The Marco Simoncelli MotoGP Thread

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 05 Feb 2013, 10:01

madmark1974 wrote:From those initial times, it seems as if nothing much has changed since the last few races of last year - Honda slightly ahead of Yamaha, and Ducati a fair way behind. Interesting to see Marquez right on
the pace straight away - really Pedrosa should be able to (and must expect to) beat him in at least the first 4 or 5 races, or maybe Marquez really is "that good" or (as I guess several people may think) Dani
isn't actually "that good". Notice Bradley Smith still has a fair amount of work to do ... And Dovi must be kicking himself ... Along with Ben Spies ...

I can't help noticing both Pramac Ducatis got wasted by the Aspar CRT machines. I do hope the new Duke turns out to be a good machine, but right now it looks a bit... rubbish.

Jocke1 · Post by **Jocke1** » 06 Feb 2013, 05:44

CarlosFerreira wrote: 1. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda (RC213V) 2m 1.314s (Lap 41/43)
2. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda (RC213V) 2m 1.357s (41/42)
3. Valentino Rossi ITA Yamaha Factory (YZR-M1) 2m 1.584s (30/45)
4. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha Factory (YZR-M1) 2m 1.599s (34/39)

Very interesting.

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 06 Feb 2013, 08:44

Sepang, Day 2: the big boys found another gear, but Marquez still has the measure of Rossi. No improvement on the Ducati front, though.

1. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda (RC213V) 2m 0.549s (Lap 29/31)
2. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Yamaha Factory (YZR-M1) 2m 0.568s (6/37)
3. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda (RC213V) 2m 0.803s (20/27)
4. Valentino Rossi ITA Yamaha Factory (YZR-M1) 2m 1.038s (20/39)
5. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 2m 1.311s (31/38)
6. Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V) 2m 1.369s (5/29)
7. Alvaro Bautista ESP Honda Gresini (RC213V) 2m 1.729s (18/30)
8. Bradley Smith GBR Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 2m 1.931s (32/33)
9. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Team (GP13) 2m 2.110s (30/37)
10. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (GP13) 2m 2.379s (33/34)
11. Kosuke Akiyoshi JPN Honda Test Rider (RC213V) 2m 2.526s (16/18)
12. Katsayuki Nakasuga JPN Yamaha Test Rider (YZR-M1) 2m 2.701s (10/24)
13. Ben Spies USA Pramac Racing (GP13) 2m 3.002s (22/27)
14. Wataru Yoshikawa JPN Yamaha Test Rider (YZR-M1) 2m 3.156s (6/34)
15. Andrea Iannone ITA Pramac Racing (GP13) 2m 3.169s (15/29)
16. Aleix Espargaro ESP Aspar (ART CRT) 2m 3.251s (29/36)
17. Randy De Puniet FRA Aspar (ART CRT) 2m 3.791s (38/43)
18. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Avintia (FTR-Kawasaki CRT)* 2m 4.786s (23/25)
19. Danilo Petrucci ITA IodaRacing (Suter-BMW CRT)* 2m 4.971s (19/40)
20. Takumi Takahashi JPN Honda Test Rider (RC213V) 2m 4.972s (34/38)
21. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia (FTR-Kawasaki CRT)* 2m 4.989s (15/23)
22. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB (ART CRT) 2m 5.028s (12/40)
23. Michael Laverty GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (ART CRT) 2m 5.417s (13/26)
24. Yonny Hernandez COL Paul Bird Motorsport (ART CRT) 2m 5.837s (27/32)
25. Claudio Corti ITA Forward (FTR-Kawasaki CRT)* 2m 5.953s (13/16)
26. Colin Edwards USA Forward (FTR-Kawasaki CRT)* 2m 6.379s (8/18)
27. Bryan Staring AUS Honda Gresini (FTR-Honda CRT) 2m 6.898s (22/28)

There's still nothing between Bradl and Crutchlow. Incredible.
Down the CRT field, Edwards is struggling - again. Espargaro beat de Puniet by 0.5s and is still within shot of the slowest prototype.

FMecha · Post by **FMecha** » 14 Feb 2013, 18:28

MotoGP to return to old paddock, startline in Silverstone

Discuss.

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 14 Feb 2013, 18:44

FMecha wrote:MotoGP to return to old paddock, startline in Silverstone

Discuss.

Yeah saw this earlier. Not much to say about it really, with Moto2 and Moto3 added, the field is too big for the Wing for the time being so keeping it all together is what Ezpeleta wants, which is fair enough.

