EX250 Type R posted:

That roster makes it look like its gonna be a good year for racing

builds character posted:

I don't think we've seen anything that indicates that Marquez won't win going away. Sure, everything can change but it's not like Rossi is suddenly finding amazing pace or Lorenzo is some kind of world beater on the Ducati. Maybe Vinales can come out of sort of nowhere and compete, but he kind of sucks in the wet, doesn't he?

EX250 Type R posted:

Thats not what your mom said

Gay Nudist Dad posted:

Heartening to see Dani caught up so close to the top. Here's hoping that stays, I'd love to see him reliably in the top 5 again. And Lorenzo seems off to a pretty fast start on the Ducati.


I'll be at COTA this year for my first-ever MotoGP race. I'll be at turn 15. I have almost no idea what to expect with regards to seeing this sort of thing in person.


Has anyone ever moved into GP having not been a top performer in the lower classes and been a race winner? Or a more-than-a-fluke podium finisher?

Skreemer posted:

Congrats on the seats, bring a hat, sunscreen, and ear plugs.

In the "Modern Era" there hasn't been anyone that's not been a consistent top 5 that has done really well in the MotoGP class. Plenty of others the have gone the other direction to age, or injury (I still lament the career that Ben Spies could have had.) Heck even being a top performer at the Moto3 level doesn't guarantee performance at Moto2, case in point Alex Marquez, a Moto3 Champion.

Slavvy posted:

Don't know why I hadn't noticed this thread!


Ben Spies had like the perfect vortex of everything going wrong. George for a teammate, check. Testing parts on what seemed to be the least reliable yamaha ever, check. Horrible injuries, check. Being american in the post-rossi era, check.

Also Danny Kent going to moto2 was...pretty underwhelming.

I think part of the problem (which dorna are taking steps to remedy) is the electronics on moto2 bikes are extremely crude. This plus the totally different handling dynamics to GP mean that most of the rookies aren't adequately prepared for the bigger bikes and it's a crapshoot as to who will turn out to mesh with the GP bikes and who won't. It also helps to land on something other than a honda, see: Rabat. Hopefully the triumph bikes bring them closer into line with GP. But then they'll complain that moto3's tiptoing corner speed style is too far divorced from the power and crazyness of the two bigger classes

Skreemer posted:

Day 2 of testing in Australia:

pre:

Pos Rider              Team                        Fastest lap Lead.  Laps
1   VIÑALES, Maverick  Movistar Yamaha MotoGP      1:28.847           21 / 80 	
2   MARQUEZ, Marc      Repsol Honda Team           1:29.309    0.462  20 / 107 	
3   CRUTCHLOW, Cal     LCR Honda                   1:29.325    0.478  28 / 80 	
4   BAUTISTA, Alvaro   Pull&Bear Aspar Team        1:29.411    0.564  42 / 86 	
5   DOVIZIOSO, Andrea  Ducati Team                 1:29.483    0.636  32 / 55 	
6   ESPARGARO, Aleix   Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:29.501    0.654  18 / 69 	
7   FOLGER, Jonas      Monster Yamaha Tech 3       1:29.664    0.817  29 / 65 	
8   ROSSI, Valentino   Movistar Yamaha MotoGP      1:29.674    0.827  18 / 70 	
9   RINS, Alex         Team SUZUKI ECSTAR          1:29.802    0.955  68 / 80 	
10  MILLER, Jack       Team EG 0,0 Marc VDS        1:29.838    0.991  36 / 83 	
11  ZARCO, Johann      Monster Yamaha Tech 3       1:29.880    1.033  84 / 88 	
12  IANNONE, Andrea    Team SUZUKI ECSTAR          1:29.947    1.100  19 / 72 	
13  ABRAHAM, Karel     Pull&Bear Aspar Team        1:30.142    1.295  20 / 73 	
14  PETRUCCI, Danilo   Octo Pramac Racing          1:30.150    1.303  64 / 65 	
15  LORENZO, Jorge     Ducati Team                 1:30.197    1.350  32 / 64 	
16  PEDROSA, Dani      Repsol Honda Team           1:30.245    1.398  38 / 40 	
17  BARBERA, Hector    Reale Esponsorama Racing    1:30.352    1.505  18 / 62 	
18  REDDING, Scott     Octo Pramac Racing          1:30.435    1.588  83 / 90 	
19  ESPARGARO, Pol     Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:30.645    1.798  24 / 59 	
20  BAZ, Loris         Reale Esponsorama Racing    1:30.852    2.005  34 / 53 	
21  LOWES, Sam         Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:30.895    2.048  34 / 64 	
22  SMITH, Bradley     Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:31.704    2.857  35 / 81 	

Skreemer posted:

Day3 of testing, Rossi is going the wrong way, Jorge is finally getting some speed on, and Maverick is tops for the second day in a row.
I wonder if Rossi is still sick, He didn't pull nearly as many laps as he usually does.

