***Spoilers*** The Catalan GP thread

[Yamadog]

Just getting started, but Kropotkin has first numbers as follows:

Pos.   No.   Rider   Manufacturer   Fast Lap   Diff   Diff Previous
1   2   Dani PEDROSA   HONDA   1'43.691      
2   46   Valentino ROSSI   YAMAHA   1'43.835   0.144   0.144
3   48   Jorge LORENZO   YAMAHA   1'43.961   0.270   0.126
4   7   Chris VERMEULEN   SUZUKI   1'43.968   0.277   0.007
5   5   Colin EDWARDS   YAMAHA   1'43.971   0.280   0.003
6   15   Alex DE ANGELIS   HONDA   1'44.021   0.330   0.050
7   4   Andrea DOVIZIOSO   HONDA   1'44.163   0.472   0.142
8   1   Casey STONER   DUCATI   1'44.245   0.554   0.082
9   65   Loris CAPIROSSI   SUZUKI   1'44.251   0.560   0.006
10   52   James TOSELAND   YAMAHA   1'44.263   0.572   0.012
11   21   John HOPKINS   KAWASAKI   1'44.291   0.600   0.028
12   56   Shinya NAKANO   HONDA   1'44.378   0.687   0.087
13   14   Randy DE PUNIET   HONDA   1'44.388   0.697   0.010
14   69   Nicky HAYDEN   HONDA   1'44.482   0.791   0.094
15   33   Marco MELANDRI   DUCATI   1'44.649   0.958   0.167
16   13   Anthony WEST   KAWASAKI   1'45.416   1.725   0.767
17   50   Sylvain GUINTOLI   DUCATI   1'45.474   1.783   0.058
18   24   Toni ELIAS   DUCATI   1'46.064   2.373   0.590


Circuit records
Fastest Lap:    19    Dani PEDROSA    1'43.691    164.114 Km/h
Circuit Record Lap:    2006    Nicky HAYDEN    1'43.048    165.138 Km/h
Circuit Best Lap:    2007    Valentino ROSSI    1'41.840    167.097 Km/h

Oh yeah and Rossi signed two year extension with Yamadog.

[mountainmotor]

There will be a new front qualifier tire for the Bridgestone riders . Rossi used it " not in actual QP " last week and said in another sort of way that it was a good one . Remembering Rossi's exact words is a bit difficult  

Is the pnuematic valve Honda engine for Repsol this weekend  a go ?  It made the full race last week so it should be ready .

[desert_rider]

Is the pnuematic valve Honda engine for Repsol this weekend  a go ?  It made the full race last week so it should be ready .

If they gave it to Hayden, it doesn't appear to be helping.

[DogBoy]

Honda announced yesterday that they air valve engine would be tested after the race but not used this weekend.

That is one very tightly bunched field in each practice. The first thirteen riders inside one second in FP2!


1   Dani Pedrosa   Repsol Honda Team   Honda   1:43.017
2   Loris Capirossi   Rizla Suzuki MotoGP   Suzuki   1:43.023
3   Valentino Rossi   Fiat Yamaha Team   Yamaha   1:43.090
4   Casey Stoner   Ducati Marlboro Team   Ducati   1:43.099
5   Alex De Angelis   San Carlo Honda Gresini   Honda   1:43.233
6   Chris Vermeulen   Rizla Suzuki MotoGP   Suzuki   1:43.368
7   Shinya Nakano   San Carlo Honda Gresini   Honda   1:43.442
8   James Toseland   Yamaha Tech 3   Yamaha   1:43.479
9   Nicky Hayden   Repsol Honda Team   Honda   1:43.614
10   Colin Edwards   Yamaha Tech 3   Yamaha   1:43.668
11   Andrea Dovizioso   JiR Scot Team   Honda   1:43.707
12   Randy De Puniet   LCR Honda MotoGP   Honda   1:43.742
13   Jorge Lorenzo   Fiat Yamaha Team   Yamaha   1:44.001
14   John Hopkins   Kawasaki Racing Team   Kawasaki   1:44.043
15   Toni Elias   Alice Team   Ducati   1:44.610
16   Sylvain Guintoli   Alice Team   Ducati   1:44.678
17   Marco Melandri   Ducati Marlboro Team   Ducati   1:44.706
18   Anthony West   Kawasaki Racing Team   Kawasaki   1:44.865


I read on another board that Lorenzo had a big crash in the second practice.

[dnlwthrn]

Fiat Yamaha´s Jorge Lorenzo has been taken to Barcelona´s Clinica Dexeus by helicopter, after a crash in the second MotoGP Free Practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya.

The Clinica Mobile at the track discovered a contusion to his left ankle -previously injured in Shanghai- and some small damage to his right hand. He played no further part in the session after the crash, although Yamaha expect him to be back in action tomorrow morning.

[keystonejenks]

I know these guys have balls of steel but he just needs to sit the rest of this one out before he kills himself.

