Moto GP RD8 of 18 - Donnington Park

[ambasnakeman]

FP1

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/6903/sdafbr2.jpg

[fruitcakepablohoney]

Finally Nicky is up there. Anthony West not bad for 1st time.

I hope Rossi & Colin will improve!

[myxilplix]

Ant West has ridden in 500cc, and is a rain master. Expect a strong showing from him if it keeps raining.

[fruitcakepablohoney]

Ant West has ridden in 500cc, and is a rain master. Expect a strong showing from him if it keeps raining.

 

What i mean is first time on 800! Good rider:thumb:

[fruitcakepablohoney]

Pedrosa tops Donington afternoon timesheets

 

Repsol Honda's Spanish star Dani Pedrosa (1'43.870s) was the fastest participant in Friday afternoon's MotoGP free practice session under the Leicestershire rain-clouds at Donington Park, but championship leader Casey Stoner (1'43.749s) was quickest overall on day one in England courtesy of his time in the morning run-out.

 

After several crashes this morning on a rainy opening day of the Nickel & Dime British Grand Prix, the second session only saw French MotoGP rookie Sylvain Guintoli of Dunlop Yamaha Tech 3 fall from his bike, but overall the pace was understandably way off what would be expected of the new 800cc bikes at this track in normal conditions.

 

World Champion Nicky Hayden is clearly enjoying riding his Honda RC212V with its new chassis and was second fastest in both sessions today - his and Stoner's morning times both quicker than Pedrosa's afternoon best to leave the American and his Repsol Honda colleague second and third on the combined timesheets respectively.

 

Fourth fastest overall today was Kawasaki's Randy de Puniet who was eighth in the afternoon session, the Frenchman unable to improve on his commendable morning performance, as his painful knee injury continues to heal following his Catalunya heroics.

 

 

 

The rest of the top ten riders on the combined timesheets all improved their lap times in the second outing with a similar amount of water on track in both sessions – with Rizla Suzuki's Chris Vermeulen looking ever comfortable in the rain as the fifth fastest overall today and Fiat Yamaha's Colin Edwards sixth.

 

An excellent showing from Kawasaki's new recruit Anthony West saw him end the day seventh quickest, a remarkable achievement so early in his 800cc career especially given that he lapped quicker than Suzuki's John Hopkins, Honda Gresini's Marco Melandri and seven-time World Champion Valentino Rossi of Fiat Yamaha, who completed the top ten.

[ambasnakeman]

FP2

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/4003/dddeo4.jpg

[ambasnakeman]

rossi crashed in wet fp1

[eyz]

ouch... hope rossi suffers no major injury

[asjunior]

ouch... hope rossi suffers no major injury

 

sometime the doctor can make wonders, to the rest of front motogp star never rules rossi out......Go rossi Go:cheer:

[Terrible One]

MotoGP championship leader Casey Stoner has criticised conditions at Donington ahead of Sunday's British Grand Prix.

 

Stoner set the fastest time as rain hit Friday's practice session, with world champion Nicky Hayden second fastest and Randy de Puniet third.

 

"It's so slippery, it's like riding on grease," said the 21-year-old Australian Ducati rider.

 

"I think the wet conditions here are a little bit dangerous, maybe too much dangerous, especially in a race."

 

Reigning champion Hayden was less concerned about the conditions.

 

"It was a pretty wet, cold, slippery, nasty day out there," said the Honda rider.

 

 

 

"But that's probably as much fun as I've had on the bike since Valencia last year, so I'm not going to complain about cold fingers."

 

Donington was resurfaced three years ago but Stoner said that had only made matters worse with the new 800cc machines.

 

The engine capacity of MotoGP bikes was reduced from 990cc to 800cc for this season in an attempt to make the sport safer by reducing acceleration speed.

 

However, the 2007 bikes are already matching and even surpassing last year's times.

 

"The old surface was pretty bad but nowhere near this. And now they've brought on this new surface, every year it has consistently got worse," insisted Stoner.

 

"With these long corners, and fast corners, something bad is going to end up happening.

 

"I think this circuit really needs to do something about it because it's becoming a little bit too dangerous, especially with these bikes."

 

Donington Park is next to the fast-growing East Midlands airport and planes come in to land over the track.

 

"A lot more planes are coming into the airport and it has to be all the fuel and everything that they are dropping over the circuit," said Stoner.

 

"This is the only reason it can be so bad - there is just no traction.

 

"I raced in England for two years and this is probably one of the worst circuits I ever rode on."

Story from BBC SPORT:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport2/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/6231894.stm

[ambasnakeman]

FP3 - Dry

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/7254/fpky5.jpg

[ambasnakeman]

now qualifier going on

[Doctor DOL 46]

Its a YAMAHA 1-2

[ambasnakeman]

Qualifier - Yamaha and Michelin Did it

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/8607/qpga8.jpg

[ambasnakeman]

but the last time edwards and rossi were good during qualifier, they sucked during the race

[Doctor DOL 46]

How i wish i cud do a good qualifying.. Mine always sucks..

[fruitcakepablohoney]

Let's hope the Michelins get warm up quick! Go Rossi & Colin!!!

[ambasnakeman]

i was lookin at the fastest lap sequence.

 

stoner and pedrosa were constantly coming with fastest times.

as of 16th min of 60 min qualifier, stoner held the best lap.

 

at 49th min, rossi broke and he got best lap.

at 59th min, edwards broke and he took pole.

 

fighting to the last min

[Joyboi]

wat time is the qualifying??

[fruitcakepablohoney]

i was lookin at the fastest lap sequence.

 

stoner and pedrosa were constantly coming with fastest times.

as of 16th min of 60 min qualifier, stoner held the best lap.

 

at 49th min, rossi broke and he got best lap.

at 59th min, edwards broke and he took pole.

 

fighting to the last min

 

So Michelins takes longer to warm up?

[ambasnakeman]

from the FP timesheets, it can be seen that yammies were slower. though respol honda was flying.

 

i think they just didnt get the right package.

 

I really hope Colin can win and secure a double podium with rossi or vice versa. but qualifier and race tyres are different.

 

Also, I think Nicky Hayden is having first hand experience of riding with a troubled bike since the start of the season. Now, he has a new chassis and has to work from there. But, it clearly shows what kind of rider he stood against last year.

[slider]

I bet on Rossi, Edwards and Pedrosa on Podium while Stoner crashed out of the race..

[ambasnakeman]

i am getting confused with TV telecast times.

Starsports.

Earlier they put 5PM.

On TV guide, its states 6pm.

 

Saw an ad earlier on 24, they put 8pm.

 

If 8 Pm, then its exactly GP slot

[nocturnized]

i am getting confused with TV telecast times.

Starsports.

Earlier they put 5PM.

On TV guide, its states 6pm.

 

Saw an ad earlier on 24, they put 8pm.

 

If 8 Pm, then its exactly GP slot

 

 

I think the European times should be around the same. TV guide states 6pm, which should be the starting of 125cc itself. Woohoo ~ MotoGP Donington ~ Can't wait to watch it la. Hehe

[myxilplix]

If 125cc starts at 6pm, then GP will start at 9pm. I guess daylight savings is in effect.

 

edit: Oh damn they switched the running order, 250-800-125. 800s at 8pm then