Moto GP 2017

[cdovego]

Info for those of us not watching it?

Cliff notes after first free practice is that these guys were all going flat out through testing this offseason. Almost the same order except Lorenzo is going faster and faster.

The tech3 riders continue to impress, Rossi is typical Rossi and Vinales is going to be a serious contender.

[jimmycapp]

New onboard camera quality looks great. Even the stationary ones look better. Not sure if it's resolution or just refresh rate.

[AEG]

Do the teams bring their own umbrella girls? They don't look like locals to me.

[KawiSmurf]

Pretty sure Richie's picks were the closest for this one.


My race 1 overreactions:

1. Viñales is the real deal, and I'm expecting more of this. What a ride, challenging a vet like Dovi the way he did, keeping his composure.
2. Zarco was a nice surprise...until he wasn't. Real flair, followed by what was (by some accounts) a rookie mistake, running too hot into dirty track. A minor stumble? Or early indications of another Simoncelli/Iannone type rider?
3. Speaking of Iannone, looked like he got brake-checked into a low-side...again. I thought he was past this whole "I'll just stick my front wheel up their ass and hope for the best" phase.
4. Good to see Ducati holding up its reputation as a career-killer. I don't care how fast Jorge is in practice, he better get used to these finishes outside the top five (or at some tracks, ten).

Always great to see someone new win. Looking forward to a few more races like this, especially if Viñales and Zarco keep things interesting, with Rossi, Dovi, and Marquez still competitive enough to keep the young guys honest.

[AEG]

I think Rossi is still competitive enough to fight for #1 overall. And so is Marquez.

[isaac_]

Pretty sure Richie's picks were the closest for this one.


My race 1 overreactions:

1. Viñales is the real deal, and I'm expecting more of this. What a ride, challenging a vet like Dovi the way he did, keeping his composure.
2. Zarco was a nice surprise...until he wasn't. Real flair, followed by what was (by some accounts) a rookie mistake, running too hot into dirty track. A minor stumble? Or early indications of another Simoncelli/Iannone type rider?
3. Speaking of Iannone, looked like he got brake-checked into a low-side...again. I thought he was past this whole "I'll just stick my front wheel up their ass and hope for the best" phase.
4. Good to see Ducati holding up its reputation as a career-killer. I don't care how fast Jorge is in practice, he better get used to these finishes outside the top five (or at some tracks, ten).

Always great to see someone new win. Looking forward to a few more races like this, especially if Viñales and Zarco keep things interesting, with Rossi, Dovi, and Marquez still competitive enough to keep the young guys honest.

What makes the Ducati a career killer? Dovie seems to be doing OK. Not always on the podium But he is a consistently good rider. Is it a matter of getting adjusted to the bike? Do you think Lorenzo will come back?

[SwiftTone]

Lorenzo himself said he was not going to be competitive for the first few races as he is getting used to the Ducati.

The top end on the Dovi's Ducati sure was useful for catching Vin's Yamaha on the straight!

[Pittenger5]

What makes the Ducati a career killer? Dovie seems to be doing OK. Not always on the podium But he is a consistently good rider. Is it a matter of getting adjusted to the bike? Do you think Lorenzo will come back?

Seems to be a bike that you can either ride and its good (Stoner, Dovi) or you cant (everyone else). Jorge will be an interesting test.

[KawiSmurf]

What makes the Ducati a career killer? Dovie seems to be doing OK. Not always on the podium But he is a consistently good rider. Is it a matter of getting adjusted to the bike? Do you think Lorenzo will come back?

Ask Hayden or Rossi (or even Melandri or Crutchlow). Remember Rossi's "Dream Team" stint? 3 podiums in 35 races.

Dovi has managed to hang in there as the perennial bridesmaid. He'll never win a championship on that thing. I'd argue he had a better shot with Honda. Point is, one day we'll all look back and really appreciate what Stoner was able to do with Ducati. No one else has.

