2011 R7 Assen Race Topic ** Spoilers**

[coyote]

So we come away from that with bugger-all idea of where things really stand. Oh well, keeps the suspense up I guess.

I have a bad feeling that the 11.1 isn't that big of a jump on dry, Rossi's riding looked just the same to me in that it looked like he wasn't even trying; clearly not feeling that much increase in having confidence to push the last bit. It's early days but it doesn't look good IMO.

I would like to know what happened to the 3 Repsols, Emmett mentioned that Terol also crashed in the same corner Dovi and Stoner, inside the Baldolini-zone.

[lebowski]

I wonder if Elias' crew will help him out given that he is clearly doing a better job than they were? Go Toni! Although 10th is a long way from the front he clearly has made significant improvements.

[Kropotkin]

My understanding is that engine allocation restrictions follow riders, not bikes. Is that true? Is Aoyama’s effort on the “second” Repsol bike completely outside of Pedrosa’s engine count? Does Aoyama then have two running counts - one for the 'work team, and one for Gresini?

It's easiest to think of engines following garages, rather than riders. So each garage has 6 engines, regardless of who is riding the bike prepared in that garage.

[Tourn46]

Can anyone confirm if it did actually rain during FP2?

Not able to view from work, but I guess that ruins being able to take too much from the timing

Stupid weather!

[Kropotkin]

Can anyone confirm if it did actually rain during FP2?

Not able to view from work, but I guess that ruins being able to take too much from the timing

Stupid weather!

It was dry for the first 70 minutes, then there was a rain shower. Should be dry for qualifying.

[Richo]

Definately rained in FP2, wasn't much action later in the session as everyone just parked it in the garage waiting for it to either rain harder or stop. It did neither.

[Tourn46]

Can anyone confirm if it did actually rain during FP2?

Not able to view from work, but I guess that ruins being able to take too much from the timing

Stupid weather!

It was dry for the first 70 minutes, then there was a rain shower. Should be dry for qualifying.

Well at least they got plenty of time on the track before the rain then, albeit the rain coming when you'd expect people to start pushing a bit more for the last 20 mins, etc.

Feels wrong not being able to watch at least the qualifying, damn the Dutch TT!

[Richo]

Qualifying just started and track is dry. Was some rain during 125 qualifying but dried out at end. Could rain again during QP though, so assume riders will want to get a good lap in early.

[Kropotkin]

Feels wrong not being able to watch at least the qualifying, damn the Dutch TT!

Blame the tennis! It's all Wimbledon's fault ...

[coyote]

22 minutes to go, Rossi last Ducati 2.464 from the top, Lorenzo 1.352 from Spies.

Huh?

[Richo]

My 10 rat points on Rossi to win looking like a long shot. Abraham fastest Ducati in 7th at the moment.

[coyote]

My 10 rat points on Rossi to win looking like a long shot. Abraham fastest Ducati in 7th at the moment.

Forget winning, lets try getting into top 10 first. Terrible.

Meanwhile, Simo and Spies suddenly about a second ahead of everyone else! Where is this coming from?

Oh, and Abraham 3rd, nothing unusual.

[Oscar]

Rather a flat sort of QP, I thought. Deeply disappointed for Rossi, the bike didn't sparkle at all, anywhere. Stoner seemed to have a problem for his last run getting going, and as he was riding out it looked a bit as if he might have banged up his left wrist in the crash this morning, he was holding it across the bike rather awkwardly. Great job from Spies, Lorenzo doesn't look too happy (or he's decided to channel Stoner on track ), Abraham rather made Stoner's comment about giving the original bike a bit better try before scrapping it look not as silly as it sounded at first..

Capirex - it's sad to see you like this. Seriously, maybe time to think about 'time with the family'.. And if Elias is trying to give his bike to Hopkins, he almost might as well post the letter now..

[Gustav O]

Great to see the apple cart up set a bit. Stoner not dominating and Spies getting really close to nudging Simo off pole. Contrary to Lorenzos talk in the pre-event press conference he looked very ragged and feeling the pressure during the whole day. Not so strange when he was a second slower on his lap from last year. Hopefully he will get his head right so we can have a good fight for the win tomorrow.

[DJH]

Karel continues to impress, and I bet Hayden is quite happy with his result after all of the attention he got regarding the Ducati upgrades, or new bike as it were (and his lack of one).

Cal Crutchlow continues to lay down good times aswell. Actually both the Tech3 teams have looked great over the last few meets.

I hope the rain stays away tomorrow. If it does at least we will finally get a true picture of where things stand (and yes, one eye is firmly on the GP11.1).

Spies looks very smooth on that Yamaha aswell. I'd love to see him up on the podium tomorrow.

[TwoStroke Institute]

Hmmmm, I see some Ducati accountants circling, asking why a first year rookie on last years bike can be the first Ducati 2 races in a row . Privateers ahead of works riders isn't a good look.
Stoner looked to be struggling a little Spies and Simoncelli looked on fire. I dunno how Simoncelli will go I would like to see him hold it together for a podium at least. Stoner/Dovi/Lorenzo for third, Crutchlow(awesome effort)/ Abraham/Edwards , I think Rossi will battle up to 7th or so.

