MotoGP Qatar (spoilers)

[woof]

First blood to Mr Stoner
Honda have looked great in pre season testing so not a huge surprise.
Didn't expect Rossi to be that high up - Ducati are having all kinds of problems !

( Qatar great opener - always looks amazing under the lights)


Pos Rider Team/Bike Time Gap
1. Casey Stoner Honda 1m55.752s
2. Dani Pedrosa Honda 1m56.362s + 0.610s
3. Hector Barbera Aspar Ducati 1m56.421s + 0.669s
4. Marco Simoncelli Gresini Honda 1m56.441s + 0.689s
5. Valentino Rossi Ducati 1m56.479s + 0.727s
6. Ben Spies Yamaha 1m56.493s + 0.741s
7. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha 1m56.586s + 0.834s
8. Andrea Dovizioso Honda 1m56.592s + 0.840s
9. Randy de Puniet Pramac Ducati 1m56.790s + 1.038s
10. Colin Edwards Tech 3 Yamaha 1m56.879s + 1.127s
11. Nicky Hayden Ducati 1m56.910s + 1.158s
12. Hiroshi Aoyama Gresini Honda 1m56.987s + 1.235s
13. Loris Capirossi Pramac Ducati 1m57.366s + 1.614s
14. Cal Crutchlow Tech 3 Yamaha 1m57.429s + 1.677s
15. Karel Abraham Cardion Ducati 1m57.821s + 2.069s
16. Alvaro Bautista Suzuki 1m58.528s + 2.776s
17. Toni Elias LCR Honda 1m59.087s + 3.335s

[Redmax]

Hector Barbera has to be the big surprise in that session. Good to see Rossi quicker than expected but those Hondas look invincible ATM. Also very good to see Spies ahead of Lorenzo - hope that trend continues.

[kiteless]

And Pies ahead of George.

More of that this season, please

[woof]

It's on the BBC ?
Refuse to watch it on the Beeb - always watched the delay coverage on Eurosport.

Free 2 about to start on Eurosports

[Allyc85]

Crutchlow doing well in 12th considering the injury he is carrying at the moment, Honda looking waay to strong though at the moment!

[Allyc85]

And Suzukis decision to cut back to one bike has bitten them in the ass big style!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/90018

[d3dna]

Allyc85 said:

And Suzukis decision to cut back to one bike has bitten them in the ass big style!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/90018

Damn shame about Bautista and was in a promising position prior to the crash.

The single bike has definitely hurt Suzuki, I always thought this would happen and now they will need to find a replacement for up to 10 weeks. Hoppers is the back up rider but has BSB commitments so I am guessing a combination of him and a guest rider (Mladin would be fun for the Spies rivalry). More realistically they will probably pluck a Moto2 rider into the team as a temp.

[woof]

Pretty good quali

1 27 Casey STONER AUS Repsol Honda Team Honda 321.1 1'55.035
2 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 322.8 1'55.193 0.158 / 0.158
3 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team Honda 322.7 1'55.740 0.705 / 0.547
4 1 Jorge LORENZO SPA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 317.6 1'55.814 0.779 / 0.074
5 11 Ben SPIES USA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 317.4 1'56.003 0.968 / 0.189
6 8 Hector BARBERA SPA Mapfre Aspar Team MotoGP Ducati 327.5 1'56.266 1.231 / 0.263
7 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 319.6 1'56.302 1.267 / 0.036
8 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Ducati Team Ducati 317.9 1'56.306 1.271 / 0.004
9 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA Pramac Racing Team Ducati 319.2 1'56.362 1.327 / 0.056
10 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Pramac Racing Team Ducati 318.2 1'56.434 1.399 / 0.072
11 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 319.3 1'56.437 1.402 / 0.003
12 7 Hiroshi AOYAMA JPN San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 320.0 1'56.517 1.482 / 0.080
13 58 Marco SIMONCELLI ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 315.5 1'56.540 1.505 / 0.023
14 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Team Ducati 319.1 1'56.586 1.551 / 0.046
15 17 Karel ABRAHAM CZE Cardion AB Motoracing Ducati 321.1 1'57.275 2.240 / 0.689
16 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki 316.0 1'57.601 2.566 / 0.326
17 24 Toni ELIAS SPA LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 321.3 1'58.123 3.088 / 0.522

Just a question - how many sets of tyres are they allowed to use ?

I'd prefer to see the F1 quali to go back to the 1hr format.

[Allyc85]

Crutchlow infront of Rossi, happy days

[jbudgie]

Allyc85 said:

Crutchlow infront of Rossi, happy days

Where ?

[FourWheelDrift]

Woof has posted free practice times from yesterday because Bautista is out now with a broken femur from yesterday's crash.

These are the qualifying results.

1. Casey Stoner Honda 1m54.137s
2. Dani Pedrosa Honda 1m54.342s + 0.205s
3. Jorge Lorenzo Yamaha 1m54.947s + 0.810s
4. Marco Simoncelli Gresini Honda 1m54.988s + 0.851s
5. Ben Spies Yamaha 1m55.095s + 0.958s
6. Hector Barbera Aspar Ducati 1m55.223s + 1.086s
7. Andrea Dovizioso Honda 1m55.229s + 1.092s
8. Cal Crutchlow Tech 3 Yamaha 1m55.578s + 1.441s
9. Valentino Rossi Ducati 1m55.637s + 1.500s
10. Colin Edwards Tech 3 Yamaha 1m55.647s + 1.510s
11. Randy de Puniet Pramac Ducati 1m55.656s + 1.519s
12. Hiroshi Aoyama Gresini Honda 1m55.724s + 1.587s
13. Nicky Hayden Ducati 1m55.881s + 1.744s
14. Loris Capirossi Pramac Ducati 1m56.323s + 2.186s
15. Karel Abraham Cardion Ducati 1m56.665s + 2.528s
16. Toni Elias LCR Honda 1m57.992s + 3.855s

[jbudgie]

[kiteless]

A BIG to Cal for that performance. Nice one.

At the pointy end, I think the Stoner / Pedrosa battle will get "interesting" with some mind games. I - personally - am hoping that Pies scares the living bejesus out of George. Benji reminds me a little of Eddie Lawson: softly spoken, yet uncommonly fast.

A good qualifying result for Bradders in Moto2 as well.

[DJC]

I only have Eurosports 2 out here and that doesnt look like it carries the Moto boys, so Ill be doing the season on the Beeb.

Er...how bad is the beeb for Moto now? Im going to miss the Eurosport guys, absolute legends

[Allyc85]

Dont Eurosport still show the Moto GP, just delayed by an hour?

[DJC]

Eurosports 2.

Not Eurosports

[y2blade]

BBC2...NOW

LIVE

[Fishtigua]

Very, very 'appy, Moto GP back on the box.

Stoner and the Hondas are going to walk away with it this season I fear and disappear into the distance.

[woof]

DJC said:

Eurosports 2.

Not Eurosports

It's shown on delay. Can't stand the beeb's commentary - so i always wait for Eurosports.
The Beeb really missed a trick not hiring Toby Moody and Julian Ryder (and spalders)

[ajprice]

Unless Stoner falls off at the front again like last year, it should be his. I know some people dont get on with Parrish and Cox's commentary, but I like them .