2015 MotoGP

[900gc]

The Duc is a brand new re-design and Gigi's bike still needs to be developed more through 'battle testing' under race conditions. No doubt the soft tire helps now but It won't be long before the Ducs are frequenting the podium with the same tires.

 

[Randy]

For the last 4 laps, he wasn't able to lap fast enough to make up all of the time he lost at the beginning. Laps 14-19, his times were faster than the P1 rider for that lap. ...

Where are you able to find lap times by rider?

motogp.com

click Results

Go to the Event you're looking for, for Category select the class you're looking for, then under Sessions, pick 'Race'

Click 'Analysis By Lap'

 

[Randy]

Interesting that you put Pedrosa in 4th even with his arm pump issues.

I got the email newsletter from MotoGP.com before I was able to watch the race (bastards!), so I knew who won. It was still an amazing race to watch! I still see Marquez as a force to be reckoned with (dead last to 5th? dayum!) and I see his title defense as viable, so here is my off the cuff prediction for the championship:
1) Marquez

2) Rossi (though I would love to see him win his 10th title!)

3) Lorenzo

4) Pedrosa

5) Dovioso

6) Iannone

7) Crutchlow

I didn't catch that Pedrosa is having arm pump issues, will definitely make it harder for him this season.

Especially since he will miss 2 races minimum. He wont be contending for the title this season.

Pedrosa will never win the MotoGP championship. He has been on the best equipment since 2006, and he can't get it done. He always has an excuse.

Pedrosa's best claim to fame besides being a perennial first loser is torpedoing his teammate Nicky Hayden and almost costing Nicky and Honda the title in 2006. Pedrosa should have been fired then and there for that stunt. Last year Honda finally gave his manager Alberto Puig the boot out of the paddock. I can't believe it took that long for them to send that D-bag out of there. By my count, while Pedrosa has been on the factory Honda MotoGP team he has zero championships, while his teammates have a total of 4. (Hayden - 2006, Stoner - 2011, Marquez - 2013, 2014).

Pedrosa can't fade away into obscurity fast enough. He has another excuse this year already built in for not winning. Why in the hell is Pedrosa still occupying that seat? There are many more up and coming riders that deserve the factory seat.

I really hope Rossi can win his 10th title. But I think Marquez will three-peat. I think the Ducati will go good this year, but now the are starting to feel the effects of their success and will lose 2 liters of fuel under the open-factory rules. If they continue to finish on the podium, I believe the next step is to lose the soft tire choice advantage, which I think will have a profound effect on their qualifying, hence grid position at the start which will equate to being stuck in the pack instead of fading from the front.

I think between Rossi and Marquez, they will f*ck with Lorenzo's head to the point he will make himself irrelevant and mistake prone.

My predictions:

1. Marquez

2. Rossi

3. Dovi

4. Iannone

5. Lorenzo

6. Crutchlow

who cares: Pedrosa

Regarding your comments on why Pedrobot is still there, I'm one of the strange ones that thinks he has pretty much been doing what Honda has wanted him to do for the last couple of years - be a contender if rider #1 isn't there and, if rider #1 is there, get as close to the front as possible to move other riders down in position.

 

[20valves]

Regarding your comments on why Pedrobot is still there, I'm one of the strange ones that thinks he has pretty much been doing what Honda has wanted him to do for the last couple of years - be a contender if rider #1 isn't there and, if rider #1 is there, get as close to the front as possible to move other riders down in position.

Plus, he's a Spaniard, it's a Repsol bike. Honda treated Hayden like crap after he won the title for them. The very next year they built a midget bike for Dani and Hayden knew he was about to be shown the door. Consider that along with Pedrosa torpedoing Hayden and I wouldn't consider buying a Honda.

I think Lorenzo may the only guy who can beat Marquez week in week out, if his HJC helmet can hold toegther for a whole race. I'm a Rossi fan and think he's won his last title but the man knows how to win....never say never.

