official sepang moto gp thread with spoilers.....
Discussion
pedrosa on pole, westy going well on the kwak!!
copied from mcn................
Dani Pedrosa stormed to pole position in the dying moments of today’s qualifying session in Sepang to spare Michelin’s blushes.
Only Repsol Honda team-mate Nicky Hayden in sixth and Valentino Rossi in ninth were the other Michelin riders to break into the top ten as Spaniard Pedrosa claimed his third successive pole position.
Dani Pedrosa produced a brilliant last lap of 2.01.877 to deny new world champion Casey Stoner a sixth pole of the season. That best time was just 0.041s clear of the Australian, who thought he had done enough to secure pole for tomorrow’s 21-lap race when he’d logged a 2.01.918 just moments earlier. That had moved him 0.284s clear of compatriot Anthony West, who looked like securing his first front row start until late bursts from factory Kawasaki team-mate Randy de Puniet and Gresini Honda rider Marco Melandri.
Pedrosa had been fastest earlier in the session on race tyres as he was the only Michelin rider who looked like seriously threatening Bridgestone’s domination. At one stage only two Michelin riders occupied positions in the top ten, but Pedrosa’s flying last lap restored some pride for Michelin, who look certain to lose Valentino Rossi in 2008.
Stoner had to settle for second place after he had ended free practice with the overall best time.
Chasing a 10th victory of the season tomorrow, Stoner seized control with seven minutes remaining when he posted a lap of 2.02.144 to move just 0.058s clear of West. He bettered that time with his fastest lap of 2.01.918, but it still wasn’t enough to deny Pedrosa, though Stoner has now only failed to qualify on the front row once since the British GP in late June.
Marco Melandri claimed the last place on the front row in a dramatic finale. The Italian was one of the fastest and most consistent riders on race tyres during the session, and he jumped to second place on his first Bridgestone qualifying tyre with 16 minutes remaining. Randy de Puniet, who crashed unhurt at Turn 2 after just eight minutes, thought he had claimed only his third front row start of the season when he jumped to third right at the end. But seconds later Melandri posted a 2.01.944 to claim only his second front row start of the season.
Melandri and de Puniet’s surge relegated long-time leader West down to fifth, which is still his best qualifying result of the season.
West opted to run his first qualifying tyre with only 33 minutes gone and a 2.02.202 saw him open up a big advantage of 0.490s over French team-mate Randy de Puniet.
That time stood for over 20 minutes but West still looked to be part of an all-Australian front row when with two minutes remaining Chris Vermeulen seized third place.
West couldn’t better his time on his second qualifying tyre and he will start fifth, two places in front of factory Suzuki rider Vermeulen, who dropped to seventh.
Former world champion Nicky Hayden will occupy the last place on the second row as he was also bumped off the front row in the late drama.
The American had claimed third with just 35 minutes remaining on the clock with a 2.02.225 that was just 0.081s off Stoner.
He finished 0.348s off team-mate Pedrosa, while Rossi’s nightmare weekend continued as he faces a massive task to claim his 100th premier class podium tomorrow.
The seven-times world champion will start ninth on the grid having clocked a best time of 2.02.466. He was languishing outside the top ten on race tyres but seemed to have rescued a desperate situation with eight minutes left when he moved into second with his best of 2.02.466. He ended up ninth while the next best Michelin rider was Fiat Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards down in 13th.
British rider Chaz Davies will start 17th having set a best time of 2.04.197.
copied from mcn................
Dani Pedrosa stormed to pole position in the dying moments of today’s qualifying session in Sepang to spare Michelin’s blushes.
Only Repsol Honda team-mate Nicky Hayden in sixth and Valentino Rossi in ninth were the other Michelin riders to break into the top ten as Spaniard Pedrosa claimed his third successive pole position.
Dani Pedrosa produced a brilliant last lap of 2.01.877 to deny new world champion Casey Stoner a sixth pole of the season. That best time was just 0.041s clear of the Australian, who thought he had done enough to secure pole for tomorrow’s 21-lap race when he’d logged a 2.01.918 just moments earlier. That had moved him 0.284s clear of compatriot Anthony West, who looked like securing his first front row start until late bursts from factory Kawasaki team-mate Randy de Puniet and Gresini Honda rider Marco Melandri.
Pedrosa had been fastest earlier in the session on race tyres as he was the only Michelin rider who looked like seriously threatening Bridgestone’s domination. At one stage only two Michelin riders occupied positions in the top ten, but Pedrosa’s flying last lap restored some pride for Michelin, who look certain to lose Valentino Rossi in 2008.
