a post when the Ape goes by....

So...ya think Marco's bike was de-tuned a lil to avoid the pitboard drama from a few weeks ago?

Quote from: Grampa on November 03, 2014, 10:32:33 AM
But....Rea made it look not so bad yesterday.

He (and Ten Kate) have been making them look not so bad for a long time.

Other than Leon's single podium this year, you have to go back to 2009 to find anyone other than Rea on a Honda on the podium.

Quote from: Grampa on November 03, 2014, 11:33:12 AM
So...ya think Marco's bike was de-tuned a lil to avoid the pitboard drama from a few weeks ago?

You sound like Stoner...

You never know. He had nothing this week either...solidly mired around 5th.

Quote from: Grampa on November 03, 2014, 11:33:12 AM
So...ya think Marco's bike was de-tuned a lil to avoid the pitboard drama from a few weeks ago?

Nope...he had faster top speeds that Guinters in both races.

Race 1 Guinters had a top speed of 323 KPH to Melandri's 326 KPH
Race 2 Guinters had a top speed of 324 KPH to Melandri's 327 KPH

Elias on the other Ape had the same top speeds as Guintoli.

Good races.  Entertaining to see Sykes getting so upset at Baz for ignoring team orders.

One can de-tune the overall set up and still have a bike that's fast. Marco has to have a bike that's set up juuuuust right in order for him to trust the front end.  This year, it took a while for them to set the bike up to his riding style. He likes the bike to transition into a bike that handles better as fuel loads decreased and tires settle in. He typically gets better as the race progresses. That never happened in Qatar.

If he pissed of the factory bigwigs by not slowing down a few weeks ago... no need to put out the pissy face pitboard if all you have to do is tweak the bike a smidge.


The same may have happened to Baz. Kwak gremlins

Quote from: Grampa on November 03, 2014, 05:44:03 PM
One can de-tune the overall set up and still have a bike that's fast. Marco has to have a bike that's set up juuuuust right in order for him to trust the front end.  This year, it took a while for them to set the bike up to his riding style. He likes the bike to transition into a bike that handles better as fuel loads decreased and tires settle in. He typically gets better as the race progresses. That never happened in Qatar.

If he pissed of the factory bigwigs by not slowing down a few weeks ago... no need to put out the pissy face pitboard if all you have to do is tweak the bike a smidge.


The same may have happened to Baz. Kwak gremlins

Nah...

Baz tangled with someone in the first corner and had to make up a lot of ground.

It's election eve... can't a guy have just one conspiracy theory?

Where would things be if no one had followed team orders in the past raced and everyone was just racing up & up?