MotoGP - Round 3 - Estoril

[NinjaMaster]

MotoGP Final Qualifying results:

Pos. Num. Rider Nation Team Bike Km/h Time Gap 1st/Prev.
1 1 Casey STONER AUS Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'37.188
2 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 1'37.201 0.013 / 0.013
3 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'37.289 0.101 / 0.088
4 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 1'37.466 0.278 / 0.177
5 11 Ben SPIES USA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 1'37.723 0.535 / 0.257
6 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 1'37.917 0.729 / 0.194
7 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 1'37.943 0.755 / 0.026
8 8 Hector BARBERA SPA Pramac Racing Team Ducati 1'38.006 0.818 / 0.063
9 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Ducati Team Ducati 1'38.059 0.871 / 0.053
10 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Team Ducati 1'38.253 1.065 / 0.194
11 6 Stefan BRADL GER LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 1'38.265 1.077 / 0.012
12 41 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Power Electronics Aspar ART 1'39.353 2.165 / 1.088
13 17 Karel ABRAHAM CZE Cardion AB Motoracing Ducati 1'39.398 2.210 / 0.045
14 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA Power Electronics Aspar ART 1'39.586 2.398 / 0.188
15 68 Yonny HERNANDEZ COL Avintia Blusens BQR 1'40.029 2.841 / 0.443
16 51 Michele PIRRO ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini FTR 1'40.225 3.037 / 0.196
17 54 Mattia PASINI ITA Speed Master ART 1'40.387 3.199 / 0.162
18 5 Colin EDWARDS USA NGM Mobile Forward Racing Suter 1'40.964 3.776 / 0.577
19 77 James ELLISON GBR Paul Bird Motorsport ART 1'41.394 4.206 / 0.430
20 9 Danilo PETRUCCI ITA Came IodaRacing Project Ioda 1'41.486 4.298 / 0.092
21 22 Ivan SILVA SPA Avintia Blusens BQR 1'41.490 4.302 / 0.004

Stoner pips Cap'n Dani by a bees knacker with the very impressive Cal Crutchlow continuing his great form to qualify on the front row again. Cal is super motivated, and somewhat pissed off, after Dovizioso made the 'observation' that it was Cal's superbike background that seeing him so competitive and the Andrea was still getting used to the M1. Cal's response is that he continually studied Lorenzo, Speez and Edwards data and now he is the most like Jorge and that "Maybe he needs to change his style to ride like a Yamaha". I do like a good inner team rivalry! Also, Ben Spies finally has his mojo back and will be strong for the race. With he, Cal and Andrea all fighting for two Yamaha seats next year, it should be an intense race.

Colin Edwards won't be racing after crashing and breaking his collarbone. Well, I say that he crashed but the reality was he was the innocent victim of Randy de Puniet's crash. Colin pulled aside to let Randy through, as he was on a hot qualifying lap, only for Randy to lose the front and take Colin down with him. Not what the Texan needed.

[52Paddy]

What a boring race that was. The 'Big 3' storming ahead of everyone and the Tech 3s unable to make an impression on them.

[jens]

I wonder if Yamaha/Lorenzo can find an extra gear to truly challenge Stoner and beat him. For two races in a row Stoner has edged out and it would have happened in Qatar too without arm pump issue.

Spies is very slowly improving... Wouldn't have believed that a rider of his calibre can be so completely out of his depth, like Melandri in 2008. Despite criticism even Rossi hasn't been that bad, because unlike Ducati Yamaha is capable of running absolutely at the sharp end of the grid.

Other than that what to say? Tech3 guys must be wondering, when will any of the three aliens (yes, only 3 of them left for now...) slip to enable them to get to a podium.

[52Paddy]

I wonder if Yamaha/Lorenzo can find an extra gear to truly challenge Stoner and beat him. For two races in a row Stoner has edged out and it would have happened in Qatar too without arm pump issue.

I think Lorenzo has the pace at his fingertips (quite literally). He just needs to bring it all together in a focus rhythm. Stoner has 'edged out' but Lorenzo has been well in contention and still only lies 1 point behind Stoner.

Spies is very slowly improving... Wouldn't have believed that a rider of his calibre can be so completely out of his depth, like Melandri in 2008. Despite criticism even Rossi hasn't been that bad, because unlike Ducati Yamaha is capable of running absolutely at the sharp end of the grid.

I'm quite disappointed with Spies' performance so far this year. Last season he seemed to find himself comfortable amongst the MotoGP field - maybe the change of bike regs has affected him more so than others, but he'll have to shape up soon. That bikes needs to be further up the grid.

Other than that what to say? Tech3 guys must be wondering, when will any of the three aliens (yes, only 3 of them left for now...) slip to enable them to get to a podium.

It won't be much longer, I'd say. They've shown to be close to the 'big 3' at the first two rounds. I bet they'll find a track that really suits them and will be on for a podium, double-podium and possibly even a race win before the season is out.

[ShiftingGears]

What a boring race that was. The 'Big 3' storming ahead of everyone and the Tech 3s unable to make an impression on them.

It was quite uneventful, however I think watching the moto2 race kept me pumped throughout the motoGP. Such a good duel between Espargaro and Marquez, hoping for a good championship fight.

[52Paddy]

I didn't watch the Moto2 but I heard it was entertaining.

[NinjaMaster]

It's funny, I've read a lot of people say the MotoGP race was boring but I enjoyed it more than the 'support' races. I've always enjoyed the blue riband class more than the feeder classes despite their superior hand-to-hand combat and I thought this race was far from boring. There was bugger all to separate the top three for all but the final few laps when Stoner once again had a little left in reserve that Lorenzo and Pedrosa couldn't match. Crutchlow and Dovi were hard at it again 'til Cal botched it up, ran wide and lost lost with Dovi and there might have been some better racing down the field but the broadcast rarely shows anyone outside the top 5 (even Rossi is barely sighted anymore).

Moto2 was a typically brutal affair (axe-murderers is an apt description) and it seems that Marquez, Luthi and Espargaro will be the front running constants with Marquez having the race winning edge over them and the likes of Iannone joining them semi regularly.

Moto3 was equally tight and I was happy for Cortese to win rather than just another competitive ride. I couldn't really see why Vinales was so upset with him though.

[ShiftingGears]

Moto3 was equally tight and I was happy for Cortese to win rather than just another competitive ride. I couldn't really see why Vinales was so upset with him though.

Was he? I suspect it would've been for Cortese swerving aggressively across the track on the finish straight to block Vinales as soon as they lapped a backmarker on either side.

[ShiftingGears]

Moto3 was equally tight and I was happy for Cortese to win rather than just another competitive ride. I couldn't really see why Vinales was so upset with him though.

Was he? I suspect it would've been for Cortese swerving aggressively across the track on the finish straight in a last ditch blocking effort on Vinales. That could've easily been a vicious crash.

[NinjaMaster]

Was he? I suspect it would've been for Cortese swerving aggressively across the track on the finish straight in a last ditch blocking effort on Vinales. That could've easily been a vicious crash.

Maverick was so enraged he said Sandro's pass wasn't very polite! I don't like the straightline swerve much either, supposedly the riders get warned not to do it but it seems to fall on deaf ears.