MotoGP 2016

[Viper897]

Youd think a billion dollar tire company could make something that didnt suck...

Ill have to dig up an article/response but it seems as though every manufacture has gone through growing pains with tires for Moto GP machinery.

Remember the bikes are like nothing else on the planet and put more stress than imagined into tires. And with tire tech being a closely guarded secret Im sure they are starting back at the drawing board since they haven't been in the game for quit some time.

Not trying to defend them at all but figured I would point that out.

ALso anyone else notice that both bikes now that have shreaded a tire were Ducati's, and both by the two tallest riders on the grid

[Imbeek]

Maybe shorten the race to reasonable tire life distance instead of the bike swap thing? That was looking like a sweet battle ensuing for Marquez vs Rossi, and then "poof"

[scottieducati]

MM said after the race that his #1 bike was much faster and he had no confidence in #2, so he was just killing time till the pitstops... If it wasn't for the bike change it would have been MM checking out from lap 1 because he would have started on a faster bike

Maniac Joe has some 'splaining to do, I'm sure the convo after the race was very animated, even if only understanding couple words if any it was probably pure comedy gold

Family Guy - Speaking Italian - YouTube

MM had his better bike for the second half, Rossi had his for the first but also suffered an issue with a bad rear tire. If there wasn't a #2 bike situation, it would have been much closer. Marquez "checked out" by doing laptimes the top guys had all achieved at some point in the race, he just happened to be up front w/ Rossi when Rossi switched to a bike or tire that was more than a second off what he'd been doing comfortably before.

[Paul_E_D]

How about Pawi in moto3?!!! WTF. The kid took off on a wet track on slicks without a single fuck given for the slippery conditions. He annihilated the field, including Loi on ran tires! I have never seen anything like that in my life. I was sure it was only a matter of when he was going down.

[OreoGaborio]

How about Pawi in moto3?!!! WTF. The kid took off on a wet track on slicks without a single fuck given for the slippery conditions. He annihilated the field, including Loi on ran tires! I have never seen anything like that in my life. I was sure it was only a matter of when he was going down.

That was ridiiiiiculous! That kid was still pushin hard with a 30 second gap and lapping the back of the field!

[OreoGaborio]

Back to the Ducati mess....

Dovi was all



While Iannone was all

[isaac_]

How about Pawi in moto3?!!! WTF. The kid took off on a wet track on slicks without a single fuck given for the slippery conditions. He annihilated the field, including Loi on ran tires! I have never seen anything like that in my life. I was sure it was only a matter of when he was going down.

He had some serious moments though... I thought he'd high-side himself. DId I hear the commentators attribute his performance also to the conditions he would normally run in Malaysia? I could have heard wrong.

[Paul_E_D]

He had some serious moments though... I thought he'd high-side himself. DId I hear the commentators attribute his performance also to the conditions he would normally run in Malaysia? I could have heard wrong.

I'm attributing it to the fact that he learned in that crazy scooter racing class that we see on YouTube. Lol

[loudbeard]

Pawi was awesome. Zarco had a world class ride as well. Thoughts on him moving to GP class? I'm not sure he'd make the move to go to a satellite team.

[Dmitry]

MM had his better bike for the second half, Rossi had his for the first but also suffered an issue with a bad rear tire. If there wasn't a #2 bike situation, it would have been much closer. Marquez "checked out" by doing laptimes the top guys had all achieved at some point in the race, he just happened to be up front w/ Rossi when Rossi switched to a bike or tire that was more than a second off what he'd been doing comfortably before.

I still think it still would have been MM show even if they were both on #1 bikes, but maybe closer finish? 2nd half was just like taking candy from the kids

WTF happend to J-Lo? He was going backwards and then just dropped... I didn't watch anything but the race and that was kinda half-assed as I was trying to do all the household stuff and watch WSBK and F1 in one weekend so even the bike change was complete surprise. Was trying to stay off the social media all weekend till I watch the Saturday race so I missed all the drama (not so lucky this time as someone posted WSBK race result and someone else fucking tagged me in the post!)

[Mr. Kurtz]

n...and with the Michelins seemingly having no problem to go the race distance, there is going to be a lot of perfection this season.

It seems that tire tech is finally catching up with the rest of the bike technology.

You guys jinxed it for them.

