[fredsredhat]

great race. Glad to see Rossi stamping his authority, all back to business. Hayden had a flying first few laps but just dropped off. I hope he'll get back on form soon and put a challenge to rossi, though i am a hayden fan i dont think he's got the talent to really challenge rossi. Nice one for the times etc big don.

[BigDonWizzle]

No probs Fred... Not nice to see Hayden back there he should be up there with the front runner's im in pressed with the Suzuki and hopper think they will be good this year.

[BigDonWizzle]

The next GP details

Location: Istanbul

Pole position: right

Length: 5340m.

Longest straight : 720m.

Left turns: 8

Right turns: 6

Width : 21m.

come on rossi

[WhiteHawk]

Nice to see theres a few MotoGP fans on here!

Anyone here going to any races this year? I'm going to Donington for the full weekend, Thu - Mon, can't wait!!

Loving the new Suzuki, it looks superb. I fancy them to do well this season. I reckon Rossi will take the title again but Pedrosa will run him close, not sure if Stoner will keep up with him. He's certainly got the bike, that Ducati is like lightning! Not sure if he's got the mentality to stick it out though, he makes a few too many mistakes.

Anyone think Hayden will be in the frame?

[BigDonWizzle]

Originally Posted by WhiteHawk

Nice to see theres a few MotoGP fans on here!

Anyone here going to any races this year? I'm going to Donington for the full weekend, Thu - Mon, can't wait!!

Loving the new Suzuki, it looks superb. I fancy them to do well this season. I reckon Rossi will take the title again but Pedrosa will run him close, not sure if Stoner will keep up with him. He's certainly got the bike, that Ducati is like lightning! Not sure if he's got the mentality to stick it out though, he makes a few too many mistakes.

Anyone think Hayden will be in the frame?

nice to see another rossi fan in here
went to donnington last year camping from Wednesday night to the race.
it was wicked, weather was red hot everyday the only bad thing England lost to Portugal on big screen..rossi had an amazing race starting in about 11th i think and he got second.wanting to go again this year not sure how long for though and don't know how I'm getting there yet but I'm going
dont think hayden will make it in top 3

[WhiteHawk]

Originally Posted by BigDonWizzle

nice to see another rossi fan in here
went to donnington last year camping from Wednesday night to the race.
it was wicked, weather was red hot everyday the only bad thing England lost to Portugal on big screen..rossi had an amazing race starting in about 11th i think and he got second.wanting to go again this year not sure how long for though and don't know how I'm getting there yet but I'm going
dont think hayden will make it in top 3

We just went for the Sunday last year. The weather was superb! Yeh Rossi had a magnificent race, was 11th he started yeh, just brilliant.

Hayden seems to be struggling with the bike so far so looking at it now I would no to him making the top 3. You never know though, sounds like there's still going to be big developments to the Honda, if they sort it out soon then you never know, hope not though!! I want the Suzuki's to do well. I fell in love with them after hearing them last year!!! It was by far the best sounding bike on the grid!

Did you go the year before last when it absolutely banged it down all day? it was horrible! Didn't stop us getting absolutely bladdered though. We were so drunk that when we couldn't find the car afterwards, we just sat down in the middle of the field and had another couple of cans........

[BigDonWizzle]

In respect to the development to the Honda it makes u think who Honda think is no1 regardless of the sticker on the bikes as Hayden is riding with old parts witch pedrosa as all new.all they will do to Hayden's bike is put it on par with Pedrosa's . i think hopper is going to be quick this week especially if his hand is better think the suzuki's will come through.

[BigDonWizzle]

well not long to go now for the race
Turkey - one of only three circuits on this year's calendar that valentino has not won at, the others being Laguna Seca in the USA and Misano in Italy.
this track maybe a bit tough for rossi as it has a very long straight and that horse power of the ducati just may shine again weather it be loris or Casey. I think loris is due to have a good race.
My race prediction is
1st rossi
2nd stoner
3rdpedrosa
my prediction may change after qualifying

[fredsredhat]

i agree with your top 3 bigdon. who fancys a get together and watching it at a pub?

[BigDonWizzle]

first practice times...

stoner fastest in last 5 Min's


1 C. Stoner Ducati 1:54.200 21
2 L. Capirossi Ducati 1:54.979 23
3 J. Hopkins Suzuki 1:55.062 24
4 V. Rossi Yamaha 1:55.120 23
5 A. Elias Honda 1:55.158 22
6 O. Jacque Kawasaki 1:55.651 22
7 C. Vermulen Suzuki 1:55.707 23
8 A. Hofmann Yamaha 1:55.736 19
9 D. Pedrosa Honda 1:55.865 25
10 M. Melandri Honda 1:55.910 19
11 K. Roberts Proton Team KR 1:56.071 19
12 R. De Puniet Kawasaki 1:56.225 23
13 A. Barros Yamaha 1:56.233 14
14 N. Hayden Honda 1:56.312 23
15 C. Edwards Yamaha 1:56.320 21
16 C. Checa Honda LCR 1:56.555 20
17 M. Tamada Yamaha 1:56.923 20
18 S. Nakano Honda 1:56.936 20
19 S. Guintoli Yamaha 1:57.245 21



only the first practice plenty of time for rossi to get a bit faster

[BigDonWizzle]

Originally Posted by fredsredhat

i agree with your top 3 bigdon. who fancys a get together and watching it at a pub?

wot pub would that be fred..........

