MotoGP

[Patchelicious]

Lorenzo's new lid

Looks like they forgot the glory hole

[Andymann]

I see DB is at the bottom of the Moto3 sheets again.  I really hope he comes good this year because I suspect if he doesn't, he might struggle to make the 2020 grid.....

 

Can't help but wonder if he isn't just a bit too tall for a Moto3 bike.

https://www.crash.net/motogp/results/913625/1/jerez-moto3-test-times-thursday-final

 

Well a positive is that he's 3-odd seconds faster than his team-mate, and also quicker than the great Turkish hope that Red Bull dumped him for.  So who knows - maybe this year he's got his head sorted!

[Chris_]

Lorenzo's new lid

 

He's taken the spartan helmet logo thing off   

 

That was most of the reason I bought his replica HJC years ago.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Brad Binder fastest in today's Moto2 testing!!!

[travisza]

Lorenzo's new lid

Thats not great

[bertusras]

Brad Binder fastest in today's Moto2 testing!!!

 

First one to dip into the 1m40's. And his race pace is so consistent.

 

Bear in mind he loves Jerez though. His first Moto3 win came from 35th on the grid there.

[sawystertrance]

    

[bertusras]

This is a ridiculous statistic

 

[Wannabe]

FIRST SUPERBIKE RACE OF 2019, AND IF THIS WEEKENDS RESULTS ARE ANYTHING TO GO BY, A NEW KING WILL BE CROWNED BY END OF THE YEAR.  (sorry about cap locks, not gonna type this lot over.  )

 

Bautista beat Rea by 17 seconds in final race, being a second a lap quicker than the rest. That new Duc is fast, and handles like it's on rails.

 

Good to see the Yamaha's are on pace, so early in the season. Bodes well for the competition to occupy the 2nd and 3rd spots on the podium. 

[bertusras]

FIRST SUPERBIKE RACE OF 2019, AND IF THIS WEEKENDS RESULTS ARE ANYTHING TO GO BY, A NEW KING WILL BE CROWNED BY END OF THE YEAR.  (sorry about cap locks, not gonna type this lot over.  )

 

Bautista beat Rea by 17 seconds in final race, being a second a lap quicker than the rest. That new Duc is fast, and handles like it's on rails.

 

Good to see the Yamaha's are on pace, so early in the season. Bodes well for the competition to occupy the 2nd and 3rd spots on the podium. 

 

We'll see. Remember that AB19 finished 4th at PI last year in MotoGP, so he obviously goes very well there.

 

And last year in the opening round Melandri stormed off to a double win, with Rea only bagging a 5th and 2nd, but Rea still comfortably won the championship. Australia is an anomaly and can hide serious issues with the bike as it's much more of a riders' track. It's obvious that the Panigale V4R is a rocket when it is upright, with Rea already bemoaning the deficit. But I wouldn't call it over just yet. Would I bet the house on Rea taking the championship again? Probably not.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

We'll see. Remember that AB19 finished 4th at PI last year in MotoGP, so he obviously goes very well there.

 

And last year in the opening round Melandri stormed off to a double win, with Rea only bagging a 5th and 2nd, but Rea still comfortably won the championship. Australia is an anomaly and can hide serious issues with the bike as it's much more of a riders' track. It's obvious that the Panigale V4R is a rocket when it is upright, with Rea already bemoaning the deficit. But I wouldn't call it over just yet. Would I bet the house on Rea taking the championship again? Probably not.

 

 

The bigger contributing factor though was his machinery. He was on Lorenzo's factory Ducati.

 

You are right though, it is very early days. The Duke seems to look after tyres very well and remember at Portimao, a track Bautista had never ridden, he was not miles off and thats a very bendy, undulating track.

I am happy Rea finally has a teammate able to give him a go.

Found his comments after the race a bit naff, "I am riding stiff", "Settled for 2nd"........

 

I don't like the 3rd sprint race at all. Will mix the grid up badly for the 3rd race of the weekend.

[travisza]

[Patchelicious]

We'll see. Remember that AB19 finished 4th at PI last year in MotoGP, so he obviously goes very well there.

 

And last year in the opening round Melandri stormed off to a double win, with Rea only bagging a 5th and 2nd, but Rea still comfortably won the championship. Australia is an anomaly and can hide serious issues with the bike as it's much more of a riders' track. It's obvious that the Panigale V4R is a rocket when it is upright, with Rea already bemoaning the deficit. But I wouldn't call it over just yet. Would I bet the house on Rea taking the championship again? Probably not.

SBK has always been run by Ducati edit: Italian bosses. (Pirelli single tyre *** too)

 

I have been watching SBK for 20 years and the japanese 4 have always been playing catchup, and once they do, the rule change again to suite the Ducatis, and so the cycle starts again.

Edited February 25, 2019 by Patchelicious

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

SBK has always been run by Ducati edit: Italian bosses. (Pirelli single tyre *** too)

 

I have been watching SBK for 20 years and the japanese 4 have always been playing catchup, and once they do, the rule change again to suite the Ducatis, and so the cycle starts again.

 

I do agree with you, but it is also an ever evolving game.

The engines are just sooo different that the rules have to change as the game changes unfortunately.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

In other news I cannot wait for the 10th March now........

[bertusras]

In other news I cannot wait for the 10th March now........

 

For sure. Chatted to a friend on Sunday and said that for the first time in recent history I wasn't willing to put my money on Marquez and Rea for the championship at the start of the season. I think we're in for a good and competitive 2019.