[OreoGaborio]

Guess so! Shows what I fuckin know

[carsick]

Has anybody noticed the Michelin tire balancers have some thing on the top that curves around the tire? I saw it shortly after the Loris Baz tire oops. I wondered if they were checking tire structural integrity somehow, or if it was just to measure runout.
The thought of having a tire come apart full steam in 4th gear leaned over and not crashing, as happened to Redding, is mind bending.

[Pittenger5]

WTF happend to J-Lo? He was going backwards and then just dropped...

People are guessing that JLo and Rossi's B bikes were running a wet setup. If so, Jlo probably went out on the B bike first thinking he would charge through the field after the switch. But it caught him out. The drastic difference between rossi's times after the switch somewhat supports this guess.

[scottieducati]

People are guessing that JLo and Rossi's B bikes were running a wet setup. If so, Jlo probably went out on the B bike first thinking he would charge through the field after the switch. But it caught him out. The drastic difference between rossi's times after the switch somewhat supports this guess.

Rossi's #2 bike had an issue with the rear tire. Haven't seen any mention of a wet setup being an issue.

[carsick]

I just watched the Moto3 race. I may only watch the Moto3 races from now on! That's what racing is all about to me, the triumph of skill and bravery over expectations, the incredible highs and lows.

[gixxer72]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kKhRI7qM7ek

Oops...

[OreoGaborio]

Ouuuuch. But, shit happens... Hope that mech was alright. Description says sprained knee. Hope he at least bought the guy a drink after.

[Pittenger5]

That's Bowling Ball Bautista's version of hitting the pace car. They just wanted him to be perfect.

[Gecko]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kKhRI7qM7ek
Oops...

Ouuuuch. But, shit happens...

I'm not as forgiving as you, Pete. Unless they can show the bike failed in some way, I'm looking at a WHOLE lot of carelessness right there in that video. Replaying it a couple of times, it seems he came in way too hot and locked the front as he tried to do the left/right squiggle before stopping. Very poor judgment. I view Bautista's lapse in judgment to be worse than Iannone's lapse in judgment. At least Iannone's occurred on track, in the heat of battle with Dovi. Bautista's occurred in pit lane, where extra caution and care should always be used because pits pit crews don't have protective gear and are not always on guard for such events. Extra care should always be used in the pits. My understanding is that Iannone received one penalty point for his on-track lapse in judgment. If I'm Race Direction, I'm calling Bautista in to explain wtf happened and, absent some showing the bike failed, I'm docking him a penalty point. Oh, and the fact that it was his own pit crew, is of no consequence to me as Race Direction becasue Bautista could have just as easily missed his own mechanic and crashed into one one of the other mechanics next door.

<<steps down from soapbox>>

[Dmitry]

I view Bautista's lapse in judgment to be worse than Iannone's lapse in judgment.

I'm sure he will say "slippery concrete" or some other lame excuse, but I'm with you on this one, Pit lane = extra caution and he has been in and out of that pit lane few dozen times just that weekend alone, had enough opprotunity to test grip levels

[Pittenger5]

Why were there so many people standing around. As far as Im concerned, if youre going to do a flag to flag, 2 crew members on hot pit. one to hold the new bike, 1 to catch the old. Minimizes the chances of something like this happening.

[Paul_E_D]

Yes, concrete and too many people standing around. I believe this very thing happened to one of our members at Loudon, and that was after a race was over. In this case, it was an embarrassing fall, and that guy was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[PhilB]

Agreed, it is wise for the team to minimize the risks, and for individuals not to hang out in risky places.
But that does not relieve the rider of the responsibility to act with due care, and not be reckless.

It looked to me that he was planning to go straight past and do another lap, but got surprised by the sign telling him to pit and reacted too late.
That, if so, provides an explanation, but not an excuse -- if he was going too fast when he spotted the sign to safely pit, he shouldn't have done it.

PhilB

[Imbeek]

Maybe if this kind of tire situation happens again, they could run 2 ten lap motos, and ixnay the pit lane/second bike stuff.

Mx style, add finishing positions together to determine overall finish, with second moto finishing position used as tiebreaker for podium and bonuses, etc.

I get it that mid race rain causes similar situations, but pure racing should determine who wins, if possible. What's better drama, the pit circus, or two full field starts with jockeying for position in a short race?