[Yamadog]

Looks like he sits this one out http://blogger.xs4all.nl/daisy/archive/2008/06/06/394895.aspx
snip

At the Institut Dexeus, Lorenzo was diagnosed with a severe concussion, and Doctor Xavier Mir, senior surgeon at the Institute, told the press that Lorenzo was to be kept in the hospital for observation for between 48 and 72 hours, and that as a result, the Mallorcan would be forced to miss Sunday's Catalunya GP at the Montmelo circuit.

[tomek]

Lorenzo ,,,,he needs to chill out,,,,,,not gonna win Moto Gp championship in his first year,,,,,,,,,,,even God,I mean Rossi, took one year to learn the ropes in 125/250/500.

Hopefully someone will transfer this info into his brain before he fcuks himself up for the rest of his life.



 

[Yamadog]

http://blogger.xs4all.nl/daisy/archive/2008/06/07/394978.aspx

FP3
 Pos.   No.   Rider   Manufacturer   Fast Lap   Diff   Diff Previous
1   1   Casey STONER   DUCATI   1'43.013      
2   69   Nicky HAYDEN   HONDA   1'43.125   0.112   0.112
3   5   Colin EDWARDS   YAMAHA   1'43.243   0.230   0.118
4   46   Valentino ROSSI   YAMAHA   1'43.253   0.240   0.010
5   7   Chris VERMEULEN   SUZUKI   1'43.261   0.248   0.008
6   52   James TOSELAND   YAMAHA   1'43.294   0.281   0.033
7   14   Randy DE PUNIET   HONDA   1'43.356   0.343   0.062
8   2   Dani PEDROSA   HONDA   1'43.375   0.362   0.019
9   4   Andrea DOVIZIOSO   HONDA   1'43.708   0.695   0.333
10   65   Loris CAPIROSSI   SUZUKI   1'43.947   0.934   0.239
11   21   John HOPKINS   KAWASAKI   1'44.031   1.018   0.084
12   50   Sylvain GUINTOLI   DUCATI   1'44.094   1.081   0.063
13   15   Alex DE ANGELIS   HONDA   1'44.126   1.113   0.032
14   56   Shinya NAKANO   HONDA   1'44.558   1.545   0.432
15   33   Marco MELANDRI   DUCATI   1'44.591   1.578   0.033
16   24   Toni ELIAS   DUCATI   1'44.962   1.949   0.371
17   13   Anthony WEST   KAWASAKI   1'45.300   2.287   0.338


Circuit records
Fastest Lap:    13    Casey STONER    1'43.013    165.194 Km/h
Circuit Record Lap:    2006    Nicky HAYDEN    1'43.048    165.138 Km/h
Circuit Best Lap:    2007    Valentino ROSSI    1'41.840    167.097 Km/h

Check out photos here http://www.rideontwo.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1731&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 but particularly the spectacular shot of Dovi

[mountainmotor]

Here's the results of QP and tomorrows starting grid .

I don't know about using qualifiers these days and have mixed feelings about it . However , here's the line-up surprise surprise .


http://resources.motogp.com/files/results/xx/last/MotoGP/classification.pdf

[Santhos]

Okay, so what did Honda put in Pedrobot's engine?  Within two laps he was gone!  

[Orson]

Gilera and Derbi in the winner's circle  

just like days of yore  

For those who don't know...Gilera kicked MV Agusta's can all over the circuit until they pulled out of racing in 1957. It wasn't until they left that Agusta went on to dominate.

[LicketySplat]

Okay, so what did Honda put in Pedrobot's engine?  Within two laps he was gone!  

He got a new personality chip, too, did ya notice the hugs all around, the kiss for the trophy, the actual SMILES.

I have to wonder if Stoner could've hung with him if he hadn't blown that corner. Asimo did a lot of his walking away while Stoner was busy battling with Dovi and later with Rossi.

[pearsonm]

If I were Lorenzo's manager I'd sit him down in front of the movie "Faster" then arrange a face-to-face with Gary McCoy. Maybe then it'd sink in where he's headed if he doesn't change his ways. Yea he's a punk, but it's still a shame to see such great talent get busted into pieces.

[Yamadog]

Pedrosa was in a league of his own; happens when he can get a good qualie and the jump and not actually have to "race". Good scrap between Rossi and Stoner though. It "almost" looked like Rossi toyed with Stoner then when he needed to go off he went.

Nicky seems to have no answers. Depressing really. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/7442651.stm

[ReviveTheWhigs]

Nicky seems to have no answers. Depressing really. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/7442651.stm

Very interesting. His comments about the traits of the 800's were insightful, especially the "grit your teeth and make it happen" statement. It's kind of sad that the current set of rules aren't really conducive to at-edge-and-a-little-past riding. I don't think I've seen one race this year where a guy pushed his bike to the limit and forced the bike to the front by sheer will, with the exception of Valentino early in the season while he adapted to the 'stones.