As for Lorenzo, yeah, you can guarantee he'll get better. I don't think he'll ever get results like he did on the Yamaha. But I'm partially in the camp that thinks he's just doing it to prove he can do what Rossi couldn't.

[cdovego]

Round 1 didn't disappoint, should make for a great season. Feel like we've been spoiled the past few seasons with great racing.

[Paul_E_D]

Zarco! You don't know you're pushing too hard for the conditions til you know. Should be interesting to see if he can convert that to a win this season.

[cdovego]

Zarco! You don't know you're pushing too hard for the conditions til you know. Should be interesting to see if he can convert that to a win this season.

Did you watch him in moto2? Same rhythm, same style - same courage. After yesterday's display, I'd say he's a lock for a win this year.

The tech3 rookies are absolutely unreal.

[Tricky Mike]

I hated to be right, but as soon as Zarco started to put a gap on and not chill out I said to the wifers "He's gonna tuck the front within three laps..."

[cdovego]

We all said the same here.

[carsick]

Zarco! You don't know you're pushing too hard for the conditions til you know. Should be interesting to see if he can convert that to a win this season.

You should know if your pit board shows a rapidly widening gap behind you to the fastest riders in the world on the factory bikes! I was excited for him, but watching with one eye closed waiting for the crash when he kept pulling away. The flip side is that slowing down crash when you're in your groove, he said he was thinking about backing it down when he got off line.

[Pittenger5]

Wasnt his last lap his slowest? The announcers said the tire mightve cooled off enough from slowing down (though I think he was just enough off line)

[JettaJayGLS]

A few observations from me...

-Is the tech 3 bike a 2017 or 2016 M1? If it is a 2016, I think that explains a lot. I'm very much with Paul that Tech 3 will start to fade throughout the season as the Factory guys figure out their bikes and get more parts that the satellites do not get. Lets hope I'm wrong and that Zarco and Rins get mega support.
-I said it somewhere earlier in this thread that I saw Zarco as equal to Vinales...but for some reason the real MotoGP gurus do not. I still see it, but he is on inferior equipment to Vinales. I hope this gets him a better ride some day.
-This race went just like the prior 2 years. The track works really well for the Ducati, but its still not enough to beat the Yamaha. Big gaps don't tend to go here either. I'd say the only difference this year is that the Honda still needs to make a bigger step forward.
-Guys...Casey Stoner won back in 2007. Back then, there was not a spec tire. Casey Stoner was on Bridgestones, which were considered superior to the Michelins that most other factory riders were on. Rossi switched to Bridgestones the next year. Casey Stoner is an incredible rider, but it is not apples to apples. It is not the same bike anymore either. 2007 was the first year of 800s as well.

Sadly...this season seems like it may play out exactly as last season did. Last season was great, so it is not necessarily a bad thing. This race was really entertaining, but it always is, and (at least in recent years) is not a good indicator of what is to come.

Hate to be Debbie Downer, but I'd rather keeps my hopes down and be pleasantly surprised.

[Tekime]

Frigging Iannone

Great first race, $20 says Vinales will hold it down in Argentina

[isaac_]

Why was Iannone walking back to the garages at the end?

[carsick]

Most likely to show that after a ride through penalty, being torpedoed by Lorenzo, and running out of gas, he still finished ahead of both factory Ducatis. And both factory Hondas for that matter.
I'm glad for Vinales, but am really pulling for Zarco to get a podium.

[jwm2k3]

I think if Maverick wins in Austin, Marquez has a tough job to catch him for the championship.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm glad for Vinales, but am really pulling for Zarco to get a podium.

I'll second this!

[Tekime]

Didn't Marquez win the last four in Austin?

I'm glad for Vinales, but still bitter about him leaving Suzuki

[Dvllsn]

Marquez has won every COTA race since they joined as a motogp track I believe


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[scottieducati]

Yep, was there for his first win, which was also the first MotoGP race for COTA. Nobody else has won there in MotoGP.

[Paul_E_D]

Yep, was there for his first win, which was also the first MotoGP race for COTA. Nobody else has won there in MotoGP.

I suspect that may change soon!