Casey Stoner back in action this weekend

[mx250]

CASEY STONER INTERVIEW

Interesting read, safety being enough reason to retain them - and, by the sounds, Casey's main reliance on them.

(Bloody computers; took my daughter for her driving test this morning (passed first go but on the way there the car's computer decides to go into 'safe mode' for no apparent reason (stop, switch off - switch on, problem fixed. Pretty unsettling for a nervous learner on their way for their test though ). 

[mx250]

Here's an interesting development........

http://motomatters.com/news/2010/11/04/a_hint_of_the_future_repsol_honda_team_a.html

"Its importance has been further emphasized by the announcement that Astra Honda, the Indonesian subsidiary of the Japanese motorcycling giant, is to sponsor the Repsol Honda squad for the final MotoGP round at Valencia, and also for the whole of the 2011 season. Astra Honda's slogan "One Heart" or "Satu Hati" in Indonesian, is to feature prominently on the leathers and on the lower fairing of the Repsol Honda RC212V MotoGP machines."

I'm assuming Casey will have the same sponsorship and slogan next year. Lets hope sport can help mend some of the friction that has been evident between Australians and Indonesians in recent times.

 

[mx250]

Go Casey.......

"Casey Stoner kicked the weekend off to his usual dominating start, the Marlboro Ducati rider leading the first session of practice by over half a second, ....."

http://motomatters.com/results/2010/11/05/2010_valencia_motogp_fp1_result_stoner_s.html

[mx250]

Go Casey....... .........on pole by .3sec........ ,

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Nov/101106b.htm

Marco Simoncelli in third - he seems to have something to prove.

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/164817/1/stoner_takes_last_ducati_pole_ahead_of_emotional_day.html

[TT]

You know, I've never been a great fan of Casey Stoner, but I've got to say that I'm impressed with his attitude to this race and his relationship with Ducati. At this stage of the season, you often hear riders making comments about concentrating on the following season instead of showing commitment to their current employer.
I reckon he's showing some maturity.............. 

[mx250]

You know, I've never been a great fan of Casey Stoner, but I've got to say that I'm impressed with his attitude to this race and his relationship with Ducati. At this stage of the season, you often hear riders making comments about concentrating on the following season instead of showing commitment to their current employer.
I reckon he's showing some maturity.............. 

"The 2007 world champion, the most successful rider of the 800cc era in terms of race wins, will be chasing his 24th Ducati victory on Sunday before moving to Honda."

Casey has always impressed me even before he got the Ducati ride - always did an A grade job on B grade equipment, on B grade teams, on B grade days  . To this day I consider him underrated, which is why I'm looking forward to Casey on a Honda and Vale on the Ducati - much will be revealed and understood I hope.

[Lozza]

Casey Stoner has scored nearly half of all Ducati's points in MotoGP and all bar 3(??) race wins, that kind of a record isn't a fluke

MORE CASEY STONER FOR TONY T

[mx250]

http://motomatters.com/results/2010/11/09/final_valencia_day_1_motogp_test_times_l.html


Pos    No.    Rider    Bike    Time    Diff    Diff Previous
1    99    Jorge Lorenzo    Yamaha    1:32.012         
2    27    Casey Stoner    Honda    1:32.775    0.763    0.763
3    11    Ben Spies    Yamaha    1:32.878    0.866    0.103
4    26    Dani Pedrosa    Honda    1:32.912    0.900    0.034
5    58    Marco Simoncelli    Honda    1:32.919    0.907    0.007
6    4    Andrea Dovizioso    Honda    1:33.190    1.178    0.271
7    5    Colin Edwards    Yamaha    1:33.513    1.501    0.323
8    19    Alvaro Bautista    Suzuki    1:33.558    1.546    0.045
9    69    Nicky Hayden    Ducati    1:33.716    1.704    0.158
10    46    Valentino Rossi    Ducati    1:33.882    1.870    0.166
11    14    Randy de Puniet    Ducati    1:33.914    1.902    0.032
12    7    Hiroshi Aoyama    Honda    1:33.953    1.941    0.039
13    40    Hector Barbera    Ducati    1:34.110    2.098    0.157
14    35    Cal Crutchlow    Yamaha    1:34.314    2.302    0.204
15    65    Loris Capirossi    Ducati    1:34.631    2.619    0.317
16    24    Toni Elias    Honda    1:35.058    3.046    0.427
17    17    Karel Abraham    Ducati    1:35.076    3.064    0.018

