MotoGP - Brno 2008

[The Phantom]

Forgot about Rossi's problem at Assen...

Apparently the resurfaced Brno circuit is now very hard on front tyres, which I reckon has a lot to do with Stoners off.

I also thought it may have been the reason why Vermeulen did a Corser and dropped off mid-race to come back stronger at the end, but maybe he was just spooked by the way Elias charged through

[MrJan]

Forgot about Rossi's problem at Assen...

Apparently the resurfaced Brno circuit is now very hard on front tyres, which I reckon has a lot to do with Stoners off.

Nohne of the other Bridgestone riders had a problem. I know that Rossi is the only one who was anywhere near the pace of Casey (think he was quicker on the lap before the lowside) but I'm not sure that the track is fully to blame, especially so early on in the race. I think that a lot of it is down to Stoner trying really hard to grasp back the points that he lost earlier in the season. Even if he'd finished ahead of Vale then there would still be a 20 point gap. He'll bounce back because he's that kind of rider but hopefully we will get to see a few decent races as the curtain falls on the season

[fatman]

BTW: I don't really think that Elias/Capirossi/Vermeulen/West are doing a that great job, if Rossi would've pushed towards the end, the gap would probably have been 30 seconds or so..

If Michelin hadn't screwed up royally I don't think you would have seen these guys do as well as they did. I reckon that if Jorge, Edwards, Pedrosa and Toseland were able to compete at all, these guys would all be 3 or 4 places back from where they finished. Not that I don't think the points weren't deserved but I think the far better than normal finishes for these guys were only in a small part due to their own improvements and owe something to others miss fortune.

[leopard]

I missed the race and consequently missed how Casey has fallen off. Looking for the video but none of them was seriously telling me this matter.

If not mistaken, this is the first time he crashed on the Ducati, aside of Laguna which was I consider he only rode too wide. Did he push himself too hard, He took the lead on Rossi by significant time at early race, he should keep the distance without having to get pressured that lead him to the mistake.

[osg]

Forgot about Rossi's problem at Assen...

Apparently the resurfaced Brno circuit is now very hard on front tyres, which I reckon has a lot to do with Stoners off.

The replays were very very interesting Phantom...... geez it just dropped on it's side in an instant, no warning no clue. I've never seen a lowside happen so fast........ it's usually in slo-mo.

Agreed with all above, the Michelins were beyond a joke. Dani ran just 11 laps on monday before packing his bags and going, apparently there was no grip at either end.

[The Phantom]

The replays were very very interesting Phantom...... geez it just dropped on it's side in an instant, no warning no clue. I've never seen a lowside happen so fast........ it's usually in slo-mo.

Yeah, Stoner said afterwards that the front had gone a few times prior to that final time but he'd been able to catch it - geez, losing the front repeatedly and still trashing the lap record twice in the first five laps... he sure didn't want to have to swap spit with Valentino again Still learning his racecraft - hell, even Rossi says he's still learning - maybe he will realise that he might have been better off to save the rocket pace for later in the race.

[The Phantom]

Post-race testing - Stoner over a full second quicker than Rossi. Whatever Yamaha found in the summer break to get the M1 closer to the GP7, they're gonna have to find again to mix it with the Ducati at Misano... Stoner could well go under Rossi's 2006 best laptime on day 2 of the test (currently underway).

1. Casey Stoner (AUS) Ducati Marlboro 1'56.261
2. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Fiat Yamaha Team 1'57.332
3. Toni Elias (SPA) Alice Team 1'57.457
4. Shinya Nakano (JPN) San Carlo Honda Gresini 1'57.652
5. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Rizla Suzuki 1'57.742
6. Colin Edwards (USA) Tech 3 Yamaha 1'57.756
7. Alex De Angelis (RSM) San Carlo Honda Gresini 1'57.826
8. Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Alice Team 1'57.859
9. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Fiat Yamaha Team 1'57.979
10. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1'58.177
11. Niccolò Canepa (ITA) Ducati Test 1'58.204
12. Marco Melandri (ITA) Ducati Marlboro 1'58.325
13. Randy De Puniet (FRA) LCR Honda MotoGP 1'58.568
14. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda 1'59.067
15. Olivier Jacque (FRA) Kawasaki Racing 1'59.130
16. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) JiR Team Scot MotoGP 1'59.130
17. James Toseland (GBR) Tech 3 Yamaha 1'59.228
18. John Hopkins (USA) Kawasaki Racing 2'00.414
19. Tadyuki Okada (JPN) Repsol Honda Team 2'00.735

Brno: Record Lap
L. Capirossi (Ducati) 2006, 1'58.157

Brno: Best Lap
V. Rossi (Yamaha) 2006, 1'56.191

[The Phantom]

Just checked the MotoGP site - phaaark! Yep, Stoner went quicker again on day 2... a LOT quicker!

"Undertaking regular four-lap stints on the Desmosedici GP8 as he attempts to put the nightmare of Sunday´s DNF out of his mind, Stoner set a remarkable time of 1´55.904 on race tyres shortly before midday on Tuesday. That left him 0.764s ahead of nearest rival Valentino Rossi on the 1pm timesheet – the lap also being marginally quicker than Rossi´s two-year old pole position record."

I wonder if Rossi was on race tyres???

[Allyc85]

The replays were very very interesting Phantom...... geez it just dropped on it's side in an instant, no warning no clue. I've never seen a lowside happen so fast........ it's usually in slo-mo.

Agreed with all above, the Michelins were beyond a joke. Dani ran just 11 laps on monday before packing his bags and going, apparently there was no grip at either end.

Thats a shocking attitude IMO. How the hell is giving up going to help solve things? He should have been out there putting in the laps and trying loads of settings to get the bike and tyres working.