Aside from that I think Dovisioso may be regretting his move to Ducati right about now. Seeing Rossi immediately on the pace in testing with the Ducatis miles back confirms everything. Ducati's design process and philosophy is fundamentally flawed it seems. The only time they were truly successful was at the start of the 800cc period when they mastered the electronics better than anyone else, allowing Stoner to wring the bike's neck to within an inch of its life. There needs to be wholesale changes in the team if they're ever going to be back at the front, otherwise I fear their future in MotoGP may not last more than a couple of years longer.

If anything, the podiums Rossi managed during his time there might actually turn out in his favour, because I can't see Dovi or Hayden getting up there in 2013.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 14 Mar 2013, 11:39

"Great, my time has finally arrived!", says Dani Pedrosa when Casey Stoner announced his retirement.

Later, Marc Marquez enters the room...

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 14 Mar 2013, 14:08

DanielPT wrote:"Great, my time has finally arrived!", says Dani Pedrosa when Casey Stoner announced his retirement.

Later, Marc Marquez enters the room...

And politely clears his throat...

Aerospeed · Post by **Aerospeed** » 14 Mar 2013, 17:25

I wouldn't be surprised if he competed for the championship.

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 14 Mar 2013, 19:39

JeremyMcClean wrote:I wouldn't be surprised if he competed for the championship.

I think he will, but I can see him losing Honda the championship, by undermining Pedrosa's confidence and allowing Lorenzo to grab it. A bit like Hamilton-Alonso-Raikkonen in F1, 2007.

Jocke1 · Post by **Jocke1** » 14 Mar 2013, 20:35

CarlosFerreira wrote:
JeremyMcClean wrote:I wouldn't be surprised if he competed for the championship.

I think he will, but I can see him losing Honda the championship, by undermining Pedrosa's confidence and allowing Rossi to grab it. A bit like Hamilton-Alonso-Raikkonen in F1, 2007.

fixed

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 14 Mar 2013, 21:17

Jocke1 wrote:
CarlosFerreira wrote:
JeremyMcClean wrote:I wouldn't be surprised if he competed for the championship.

I think he will, but I can see him losing Honda the championship, by undermining Pedrosa's confidence and allowing Rossi to grab it. A bit like Hamilton-Alonso-Raikkonen in F1, 2007.

fixed

Rossi? Hell freezes over, chocolate teapots, etc.

Jocke1 · Post by **Jocke1** » 05 Apr 2013, 12:25

It was a wonderful feeling yesterday to watch the first practice session and the new season get under way.
It's gonna be a great year.

roblo97 · Post by **roblo97** » 05 Apr 2013, 13:37

Cruchlow for title or at least a few wins since tech 3 have really sorted that bike out

IdeFan · Post by **IdeFan** » 05 Apr 2013, 14:15

roblomas52 wrote:Cruchlow for title or at least a few wins since tech 3 have really sorted that bike out

I doubt the title is on without a works bike, if Yamaha dominate he still has to beat Rossi and Lorenzo in the works team.

Definitely hoping for a breakthrough win though, and a works bike for next year.

Jocke1 · Post by **Jocke1** » 05 Apr 2013, 20:39

A very good interview with Rossi has just been released in three parts:

http://youtu.be/DDSYSjpL22E

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 06 Apr 2013, 22:05

Looks like Honda's form has been dropping, and when it came to it in Qualifying in Losail, the Yamahas are better. Looking forward to Crutchlow giving Lorenzo a run for his money tomorrow. I hope he doesn't start the race on a "win it or bin it" mood...

roblo97 · Post by **roblo97** » 06 Apr 2013, 22:15

I do hope cal does good given that Britain's last great was of course the late Barry Sheen

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 06 Apr 2013, 22:24

roblomas52 wrote:I do hope cal does good given that Britain's last great was of course the late Barry Sheen

The simple fact that Cal is a Superbikes man doing well in MotoGP makes me happy. There is hope for people with different riding styles. I hope Ben Spies recovers from the damage to his should quickly, he is another rider I have high hopes for.

roblo97 · Post by **roblo97** » 06 Apr 2013, 22:39

I hope we have a final lap like the one at catalunya a few years back where Rossi mugged Lorenzo around the final turn

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 07 Apr 2013, 13:57

Yeah the prospect of a good race is definitely on the cards, especially with Marquez in 6th and Rossi 7th. Valentino never has been a great qualifier, especially in later years, but those two will come through to the front at some point. Good to see Dovisioso up in fourth as well, totally outclassing Nicky Hayden, who along with Dani Pedrosa, should have stopped hogging a factory seat a good while ago.

