Re: MotoGP Testing.

 On Sat, 4 Mar 2006 13:11:05 -0000, ginge


5th and 7th according to this.

1. Valentino Rossi - Camel Yamaha 1'43.704
2. John Hopkins - Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1'44.174
3. Colin Edwards - Camel Yamaha 1'44.380
4. Sete Gibernau - Ducati Marlboro 1'44.486
5. Shinya Nakano - Kawasaki Racing 1'44.582
6. Carlos Checa - Yamaha Tech 3 1'44.922
7. Randy de Puniet - Kawasaki Racing 1'44.933
8. Nicky Hayden - Repsol Honda 1'45.014
9. Dani Pedrosa - Repsol Honda 1'45.073
10. Makoto Tamada - Konica Minolta Honda 1'45.507

The word is that Honda have Lost Their Way.  Hayden is struggling with
the official 2006 bike, and most of the lease riders are choosing to
stick with uprated 2005 bikes.

Still, times don't mean much right now without the story behind them.
The Green boys could have stuck a Q tyre on to get some publicity -
or, they may really be on the pace, and ran a whole race simulation at
that speed.

A quick look at the MGP site shows these times from yesterday:

1. Valentino Rossi – Camel Yamaha 1’43´608
2.Colin Edwards – Camel Yamaha 1´44.063
3.Carlos Checa – Tech3 Yamaha 1’44.070
4.John Hopkins – Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1´44.197
5.Nicky Hayden – Repsol Honda 1´44.209
6.Shinya Nakano – Kawasaki Racing 1’44.399
7.Sete Gibernau – Ducati Marlboro 1’44.556
8.Marco Melandri – Fortuna Honda 1’44.672
9.Toni Elias – Fortuna Honda 1’44.702
10.Makoto Tamada – Konica Minolta Honda 1’44.721

So, maybe the Hondas are doing proper testing, rather than shooting
for headlines.  Still looks like Rossi and Yamaha are going to have a
ball, tho.


Me too.

--
Champ

 Champ wrote:


What I find interesting is a Suzuki in the Top 5 - have they also
finally got up to speed?

(see Bike still rate the GSX-R 1000 as the best road based big bike,
with the Kwack last - but it's all relative - they don't like the power
delivery, I suspect you love it :) )

 wrote:


Well, as I said, lap times in isolation don't tell much.  We'll find
out at Jerez soon enough.


Bugger.  Just bought that cos the green bike was on the cover.
--
Champ

 Champ wrote:


It's on the inside too.

When you read the article you'll see it's all relative - one man's top
bike is another's 4th place.

Makes a change from always picking the Honda though.