pre:

Pos Rider              Team                        Fastest lap Lead. Gap  Laps
1   VIÑALES, Maverick  Movistar Yamaha MotoGP      1:28.549               13 / 101 	
2   MARQUEZ, Marc      Repsol Honda Team           1:28.843    0.294      14 / 96 	
3   PEDROSA, Dani      Repsol Honda Team           1:29.033    0.484      61 / 65 	
4   FOLGER, Jonas      Monster Yamaha Tech 3       1:29.042    0.493      12 / 63 	
5   CRUTCHLOW, Cal     LCR Honda                   1:29.101    0.552      72 / 85 	
6   RINS, Alex         Team SUZUKI ECSTAR          1:29.103    0.554      60 / 66 	
7   DOVIZIOSO, Andrea  Ducati Team                 1:29.248    0.699       9 / 73 	
8   LORENZO, Jorge     Ducati Team                 1:29.342    0.793      61 / 75 	
9   MILLER, Jack       Team EG 0,0 Marc VDS        1:29.358    0.809      18 / 93 	
10  ESPARGARO, Aleix   Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:29.361    0.812      61 / 65 	
11  ROSSI, Valentino   Movistar Yamaha MotoGP      1:29.470    0.921      13 / 52 	
12  IANNONE, Andrea    Team SUZUKI ECSTAR          1:29.547    0.998      63 / 77 	
13  PETRUCCI, Danilo   Octo Pramac Racing          1:29.615    1.066      50 / 57 	
14  ZARCO, Johann      Monster Yamaha Tech 3       1:29.670    1.121      10 / 87 	
15  BARBERA, Hector    Reale Esponsorama Racing    1:29.791    1.242      82 / 83 	
16  ESPARGARO, Pol     Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:29.857    1.308      62 / 62 	
17  BAZ, Loris         Reale Esponsorama Racing    1:29.977    1.428      64 / 71 	
18  SMITH, Bradley     Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:29.978    1.429      73 / 73 	
19  BAUTISTA, Alvaro   Pull&Bear Aspar Team        1:29.984    1.435       7 / 74 	
20  REDDING, Scott     Octo Pramac Racing          1:30.005    1.456      47 / 74 	
21  LOWES, Sam         Aprilia Racing Team Gresini 1:30.200    1.651      29 / 57 	
22  ABRAHAM, Karel     Pull&Bear Aspar Team        1:30.452    1.903      24 / 61

builds character posted:

Skreemer posted:

KTM now has a factory team in every class. They've been doing well in Moto3, I know GP and Moto2 are new classes for them, but I hope they do well.

Slavvy posted:

I can't decide whether aprilia or KTM will be the first ones to pack their poo poo up and go home when they keep spending squillions only to barely make the top ten for the next few years. They'll be the new growth trying to reach the sun through the branches of the hundred year oaks already in the class.

Suzuki were smart/lucky and got in early enough (in terms of the new 'fairer' rules) that they had no real low-level competition so now they have the chance to attract decent riders and justify a bigger budget to their parent company.

Gut tells me aprilia's half-assery will get them out quickest.

Long term IMO there'll be another team exodus and drastic fall in grid numbers because with the top ten populated mostly by factory teams, the satellites will get no recognition unless they adopt some sort of best-of-the-rest trophy or something.

quote:

He boasted of KTM passing BMW in terms of sales, adding that beating them in racing would be hard, "because they don't race any more". He spoke of competing against the Japanese manufacturers. "We love racing, and we love beating the Japanese manufacturers."

But Pierer reserved his sharpest ire for Honda. Speaking of the surprise decision to compete in Moto2, he joked that the spec Moto2 engine was supplied by "our most hated rival Honda".

Slavvy posted:

So how the gently caress does the new grid setup work if you dnf? Previously melandri would've started from the front row again and have a chance to make amends. Now what? Does he start from last?

quote:

Following the enthralling opening race fans were treated to at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, we will now see Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) start from pole position as race winner Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team), will fight through the pack from ninth.

Rea’s stunning heroics to take the victory on Saturday now means fans will be treated to seeing him fighting through the pack; aiming to quickly be up with Lowes, Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team), who will start on the front row.

Row two will consist of Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team), Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) and Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team), who crossed the line on Saturday in ninth. The updates to the rules for race two also means it gives riders who had a disappointing Superpole performance such as Laverty, the opportunity to redeem their starting position for the second race.

From 10th position down, results will be determined on Superpole lap, times which puts Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in tenth position despite crashing out on the seventh lap.

Slavvy posted:

Right. So rae wins the race and his reward is starting in ninth. Melandri DNF's and his reward is starting immediately behind rae.

I understand what they're trying to do, this is just a loving retarded way of doing it that nobody really thought through. I thought dorna were spanish, not italian.