Away from the on-track action Yamaha have announced they'll be leasing M1 engines out to CRT teams from 2014. This is excellent news, and exactly the sort of thing I've been banging on about ever since they introduced the CRT formula to MotoGP. Now the factory teams will effectively become engine suppliers a la Ferrari, Mercedes, and formerly Renault in F1, and the CRT teams will have the engine power and electronics capability to match the top teams. We'll have new chassis builders able to compete on a level field with the factory bikes and proper privateer teams in the sport since Kenny Roberts Snr's team 6-7 years ago. They still haven't solved the problems with the electronics dominating the sport, but at least now we can look forward to a full grid of genuinely competitive bikes, all able to fairly fight for good results.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/106550

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 07 Apr 2013, 14:13

AndreaModa wrote:Away from the on-track action Yamaha have announced they'll be leasing M1 engines out to CRT teams from 2014. This is excellent news, and exactly the sort of thing I've been banging on about ever since they introduced the CRT formula to MotoGP. Now the factory teams will effectively become engine suppliers a la Ferrari, Mercedes, and formerly Renault in F1, and the CRT teams will have the engine power and electronics capability to match the top teams. We'll have new chassis builders able to compete on a level field with the factory bikes and proper privateer teams in the sport since Kenny Roberts Snr's team 6-7 years ago. They still haven't solved the problems with the electronics dominating the sport, but at least now we can look forward to a full grid of genuinely competitive bikes, all able to fairly fight for good results.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/106550

This is the kind of news that MotoGP needs, I think. Never mind the electronics: they are here to stay, especially now that road bikes are crammed full of the technology. Unlike F1, motorcycling companies can truthfully claim the tech filter down to the products customers can buy.

You know what I would like to see? Companies like Bimota coming in and designing proper different chassis, a bit like they did in the late 1970s and 1980s: different suspensions, different engine mounts, different transmissions. Motorcycles could do with a revolution.

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 07 Apr 2013, 14:56

CarlosFerreira wrote:This is the kind of news that MotoGP needs, I think. Never mind the electronics: they are here to stay, especially now that road bikes are crammed full of the technology. Unlike F1, motorcycling companies can truthfully claim the tech filter down to the products customers can buy.

Yeah, that's a good point, but then it's not like cars haven't gone down the same route either, and look at F1 - far fewer electronic aids now than there used to be. The problem with the electronics is it makes the bikes far too easy to ride, and the development of the software is so expensive it's priced most of the teams out of the paddock. The stock ECU should help somewhat, but it's not going to solve the problem. When, or more realistically if, electronic aids are reduced, the benefits will be twofold - better, closer racing, and a cheaper sport open to more teams and more riders.

It would definitely be cool to see the smaller manufacturers come in and make chassis and fit a Honda or Yamaha engine into the frame - there's loads out there - Bimota as you say, but also why not the other way too, and have Aprillia or BMW come in just supplying engines for chassis builders like Suter to utilise? Get Kawasaki on board that way too, because they don't have the megabucks for a full team, and hopefully those stories about Suzuki returning with a full team in 2014 prove correct, and suddenly the series will be in the best health it's ever been in.

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 07 Apr 2013, 18:55

AndreaModa wrote:It would definitely be cool to see the smaller manufacturers come in and make chassis and fit a Honda or Yamaha engine into the frame - there's loads out there - Bimota as you say, but also why not the other way too, and have Aprillia or BMW come in just supplying engines for chassis builders like Suter to utilise? Get Kawasaki on board that way too, because they don't have the megabucks for a full team, and hopefully those stories about Suzuki returning with a full team in 2014 prove correct, and suddenly the series will be in the best health it's ever been in.

Exactly. Suter, but also Kalex, and FTR could be on the ball. And remember KTM, they've wanted to stand up and be seen for a while - they'd be a good candidate to supply engines.

As for the electronics, I don't know. WSBKs have comparable level of electronics and it works. I agree with the spec-ECU, but the FIM has already allowed so many exceptions, the whole thing is rather silly.

Jocke1 · Post by **Jocke1** » 07 Apr 2013, 20:29

EPIC !!

SeedStriker · Post by **SeedStriker** » 07 Apr 2013, 22:34

Well, that proves what a joke the Ducati is. From 7th to 2nd, epic passes, giving free classes of how to own the field to the Honda Repsol duo, almost perfect, sans the issue of lap 1. One has to wonder what a duel from the Yamaha all stars we would've watched... The Doctor is in the house again!

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 07 Apr 2013, 22:52

Yes, an excellent ride from Rossi, exactly the sort of performance we grew to love during his career at Honda, and first time at Yamaha. It's great to see him back at the front, setting fastest lap after fastest lap and showing that even with the advantage of straight line speed, the Hondas just couldn't match him.

