Dean probably thinks there is still an anti-Hayden conspiracy by the company that keeps re-hiring Nicky to ride factory bikes.
Top speeds:
FP3
Hayden 317.1 (196.6) mph
Pedrosa 316.6 (196.3)
Q
Hayden 314.7 (195,1)
Pedrosa 315.7 (195.7)
Tamada went, I believe, 211mph here on a 990. Sunday's forecast: 90% chance of rain for most of the day.
If you choose to believe the analysis, it appears that in the dry only Stoner, Rossi and Pedrosa have the pace - Edwards put in a flier for pole (go Colin!) but isn't as fast as the other 3 on race tires pre-warm up. It doesn't look like dry times will matter.
I happened to be up last night and caught the free live timing on the MotoGP website. It was interesting to watch as time had run out on the clock and the very last refresh of the times showed Colin at the top.
I was simultaneously making a post somewhere else with 30 seconds left to go about who the pole winner was and toggled back to the timing screen to catch the last precious moments. I had to do a re-write!
WTG, Colin!
The Tech-3 squad is having much better luck with their customer bikes than any other satellite team.
Doesn't look like Lorenzo plays well in the rain! Dani will take the pts lead if he doesn't bin it. Wanna see Rossi win but, I think Stoner is the Man to beat in the rain. More straight away speed. Maybe Hopper can help the USA pride effort? 3 hrs to race time .. weather could change! To snow??? LOL.
Wonder if Bradley can smoke it in the rain [125's]. Hope he finishes well. Should be a fun race to watch... 2 strokes in the rain are always entertaining. 15 min to show time.
Well he's in good company. Half the field ate it! Stopped raining and drying but, we'll see. Some say it is actually getting more greasy as it drys. Wonder how many will "Finish" in MotoGP. Entertainment value seems to be increasing... Nascar style!
Unreal ride by Lorenzo... he deserved all of the applause that he got when he returned to his pit.
The middle of Nicky's race sucked... the beginning and end were great. Too bad though, he may have had 4th if he could have kept up the pace.
Rossi and Pedrosa really ran away with it... I never thought I'd say this, but I was kinda hoping that Pedro would have had a little more for him. In the end though, I suppose Rossi did what he does best.
4 races and 4 different winners...let's hope the trend keeps up!
Unreal ride by Lorenzo... he deserved all of the applause that he got when he returned to his pit.
The middle of Nicky's race sucked... the beginning and end were great. Too bad though, he may have had 4th if he could have kept up the pace.
Rossi and Pedrosa really ran away with it... I never thought I'd say this, but I was kinda hoping that Pedro would have had a little more for him. In the end though, I suppose Rossi did what he does best.
4 races and 4 different winners...let's hope the trend keeps up!
+1 on that. Have to commend Lorenzo for having the heart and grit to take fourth.
It seems to me that only Lorenzo and Stoner can keep up with Rossi in a straight fight. Pedrosa seems to suffer from a mild case of Gibernau's Disease more often than not (although he did run away from Rossi at Jerez).
I suppose Dorna can only be too happy that Spanish riders are 1-2 in the championship.
No surprise that Colin Edwards was unable to turn a strong qualifying performance into at least a podium.
I think Melandri has righted the ship. Good news for Ducati, not good for everyone else!
nice to see Rossi enjoying again . Anyone noticed Pedrosa is still riding the spring valve engine ? and he doesn't have to hit anyone for a pass .....anyway , comparing him to Gibernau has nothing to do with racing. maybe they are both afraid of bees and i don't know , whatever . Stoner is starting to look weak tho , IN CHINA
Pedro still ahead in the championship
I gotta say that was a sick battle for first, and fourth most of the time with Lorenzo and Melandri. I was impressed by Melandri going up seven places. Stoner, could not really do much he just did not have the pace like Rossi and Pedrosa. However, Ducati still showed that they still have a top speed advantage, with Stoner at 343.2 km/h, and Melandri at 342.2. The satellites were a little slower but around mid 340s, and 341. The weirdest part about the top speeds for all racers was the jump in top speed for the race. Any ideas why?
Rossi's Yamaha also must be hauling decently because his bike was fifth in top speed, only to the four Dukes. I think that the race would have been closer at the end if Pedrosa had a pneumatic-valve engine, to give him a little more push to counter Rossi. Either way great race from a viewers perspective I was pretty into it, I gotta admit.
What a difference a year makes. Watching Stoner run away on the back straight, leaving everyone for dead to watching him fade into the disance. Great to see Rossi back on top.
The weirdest part about the top speeds for all racers was the jump in top speed for the race. Any ideas why?
According to post-race comments from a number of riders there was a huge tail wind going down the back straight. Both Pedrosa and Hayden reported that they were running well undergeared and had to back off to avoid over-revving.
