Casey Stoner back in action this weekend

[IT490K1983]

Always good to see Rossi turn down onto Lorenzo's rear tyre when he couldn't wait any longer for him to turn in...a situation not helped by all those wankers dangling their inside legs in the breeze in the middle of a tightly-bunched pack...

I always thought your feet stayed on the pegs on a roadie unless you were getting ready to bite the dust. 

[supersenior 50]

Those "wankers" are the best riders in the world

[GD66]

No argument there Col, but my brother was shattered to go along to a club meeting at Hampton Downs last year and find a field of Neville Nobodies in a club production race all doing the same thing in true clueless copycat fashion...

[Doc]

Bet it won't be long before you see leg dangling in everyday traffic on the streets. Fair enough if there was proven merit other than 'it feels natural' but that type of stuff belongs with Super Motards. Copycat is true, it all started with Rossi originally seen only in desperate situations. Monkey see, monkey do.

[Lozza]

Copycat is true, it all started with Rossi originally seen only in desperate situations.

He would have had his leg stuck out , even out of bed, on a  permenant basis this year .........................

[mx250]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCNkzVxfM6Q&feature=player_embedded

Howz that for cool, calm, collected and insightful

[mx250]

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/173934/1/hayden_you_need_guts_here.html


"A Ducati rider has finished on the MotoGP podium at Phillip Island, venue for this weekend's Australian Grand Prix, every year except 2006, when Sete Gibernau missed out on third by just 0.0989sec.

Nicky Hayden, who will make his 150th MotoGP start this Sunday, knows it'll be a tough task to continue that form, after a season in which he and factory team-mate Valentino Rossi have taken just one rostrum each.

“Phillip Island traditionally has been a really good track for our bike… A podium is going to be a little bit tougher this year, but we'll see what happens,” said Hayden, who just missed out on a podium last year, in a race won by team-mate Casey Stoner.

“This track is really fast, that's what sets it apart, and having the ocean in the background. When you are comfortable here you can be really fast. You have to be brave though and you need guts, especially at Turn 3. If you are tip-toeing through there it'll ruin your lap time.

"It's tougher with the wind, which around here can be really nasty. Hopefully we get some decent weather and have a good go.”

The American also commented on the amount of work his team and factory had put into the Desmosedici this year.

“We've obviously tried a lot of options, probably too many and maybe got a bit confused, but it's just because we want to do well and get to the front," said Hayden.

"I don't think Ducati has got the credit it deserves for how hard it has worked, and how hard it has tried to give me, Valentino and the rest of the Ducati riders the best opportunity to get results.

"Now we have three more chances this season before the introduction of the 1000cc bikes next year.”

Hayden will become only the ninth rider in GP history to reach the milestone of 150 starts in the premier-class.

Only two other American riders have made more premier-class GP starts than Hayden; Kenny Roberts Jr. with 167 premier-class and Colin Edwards who reached the 150-start milestone four weeks ago at the Aragon GP.

Hayden and Edwards both made their MotoGP debut at the start of 2003. "



I wonder what chassis Vale is running at P.I.  We might have to ask our Man on the Scene; Loz? 

[mx250]

Nearly .6sec in front of Lorenzo and 1.5sec in front of Valentino in FP2   .

I wonder what chassis Vale is running?

http://motomatters.com/results/2011/10/14/2011_phillip_island_motogp_fp2_result_st.html

[Lozza]

Casey Stoner is on it 100% every lap. Had some awesome sights, Toni Elias doing his shopping at Coles was a classic. Guests of Team Germany  rider Sandro Cortese is top of the 125 class 

[GD66]

Stoner is on it, set quickest time and then had a swing at the organisers for the state of the track. Said the turn one ripples and bumps are getting much worse, cars have buggered it. It was actually pretty ropey before, must be downright scary now. Last time they resurfaced it the track was excellent for years, so they're probably due again. Must admit, unlike most pommy forum keyboard racers, I've never really seen Stoner as a whinger, more just tells it like it is : actually quite refreshing when normally all you get from riders is sanitised PR-speak. Can't wait to see him drifting through turns 3 and 12 on Sunday...

[mainline]

the rest of the world is finally figuring it out

Casey Stoner is owed a collective apology by the MotoGP world, according to one of the sport's most respected figures.

Carlo Pernat, the former Aprilia sporting director and first man to sign superstar Valentino Rossi, said Stoner was unfairly criticised as he fought illness and injury in recent years.

The Australian won the 2007 world championship for Ducati but Pernat says seven-times MotoGP titleholder Rossi will never win another world crown while on the same bike.

Stoner left Ducati in disgust last year, according to Pernat, after the Italian manufacturer offered a massive contract to Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo.

Pernat said Ducati made a major mistake in assuming Stoner's career was over while he was weakened by a mystery illness which was later diagnosed as lactose intolerance.

'In the Italian media two months ago, I made an open apology to Casey, what many people in MotoGP thought in the past was not true,' Pernat said.

'Now we understand that the reason for many of his crashes ... the majority of people in MotoGP should now make this apology to Casey.'

Ducati had jumped to the same conclusion with disastrous results, he said.

Rossi has been unable to tame the Ducati on which Stoner won the world title and is set to go through 2011 without a race win for the first time in his career.

'This was a very big mistake by Ducati, a very wrong strategy in dealing with a champion rider,' Pernat said.

'To make an offer, virtually double Casey's salary, to Lorenzo who had not won a championship, while Casey was away sick, was a big mistake.

'Ducati is a proud company and they thought their bike was perfect. What they didn't understand was that only Casey could explore 100 per cent of the potential of this bike.'

Pernat signed Rossi to his first factory contract in 1995 when the Italian star was 16 and was the Aprilia team boss when the Italian won the first of his nine world championships - the 125cc title in 1997.

Pernat is now a leading rider manager and media commentator and has closely followed the disaster that is Rossi's winless season.

He says the formidable rider of the past has gone missing.

'What is happening now with Valentino and Ducati is something very strange. Now he is like someone I don't know,' Pernat said.

'But I know Valentino's character very well. I was first to sign him in 1995 and he has always spoken the truth, his real feelings.

'I am surprised to see him in this condition - now he is different.

'I am 90 per cent sure that Valentino will not win another world championship with Ducati.

'To be in this shit situation is very hard for Valentino, for his way of life, for his normal character and he seems different to me now,' he said.

[TooFastTim]

Teaching my grandma to suck eggs? Lorenzo's out with a mashed hand.

[mx250]

Where's that quoted from Mainline. All I can say is 'about bloody time' .

Casey must be lovin it .

[Lozza]

still in melboure not enough awesomes too describe the weekend

[mx250]

Says it all.....