MotoGP 2011 -- Rd 1 Qatar (Race Spoilers)

[ducpainter]

1 race does not a season make.  and he got stuck behind some folks..

I'll give you the first part...

his qualy position should have garnered him a much better finishing position.

I'm calling FAIL.

I'd wager he feels the same.

[gm2]

no arguing that start sucked  =)

[Spidey]

The Ben -- disappointing.  The glowing rotors were cool through, as was deliberately running it too deep on the brakes so you could get Rossi on the next turn.  No, he didn't blow the brake marker.  He did it purposely.  But his race kinda sucked.
Rossi -- disappointing.  No shoulder and no bike.  I hope things look up soon.  
Simo-- Yay!
Pedro -- arm is gonna be a problem, dude.  You're still a douche.
Lorenzo -- despite the fact that he sodomizes nuns, good ride.  But I'm not rooting for you unless it's between you and a Respol Honda (and if it's Stoner, I don't know who to root for).
Stoner -- yawn.
Repsol -- make the beast with two backs you.  

The race was more interesting than I thought it would be, but was still somehow disappointing.  I guess it doesn't help when I'm rooting for the guys in fifth, sixth and seventh.  

[The Don]

I just hope that Stoner can hold it together until the end of the year.
I saw two interviews, one with Pedrosa and one with Lorenzo, they both seemed like nice enough blokes, i don't know why all the the hate for these two blokes. As long as they finish behind Stoner I will think they are all great.
As a side note, in AMCN magazine there is a interview with Stoner, he said that in 2009 Ducati offered Lorenzo nine times what he was getting paid, and went on to call them two faced.
That is why I hope Ducati go nowhere with Rossi, especially after spending that much money, they can bite me.

Sorry, I made a monumental make the beast with two backs up, Lorenzo was offered twice as much as Stoner, not as I stated above.

[TiNi]

The race was more interesting than I thought it would be, but was still somehow disappointing.  I guess it doesn't help when I'm rooting for the guys in fifth, sixth and seventh.  

so that's why i was disappointed too... 

[gm2]

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Mar/110322rydernotes.htm

[mitt]

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Mar/110322rydernotes.htm

this sums it up best IMO:

"Nicky Hayden went as fast as he did last year, trouble is everyone else went 0.3sec faster. Typically, Nick just blamed himself."

mitt

[OT]

just in case you don't know, it's related to nerve damage from his crash in japan last season.

read that somewhere else (roadracing world?), just couldn't resist the wisecrack...promises to behave in the future.

Sorry to hear about nerve damage....with all the rest of his injuries he'll be hurting when he gets older, and there's no substitute for good health

Yeah, I can't wait until the Yamahas aren't down on top speed anymore. They may actually be down but they've got a couple riders who seem to be able to over come that pretty well.

I was surprised to see Spies keeping pace with Rossi on the long straight...can't be that far down on top speed

[derby]

I was surprised to see Spies keeping pace with Rossi on the long straight...can't be that far down on top speed

i don't think the problem is top speed (spies was near the top of the speed traps), it's the midrange grunt.

[Jester]

Spies also had the benefit of Rossi giving him a draft.

[derby]

Spies also had the benefit of Rossi giving him a draft.

i hadn't considered that. looking back at the top speeds for fp1-qp, all the yamahas were in the bottom half of the chart. spies was second fastest in the race (behind barbera) with the other yamahas still a the bottom of the traps.

race chart:

http://resources.motogp.com/files/results/xx/2011/QAT/MotoGP/RAC/AverageSpeed.pdf?v1_a7cc89e9

[ducpainter]

i hadn't considered that. <snip>

Say it isn't so.

[zooom]

IMHO....the fight to watch this year is between Simo and Dovi...those 2 will be interesting to watch tangle with one another...

[duccarlos]

Simo will ride circles around Dovi.

[Spidey]

Simo will ride circles around through Dovi.

What's the over/under on how many people Simo T-bones this year?     He's a menace.  I love him.  [moto]