Jorge on a familiar totally set up and prepared bike is flying.

Casey on a 'new to him' bike is 'best of the rest' (and .763sec behind).

Valentino 1.8 seconds off the pace.

Early days but is there a pattern emerging?

[Mick22]

I wonder if Rossi still thinks that Stoner never tried 100% on the Ducati

Impressive day 2 times from Depuniet & Simonccelli, I reckon Sim could be a bit of a dark horse next year

[cyclegod]

Stoner settles in while Rossi struggles...

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2010/MotoGP+Test+Valencia+day+two+report

[mx250]

I wonder if Rossi still thinks that Stoner never tried 100% on the Ducati

Impressive day 2 times from Depuniet & Simonccelli, I reckon Sim could be a bit of a dark horse next year

I'm even more impressed with Spiers, in both his lap times and the smooth, steady, 'no rush of blood/ego' he has displayed all season.

You are right about Simoncelli, I think he has a real good chance of making the transition to being an 'Alien'. I was real impressed how much Jorge leaned on him the last race (rubbed Simo's shoulder with Jorge's front tyre) and Simo was completely unphased and remained focused on holding his line. (I was pretty impressed with Jorge's lose - save, and recovery, and race win as well. 

It's hard to estimate the Ducati performance because of the engine swapping/trialing but not withstanding being 1.8 seconds off the pace would be a concern unless there is an explanation. I think it indicates deep seated problems. I think Rossi and Burgess will have to fire up their very best magic wand if they are to see success next year (and for Ducati to find a bundle of money as well).

[mx250]

http://motomatters.com/news/2010/12/07/engineers_assemble_in_bologna_to_work_on.html

"Speaking to the press after the test, Ducati Corse director Filippo Preziosi described the test as a "bad test" and spoke of Rossi's lack of feeling with the front end."  Really? How often did Casey complain of lack of front end feel? How many front end loses did Casey have this season?

"Casey Stoner's success aboard the Ducati had lulled the Bologna company into a false sense of security: after all, how bad can a bike be if the team's lead rider just keeps on racking up the victories?"

"......but a bike that is easier to ride will surely benefit Nicky Hayden and the rest of the Ducati riders as well." That is of course on the assumption they get a result.

Ciao.

[Lozza]

Fire up the alarm clock show starts 6am tomorrow. The new fancy zero shift box on the RC 211V looks to be working well , the Ducati GP11 doesn't look like a winner.

[mx250]

Go Casey!!!!! .

A good race. Closer than what may have been expected - but the results were pretty much as you would have predicted.

Casey rode and finished with a bit in reserve. Lorenzo rode the wheels off the Yammy to stay competitive. Pedrosa faded with an excuse; 'I'm only a small person - it is unfair to expect me to race with the big boys' . Divvy and Sideshow showed the speed of the works Honda's and their learning position. Spiers shared class and steady progress. Rossi showed his talent to put the Duke so far forward but wasn't going to 'do a Stoner' and stick his neck out to make up for the Duke's short coming - but 'showboated' enough to get noticed and titillate the fans.

Go Casey!!!!! .

[Freakshow]

My mate was over doing photos, reckons he looked the goods in all the practices and testings he seen this year.

Not sure why though he had the upper rider Japan flag stickers, thought that was where the rider NAt go ?? unless it was old fairings but then why change the FR numbers over ?

prity trick looking lower forks and caliper............  and that rear arm ...