2010 MotoGP Round 3 - Le Mans (Race Spoilers)

[desmoquattro]

Nicky is a hard worker with the right ethic which makes it hard to not want to keep him regardless of his results...but with his results being amazingly better than Casey currently and a completely drastic difference from anyone else who has had the 2nd seat factory ride as of late...it is hard to argue as to why not to keep him...

I'm not saying they won't keep him...I'm saying they'll make a strong play for Rossi. If that doesn't work, they'll throw big dollars at Lorentho. And if that doesn't work, they'll try to sign Smurfey O'Pint-Size. Either way, I doubt Nicky becomes the lead rider at Ducati...as much as I would like that.

[gm2]

he's out-riding pedro so far.  and i know they don't want to deal with puig.

if he's consistently doing what he's doing now or better - and if they can't get jorge - there's not much argument against it.  the US is ducati's largest market and nicky is very much a team player from the off-track obligations* pov.

*...unlike someone else.


i still have this feeling that any offer to valentino would be for a new single bike factory team.  but i doubt he's going anywhere.

[duccarlos]

Watching the race again. Casey had passed Nicky at least a half lap earlier and he was trying to get into position to pass Pedrosa. Exactly who was he trying to blame fot the fall?

[EvilSteve]

Nicky may have home town draw (or is that drawl?) here but not so much elsewhere. I don't think Ducati wants to deal with POOOOOOOOOg any more than any other team but if Stoner really is scratching plastics on behalf of HRC (which I find hard to believe but it's an enjoyable euphemism) then I think Ducati would be right to go after the only remaining alien. Unfortunately I think Nicky will continue to play bridesmaid until the perfect storm happens again, if ever.

[Triple J]

Stoner's crash looked to me like he was pushing too hard again. He had passed Hayden, and was trying to catch Rossi & Lorenzo. Unfortunately, he wasn't happy with doing so slowly...he wanted to catch them in a lap or three. Similar to Qatar...looked like he didn't want to slowly build a gap...he wanted to break Rossi right away. Patience.

[gm2]

Patience.

or, lack of racecraft.

[El Matador]

or, lack of racecraft.

It's hard to argue against Stoner's racecraft. He has always been comfortable passing people, unlike Smurfy.

[gm2]

i don't think that's the case at all.

he can fight back when necessary, true, and he's not pedro in this dept, but his racecraft is lacking in relation to many.  he likes to get out front and clear away.  more often then not too much scrapping for him means he ends up 3rd or 4th or in the gravel.

[Speeddog]

Pedrosa racing since he was 6, 3 years 125GP, 2 years in 250GP.
Stoner racing since he was 4 years old, lots of racing, including 4 years in 250GP.

That much riding and racing, and still weak racecraft.

[gm2]

Pedrosa racing since he was 6, 3 years 125GP, 2 years in 250GP.
Stoner racing since he was 4 years old, lots of racing, including 4 years in 250GP.

That much riding and racing, and still weak racecraft.

and the common denominator between the two is.....

[Speeddog]

Puig.

[derby]

Puig.

[ducpainter]

I think Stoner lost the front again even though the replay shows the rear going.

It seems that Ducati has made it possible for everyone to not be on the podium.

[derby]

I think Stoner lost the front again even though the replay shows the rear going.

lost the rear trying to save the front:

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/May/100524-g9transcript.htm

Q You also had a box seat for Casey's crash, unfortunately. What did you see of that?

A I mean, I seen it right ... it was right in front of me. I seen the front - well, yeah, I seen the front go a little, and then I seen his left foot come off. I was right there. I know it always looks like slow motion, but seemed like forever. The front was gone, and he was on his elbow, and he was trying to save it, and I couldn't open the throttle because he was staying on line. And I was thinking, "I'm about to, the guys behind me are about ..." It seemed like a long time. I don't know. But anyway, I was waiting to open the throttle, and he just ... when I passed him, he was still had it on his knee. That was it. I seen him, I'm not sure what. Lost the front.

[ducpainter]

lost the rear trying to save the front:

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/May/100524-g9transcript.htm

Q You also had a box seat for Casey's crash, unfortunately. What did you see of that?

A I mean, I seen it right ... it was right in front of me. I seen the front - well, yeah, I seen the front go a little, and then I seen his left foot come off. I was right there. I know it always looks like slow motion, but seemed like forever. The front was gone, and he was on his elbow, and he was trying to save it, and I couldn't open the throttle because he was staying on line. And I was thinking, "I'm about to, the guys behind me are about ..." It seemed like a long time. I don't know. But anyway, I was waiting to open the throttle, and he just ... when I passed him, he was still had it on his knee. That was it. I seen him, I'm not sure what. Lost the front.

Pretty much....