Sepang Test

[pablo]

First time these guys are on the bike in a while and probably trying
many different things, however based on
http://www.motogp.com/en/TestResults/MotoGP+Sepang+Test+2011
it looks as if...

- Honda has the best bike out there, and the traditional 250cc Stoner-
Pedrosa rivalry is going to make them both go faster...
- Yamaha has a balanced package but has lost ground to Honda.
- Ducati is utterly lost, with both Hayden and Rossi riding far and
behind.

I think my money is on Stoner this year...

[BmEcksNZ]

Post by pablo
First time these guys are on the bike in a while and probably trying
many different things, however based onhttp://www.motogp.com/en/TestResults/MotoGP+Sepang+Test+2011
it looks as if...
- Honda has the best bike out there, and the traditional 250cc Stoner-
Pedrosa rivalry is going to make them both go faster...
- Yamaha has a balanced package but has lost ground to Honda.
- Ducati is utterly lost, with both Hayden and Rossi riding far and
behind.
I think my money is on Stoner this year...

Lets see if we can get this group back in action this year!

Yeah, Honda is looking real strong, but pre-season times do not always
translate into championship positions.

But my money would still go on Stoner at this stage . . . only just.
JL still looks like he has the potential to back up his championship.
Pedro is looking more capable of stringing a decent set of results
together. Spies would be a long shot this year, but look out next
year, and write Rossi off at your peril!

Cheers
Steve

[Champ]

Post by BmEcksNZ
JL still looks like he has the potential to back up his championship.
Pedro is looking more capable of stringing a decent set of results
together. Spies would be a long shot this year, but look out next
year, and write Rossi off at your peril!

All true.

As Julian often says - this time of year is the most exciting! All
things seem possible.

[pablo]

All true.

But the fact Stoner gets on the Honda and is right there... pay
attention. He's always been fast, and the Honda seems such a great
package that I think every week on it now will solidify Stoner's
confidence.

And I think paradoxically Pedrosa's strength based on competitiveness
with Stoner will work against everybody else.

And the Honda's seem now strongest, and the Repsol Hondas even more
so. Dovizioso is looking part extraterrestrial, heavens...

The Yamahas.... saved by their undoubtedly great riders. No one can
doubt Lorenzo is fast, and Spies is a future world champion. But the
balanced Yamaha package seems to look a tad more pedestrian. We shall
see.

As early as it is, the Ducati's team disastrous showing can not be
easily dismissed as an early season statistical anomaly, I think. It
seems something went very astray there, and my feeling is they can be
written off for the first several races.

So the top contenders now seem to be Stoner, Pedrosa on the strongest
bike; and Lorenzo as the defending champion on a still very capable
bike; with Spies and Dovizioso ready to mix it up. And out of them,
I'd bet on Stoner on what seems to be the best bike. Mind you, Pedrosa
looked amazing in the last session, but then again racing situations
are hit and miss with him.

I would not count Rossi out, but I think I shall do for the early
races - Ducati and Rossi clearly have some major work ahead. Shoulder
or bike... we shall see. But the fact Hayden is where he is indicates
there are real issues with the 2011 Ducati edition in its current
stage... the fastest Duc rider was not on the cutting edge factory
stuff, I think, which seems food for thought.