2011 MotoGP Jerez

[MrJan]

Another post suggests Lorenzo as prime contender - maybe now, sure. But at the time Stoner was knocked off his bike, Lorenzo was the second most likely, not the most likely; once again the point I made was completely missed/ignored and I'm given another reason to not bother getting into discussions here.

I still think that Lorenzo was the contender anyway. Like I said his consistency is key and that's something that Stoner has never really grabbed (although admittedly this was due to jumping off the bike in the first season and then a mixture of reliability/injury/illness issues since). When that Yamaha gets better (which I'm sure that it will) he'll be doing the usual thing of winning all over the place.

[patnicholls]

I think we're all getting a little overexcited here For me: racing accident in tricky conditions; bad luck that Casey was there; no penalty; that's it. Should've taken helmet off whilst apologising.

It's interesting to see how things have developed though since this time last year (as someone who doesn't really have a favourite amongst the main four challengers).

Jorge seems calmer - the couple of crashes which blighted his rookie days in MotoGP look to have gone, and how he's managed the mind games and PR against Valentino has basically worked ('you want a flamboyant series of celebrations? I can do that'). Casey is still the guy saying what he thinks and not worrying too much about who he upsets. Dani isn't big into PR, but his racecraft - particularly passing people on the brakes rather than getting a run out of the corners - is much better than two years ago or so.

Valentino...I don't know. Since the crash at Mugello, he seems...a little bitter. (here were his controversial preseason comments: http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/167...gp_rivals.html) Having been so complementary about Yamaha throughout his time there, it then all fell apart whilst he was out injured - part of the reason for this will have been that Valentino's broken leg forced Yamaha to think more about the future, as Valentino won't be racing forever and is much nearer to the end than the start. I was highly surprised about his comments about Yamaha and their looking after Jorge - what exactly were they supposed to do to take care of their future? No doubt Valentino's talent, public personality and PR celebration stunts are a massive asset to MotoGP, but when the cracks start to show it isn't as pretty as you'd like (a bit like Fernando Alonso - mostly a model professional, but sometimes it slips). He has certainly always liked things done his way, which is another topic for debate.

[The Phantom]

I hope Rossi doesn't lose his grip - the new guard overthrowing the emperor was inevitable, how he handles it now that he's under the gun will be quite telling. I hope he holds up - he certainly deserves kudos for taking on the challenge of the Ducati (don't think he really understood what he was getting into there, though!).

My respect for Pedrosa grows with each race. He is getting tougher and is definitely a title contender rather than merely a top three contender.

Lorenzo & Stoner have proven they have 'it'.

As for the others, Spies seems to be feeling the pressure this year, as well he should. But it's pretty clear he can take it. Dovi seems destined to be the Slight/Haga of the current GP era, Edwards is marking time, RdP is the flawed genius, Hiro a definite podium threat, Hayden needs to find his inner mongrel, and Simmo is just insane :

As we had all hoped, 2011 is well on track to be a vintage season.

[markabilly]

sic transit gloria

[NinjaMaster]

These are all little details, which at the end of the day don't matter. An apology is an apology. Rossi put up his hand and apologized to Stoner twice, WHILE Stoner was taking cheap shots, and then he put his hands together and apologized to the Honda crew as well. All this while, Stoner was being ironic. It doesn't mean squat whether it was on camera or he didn't take off his helmet. He apologized and Stoner should have accepted it as it was. This is real life, not some TV drama where Stoner is whining about the apology even now.

They are little details and they DO matter. An apology is only an apology if it's genuine and Casey obviously didn't see it as genuine, much the same as you haven't accepted Stoners apology to Rossi after Laguna as you feel it was PR driven, not real.
Put it this way: if I were to publicly criticise you personally on a number of occasions, then made a stupid mistake, commiting the same error I have accused you of. Then I drive to your house, finding you in your front yard, I apologise without getting out of my car. How do you think you would take it and how sincere do you believe I would be?

Also, could you give me some links where Rossi has been criticizing Stoner and Lorenzo for the last 6 months? All I remember is that Vale said "Jorge and Casey hate me", and then he was asked by the TV channel to rate them as riders, and he did, giving them 9.5 out of 10 or something. I am not aware of any other comments that he has been making regularly for the past 6 months. Excuse me for my ignorance regarding this.

You should probably have kept reading the transcript from the tv show where Rossi said Stoner was a madman who repeats the same mistakes and criticised his race craft (he was far harsher of Lorenzo). This is on the back of Rossi saying that Casey didn't push the Ducati hard enough late last year.

[NinjaMaster]

And in positive 'news' from Jerez - grid girls!




Hmmm, I'm pretty sure I'm parked in bay 13, row 2...




I wonder what makes them so safe?

[NinjaMaster]

Ooh, now I know how to go fast round Jerez!

[Allyc85]

Well the verdict has been given, the marshals did nothing wrong when all but one helped Rossi!

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/168...l_verdict.html

Really?!