I feel a bit sorry for Crutchlow for running wide near the end, but I think realistically fifth was going to be the best result he would have got anyway. Maybe he could have got past Pedrosa at the end, but the podium was out of reach in my opinion. It was clear that the Tech 3 bikes don't have the same punch as the factory Yamahas because Rossi was able to first stay with Marquez and Pedrosa, and then keep ahead once he was past.

Speaking of Pedrosa, that wasn't the sort of performance to assert himself at a team he has been with for seven years now. He's never had the ability to take the title in my view, he's too fragile, too inconsistent, and that's despite being at a factory team for his entire top flight career. The way he dropped away at the end as well confirmed that either he can't manage his tyres, or he just gave up. Either way it doesn't bode well for the year ahead with a teammate like Marquez.

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 08 Apr 2013, 08:25

I'm not a fan of Rossi, but it was very good to see him back. It was a classic performance, putting in laps which were consistently faster than the opposition for 3/4 of the race. Makes you wonder if he wouldn't have had a go at Lorenzo if he hadn't tried to out-brake Dovi (a trick only people like Schwantz or Barros could have pulled).

The Hondas... well, Marquez had me sniggering all the race. Very good, no mistakes, strong and competitive and with ample margin of progression. If he had passed Pedrosa he might have stayed away from Rossi. And the fact he re-passed the Doctor in the next corner... :mrgreen:

. As for Pedrosa - welcome to a satellite Honda next year.

Ducati are where they should be. I think they'll struggle to beat Bradl, and end up fighting with Bradley Smith for now. But they'll get there, you'll see.

madmark1974 · Post by **madmark1974** » 08 Apr 2013, 08:47

I second what has been said above, good rides from pretty much everyone except for maybe Pedrosa, Smith and Spies. I think Spies can be excused as he was riding hurt, but dropping it was the last thing Bradley Smith
needed, I think he could have been up there with the works Ducatis by the end if he stayed on, there was all this talk of gathering experience by doing the full race distance, and .. well, that didn't happen.

But back to Pedrosa, after the first pre-season test I commented that he needed to put Marquez in his place and (for Dani's benefit) should beat him for at least the first few races and ... well, that didn't happen either.

He will need a Lorenzo-esque dominant performance to re-establish his authority in the team very soon, or risk being 'old news' (which I am aware several of us on here think already anyway). The fact that Marquez
is young, exciting and Spanish (especially) will mean the Honda fans will very soon take to him over Dani.

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 08 Apr 2013, 09:15

Exactly, the only thing that's kept Dani at Honda for so long has been Repsol, but now they have a new promising Spaniard, there's no need to hold onto him. If Stoner had stayed on, I don't think we'd even have Pedrosa on the factory bike this year. After all that promise in 250s, he's been very disappointing.

johnnyCarwash · Post by **johnnyCarwash** » 08 Apr 2013, 10:05

Would have been interesting to see Rossi challenge Lorenzo, who was in cruise mode after 10 laps. But despite Rossi's mistake, he did one of his famous charges which proved to be very entertaining

Can't help feeling that the race should have ended a full Yamaha podium. Give Crutchlow the same bike as Lorenzo/Rossi! Crutchlow did say before the race that he'd find it difficult to gain places if he got stuck behind a Honda... wise words there.

I never have fully understood the hype around Pedrosa, especially coming from Steve Parish. But after yesterday's race I echo what you guys are saying that he needs a seriously strong race compared to Marquez if he doesn't want to become yesterday's news. Marquez instead, wow, that was a gutsy pass on Rossi! Can see him winning a race before Pedrosa does this season.

ROTR - Bradley Smith for this

madmark1974 wrote: there was all this talk of gathering experience by doing the full race distance, and .. well, that didn't happen.

roblo97 · Post by **roblo97** » 08 Apr 2013, 10:37

I think the BBC did say that Marquez was incredibly fast around COTA so I think he coud win there!

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 08 Apr 2013, 10:47

So, ROTR people? I'd either go with Smith - because he really needed to finish that race and accumulate the mileage and points for Tech 3 -, or with Pedrosa - for being convincingly beaten by Marquez on the very first race, undoing all the good work of last year and putting himself firmly on the way to being dumped by HRC at the end of the season.

Ultimately, Pedrosa was less lol-worthy, but more rejectful. Opinions?

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 08 Apr 2013, 11:08

It would have been useful to see Smith's crash because if the commentators hadn't mentioned it then I wouldn't have known about it until a belated shot of him walking through the gravel. If there had been some footage of it I guess a better decision on ROTR could be made.

