MotoGP: Down Under (Spoilers, Mite!)

Not necessarily. Lorenzo was turning laps consistently faster than Pedrosa during qualifying.

Hi Scotty.

Sorry I missed you at the Island this year mate. My old phone crapped itself and i've lost all my contacts so couldn't give you a call.

Howdy Nev

Was pretty busy at the island this year.

Didn't even manage to catch up with some of my other friends from Tassie that were over there.

Did laps around the outside of the track on friday and saturday , and then pretty much stayed in our seats (Stoner Pavilion) on the sunday.

Took over 4 hours to get back to the airport on monday , was a bit worried at one stage that we may miss our flight.

95 minutes to get from Cowes to San Remo (17 kilometres) :eek1

Was a great weekend thats for sure.

Thought that I may not go next year , after having attended for the last 14 years in a row.
But got back to work on tuesday and booked holidays for october next year , just in case.

I spent a few hours at turn 3 on Friday morning, what a privilege it was watching Casey, he owned the track...

How can any mortal do this??? I am certainly going to miss him next year.


D800E_DSC1000 by rpo83, on Flickr

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1oTcpDOqjk8?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I'd love to see Stoner on a 90's era 500cc 2 stroke. I think it would be absolute poetry. Like a bull fight.

They were showing slo-mos of riders going through there during the weekend. Most all of them slid their bikes. Dunno why people talk as if Stoner is the only one to ever have ridden a bike sideways through turns... Sure, cooler to watch than J-Lo, but neither unique nor original.

You Sir should watch badminton it might be more exciting than MotogP for you

I am surprised no one on here has mentioned Marq Marquez's throwing the Spanish flag onto the ground in parc ferme. Seems like just the sort of topic that could go on for a couple of pages around here.

+100 He ain't the only one.

With the current crop of riders in the top, that's closer to the truth than you think...

Well let me assure you K0m4, if you were trackside you would realise why i wrote what i did, the only other rider that attacked the corner like Stoner was Pedrosa, and he was nowhere near as committed, but you believe what you want, i suppose that 0.5+ second he had was due to the outright speed of the Honda hey......

I don't have to "believe" anything, I was watching it with my own eyes in 1000 fps. Hell, even Bautista slid through.

Stoner had the pace this weekend, but when people speak the way they do about his slides, I start wondering if they've watched any race before 2011.. Look up a certain McCoy, just as one example of someone who's hella more spectacular.

you are a little late to the party kyns, the topic was committing to turn 3 at Phillip Island, not sliding the bike in general..

But great pics, all these guys are superstars. It is a pity that when 1 rider is praised, others seem to feel threatened that their favourite rider wasn't mentioned and get all defensive.....

Although i think Stoner is a very special rider, one we are not likely to see the likes of again for a long time, i'm not one eyed, here is a shot of Rossi and Crutchlow exiting Southern Loop on the way to Turn 3


D800E_DSC1079 by rpo83, on Flickr



D800E_DSC1020 by rpo83, on Flickr

Nope, not late... The party started on post #127 aand i was right there at the party....

Aaaand it was indeed about others than Stoner sliding allso... in general.

Indeed it was. And there are many of them.

So was i, and NO ONE "attacked" turn 3 like Stoner, if there is so much evidence, post some pics or vids, i was there on Friday and at home on Sunday, i didn't mention slides in any of my comments, it was all about commitment.

I Don't need to "lookup" Mr Squiggle, i have been watching MotoGP since the mid 80's, Gary and many other riders before slid bikes, no one is doubting that, hell watch Moto2!!!

If you are so blinded that you can't see anything special in the way Stoner rides, then i feel sorry for you. Jeez i'm not asking you to profess undying love for the guy, just show him a little respect...

Watching Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Stoner for the past 2 seasons has been a thing of beauty, 3 guys on the absolute limit pushing each other, sure there has been little passing, that doesn't diminish the spectacle for me,

Friday morning even Speezah, was commenting about Stoner and his style, all i'm going to say is that he is unique, it is a pity that the politics and the off track aspects of what passes for racing these days has brought the series to where it is today, this is supposed to be the best guys on the best bikes, and if a few of them are aliens, then that is a wonderful thing, it shows us all what is possible, soon MotoGP will be nothing more than a spectacle for the McDonalds generation who want a quick fix....

Even the guys he's racing against say the same thing! I posted a while back asking if anyone could "see" the few 10ths per lap difference in his riding. I think I can sometimes. They're all incredible and have their own styles, but Stoner is a step above; an A+.
I wish he was staying next year, to race Rossi, Jorge and Danni.

Cheers,
Erik

I was at Laguna the last year Stoner was on the Ducati and trackside you could see how much harder he was riding than anyone else with the exception of Rossi.

None of these guys are shabby but Stoners commitment on the brakes into turn five compared to Hayden on the same bike was stunning and clear to see. TV doesn't capture the comparative sense of effort you get trackside.