A reader of motomatters has commented that Marquez practised taking a line through the dirt at the Corkscrew both on his scooter and on his GP bike. Comment is here (allow the link to load fully and your browser should place that particular comment top of screen). Anyone else see Marquez rehearse this? If the report is accurate, it adds perspective on both the Marquez way of doing things and the pass itself. Indeed, it suggests M had thought hard in advance about that move as an overtaking opportunity, and had attempted the outside pass on Rossi at that point in full knowledge that he could bypass any attempt Rossi might make to block him, by using the line through the dirt. He could have reasoned that it would be difficult for such a pass to be ruled illegal given its precedent - and especially if performed to overtake Rossi. I wonder in how much detail had Livio Suppo plotted his "revenge" on Rossi with Marquez in advance? Is it beyond possible the two were so confident Marquez had race pace on Rossi and Bradl that Marquez's relatively tardy start from P2 had been planned?
I never knew there was pavement under that dirt. If it is true they swept it, everybody will soon be cutting the little right turn down the hill. There are several tracks with little left/right/lefts that riders simply ride over the curbs in a straight line. Sort of a shame to see the corkscrew succumb too. I guess it is a safety thing.
Doubt we have to worry about everyone cutting the Corkscrew. I don't think running over the curbs in the Corkscrew will ever be a fast line. I guess the very rough paved area allows a rider to get back on track with less of a chance of crashing so close to to the track and the very real possibility of the bike sliding back onto the track and the racing line due to how the steep that part is. Seems like a genuine safety issue. Remember, there were spectacular passes in the Corkscrew in the AMA SS race and no one used the Rossi/Marquez line.
It's official: It is easier to understand Rossi speaking English than Guy Martin speaking whatever the hell it is he speaks.
The corkscrew was well swept this year, exposing the underlying asphalt for all to see. However, I don't believe MM planed to pass Rossi here. He just practiced the move and added it to his bag of tricks. Rossi had to leave the door open. I'm surprised that he did.
There's just more asphalt there than there used to be, it's never swept away. And you DO NOT want to ride on that asphalt, it is the least bit smooth.
A couple of comments I recall hearing over the weekend: More asphalt had been added to that part of the corkscrew "runoff" than when Rossi went thru on someone on another bike (was a while ago, can't remember the other rider). Mark commenting that he had riden that line by mistake in practice and that it was surprisingly fast (sounded disingenous in retrospect). The amount of dirt he did ride thru to make that stick was impressive tho, hell, I get twitchy when I see three grains of sand on the road!
Yep. I could understand Joey Dunlop. But Guy Martin, maybe half of what he says is intelligible to me. Cool video of Rossi's place.
Haha, you yanks expect us all to speak like Hugh Grant! I once sat next to an American woman on a transatlantic flight. I chatted to her during the flight and she complemented me on my excellent english and asked me where I was from to which I replied England!
It's off topic for this thread, but I grew up in the southeastern U.S., small town Georgia. Most of the people there speak something that vaguely sounds like the English language, and would likely be as mysterious to someone from your part of the world as Guy Martin is to us!
That would be the interesting part... just how much does the "duc suck"? I'd like to see another alien (one a little closer to his prime) give the ducati a go just to get an idea of how those different riding styles work (or don't) with the ducati.