As it is, I've never been a fan of Pedrosa so for me it's very easy to give ROTR to him. He had just as much hype behind him when he started in 2006 as Marquez does now, so to see him well beaten at the end says it all.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 08 Apr 2013, 12:18

I have not seen Smith's crash, but I would say that Pedrosa already put himself in the back foot this season. So my RoTR goes to him. He would do well to get it back as quickly as possible because being beaten by a rookie doesn't do wonders for his confidence.

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 08 Apr 2013, 13:47

I haven't watched a Moto GP race since SuperSic's death. But if what everyone is saying is true, and Il Dottore is back to his old self, I might come back and watch again. I do have fond memories of him fighting Biaggi and Gibernau...

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 08 Apr 2013, 14:41

Stramala wrote:I haven't watched a Moto GP race since SuperSic's death. But if what everyone is saying is true, and Il Dottore is back to his old self, I might come back and watch again. I do have fond memories of him fighting Biaggi and Gibernau...

That was all I watched as a young teenager, I didn't bother with F1 from about 2000 until around 2006, with a few exceptions in 2004 when Button was going well. If it came to a choice between F1 and MotoGP, the latter won hands down every time. Watching Rossi take the M1 to the championship first time out in 2004 was unbelievable, a bike that Max Biaggi could do nothing with after years of trying. I'll never forget that.

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 08 Apr 2013, 14:47

AndreaModa wrote:That was all I watched as a young teenager, I didn't bother with F1 from about 2000 until around 2006, with a few exceptions in 2004 when Button was going well. If it came to a choice between F1 and MotoGP, the latter won hands down every time. Watching Rossi take the M1 to the championship first time out in 2004 was unbelievable, a bike that Max Biaggi could do nothing with after years of trying. I'll never forget that.

I have similar experience. I came to MotoGP later, in the first year of the 4-strokes, and it has been my favourite motorsport ever since. Watching Stoner destroy track after track in the Desmocedici first and the RCV later was a complete revelation - I then went back in time and discovered Gardner, Schwantz, Doohan et al.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 08 Apr 2013, 15:24

CarlosFerreira wrote:
AndreaModa wrote:That was all I watched as a young teenager, I didn't bother with F1 from about 2000 until around 2006, with a few exceptions in 2004 when Button was going well. If it came to a choice between F1 and MotoGP, the latter won hands down every time. Watching Rossi take the M1 to the championship first time out in 2004 was unbelievable, a bike that Max Biaggi could do nothing with after years of trying. I'll never forget that.

I have similar experience. I came to MotoGP later, in the first year of the 4-strokes, and it has been my favourite motorsport ever since. Watching Stoner destroy track after track in the Desmocedici first and the RCV later was a complete revelation - I then went back in time and discovered Gardner, Schwantz, Doohan et al.

I remember watching a few of those races. I saw the last season with Schwantz, Rainey battling it out in 1993 and I started to follow the 500cc Championship in the days of Mick Dohan domination which I considered the last of the great riders who populated in the early 90's and he became one of my favourite drivers ever. Right there with 'Il Doctore'. It was a friend of mine of first told me about Rossi he was still racing in 125s and told me: "That guy is amazing, he will blitz the field and become a great driver. The way he dominated made me dislike him at first because, after Dohan retiring, the 500cc was seeing a balanced grid with plenty of race winning drivers and fantastic battles. Sure enough, Rossi soon demonstrated that that these drivers were actually just filling in the gap years between great riders eras. Alas it was not to be, since Rossi demolished the field year after year until that fluke year that saw Hayden win his championship. Now, we still have great riders with the likes of Lorenzo and the ageing Rossi (shame on Stoner retiring so soon). Pedrosa? No. Marc Marquez? Might be. Maybe the lack of different manufacturers at the front masquerade this lack of greats that still exists, IMO.

Warren Hughes · Post by **Warren Hughes** » 08 Apr 2013, 15:43

Pedrosa reminds me of David Coulthard in the early 2000s. On his day he's capable with living with the very best of them, but at the same time it's pretty clear he's not at the elite level of Rossi and Lorenzo, and now he has to cope with a hotshot young team-mate coming in and impressing from the off (like DC had with Raikkonen). He's probably not quite ever going to be championship material, which is precisely why I choose to support him - as Bill Bailey once said, "I'm English, and as such I crave disappointment."

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 19 Apr 2013, 01:34

The Honda works team have been given a free-kick this weekend after Tech 3 suffered a minor pit fire overnight, which ended up activating the sprinkler system and flooding several of the garages, including the Yamaha works team: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/106859