Stoner had to settle for second place after he had ended free practice with the overall best time.
Chasing a 10th victory of the season tomorrow, Stoner seized control with seven minutes remaining when he posted a lap of 2.02.144 to move just 0.058s clear of West. He bettered that time with his fastest lap of 2.01.918, but it still wasn’t enough to deny Pedrosa, though Stoner has now only failed to qualify on the front row once since the British GP in late June.
Marco Melandri claimed the last place on the front row in a dramatic finale. The Italian was one of the fastest and most consistent riders on race tyres during the session, and he jumped to second place on his first Bridgestone qualifying tyre with 16 minutes remaining. Randy de Puniet, who crashed unhurt at Turn 2 after just eight minutes, thought he had claimed only his third front row start of the season when he jumped to third right at the end. But seconds later Melandri posted a 2.01.944 to claim only his second front row start of the season.
Melandri and de Puniet’s surge relegated long-time leader West down to fifth, which is still his best qualifying result of the season.
West opted to run his first qualifying tyre with only 33 minutes gone and a 2.02.202 saw him open up a big advantage of 0.490s over French team-mate Randy de Puniet.
That time stood for over 20 minutes but West still looked to be part of an all-Australian front row when with two minutes remaining Chris Vermeulen seized third place.
West couldn’t better his time on his second qualifying tyre and he will start fifth, two places in front of factory Suzuki rider Vermeulen, who dropped to seventh.
Former world champion Nicky Hayden will occupy the last place on the second row as he was also bumped off the front row in the late drama.
The American had claimed third with just 35 minutes remaining on the clock with a 2.02.225 that was just 0.081s off Stoner.
He finished 0.348s off team-mate Pedrosa, while Rossi’s nightmare weekend continued as he faces a massive task to claim his 100th premier class podium tomorrow.
The seven-times world champion will start ninth on the grid having clocked a best time of 2.02.466. He was languishing outside the top ten on race tyres but seemed to have rescued a desperate situation with eight minutes left when he moved into second with his best of 2.02.466. He ended up ninth while the next best Michelin rider was Fiat Yamaha team-mate Colin Edwards down in 13th.
British rider Chaz Davies will start 17th having set a best time of 2.04.197.
Haven't caught up with the news or whether it was mentioned on TV but I think West's jump start was not because he went before the lights changed, I think he was on the wrong grid marking. He was lined up directly behind Stoner, but I think he should have been on the grid markings (same grid position obviously) just to his right (Stoner's left as you looked at the front of the grid). Therefore he would have been about 0.5m in front of where he should have been so automatically jumping the start.
If you get to look at the replay of the start take a look, they seem to stagger every row, the rider behind being slightly left or right of the person on the row in front I'm sure, all except West.
If you get to look at the replay of the start take a look, they seem to stagger every row, the rider behind being slightly left or right of the person on the row in front I'm sure, all except West.
I still can't believe all the whinging from certain Michelin riders about Bridgestone having such an advantage. Well no one moaned about Michelin's 9 year dominance in GPs. Bridgestone came along and spent a few years working on tyres and this year it's all come good. Michelin runners need to catch up by working with Michelin to improve the tyres, not jump ship to Bridgestone as soon as things go bad.
FourWheelDrift said:
Michelin runners need to catch up by working with Michelin to improve the tyres, not jump ship to Bridgestone as soon as things go bad.
I agree that riders/teams should try to fix the problems, whilst Rossi has had many good seasons with Michelin, over the past two seasons it's not been too good - He had a couple of tyre failures last season & this season the grip might of been there at some tracks, but they're not consistant enough for most tracks compared to Bridgestone. It could be Rossi's last season next year, who can blame him or the other riders for wanting the best possible chance to win?
Stoner has critised the Michelin riders for wanting to jump ship, but he'd do exactly the same if he was in their shoes - infact since moving to Ducati/Bridgestone he's had a lot to say about Michelin last year & most of it wasn't good
Why should a rider, who has a relatively short riding & earning period, compromise their potential results by helping a tyre company who have been around for decades and will be around for decades more to come?
I think Rossi's problems stemmed more from a lack of grunt from the Yammy than any issues with the tyres. Melandri and de Puniet had good races though, nice to see Team Green doing well.
I think Rossi's problems stemmed more from a lack of grunt from the Yammy than any issues with the tyres. Melandri and de Puniet had good races though, nice to see Team Green doing well.
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