Valencia Test

[Blackout]

All smiles in the Yamaha garage!
I think he is far from broken. He'll be incredibly motivated next season to make everyone his pregnant dog.


Meanwhile over in the Ducati garage....    

Hopefully Dovi or Crazy Joe can ride that damn thing.
I hate the off-season.

[gm2]

I wonder if Rossi is broken.  I don't think so, but I'm really curious.  Even if he's not, I don't think he can ride that Yami like Lorenzo.  Lorenzo's style is particularly suited to the current gen of electronics-driven, you-can't-make-any-mistakes MotoGP bikes.  Rossi's style is better suited to the older gen bikes, where you could ride the bikes more easily by sheer force of will.    

except he won in 2008, 2009, came back pretty well from a badly broken leg in 2010, and stoner blames him for the current gen of electronics-driven, you-can't-make-any-mistakes MotoGP bikes... (even tho VR says that motogp is now boring because of those bikes)?

i still say he'll be on the podium in Qatar.

[Triple J]

He's gotta be fast, as there's nothing to blame it on now!

I predict would like to see The Ben take him out in Qatar...kind of a "thanks for stealing my ride you asshat" gesture. 

[zooom]

I wonder if Rossi is broken.  I don't think so, but I'm really curious.  Even if he's not, I don't think he can ride that Yami like Lorenzo.  Lorenzo's style is particularly suited to the current gen of electronics-driven, you-can't-make-any-mistakes MotoGP bikes. Rossi's style is better suited to the older gen bikes, where you could ride the bikes more easily by sheer force of will.    

if that is in fact the case, they why did he fail to adapt and do exactly that with the Duc?....I fear that is exactly why Stoner did as well as he did with the Duc and why others have failed...it is that killer instinct/will to push that "bin it or win it" edge and get results out of the Duc...or so it seems.

[Spidey]

except he won in 2008, 2009, came back pretty well from a badly broken leg in 2010, and stoner blames him for the current gen of electronics-driven, you-can't-make-any-mistakes MotoGP bikes... (even tho VR says that motogp is now boring because of those bikes)?

i still say he'll be on the podium in Qatar.

I think he'll likely podium at Qatar as well.  Then again, there are 4.5 podium-level bikes/riders (Respols, Yamis, and Crutchlow's Tech 3), so that's not so much of a stretch.  I just don't think he'll consistently beat Lorenzo.  I really want him to (as does Dorna), but I remain skeptical.  I'd looooooove to be proved wrong.

[Spidey]

Poor Dovi.  He's worked so hard and his big reward is the Ducati.  I honestly feel sorry for the guy. 

[Speeddog]

~~~SNIP~~~

All smiles in the Yamaha garage!

~~~SNIP~~~

Just like in the Ducati garage at the Valencia 2010 test.

[duccarlos]

Poor Dovi.  He's worked so hard and his big reward is the Ducati.  I honestly feel sorry for the guy. 

He's getting a boatload of money to be a back marker. He can always blame the bike for his shitty performance, specially since he's been watching Rossi do it for 2 years. Win-win for him. And if by some miracle Audi can eventually make it work, he can take all the credit.

[The Don]

I wonder if Rossi is broken.  I don't think so, but I'm really curious.  Even if he's not, I don't think he can ride that Yami like Lorenzo.  Lorenzo's style is particularly suited to the current gen of electronics-driven, you-can't-make-any-mistakes MotoGP bikes.  Rossi's style is better suited to the older gen bikes, where you could ride the bikes more easily by sheer force of will.   

Like you would need too, say on a Ducati 

[zooom]

I'm very happy I did not renew my subscription in the hopes of seeing the tests.

http://www.motomatters.com/analysis/2012/11/13/valencia_motogp_test_day_1_round_up_of_d.html

This was perhaps toughest on the TV commentators. Because of Rossi's return to Yamaha, the first couple of hours of the test were streamed live on the MotoGP.com website, as well as broadcast on both Italian and Spanish TV. There was virtually nothing to show, though, except images of crowds milling in pit lane, riders wandering around chatting, some in leathers, some not, and endless repeats of slow-motion shots from the few bikes that had turned a lap in the morning, leaving commentators racking their brains for subjects to discuss, leading at one point to a surprisingly long discussion about fruit, and the riders who eat it.

[Jester]

I'm very happy I did not renew my subscription in the hopes of seeing the tests.

I renewed mine, but would have done so anyway.  What's the difference doing it now or in three months.  It was worth the shot.

[gm2]

worth it as in free.  so yeah, it was worth it.

besides, listening to gavin emmett groan when they told him they were going to extend the (non) coverage an extra 30 minutes was pretty entertaining

[derby]

besides, listening to gavin emmett groan when they told him they were going to extend the (non) coverage an extra 30 minutes was pretty entertaining

that cracked me up.

[gm2]

marquez ends up 1 second off pedro on day 2

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Nov/121114rep.htm

[webspoke]

The new Kid seems like the real deal.  motomatters had a good writeup of his progression during the day, and how he complained about the electronics like stoner.  He may be the one stealing podiums from Rossi and the others if he applies his moto2 slice 'n dice style without crashing.