The Racing Thread - THIS THREAD CONTAINS RESULT INFO

Jelster wrote:

Gibbers is a "has been". He had his chance and couldn't step up to the mark.

I understand what your saying, but personally I am not at all convinced that is true.

That toe slider story about Sete is actually true. So much that he ground away part of his little toe in his attempts to keep in touch with the leaders. That is determination for you!


Uninteresting fact perhaps? Did you know that the fastest curve at Mugello is negotiated quickest by the 125's? Who'd a thought?

Originally Posted by Peter Henry

That toe slider story about Sete is actually true. So much that he ground away part of his little toe in his attempts to keep in touch with the leaders. That is determination for you!

I heard that he jumped off the bike after the race and bit part of his toe off in frustration at getting blitzed?
Seriously, he was making a great stab at chasing Rossi, but that's all he could do - the bike (at least with Gibernau on it) just couldn't catch Rossi on the straights or the corners.
I'm dead impressed if Nicky Hayden is running 800cc - I'd sidelined him as "consistently bland" but if he's on a smaller engine then that pushes him much higher in my estimation - takes a lot of skill to act as a substitute for those extra cubes and makes his podiums so far pretty spectacular... also means that he'll be one step ahead when the 800cc rule comes in.

that last race is making me want to attend donny park in 4 weeks time.

[Supervox]

Originally Posted by Peter Henry

That toe slider story about Sete is actually true. So much that he ground away part of his little toe in his attempts to keep in touch with the leaders. That is determination for you!

Wouldn't it have been less painful for him to have moved his foot a little bit ?? :P

I mean call me a radical thinker if you must - but Jeez !!

I have to agree with Jelster here (& no PH, not JUST because he's riding for Ducati !! ) Giveupnow is past it - he had his best shot at a world title a couple of seasons ago, & it just isn't in him any more, He may have the 'will' - but not the 'way'.

As for Vale being the best ever ? Hmmmmm, difficult choice - but I would have to say "Yes".

Will his achievements be bettered in the future ? Quite possibly, but I don't think it will be by anyone who's riding in the top class at the moment. Young Dani is probably the most likely candidate - but his size and strength (or lack thereof) is always gonna go against him - unless he can 'bulk up' a bit.

As for up & coming riders, well there's PH's current 'crush' Jorge Lorenzo & my fave Andrea Dovizioso - I would also LOVE to see Roberto Locatelli given a shot at MotoGP, but at 31 he's too old for a serious team to take him on. In the 125 class I would say that Alvaro Bautista, Mika Kallio & Hector Faubel will probably find there way to MotoGP in the not too distant future.

Supervox....I hear what your saying about Sete, but I have the benefit of listening to the interviews he is featured in on Spanish TV. There is an incite in to the relationship he has with Ducati, that he felt he just was not getting with Honda for the last 2 seasons. Of course I could be very wrong but I really doubt it. He aint gonna be champ but he will be in amongst it more and more now.

Come on...apart changing his foot position to avoid said damage? You know as well as I do those guys are cornering on the limit and they have their fave body and feet positions...to have to alter it can really screw them up...Sete admitted it took him 2 laps to begin to get comfortable again.

My crush Jorge? :P He is the nearest thing to :Loris outside of Moto GP that I have seen and that is why I like him. You are correct though there are a good few lads coming on now and your boy Davizioso is certainly one of the best.

Ducati are going to want a young Italian to take over from Loris and Sete pretty soon. Unless Marco gets p*ssed with Honda and takes the dream ticket?

Dani has not even finished filling out naturally yet, but do not fear his diminutive size will not prevent him from achieving.

Valentino's record is 100% safe in my opinion.

On the 800cc thing? This could be correct but I am not totally buying it yet. There are many aspects of Nicky's bike that could be viewed as prototype but just because someone on Eurosport says it don't, mean it's true? Show me the evidence.....

good chance he is riding the smaller motor and a damn fine job he is making of it to.

[TimTucker]

I can't believe that Hayden is running an 800cc motor. I certainly can't believe that it would be able to keep up with the 990cc bikes out of corners. Mugello is a power circuit, I believe. If an 800cc Honda can thrash a 990cc Suzuki so comprehensively, Paul Denning and the boys should give up now.

I'm sure Honda have an 800cc prototype pounding round a private test track somewhere, but only Ducati have dared show theirs in public and even they haven't revealed what the engine configuration is. (There's been talk of a V3 from Honda.)

I think what Nicky is running is a unique chassis and running gear. There's probably development electronics on it. I saw one picture that showed his bike using carbon-fibre fairing supports near the screen, rather than the more usual metal. I think the machine is meant to be physically smaller, too.

Was it last year's Japanese race or two years' ago when Honda ran "next year's RC211V" with a Japanese rider to see how it stacked-up against the current bikes. It was slower and he crashed. If they're going to run the 800 bike this year, that's when I would expect them to do it, rather than have Hayden's championship chances scuttled from the start by riding it from the off. Honda really, really want to beat Rossi this year, so they're not going to be handicapping themselves in any way, shape or form.

On the other hand, though, why did Hayden's bike sound so different at Le Mans, like Jelster says? Could it have had the flu, too?

Tim...You so eloquently put in to words what I also believe to be the case .

I don't go for the idea that Honda would put a 800cc in a competitive team.

Give it Tamada or put in a solo special made team.

It would be way slower than Pedrosa's bike...espesh with Dani's jockey size. Espesh if Dani is 'the chosen rider'.

If it was just as fast as a 990cc then it would demolish the point of having 800cc in the first place.

Basket....I think we agree then that a lot of folks bought in to the poorly researched comment passed by the knobs on eurosport. One thing I have to tell you...the coverage and magazine sections of the race days here,(they go live from half an hour before the 125 race and stay until the podium of the Moto GP) are absolutely top notch and extremely informative.

Haydens bike is a complete "beta test" for next year, it doesn't make sense that they would run a 990c engine in it if everything else is geared around the new engine. How can you design a new frame and running gear and stick the current motor in it, and then expect to get feedback for next year, if it's running a bigger lump ???

And if you notice, the bike sounds different, handles differently, and is NOT as quick down the straights. But with more carbon fibre, new electronics and new running gear it can still be competitive.

The only reason he caught up with the front two is because they were slowing each other down. He hasn't got pole yet, never set a fastest lap and hasn't won a race. It's just a very good bike overall (well it is a Honda).

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