MotoGP: Middle of nowhere, Spain (Spoilers)

[DC2wheels]

Originally Posted by Brodovitch

Moto GP, anyone got Rossi's lap times compared to the front runners? Must have pulled some quick ones...

Compared to CRT bikes, VR's laps were quick.

[RaY YreKa]

I thought Cal rode a great race, and I think it's a tribute to him that most posters are barely mentioning it, like it's become the norm.

Good for him

[Drif10]

Originally Posted by RaY YreKa

I thought Cal rode a great race, and I think it's a tribute to him that most posters are barely mentioning it, like it's become the norm.

Good for him

Well.... once he starts beating his team mate, then I guess we'll start talking about him.

[RedRocket]

Originally Posted by Drif10

Well.... once he starts beating his team mate, then I guess we'll start talking about him.

Exactly. Hell we hardly talk about Dovi and Cal is usually behind him, and making more mistakes

[Dagofast]

Pedro rode that Honda like he stole it. Seriously, he looked like Casey sliding and manhandling that bike around the track. He may yet give George a run for the money, but only if Casey comes back and starts taking 2nd place points off of Lorenzo on a regular basis. And then Dani's big worry is that Casey might be taking 1st place points off of him. Maybe thats why he is riding like Stoner. Or maybe he's been watching Marquez ride in Moto2?

Anyone can bitch about Misano all they want, but most riders have at least one bad result a year. And GL had his too, so all else being equal, Lorenzo has simply had a better year than Dani. It's tough to beat a guy who is always on the top 2 steps of the podium.

[Closed Casket]

Originally Posted by SGrider

What is with the unprotected walls there, is the economy so bad they can't put up some airfence? I saw another rider crash earlier in the weekend and his bike slammed into a wall while it was sliding on its side, luckily the rider didn't hit the wall too.

Thankfully Hayden appears to be OK.

Exactly what I thought when I saw that - holy fuck! How could they allow that? Just because it's in Spain (aka Dorna country)? Beautiful track but shit like that should never happen. This isn't the 70s anymore.

[HoneyBunz]

Originally Posted by RaY YreKa

I thought Cal rode a great race, and I think it's a tribute to him that most posters are barely mentioning it, like it's become the norm.

Good for him

It is normal for Cal to finish lower than he qualifies.
He has the speed alright, just needs to be more consistent lap after lap.

[mdubya]

In fairness, everyone in MotoGP, whether rider or official, has said that wall Nicky hit needs to change. The suggestion has been to pave the gravel trap area. I bet we will see that done before next year. Probably air fence too, but I am not sure that would have helped much.

[Pecha72]

It really puzzles me, that they find out there's a dangerous wall on the trackside AFTER someone has slammed into it (ok, the bike only hit it this time, while rider was thrown over it, but that's not exactly a success either, when you have to count on sheer luck to survive)?!?!

Any words from Capirossi on this?

[mdubya]

Originally Posted by Pecha72

It really puzzles me, that they find out there's a dangerous wall on the trackside AFTER someone has slammed into it (ok, the bike only hit it this time, while rider was thrown over it, but that's not exactly a success either, when you have to count on sheer luck to survive)?!?!

Any words from Capirossi on this?

Uncini made the statement:

http://www.gpone.com/index.php/en/20...un-errore.html

[spezjag]

Originally Posted by mdubya

Uncini made the statement:

http://www.gpone.com/index.php/en/20...un-errore.html

And here is their heart-felt response to the situation:

Originally Posted by Uncini

After seeing the replay, many were left to wonder why an air fence wasn't erected in front of the wall in question. Responding to this question was Head of Safety Franco Uncini, on the Italian post race show: "The runoff area is over 100 meters long, and it conforms to the safety standards in place. In reality, Hayden took a risk by keeping the bike up and trying to brake in time. Unfortunately he couldn't do it, and he hit the wall. For next year, we will investigate the possibility of paving this runoff area, giving riders a better chance to maneuver if he run off track, while also leaving sufficient space to stop if they are sliding."

The television images reveal, however, that the runoff area starts with artificial turf, followed by gravel, a small strip of asphalt and then a large patch of grass. This mix of surfaces probably caused some confusion for the American rider, possibly leading him to attempt to keep the bike upright.

"We can't complain about the safety of the tracks - commented Andrea Dovizioso - The runoff areas are very big, and even in that particular corner. Perhaps they could install an air fence, which is always helpful because the gravel slows you down less than the asphalt when the bike is upright."

[K0m4]

So it was Hayden's fault because he tried to keep the bike upright and save the off? What an ass. Even if he would have tossed the bike when he hit the grass and realised this is going to hell he would probably have slid into the wall.

[mdubya]

Hayden said he was afraid he would go head first into the wall.

While the statement sounds like it is blaming Hayden, they also say they will make changes. No one is saying changes should not be made.

No one imagined Dijiro Kato could crash where he crashed and that ended all too tragically.

Nicky was lucky.

[Pecha72]

Originally Posted by mdubya

No one imagined Dijiro Kato could crash where he crashed and that ended all too tragically.

Yeah, but in Hayden´s case the wall is right outside the run-off area. Kato really crashed in a very bizarre place, Hayden went off where it is relatively common to go off the track.


They just had not taken into account, that somebody could venture that far with the bike upright. In fact the airfence would have probably solved the whole thing, absorbed so much energy, that Hayden would not have been catapulted upwards.


Sometimes it would help their cause, if they (Dorna) admitted to having made a mistake, I think. But it just never happens, according to them they´ve never made one single mistake.

[Pantah]

These things happen most often because the wall is percieved to not be in the trajectory of a crashing motorcycle. Then they learn maybe it is.

There used to be a wall on the inside of turn 2 at pit out Laguna Seca. A young rising star went into a tank slapper as he stood his GSX-R up exiting the turn and was tragically killed when he hit that wall on the inside.

On the back stretch at Barber there is a little left/right kink (t9/10) with a sand trap outside t9. There appears to be plenty of room outside of t10 before the fence. Couple football fields as I recall. #2 son went off t9, through the sand trap, across the track again past t10 and sailed off across the grass. It was obvious to me he couldn't get the bike stopped when he slipped off the side and let it go. It made the fence and so did he, but barely. I was standing along that fence and never dreamed a bike could get there.

Nobody really knows where these machines might end up. A bump or something mechanical can send them anywhere. They'll get that track sorted. They seem to be quite responsible that way.

Originally Posted by Pecha72

Yeah, but in Hayden´s case the wall is right outside the run-off area. Kato really crashed in a very bizarre place, Hayden went off where it is relatively common to go off the track.


They just had not taken into account, that somebody could venture that far with the bike upright. In fact the airfence would have probably solved the whole thing, absorbed so much energy, that Hayden would not have been catapulted upwards.


Sometimes it would help their cause, if they (Dorna) admitted to having made a mistake, I think. But it just never happens, according to them they´ve never made one single mistake.