**SPOILER CONTENT** QATAR 2008 MOTOGP Thread

[Yamadog]

Can't wait for the season kickoff? Read http://blogger.xs4all.nl/daisy/archive/2008/03/05/358585.aspx/ for a really good preview/review to get started. Edit updated link to Kropotkin season preview.

[Yamadog]

First practice:

1.  Casey Stoner         Ducati Marlboro Team     1:55.870            19
 2.  Jorge Lorenzo        Fiat Yamaha Team         1:55.924  + 0.054   22
 3.  Andrea Dovizioso     JiR Team Scot MotoGP     1:56.221  + 0.351   15
 4.  Valentino Rossi      Fiat Yamaha Team         1:56.269  + 0.399   22
 5.  Dani Pedrosa         Repsol Honda Team        1:56.478  + 0.608   23
 6.  Randy De Puniet      LCR Honda MotoGP         1:56.525  + 0.655   22
 7.  Colin Edwards        Tech 3 Yamaha            1:56.574  + 0.704   22
 8.  James Toseland       Tech 3 Yamaha            1:56.950  + 1.080   21
 9.  Nicky Hayden         Repsol Honda Team        1:57.069  + 1.199   22
10.  John Hopkins         Kawasaki Racing Team     1:57.085  + 1.215   20
11.  Marco Melandri       Ducati Marlboro Team     1:57.137  + 1.267   21
12.  Loris Capirossi      Rizla Suzuki MotoGP      1:57.287  + 1.417   21
13.  Alex De Angelis      San Carlo Honda Gresini  1:57.561  + 1.691   22
14.  Shinya Nakano        San Carlo Honda Gresini  1:57.588  + 1.718   23
15.  Chris Vermeulen      Rizla Suzuki MotoGP      1:57.639  + 1.769   20
16.  Toni Elias           Alice Team               1:58.130  + 2.260   17
17.  Anthony West         Kawasaki Racing Team     1:58.912  + 3.042   21
18.  Sylvain Guintoli     Alice Team               1:59.006  + 3.136   16

[highside]

Oh my, Rossi better watch out for Mr Goldshoes.  

Nothing worse than losing to your own team mate. Even worse if he is a rookie and you just spent an entire year bitching to get your own tire contract.

[Capirex]

Heh.  I'm watching FP2 and Pedrosa just ran into the back of Rossi and binned it.  Not sure if Rossi was pulling up or trying to get up to speed but it was pretty ugly.

[Capirex]

Interesting to see that Dovizioso was the fastest Honda today.  

Still 10 minutes left but I can't watch it anymore.

[JonS]

The top four places are only .4 sec apart and its only the first practice. The only thing I can see so far is that this might be a very interesting year.

Quote from yamadog: Can't wait for the season kickoff? Read http://blogger.xs4all.nl/daisy/archive/2008/03/05/358585.aspx/ for a really good preview/review to get started. Edit updated link to Kropotkin season preview.

+1
I read the article yesterday and enjoyed it quite a bit.

[Yamadog]

Combined free practice times:

1. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 55.442 secs
2. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1min 55.453 secs
3. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Tech 3 (M) 1min 55.812 secs
4. Colin Edwards USA Yamaha Tech 3 (M) 1min 55.942 secs
5. Andrea Dovizioso ITA JiR Scot Team (M) 1min 55.963 secs
6. Alex de Angelis RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 56.120 secs
7. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP (M) 1min 56.234 secs
8. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (B) 1min 56.269 secs *
9. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 56.279 secs
10. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 56.478 secs *
11. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 56.922 secs
12. Shinya Nakano JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini (B) 1min 57.011 secs
13. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 57.045 secs
14. John Hopkins USA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 57.085 secs *
15. Marco Melandri ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 57.091 secs
16. Toni Elias SPA Alice Team (B) 1min 57.311 secs
17. Anthony West AUS Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 57.934 secs
18. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alice Team (B) 1min 58.500 secs
*FP1

One has to wonder who were on race tires vs. qualies, etc. etc.

[DogBoy]

Day one highlights...and some low lights.

[miles]

I love the sparky knee sliders at night.  That rocks.

[Jeff N]

Day one highlights...and some low lights.

Totally bitchin' cool. A viddy I can see from work.  