* Caparossi and Elias should have to catch a cab home

[agro]

Ducati GP11.1 not looking good at the moment.....Rossi qualified 11th....2 seconds off the pace.... go Karel Abraham!!

Spose Ducati has the rest of the year to develop the GP11.1

[L34]

Loris is out of the race, no reason given.
Hope it is not too serious.

[WayneG]

Terol is also reported not be riding. He has severed a tendon in his little finger and is returning to spain for surgery.

[frankrizzo]

good to see spies on it again and the burden of expectation is once more on sic, self imposed. the repsols struggling but not that far away, i'd say stoner would take a podium and go home this evening. i don't think we should be expecting miracles from the new ducati just yet guys, remember this is a bike on track much earlier than was intended so it's still basically a test. as the eminent mr neil spalding said on eurosport, as far as ducati are concerned, assen is really mugello fp zero.

[Gustav O]

good to see spies on it again and the burden of expectation is once more on sic, self imposed. the repsols struggling but not that far away, i'd say stoner would take a podium and go home this evening. i don't think we should be expecting miracles from the new ducati just yet guys, remember this is a bike on track much earlier than was intended so it's still basically a test. as the eminent mr neil spalding said on eurosport, as far as ducati are concerned, assen is really mugello fp zero.

Even then I think ducati are further off the pace than they had hoped for. Rossi looked stiff and tentative on the bike as if he was lacking feel from the front and/or back.

[frankrizzo]

of course they are gustav, i agree that they would hope for better but the reality is that as much as the pace they're after still eludes them, the risk of doing serious damage to one of those new bikes and leaving them with only one to try new things outweighs the benefit of perhaps a third row start. rossi looked especially cautious on corner entry to my eyes. compared to sic or spies who were easily pushing and scrubbing off a lot of speed heavily on the front right to the apex without any apparent problems. i do think that now that they've pulled the lever and wheeled out the 2012 bike with the modified motor, the pressure will be even greater for a result at mugello. i'd say a mugello win would be a fairy tale but a podium has to be what they're after, tall order going by todays showing.

[Gustav O]

of course they are gustav, i agree that they would hope for better but the reality is that as much as the pace they're after still eludes them, the risk of doing serious damage to one of those new bikes and leaving them with only one to try new things outweighs the benefit of perhaps a third row start. rossi looked especially cautious on corner entry to my eyes. compared to sic or spies who were easily pushing and scrubbing off a lot of speed heavily on the front right to the apex without any apparent problems. i do think that now that they've pulled the lever and wheeled out the 2012 bike with the modified motor, the pressure will be even greater for a result at mugello. i'd say a mugello win would be a fairy tale but a podium has to be what they're after, tall order going by todays showing.

I agree. Rossi didn´t seem comfortable at all and as you point out compared to Simo and Spies his corner entries looked more like me riding, ie stiff and tentative.
Although Rossi, Burgess et al have turned things around before I think he will struggle to get more than sixth tomorrow. Mugello should be better as they have way more miles on that track, albeit with another engine in the bike.

[TwoStroke Institute]

Even then I think ducati are further off the pace than they had hoped for. Rossi looked stiff and tentative on the bike as if he was lacking feel from the front and/or back.

I thought the frame looked fine but lacked 'punch' off corners, the engine sounded very flat to me.The footage I couldn't remember Rossi laying down any black lines off corners. One thing was certain there was a lot of long faces at Marlboro Ducati. Is it just me, or do I see some dark clouds on the horizon if a result at Mugello is not forthcoming?

[Faster1]

,, Things I'm looking at

Simoncelli - as much as I'm not really a fan, and as much as he's crashed,, This is an alien, as far as speeeed in concerned, for sure. He's been at the pointy end of times sheets way to often to deny.. Can he ever learn to focus for an entire race? ,, ever?

,, and that's why Stoner has no worries about the race, Let Marco lead until stray thoughts enter the picture

Karel Abraham - This Rookie with a kind -of unimpressive (comparatively) resume,, is definitely impressive,, that and he MUST have one of the best set-up crews in the paddock (any insight on their pedagree Krop?) The Factory Ducati crew should be learning from Abrahams crew.

The Ben - He'll loose sleep tonight worrying about his Achilles heel,, the start. Jorge will probably have him by the 3rd turn.. This might be one of the few tracks that don't penalize the Yamaha's power deficit

Aoyama - He sure didn't need that cold tire get-off.,,, but still, very disappointing for him and THAT BIKE.

Dam shame that the Rossi camp continue on the "experiment" train. I am certain that there are more than a few of us (fans , sponsors) who are not happy with this direction.
VR should be @ 1 second faster than Abraham on the same kitted bike as the Rookie, which puts him fighting for an honest podium. I hope that the BIG 2012 prep and push,, pays off next year. It seems like a huge investment/gamble.