MotoGP: Down Under (Spoilers, Mite!)

[K0m4]

Stoner keeps at it in fp2, with a 1,29.999 almost a second ahead of his teammate. He's looking hard to beat so far.

[Moronic]

Wet-and-dry conditions apparently. It is a lot about confidence anywhere on a drying track but particularly down there I imagine, with the strong winds and high speeds.

Great report on the first day's riding (MotoGP only, Stoner focus) here.

[dirt_bloke]

Both motoGP sessions were dry, lots of wind. I'm flagging at 2.6, that riders right coming out of southern loop (at the end of the gravel trap) On the run down to the newly named Casey curve (or whatever they called it)
Observations; Casey has that section wired, nobody is close. Dani is smooth and deceptively quick, all the Yamaha's look good but not as fast. All the Ducatis are having rear suspension problems, the arse squats then loads up and they are having trouble getting the power down. Nicky is really trying but the thing is such a pig, they must be loosing a shit load of time there.
More later, typing on an ipod touch is rather tedious!

Pete

[Pecha72]

what a brilliant display from Stoner... but any guesses, will he be able to keep that up the whole race distance?

He says the leg is not so much of a worry on this track, but he'll need to do many quick laps to win. Maybe he's able to open a huge gap, so he's got room to fade a little towards the end.

[Moronic]

Originally Posted by dirt_bloke

Observations; Casey has that section wired, nobody is close. Dani is smooth and deceptively quick, all the Yamaha's look good but not as fast. All the Ducatis are having rear suspension problems, the arse squats then loads up and they are having trouble getting the power down. Nicky is really trying but the thing is such a pig, they must be loosing a shit load of time there.

Pete

I love this about the net, the stuff you really want to know from the bloke on the ground. Thanks for the comments, makes me feel like I'm there.

The Ducati rear-end behaviour has looked dodgy for yonks, what the hell is going on with those bikes? And yet that aspect seemed to work fine under Stoner. Weird.

[Kropotkin]

Originally Posted by dirt_bloke

Both motoGP sessions were dry, lots of wind. I'm flagging at 2.6, that riders right coming out of southern loop (at the end of the gravel trap) On the run down to the newly named Casey curve (or whatever they called it)
Observations; Casey has that section wired, nobody is close. Dani is smooth and deceptively quick, all the Yamaha's look good but not as fast. All the Ducatis are having rear suspension problems, the arse squats then loads up and they are having trouble getting the power down. Nicky is really trying but the thing is such a pig, they must be loosing a shit load of time there.
More later, typing on an ipod touch is rather tedious!

Pete

Both Rossi and Hayden have been complaining of the rear pumping (every time I use that expression, Crutchlow cracks a fart joke) all year long. One of the reasons to go to the revised weight distribution and the new swingarm is to try to find something to solve that.

[HarveyMushman]

Originally Posted by Kropotkin

[All Ducati riders] have been complaining of the rear pumping ... [since time immemorial].

Edited to reflect the sad reality.

[kyns]

RDP and Espargaro seem to be giving hard time for barbera and abraham on weekend basis.

CRT bikes might be giving lot more trouble next season. CRT bikes used to be about 4 to 5 second slower per lap than MGP bikes, not so much any more.

[swimmer]

Pedrosa
Stoner (fades at end)
JLo

[azkiwi]

Originally Posted by Pecha72

what a brilliant display from Stoner... but any guesses, will he be able to keep that up the whole race distance?

He says the leg is not so much of a worry on this track, but he'll need to do many quick laps to win. Maybe he's able to open a huge gap, so he's got room to fade a little towards the end.

The flowing nature of PI means less moving around on the bike - this is a gift that will keep on giving. Obviously, if there is any race this year Stoner really wants, its this one.

Home race, and the only rider with any incentive to attempt to head him is Pedrosa. Shoo-in.

[mdubya]

Stoner did a 1:29, all other laps in the 1:30's.

Pedrosa did a single lap in the very high 1:30's

Everyone else in the 1:31's!



Thanks for the reports form the scene!

[bingbong]

Originally Posted by BOOTLACE

I can get the pix to my iPad no worries, and have installed smugmug, photobucket and Picassa apps, but Buggered if I can work out how to upload to any of em. Never mind, I'm sure itll become obvious as I read the tutorials.....and vids.....bloody instructions! Man!

I've been fighting with this over the last 2 days too. In the end I used the iPhone app on my pad and it works great. I'm waiting for a reply fromPB help line to see why the iPad app doesn't work or at least a how to. I'll let ya know when I get the answer.

[bingbong]

Originally Posted by stevie88

Dude, PI looks like a limp dick there.

Yeah but remember this is Australia where everything is upside down

[Tar snakes]

Good article about Stoner in todays' (Saturday) Age newspaper.

Racing not talking.

[MODNROD]

It just looks that way coz all you blokes up there are standing around on your heads.