Any MotoGP fans?

[pete]

One thing of note with Rossi at the moment is that his shoulder needs an operation and he still doesn't have anywhere near full strength in it yet.

He's only not getting the operation done yet so he can test the Duc at Valencia then get it done and recover over Christmas ready for next season.

That's the only reason Lorenzo's giving him such a serve at the moment.

Next year should be a blast:

Rossi fully fit on the Duc
Stoner on the Honda (and hopefully staying on two wheels for the duration)
Lorenzo on the Yammie
Spies on the Yammie

Add in Pedrosa (inconsistently quick) and Dovisio who should hopefully have enough experience by then to be at the front consistently and it should be all best are off!

[Big T]

Maybe it can get back to 4-5 guys racing for the win every week

Too many of the races are runaways

[littleroot]

Maybe it can get back to 4-5 guys racing for the win every week

Too many of the races are runaways

I think in prototype racing it is really rare. Wet races and that is about it. Seems to me prior to the current era Rossi won everything he finished, Stoner won when he was the only fast guy on Bridgestones. Moto2 is the class for pack racing, sometimes 125 depending on the track. But prototypes just do not bunch up for the win under normal circumstances. Too bad not all races are at mugello with a decent fast last corner and a long straight!

[jheurte]

stoner falls off every race weekend, lorenzo is on a better bike than rossi cuz they wont give him any upgrades. wait and see when rossi is in red

Was Lorenzo on a better bike at the end of last year, or the beginning of this year when he was either outrunning Rossi or right there with him?

[jheurte]

One thing of note with Rossi at the moment is that his shoulder needs an operation and he still doesn't have anywhere near full strength in it yet.

That's the only reason Lorenzo's giving him such a serve at the moment.

Rossi didn't have any injuries at the beginning of the season, I don't think people give Lorenzo enough credit. His riding style (250 GP) suits the 800's really well. We'll see how he does in 2012 when the 1000's return. Rossi, Stoner, Hayden, and Spies are better suited to that type of bike while Pedrosa and Lorenzo tend to have the high corner speed style of riding. Of course Rossi still has plenty of wins on the 800's like him or not, you have to give him credit, he has a tremendous amount of talent!

[pete]

Don't get me wrong, I give them all lots of credit, there's no way I'd ever be out there dicing with them!

Let's face it, at that level it's not a matter of who's good or not, it's a matter of who's good, who's great, who's a master, and who's a guru... if ya know what I mean.

It's also a matter of who has the best team and can communicate with them well, like the Burgess/Rossi and Burgess/Doohan combinations. I know Rossi would've done well without Burgess (he didn't have him in 125's or 250's) but would he have been as dominant? And would he have won straight out on the Yamaha?

But it's all theoretical... at the moment I just say bring on next year

[pete]

So, season done and dusted, and first prep for next year done and dusted.

Should shape up for an interesting year!

Stoner fastest on the Honda, followed by Lorenzo then Spies.

Rossi 15th on the Ducati, but I don't think that means much at the moment.

Looks like they're opting for the "big bang" motor though as opposed to the "screamer", so I'm guessing Rossi is looking at how the cross plank motor on the Yammie made the grip a little easier to come by. I'm sure there's about 1000 other reasons they're making that choice too that I have no clue about...

[littleroot]

I'm splitting hairs but Lorenzo's time from Tuesday was the fastest of the two days test, not Stoner's. It just makes a better headline in the media that Stoner was quickest, I guess. :-)

Ducati gotta get the front end sorted. Hopefully they will listen to Vale. I think in Stoner last year there was a tendency not to trust his feedback because he rides around anything. Scary fast, he is.

I cannot wait until Feb. That is just too far away. It's going to be a long winter!

So, season done and dusted, and first prep for next year done and dusted.

Should shape up for an interesting year!

Stoner fastest on the Honda, followed by Lorenzo then Spies.

Rossi 15th on the Ducati, but I don't think that means much at the moment.

Looks like they're opting for the "big bang" motor though as opposed to the "screamer", so I'm guessing Rossi is looking at how the cross plank motor on the Yammie made the grip a little easier to come by. I'm sure there's about 1000 other reasons they're making that choice too that I have no clue about...

[pete]

Indeed he was! I didn't compare the two days together, but noted Lorenzo was quickest on day one, so Stoner's still second quickest which ain't bad for swapping brands.

I know what you're saying about Stoner riding around anything. When he first got on that Duc he was scary indeed! Bucking and weaving and he just held that throttle open, and man was he quick!

Rossi always takes a much different approach which is why he seems to fall off less I guess, but I can't wait to see what he and Burgess and the team can do with the Duc.

I can't wait for February either... should be much more exciting than this year!

[isleoman]

Love GP. Great fan of Rossi and Yamaha and his crew. He's a legend. My big question about Suzuki all these years is how they can do so well at other venues like AMA and never amount to any type of competition in GP. With the number of cars and street bikes they sell you would think they would be more in the game than Yamaha.

[jheurte]

Rossi will turn that duke into a winning bike within no time, same as he did to the yamaha and the honda. gonna be a good season next year

Without a doubt, the combination of Rossi & Burgess should resolve the handling problems that have plagued the Ducati, it will be an interesting season to say the least!

[littleroot]

I really think Stoner is going to run away with it in 2011. I hope he doesn't but I think he will.

[simon kuether]

Go young Jorge !!!

Cheers , Simon .

[littleroot]

Go young Jorge !!!

Cheers , Simon .

Yes! Another 99 fan!