155 replies to this topic

[Dan]

Results + discussion here.

Smokin!!

[Dan]

1. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1) 1m 35.106s
2. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda (RC213V) 1m 35.126s
3. Casey Stoner AUS Repsol Honda (RC213V) 1m 35.181s
4. Ben Spies USA Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1) 1m 35.555s
5. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Team (GP12) 1m 35.841s
6. Alvaro Bautista ESP San Carlo Honda Gresini (RC213V) 1m 35.867s
7. Hector Barbera ESP Pramac Racing (GP12) 1m 35.970s
8. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Monster Yamaha Tech3 (YZR-M1) 1m 35.995s
9. Cal Crutchlow GBR Monster Yamaha Tech3 (YZR-M1) 1m 36.031s
10. Valentino Rossi ITA Ducati Team (GP12) 1m 36.084s
11. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V) 1m 36.737s
12. Randy De Puniet FRA Power Electronics Aspar (ART CRT) 1m 37.187s
13. Aleix Espargaro ESP Power Electronics Aspar (ART CRT) 1m 37.365s
14. Michele Pirro ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini (FTR-Honda CRT) 1m 37.771s
15. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (GP12) 1m 37.850s
16. Mattia Pasini ITA Speed Master (ART CRT) 1m 38.642s
17. Yonny Hernandez COL Avintia Blusens (FTR-Kawasaki CRT) 1m 38.649s
18. Colin Edwards USA NGM Forward Racing (Suter-BMW CRT) 1m 39.076s
19. Danilo Petrucci ITA Came IodaRacing (Ioda-Aprilia CRT) 1m 39.385s
20. James Ellison GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (ART CRT) 1m 39.495s
21. Ivan Silva ESP Avintia Blusens (FTR-Kawasaki CRT) 1m 39.530s

[Spoone]

Good to see Ben coming back on form.

[redmike34]

I'm struggling to recall another time in which the top ten bikes in a premer class practice session were all within a half-second of each other...

[Gary]

1 11 Ben SPIES USA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 299.1 1'34.866
2 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 297.4 1'34.872 0.006 / 0.006
3 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Team Ducati 297.7 1'34.968 0.102 / 0.096
4 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 302.2 1'35.008 0.142 / 0.040
5 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 299.6 1'35.057 0.191 / 0.049
6 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 303.5 1'35.080 0.214 / 0.023
7 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 302.3 1'35.257 0.391 / 0.177
8 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Ducati Team Ducati 300.8 1'35.296 0.430 / 0.039
9 8 Hector BARBERA SPA Pramac Racing Team Ducati 302.7 1'35.298 0.432 / 0.002
10 1 Casey STONER AUS Repsol Honda Team Honda 301.4 1'35.304 0.438 / 0.006
11 6 Stefan BRADL GER LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 302.9 1'35.337 0.471 / 0.033
12 41 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Power Electronics Aspar ART 282.4 1'36.615 1.749 / 1.278
13 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA Power Electronics Aspar ART 281.2 1'36.871 2.005 / 0.256
14 51 Michele PIRRO ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini FTR 282.4 1'37.057 2.191 / 0.186
15 68 Yonny HERNANDEZ COL Avintia Blusens BQR 281.3 1'37.572 2.706 / 0.515
16 17 Karel ABRAHAM CZE Cardion AB Motoracing Ducati 300.0 1'37.628 2.762 / 0.056
17 54 Mattia PASINI ITA Speed Master ART 285.5 1'37.657 2.791 / 0.029
18 5 Colin EDWARDS USA NGM Mobile Forward Racing Suter 282.1 1'37.669 2.803 / 0.012
19 77 James ELLISON GBR Paul Bird Motorsport ART 283.8 1'37.973 3.107 / 0.304
20 22 Ivan SILVA SPA Avintia Blusens BQR 281.7 1'38.279 3.413 / 0.306
21 9 Danilo PETRUCCI ITA Came IodaRacing Project Ioda 266.1 1'38.373 3.507 / 0.094

I looked at Dan's times above, Mike, and thought you needed some help at math! Top 11 within half a second - that is great - .08 separates 7th to 11th.

Edited by Gary, 28 June 2012 - 02:01 PM.