 

[FjrjrF]

Looks like Honda is grooming Jack Miller for Pedrosa's spot in near future. I don't think losing the 2 liters of fuel will hurt the Ducati. Losing the softer option tire will make front row more difficult, but it looks like they can challenge with the harder option anyway. I believe Lorenzo is on a mission, like Rossi. Both are more determined than ever.

Yeah, but the reason Dovi lost Qatar was he was on softer tires and no side grip left last few laps. I think it will affect how the bike will handle early in the race with a full fuel load and not have the extra margin of grip that soft tires give at the start.

I don't think Lorenzo is in the same league as Marquez and Rossi for mental toughness. I really think they will mess with his head to the point he will never recover. He will win races, but I don't think he will be able to put together another championship.

One other important issue if Duc gets more podiums, the engine tweaks that they are making for each race gets locked in. No more tweaking, Honda and Yamaha are locked in from the start of the season and are not allowed modifications. But Ducati knows that, and they must be confident that they will prevail. Man is it good to see competion right up to the end of the race. It has been a pleasure to watch the skills of MM, but the races were starting to get boring. Not anymore!

 

[Randy]

If you don't have the video pass for MotoGP, you're missing out. QP2 was insane. MM had a warning light pop up on his dash. He parked his bike on the hot track, jumped over the wall, sprinted back to the pit, jumped on his backup bike, got out and passed the start finish line just seconds before the checkered flag, had a few asspucker moments on his flying lap and won pole by .4 sec. Insane!

 

[AVGeek]

Pedrosa is out, he had arm pump surgery.

 

[20valves]

Pedrosa is out, he had arm pump surgery.

Um, yeah. I don't think anyone was picking him for the win.

 

[LKLD]

Unless Marquez screws the pooch, like Qatar, I think he'll win this race. Those 2 straightaways will suit his Honda well. It might be a battle, with the Yamaha's and Ducati's, for the last podium spots.

 

[Auburn]

Pedrosa is out, he had arm pump surgery.

Um, yeah. I don't think anyone was picking him for the win.

or really cares about him

 

[900gc]

Marquez's Austin qualifying lap video is a MUST see! It was free for a while on the MotoGP web site but no longer seems to be, subscribers only now alas. One long time GP scribe went so far as to call it the best single lap he has ever seen!

"The lap was made even more remarkable by the fact the reigning MotoGP™ World Champion had to stop on track with 3 minutes remaining after a technical fault and run back down the pit lane to retrieve his second bike with just seconds to spare.

Not even this could stop the Spaniard as he went back out on track to set the fastest ever time on two-wheels around CoTA, a 2’02.135, over sixth-tenths quicker than his previous lap record set in Qualifying last year. It was a fitting end to a thrilling Q2, which saw the lead change hands a number of times in the dying seconds."

Apparently his second bike did not even have the preferred front tire! This kid id beyond amazing.

 

[snackbauer]

Don't miss Argentina. That was a great race! Sometimes ya gets what ya gives.

 

[Auburn]

Don't miss Argentina. That was a great race! Sometimes ya gets what ya gives.

holy shit what a race!!!!

 

[Warpdrv]

I missed the last 6 laps getting sidetracked at work here, but I saw the upset in the reviews....

 

[Sharif]

Unbelievable race!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LKLD]

Friggin' AMAZING finish! My wife has started watching with me, and SHE loved it!

 

[Bugnatr]

Friggin' AMAZING finish! My wife has started watching with me, and SHE loved it!

+1 here too. My wife and I loved the race!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rogdeb]

Friggin' AMAZING finish! My wife has started watching with me, and SHE loved it!

+1 here too. My wife and I loved the race!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

+2

Can't drag Deb away from the screen

-- superlative racing

 

[Surly]

I guess you can't put an old head on young shoulders. I'm looking forward to the next outing.

 

[El Toro Joe]

It's obvious Rossi has still got what it takes...when he's on the right bike and tires.