View Full Version : Ducati embarrass the big four again!
Not content with beating the might of the big four Japanese bike manufacturers in World Superbike they've now moved into Moto GP. In their first season, and only their third race, they've qualified in first and second. Loris Capirossi just pipped his team mate Troy Bayliss for pole position in the final seconds of qualifying in Jerez today. Troy is of course a rookie this being his first season in Moto GP which further adds to the embarrasment the other teams must be facing :D. Another rookie and ex Super Bike world champion, Colin Edwards put his Aprilia on the third row in 11th position :eek:
I strongly suggest you watch the race tomorrow as a bit of history could be made ;). Both British Eurosport and BBC 2 will be showing it, the race starts at 12:30pm.
Fireblade
11-05-2003, 10:42
I'm watching the mornings' warm-up as I type :D
Eurosport is good 'til mid-afternoon today actually - what wi' the LG Super Racing Weekend et al. I've been watching it since 7.30am - coz I wanted to catch the World Rally Chamionship highlights at 8am.
It's a pity the British Superbike coverage on BBC 2 (BBC 2 - 12.50pm) coincides wi' the main Moto GP race itself tho' :( But we'll no doubt see em all repeated in the next few days. so I'll pro'ly catch up on the British Superbike race eventually ;)
Looking forward to it all :D
RIGHT! (cracks fingers).
TazUK wrote "beating the might of the big four Japanese bike manufacturers in World Superbike " But Taz, you're a Honda man!!!
Honda played the same game with the regulations as Ducati, and took the V-Twin of the SP-1 and SP-2 to the title with The Texas Tornado.
Now there is no Honda presence in WSB this year, is it any wonder Ducati have hit the headlines? Fair enough, the GSX-1000 is just about managing to keep it's head above water, but Aprilia have gone, Yamaha are sensibly riding elsewhere, and Foggy's team are in their first year. Kawasaki have, well, lost the plot really (ok, AMA I suppose). Yet, Frankie Chili is still on the pace of the 999 this year, with the bike that Edwards beat last year into submission.
Yes, it is great to see some real competition in MotoGP from Ducati, but I don't think Honda will stand still and let them show up the RCV too much. They'll have serious development work to add yet. Look at last year after Suzuka, when Edwards got new HRC parts halfway through the season, and basically tore up Bayliss' plans.
Bayliss and Capirossi have the speed in a straight line, but do you not feel Rossi is still playing with them? And if Kato was still with us, I'd bet he'd be right up there too.
Good to see Steve Plater finally getting Colin Edwards' machine to work for him in BSB, too.
That all said, Shane Byrne is BSB champ, and Neil Hodgson literally just won the WSB title on my TV. Any possible arguement for the Japanese manufacturers is now kinda shot down!!!
Great effort Neil Hodgson , but I'm sure that was an SP-2 he was riding :p
Originally posted by Sticky
But Taz, you're a Honda man!!!
Eh, I own two bikes a Triumph Daytona and a Kawasaki ZX7-R :confused:
The point I was making is that comparing the big difference in resources Ducati have compared with Honda and Even Yamaha the results they've managed to achieve are very impressive.
Gutted! :eek:
You once said, "All my bikes up to the ZX7-R were Honda's"
http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6001&perpage=15&pagenumber=4
Product loyalty, man! Product loyalty!
Only kidding, ZX7-R, rapid :D
Fair point though, Ducati have achieved a lot, from a lot less.
Any comment on the idea of a "control tyre" for next season?
Originally posted by Sticky
You once said, "All my bikes up to the ZX7-R were Honda's"
Ok you got me there :D I do think Honda's are the best built/most reliable but unfortunately they've become a bit bland in recent years, the new CBR600RR and the 2004 Fireblade are a step in the right direction though ;)
Any comment on the idea of a "control tyre" for next season?
Seems like a strange decision, some riders prefer one tyre brand over another as do some bikes plus having a single tyre manufacturer surely will slow down development :confused:
Emissary
08-09-2003, 20:38
The reasons the Flamini brothers are giving are valid but seem more like excuses really. While I havnt experimented with many different tyres they certainly do fel different and suit some riders and bikes better than others. This is certainly gonna put off some top level riders from being a part of the the championship.
Loving the new Hondas though the 600RR seriously HAS to b fitted with a race can, it sounds like a hair drier as stock!!
Totally not into the the tyre proposal. I don't like the sounds of it at all. I mean, do we want a "control" suspension manufacturer? A "control" engine layout? No way! Let develpment flow! And anyway, on a roadbike, we'd experiment with different tyres over the life of the bike until we get something that gives 100% confidence. On our current bikes, my mate loves Pirelli, and I swear by Bridgestone. What's the prob?
The challenge is surely all about the team putting the best combination together for the rider, and the rider wringing every last drop out of the machinery where required.
The new CBR6 does look good, and I can't wait until the RCV-esque 'blade replacement appears shortly.
Emissary
09-09-2003, 21:28
While I am against the control tyre proposal, what the Flamini's are trying to achieve is a good thing - return the SBK formula to a production class. At the moment the bikes are a long way from what u and I ride on the road, under the new regulations they'll be a bit closer, as it shud b. This has worked in BSB and hopefully the SBK rules will eventually become uniform across the three major championships World, British, and US, once again - of course getting the australians and everyone else on board is abonther matter entirely.
Its about time the classes had a shake up, Moto GP is being updated and SBK needs 2 seperate itself from that, at the moment the bikes are a bit 2 high tech in my opinion. Yes I want to c the pinnacle of performance, but I want it 2 relate 2 my (future) road bike 2, at the moment SBKs r almost prototypes 2. It took time for SBK to take over from F1 and these new regs need work, not least of all the tyre rules but hopefully we will soon have 2 meaningful world championships again.
FireBlade devotees need to buy MCN 2morow as they have 6 pages on the new CBR998RR
I can't wait to see the new bike tomorrow, in MCN.
Emissary wrote: "hopefully we will soon have 2 meaningful world championships again ". Totally agree with that. Next year the restrictors are off, and the four cylinder bikes can show some prowess, as long as they don't shred the Pirelli's!!!
Not that I don't like twin's, it's just this year looks like the Ducati cup.
Originally posted by Sticky
...it's just this year looks like the Ducati cup.
It's been that way for a long while, the only other manufacturer to be in contention has been Honda.
Next season should be fun. When it was announced last year that some of the big manufacturers were going racing elsewhere for 2003, and a lot of big names were leaving (incl. Edwards, Bayliss and the Bostrom's) I kinda turned my interest to MotoGP.
However, with Hodgson on a factory bike, and Chris Walker back on a Ducati, the racing has been quite good. Xaus is always worth a watch for sheer entertainment. How many times have we seen his feet slip off the pegs?!!!
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