Moto GP Final Pre Season Testing.

[Peter Henry]

Hi peeps,

As many will know the Moto Gp circus is a couple of hours down the road from me at Jerez this weekend carrying out final practice before the first race of the season. There is every chance of some good action as riders really try to find their pace and some full race distance testing going on.

I am sorely tempted to pop along as due to the lower crowd levels you should be able to wander around a lot easier and get up a little tighter for some photo taking.

Is it worth the trouble or should I just wait for the actual race weekend in a fortnight?

[kwak zzr]

GO!GO!GO! i wish i was that close peter h. lets just all hope someone can give the yamahas some competition this year, sete maybe? :?

[mudge32]

Too right!! GP bikes are great whether racing or practicing!! Just don't forget yer earplugs :lol:

[Cloggsy]

Bloody right I would... Who needs an excuse :D

[carelesschucca]

Go!!! watch the track from lots of different places as you won't get the chance when the whole of spain turns up in a couple of weeks... It gives you a chance to find where you wanna sit for the main event...

Even better take classy photos of these guys riding in the warmth post em on here and make everyone else sick...

[DanAbnormal]

Bugger! Pressed the wrong fecking button. YES I WOULD GO! :D

[Biker Biggles]

Oh yes,I'd go to that.I'm not really one for the big events as i like my view and I don't like big crowds but that sounds ideal.Damn sight warmer than a bleak Mallory Park last Sunday as well.

[GregK2]

In the words of Murray Walker......

GO! GO! GO!

[Vfr400]

Hi peeps,


I am sorely tempted to pop along as due to the lower crowd levels you should be able to wander around a lot easier and get up a little tighter for some photo taking.

Is it worth the trouble or should I just wait for the actual race weekend in a fortnight?
I think i read that 55,000 fans turned up to the last test :?

But I'd go anyway, but then I'm going to the BSB tests at Snetterton next week and it'll still be wet and cold :)
chris

[Peter Henry]

Well due to your general encouragement,I am about to set off in a minute or two! Today looks to be the slightly better on the weather front than tomorrow so I have to do it!


A little feed back for you all later! :wink: 8)

[Cloggsy]

A little feed back for you all later! :wink: 8)

Don't forget the pictures ;)

[Peter Henry]

Cloggsy...I did take pictures but I have to say that I am totally dissapointed with them. They are certainly not worth placing on the forum. I really must dig around to see how to gain decent action shots with my H.P. Photosmart 735.

However a little summary of the day for you:

A day of clear blue skies and lots of sunchine with just the bare hint of a slightly cooling breeze. Can you believe it cost me just 6 euros for a ticket that I could have used for all 3 days?! :shock:

I basically was able to walk to all parts of the circuit and sit in virtually every grandstand also! When you consider the top riders in the world were out on the track from 10.00am to 6.00pm, I think value fpor money could not be beaten!

I am glad we have chosen Grandstand W3 when the races are on as it has a great vantage point of straights and bends and you can see action that is quite a way from you as well. Plenty of people there but no way packed and on my wanders I had a stand all to myself at times!

Brief summary of how the riders were shaping:

Nakano is going very quick on the Kawasaki, very worrying for Honda must be that during one spell Hayden was about 80 metres in front of Nakano, who soon caught and passed the American and then built a huge gap! Trust me there are big problems in the Honda camp! I predict Hayden getting his P45 before the season is through!

De Puniet surprised me, he is getting faster and faster on his Green meanie.Not to be tpotally discounted as nothing other than an also ran me thinks.

The only Honda rider doing anything like respectable times is the little Spanish boy Pedrosa.

Those Yamaha's just sound so much smoother than anything else out there and Checa is really riding his well on Dunlops.

The Camel Yamaha's only played a late cameo role today,they seem to have a totally different work ethic than the other teams. Could it be that the tyres they had available were so bad? Or is it that they are actually very confidant that they have the package ready to do the job come race day?

Suzuki, especially Hopkins look very good. He carries a noticaeably higher amount of corner speed that Chris Vermullen who is probably still learning the bike.

