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Category Archives: MotoGP

MotoGP Indianapolis 2011

Think I spoke to soon about Rossi and the Ducati, awful weekend for them, lets hope they can at least fall back to the last race setup for Misano this coming weekend.

The “brickyard” hasn’t been a brilliant place to race in the past for bikes due to it’s patchwork tarmac but this year a large chunk had been resurfaced and it seemed to do well for the riders with Stoner smashing fastest lap records.

Spies looked to be the only rider who could challenge Stoner but unfortunately from the start and into the first few bends saw him going backwards down the positions instead of upward, he did well to regain positions and finish 3rd, what a race it could of been if he got and kept with Stoner from the off.

Stoner

MotoGP Brno 2011

Another comfortable win for Stoner, can anyone beat him this season?

Simoncelli finally managed to get a podium, 3rd, I think he’s got talent but I’m not sure if he’s got the staying power to keep on top of the podium in the future, we shall see!

In other news, the ducati with Rossi on board seemed a little better this week, is this the turning point?

 

Top 3 at Brno

MotoGP Laguna Seca 2011

Stoner wins, just.

Not a lot else really, usually an exciting track but sadly this year is going to be forgotten pretty quickly. Is it really only Lorenzo who can take on the Honda’s? Perhaps the MotoGP pit girls from Laguna Seca could gee up some excitement in the riders for next year…

 

MotoGP 2011 – Sachsenring

Dani Pedrosa takes a confident win at Sachsenring leaving Lorenzo stealing second from Stoner on the last lap, on the last corner no doubt.

Stoner still leads the championship but his lead is getting slowly crushed by Lorenzo who is playing the points and consistency game. Rossi sadly started near the back and fought his way to the middle of the pack where he stayed and had a very competitive race with Hayden and Bautista but the Ducati still hasn’t been tamed, starting to worry for him next year now!

 

Dani Pedrosa

MotoGP Mugello 2011

Once of the favourite tracks of the season, the Italian GP, Rossi and Simoncelli’s track with lots of elevation changes and lovely corners. Sadly it didn’t really live up to the buzz that was created, largely because Rossi was struggling and Simoncelli was behaving. Lorenzo managed to take the win due to Stoners tyre pressure issues causing him to loose grip and have to drop the otherwise untouchable pace he was setting for half the race.

Lorenzo takes another win in 2011

Lorenzo takes another win in 2011

Rossi battled from 12th to finish 6th by the end but fans were hoping for more, especially as the bike base is supposed to be the improved version ready for next season, disappointing was probably the feeling everyone felt but as always with The Dr, there is still plenty of hope out there for him to do miracles with the team at Ducati.

Rossi fighting through the pack at Mugello

Rossi fighting through the pack at Mugello

MotoGP Assen 2011

A well deserved first victory for Ben Spies!

Ben Spies 2011 Assen 1st place

But other than that, here’s a quick recap of what happened this Assen MotoGP:

  1. Lorenzo was taken out on the first lap
  2. Rossi road the 2012 bike with the 2011 engine called the 11.1 but was still behind the Honda’s and Yamaha’s
  3. Simoncelli fell off taking Lorenzo out after setting the fastest lap in qualifying
  4. Cal Crutchlow had some bad luck after what would of been a great race against Rossi when his tyre shredded forcing him to pit and get a new one on the front
  5. Pedrosa was still out but will be back for the next round
  6. Stoner and Dovizioso went around, stayed upright and got podium places (2nd & 3rd), the Honda is quick this year!

MotoGP Catalunya 2011

Another comfortable win for Casey Stoner on the seemingly awesome Honda followed by Lorenzo with Spies finishing 3rd.

Casey Stoner Catalyuna 2011

A bit of rain allowed for a flag-to-flag race but even the weather didn’t help too much to make this race exciting. Most movements where at the end of the field with the only other slightly interesting view being that on Stoner’s girocam.

 

MotoGP Silverstone 2011

Poor chaps, what a wet and miserable race at Silverstone this year. As you’d expect in such conditions there were plenty of people falling off through practice, qualifying and the race but fair play to them all for giving it a go. I certainly wouldn’t want to be thundering around Silverstone on 2 wheels in those conditions!

Casey managed to show everyone how to do it by coming in first followed by his team mate Dovizioso with a well deserved 3rd going to Colin Edwards who was riding with a broken collarbone.

Simoncelli and Lorenzo both crashed out on the 2nd and 8th lap respectively.

MotoGP Le Mans 2011

What a race! Thoroughly enjoyed watching the 28 laps at Le Mans. There was plenty of over taking even though the race was won and dominated by Stoner. The practice and qualifying was fuelled with atmosphere as Lorenzo mouthed off about Simoncelli who didn’t disappoint during the race forcing Pedrosa off the track with a bold around the outside manoeuvres which left Dani with nowhere to go other than the gravel trap after tripping over his back wheel.

Rossi managed to claw a podium beating Lorenzo which must of felt very good and who arguably should of listened to his own warnings as he pulled a very rough pass on Dovizioso at the beginning of the race.

 

Podium winners

MotoGP Estoril 2011

Not the most riveting race of the seasons so far, Dani Pedrosa crossed the finish line first with Jorge Lorenzo coming in a comfortable second. A shame as the circuit is usually entertaining and the weather unpredictable.

Highlights included the return of Bautista on the Suzuki after his accident and getting his leg pinned, and Rossi and Stoner managing to both stay on the bikes till the finish.