[redmike34]

A look at the best partial times is interesting...

http://resources.mot...pdf?v1_941a019b

Cal's ankle doesn't seem to be holding him up much... interesting that both Ducs ran all their best splits on their best laps as well, VR seems to be nowhere.

[ninjasquaddie]

The weather here was really muggy this afternoon. It's one of those days that you know will be followed by a storm. I forgot to take my daysack to the track and burned my napper.

[Hugo]

Forecast is iffy at best, and there's decent chance of rain during the race

http://www.buienrada...lat=6.56&lon=53

(Race is on "zaterdag", chance of rain is "Regenkans" )

[Dan]

Cal's quoted that he's having some difficulty with his ankle and that he's getting arm pump trying to compensate. Hope he can keep it up until the end of the weekend.

I think Spies is in Win or Bin mode. Hope he wins.

[Gary]

From Julian Ryder:

http://www.superbike...ruydernotes.htm

When looking at today's times you should be aware that everyone above fifth-place Lorenzo set their time on a soft tyre, worth about half a second. Jorge was 0.191sec slower than fastest man of the day Spies. Take the softs away and there's a whole bunch of guys who can run 1min 35.3sec. Lorenzo used hard tyres for the whole session and ran a bunch of 35.0s, including one on his penultimate lap. While the Ducati riders have got good one-lap pace, they sure haven't got that sort of race pace, and the factory Hondas are chattering themselves into oblivion. Casey actually went two- tenths slower this afternoon than this morning. The geometry changes they tried to cure the problem didn't work: no **** Sherlock.

Ducati's option on Nicky Hayden's contract for next season runs out after this race. Cal Crutchlow's statement that he has an offer from a factory team prompted questions to Nicky about his situation. The factory have told him that retaining Rossi is their priority and say they have to wait for the Audi takeover to be finalized before they will be able to make him any sort of offer. I'm not sure why that should be since they have made Cal an offer and are trying very hard to keep Valentino, which surely includes the tactic of offering him money. So as from next week Nicky is a free agent.

You saw it here first: Watch out for a bit of a surprise announcement from Suzuki in the near future. May contain the word "Misano."

To me that reads, 'Hayden is history, and I hope that Nicky is bright enough to read that too.

Edited by Gary, 28 June 2012 - 08:19 PM.

[Dan]

I think the biggest problem Nicky has is that he's decided to go it alone agent wise. That could be to his detriment in an insane riders market.

He could be amazing on a Honda or Yamaha though....

[ninjasquaddie]

Dunno where this leaves him. Maybe Yamaha ?

[jose_jimenez]

From Julian Ryder:

I was about to post this. You can disregard anyone above Lorenzo's times from FP2. They'll be using the hard rear.

[Gary]

Dunno where this leaves him. Maybe Yamaha ?

Hayden? Yamaha has 5 riders and 4 bikes now.

[Thornado]

Ducati getting rid of Nicky is a pretty low move IMO. Good to see results matter over there.

[redmike34]

Wonder who'll ride the Duc next year if Rossi decides to leave anyway and Hayden takes another opportunity.

If that happens, good thing they got the rookie rule done away with. Ducati might not be able to convince anyone else to ride the thing...

[Jordan L.]

Maybe a Ducati WSBK dreamteam next year with Chucka and Haystack?

[Matt]

Yeah, I can't see Hayden at Yamaha. If Spies gets the boot then surely they'd move Dovi or Crutchlow up. That'd leave Dovi or Crutchlow in Tech 3 along with Smith. No where for Hayden to go. He could try to get a Sat. Honda ride, but with who? LCR has Bradl and Gresini has Bautista. I guess if Suzuki comes back that'd open up some spots.

I think prospects are looking dismal for several riders. I hope these riders like Hayden and Spies that are potentially out of a seat don't stay in MotoGP to ride CRT bikes like Col and De Puniet have done. Better to go to WSBK and win races then to race in the second tier class in the two-classes-in-one series.

[Gary]

I don't think Spies or Hayden would accept a CRT ride.

I have to think that Ducati is hoping to find another Stoner.

[Thornado]

Huh, if Nicky and Ben are out, and Colin retires, I guess that is the end of American involvement in MotoGP for the next 10 years.