Have Bridgestone finally taken the lead from Michelin? At one point today 7 of the top 10 fastest were using Bridgestone rubber and with Checa and his Dunlops taking one of the other spots? 8)

Tomorrow a bit more sombre for me as I join a "memorial" ride for the English guy who got killed on his bike here a couple of weeks ago. :?

[Topcat]

Interesting comments Pete, particularly with regard to the big 'H' . It is certainly true to say that Honda haven't had a good winter testing season , and Yamaha seem to be a class apart at the moment . You have spotted an obvious link here :idea: . When Vale was at Respol , Honda had an obvious team leader and someone who they (Honda) trusted to give them direction and focus in the development of the bike . Since Vale went to Yamaha , there has been no obvious team leader to give that crucial direction and focus , consequently ,Honda has lost direction at the moment .

Nicky Hayden has been trusted to lead the development work , but has clearly been unhappy with the '06 RCV . Also because Honda have usually 4 teams and 7 different riders , with no obvious leader to lead development work and different teams/riders pulling in slightly different directions, then you get to the confused state they now seem to find themselves in . Hayden seems to prefer the '05 bike to '06 RCV but , HRC are insisting that the Respol boys use the '06 bike . But to say Hayden will get his P45 , i don't think so .

Marco Melandri had an excellent campaign last season , and was the rider who pushed Rossi as hard as anybody has , particularly in the 2nd half of the season , culminating in 2 excellent wins where he beat Rossi fair and square . Marco has also had a very disappointing winter and, is also struggling big time with the new RCV , particularly saying that he has lost a lot of corner speed at the moment , and can't get the feeling from the front end that he needs. Also Makoto Tamada , hasn't convinced though the winter also , and has plenty of experience on the RCV also . We can discount the new boys at HRC to a certain extent ( Pedosa , Stoner and Elias ) as they are learning a new bike / team . So to my way of thinking Nicky Hayden is far from alone in struggling to get on the pace with the RCV at the moment . Nicky Hayden may not be the team leader HRC require at the moment , but he is still a very fine world class rider , who is capable of beating Rossi on his day , and there ain't to many of those around at the moment .

It would seem that HRC are almost writing off this season off and planning for next season , when the new 800's come in . HRC have already got a prototype up and working and have been testing in Japan , and you can bet that if Vale does leave Moto GP at the ned of this year ( which i'm not convinced that he will do , by the way :shock: ) then HRC will be ready to go with the 800 bike , which will have been extensivly tested , probably more than any other team . Also i think that Honda's choice of new riders for this season , were to a certain extent determined by next year . It would seem that the common wisdom is that the new (800 ) bikes will feel a lot like the 250's and hence after a learning year , Pedrosa and Stonner could well flourish . I think that Honda's line up will stay much the same for next year , i think they made their big choices this year , notably letting go of Baros and Biaggi (who probably sacked himself :-# ) , and going for a more youthfull line up of jockeys .

Hayden and Melandri are still pretty young with time on their side , and in Hayden's case plenty of experience to count on . So although Honda are having problem's at the moment there is no doubt that you write them off at your peril . Suzuki , Ducatti , and Kawasaki have all made improvements but whether they can consistently sustain a challenge to Yamaha , i somehow doubt :shock: Suzuki are lacking power (again) but have an excellent chasis ,but 20 odd bhp is still a lot to be down . Ducatti have had a good winter but testing times are one thing ,winning races is another , although i do think they may well win a couple , like last year . Kawasaki have certainly improved and could well be the dark horses but all three outfits will have to improve a long way to sustain a challenge .

As for tyres well certainly Bridgestone have upped their game , and Michelin will have to do likewise , but i think as always certain tracks will favour one tyre over another . I can understand your optimism over Ducatti and i'm sure they will go well , but i've seen nothing to suggest that they can beat Rossi / Yamaha consistently . Testing times are one thing , winning races is another . Then there is the 'X' factor , has Sete got his head together , enough to stand up to Rossi which he will undoubtedly have to do to win this season . All in all it's going to be very interesting to see how it all pans out . :D