I've heard the sand traps are actually rock traps to keep the dust down. Poor Pedrobot must be hurtin' sumptin fierce.

[Ant]

That was a fun qualifying!! Really shook things up as well, interesting starting grid for tomorrows race. Am I allowed to post the quali results here since there is a spoiler tag in the title?

God bless Eurosport showing the quali live  

[miles]

Am I allowed to post the quali results here since there is a spoiler tag in the title?

Well, I think it's probably OK to mention that inline fours occupied the top three spots.

[Yamadog]

snip

 Am I allowed to post the quali results here since there is a spoiler tag in the title?
snip

Absolutely. Spoiler simply means that "results" are posted and if one wants to watch the race or qualifying, etc., without knowing the results, then the thread should be avoided.

[JonS]

This is amazing!
Qualifying for Qatar:

Quote Soup:
1   Jorge Lorenzo   Fiat Yamaha Team   Yamaha   1:53.927
2   James Toseland   Yamaha Tech 3   Yamaha   1:54.182
3   Colin Edwards   Yamaha Tech 3   Yamaha   1:54.499
4   Casey Stoner   Ducati Marlboro Team   Ducati   1:54.733
5   Randy De Puniet   LCR Honda MotoGP   Honda   1:54.818
6   Nicky Hayden   Repsol Honda Team   Honda   1:54.880
7   Valentino Rossi   Fiat Yamaha Team   Yamaha   1:55.133
8   Dani Pedrosa   Repsol Honda Team   Honda   1:55.170
9   Andrea Dovizioso   JiR Scot Team   Honda   1:55.185
10   John Hopkins   Kawasaki Racing Team   Kawasaki   1:55.263
11   Chris Vermeulen   Rizla Suzuki MotoGP   Suzuki   1:55.540
12   Alex De Angelis   San Carlo Honda Gresini   Honda   1:55.692
13   Loris Capirossi   Rizla Suzuki MotoGP   Suzuki   1:56.070
14   Toni Elias   Alice Team   Ducati   1:56.251
15   Shinya Nakano   San Carlo Honda Gresini   Honda   1:56.434
16   Marco Melandri   Ducati Marlboro Team   Ducati   1:56.730
17   Sylvain Guintoli   Alice Team   Ducati   1:57.198
18   Anthony West   Kawasaki Racing Team   Kawasaki   1:57.445

[highside]

Rossi is the LAST Yamaha on the grid?!?!  

Looks like Yamaha actually built a fast bike this year though...

I'm real impressed with how Lorenzo is warming up to the 800s. It remains to be seen if he can keep it going for a whole race though. Qualifying doesn't really mean very much in MotoGP, and Rossi kinda likes working up through the pack, so there is no indication of what is really gonna happen. Personally, I would be extatic to see a rookie like Lorenzo finish in the top five in his first MotoGP. He's a colorful character and probably spells a whole lot of fun for the curcuit.

[Gaolee]

As long as Nicky beats the Pedrobot, all is well in the world.

[MisterSmooth]

Geez, Lorenzo still looks like he's about 15.

Fast as hell, though!  

My man Vermeulen is firmly mid-pack.  Shame that.

[Mr Sunshine]

Rossi is the LAST Yamaha on the grid?!?!  

Looks like Yamaha actually built a fast bike this year though...

Rossi did comment that he didn't like Bridgestone's qualifing tire but liked their race tire....so we'll see in about 15 hours.

[Yamadog]

So it appears Michelin have superior qualies, but the race may favor 'Stones. But I'm just glad to see that Stoner isn't 1.5 sec faster than everyone else. Go Nicky!

Edit to add: As usual Kropotkin has a great perspective on qualifying posted at http://blogger.xs4all.nl/daisy/archive/2008/03/08/359345.aspx. Love this comment on Repsol Honda and Pedrobot:

The Repsol Honda team must be wishing they had a wall down the middle of the garage, with the team now split between the two riders. The situation with only two '07 bikes can only have exacerbated the tension, and MotoGP wags are already comparing Dani Pedrosa to Max Biaggi, though "without any of Max's endearing qualities", to quote one commentator. Honda seems very much to have lost its way, and will need to score some points tomorrow to get its season underway. It's a small step from simmering resentment to open warfare, but a step which seems more likely every day.

 

[miles]