Yooperbikemike's 2013 MotoGP Thread

RDP + Suzuki, anyone got more info?
Was hoping Spies would join Suzuki 2014.

Oh yeah. riders trying to stay tight and drifting wide, riders starting wide and coming in tight. riders actually holding a tight line. Going to be very interesting. Imagine if it is wet. Coming into that corner, getting light and trying to turn? Those fast sweepers the bikes are going to be very fast through, I suspect. Got my tickets and can't wait.

What could possibly go wrong?

New Honda

Depends on where Bautista qualifies.

Not sure how far back the grid will sit, but with the "valley" I could imagine Moto3 bikes starting further up the hill which would mean that they could have significantly higher speeds than the guys who start at the front on level ground and then get going up a hill.
I do not think it will matter much with the MotoGP bikes with all of their power, but Moto3...

I'm just wondering what they were thinking with those wide approaches with the pavement narrowing in the corner. Might work for F1 cars, but it's going to be scary on the bikes.

I did not like the layout of COTA. I thought it looked VERY contrived.

I like the V shaped corners, but the S section and some of the rest of it looks terrible to me.

I read in Speed that the drivers liked it. I guess there are parts of several tracks linked together to make this one.; places like Silverstone etc.

Well, yes, it's contrived. It's the product of a template created and refined by the one firm allowed to design Bernie's playgrounds. Unlike some others from their recent portfolio, it has the advantage of elevation change. Just like the rest, it has all the charm of a shipping yard. Perfect for F1 . . .

From the television footage it looks like a terrible place for spectating--my kind of spectating, anyway, the kind that involves a GA ticket and lots of walking. Maybe someone who was there can chime in on that.

I don't think I have a problem with the v corners--every corner has an apex, no?--but we'll have to see the bikes in action to say for sure.

I think there will only be one line through T1. Loudon has something similar, but nobody shoots up the inside because they can't really carry the speed through the apex. If they did, it would make a mess of things, though. :eek1

It sure does look odd. Must have something to do with making a pit out that doesn't put them in the racing line at one of the fastest places on the track. I would guess pit out requires them to hug the inside until they make that hairpin. Seems like they could have had it follow the inside on seperate pavement like Laguna.

That doesn't explain the same configuration at T11, though.

We should put Krop on the case.

That loooong back straight into t12 ought to be interesting -- They were cooking the brakes at Motegi and the longest straight there is .5km shorter.

I was at COTA all weekend for the F1 race. It seemed as though each turn had a wide variety of lines the drivers could take. These were seen more in depth while we watched free practice and qualifying on Saturday.

The venue itself is quite impressive. It made Indy seem like a joke in comparison size wise, but then again this is Texas. The GA viewing wasn't too bad, though most locations you saw a couple of turns at a time. Honestly what can you expect from a road course.

The major downside of the place is that since it is in Texas, the place is huge. We made the mistake of not buying a parking pass. It took at least an hour to get from the free shuttle lots to the entrance of the track. There was about a half mile minimum walk from where the shuttle buses dropped you off to where the track entrance was.

The facility handled to crowds very well. Considering Friday had close to the expected MotoGP sized crowd, things should move quite a bit quicker.

All in all it is a pretty impressive place. There is plenty of Texas subtleties built into the design and color scheme of the place. Good to see that there. Food and drinks were expensive as to be expected, but the brisket nachos were quite impressive as were the smoked ribs.

They were quite lax on what was brought in and you could see plenty had brought in their own adult beverages and even a fellow setting up his hookah on a hillside. I'm looking forward to taking my wife down there to watch MotoGP. I'll be sure to spring for the closest parking possible and definitely some grand stand seating.

Andrew Gore

Shakey says no to MotoGP ride

It had some cool elements. The approach to T1 almost reminded me of Spa.

The drivers were oohing and ahhhing about the place on TV. It was obvious that it is very important for this to catch on as an F1 venue.

It will definitely be interesting to see how the bikes go. I thought is was very start and stop, classic new F1 circuit.

But no flow like Aragon, or even Valencia.

With all of the paved runoff, it looked almost like auto cross. I had trouble seeing where the track ended and the runoff started in some places.

COTA is going to need to make a compromise with Kevin Schwantz. That is a PR disaster they can't afford. IMHO.

Well, accordng to this Autoweek article, the track was designed by Tavo Hellmund and Kevin Schwantz, and "only" engineered by Tilke & Co.

His tweet to Crutchlow says it all, the CRT formula doesn't work to attract talent, it attracts money more than anything else. I do not see anyone moving from CRT to a factory ride anytime soon. Maybe RdP but he was a factory rider so that is different.

Shane Shakey Byrne &#8207;<s>@</s>67Shakey <s>@</s>calcrutchlow ha ha, problem is kid I like (love) podiums too, needed to be somewhere they were possible, Moto GP they definitely weren’t!!

Rumor is that Suzuki are working out details to make RdP their official test rider for 2013, while he rides CRT for Aspar. He would then become a Suzuki Moto GP rider for 2014.

Can't be confirmed until the deal is done.

I'm with you on the viewing. I like to walk the track a lot and settle into a spot to watch the actual race. Hopefully they'll build viewing mounds if they haven't already.

That would be a good thing for everybody.