[BigDonWizzle]

Qualifying results from the Turkey round of MotoGP.

1 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team YAMAHA 1'52.795
2 5 Colin EDWARDS USA Fiat Yamaha Team YAMAHA 1'52.944
3 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team HONDA 1'52.971
4 27 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team DUCATI 1'53.375
5 65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Ducati Marlboro Team DUCATI 1'53.559
6 1 Nicky HAYDEN USA Repsol Honda Team HONDA 1'53.613
7 21 John HOPKINS USA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP SUZUKI 1'53.637
8 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA Kawasaki Racing Team KAWASAKI 1'53.706
9 71 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP SUZUKI 1'53.771
10 24 Toni ELIAS SPA Honda Gresini HONDA 1'53.835
11 19 Olivier JACQUE FRA Kawasaki Racing Team KAWASAKI 1'53.847
12 56 Shinya NAKANO JPN Konica Minolta Honda HONDA 1'53.988
13 4 Alex BARROS BRA Pramac d'Antin DUCATI 1'54.082
14 33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Honda Gresini HONDA 1'54.143
15 6 Makoto TAMADA JPN Dunlop Yamaha Tech 3 YAMAHA 1'54.206
16 7 Carlos CHECA SPA Honda LCR HONDA 1'54.221
17 66 Alex HOFMANN GER Pramac d'Antin DUCATI 1'54.421
18 10 Kenny ROBERTS JR USA Team Roberts KR212V 1'54.527
19 50 Sylvain GUINTOLI FRA Dunlop Yamaha Tech 3 YAMAHA 1'54.845


and mint i ad that its the last time there will be a GP at Istanbul as there have pulled the circuit out. Don't know if it will be replaced. Rossi took pole i new he would come through , but only just as pedrosa was faster in the last min of qualifying until the last corner when he was held up by hopper. I think it will be a very tough race for valentino with the ducati team doing well all weekend and he as never won there and will want to.

[BigDonWizzle]

Race Results
Rider Team Time
1. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro 42m 02.850s
2. Toni Elias SPA Gresini Honda 42m 09.057s
3. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro 42m 10.952s
4. Alex Barros BRA Pramac d'Antin 42m 10.985s
5. Marco Melandri ITA Gresini Honda 42m 11.139s
6. John Hopkins USA Rizla Suzuki 42m 13.036s
7. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda 42m 13.089s
8. Randy de Puniet FRA Kawasaki Racing Team 42m 17.584s
9. Alex Hofmann GER Pramac d'Antin 42m 18.892s
10. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha 42m 21.849s


Rider Championship Standings (after three rounds)

Rider Team Points
1. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro 61
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha 51
3. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda 36
4. Toni Elias JPN Konica Minolta Honda 35
5. Marco Melandri ITA Gresini Honda 30
6. Colin Edwards USA Fiat Yamaha 26
7. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda 17
8. Alex Barros BRA Pramac d'Antin Ducati 25
9. John Hopkins USA Rizla Suzuki 23
10. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki 21

A great race to watch i knew it would be hard for rossi but didn't expect 10th
tony elias had a brilliant race and good to see capirossi on the podium

[BigDonWizzle]

Full istanbul race reveiw here

[BigDonWizzle]

well i think its going to be tough for the Yamaha's again in the next Moto GP in china with the 2 big straights.

Circuit Shanghai

Pole position Left


Lenth 5281 m.


Longest straight 1202 m.


Left turns 7


Right turns 7


width 14m.

[MuteWitness]

Originally Posted by BigDonWizzle

wot pub would that be fred..........

I would love to go to a nice pub to watch motogp but havnt found a pub that shows it yet!

[fredsredhat]

My local will show it. I've asked :-) (hillsborough hotel) Rossi's whining that some of elias' passes were dangerous!! you dont have to think too far back on "that last lap" where he stood gibernau up mid corner time after time. Sorry Rossi but thats racing.

[BigDonWizzle]

your right fred thats racing..but i think rossi is just playing games..

[BigDonWizzle]

Full MotoGP qualifying times from the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai, round four of the 2007 world championship.

1. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1min 58.424 secs

2. John Hopkins USA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1min 59.315 secs

3. Colin Edwards USA Fiat Yamaha Team (M) 1min 59.406 secs

4. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1min 59.516 secs

5. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1min 59.602 secs

6. Marco Melandri ITA Gresini Honda (B) 1min 59.863 secs

7. Randy de Puniet FRA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1min 59.985 secs

8. Alex Barros BRA Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (B) 2min 0.052 secs

9. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 2min 0.087 secs

10. Shinya Nakano JPN Konica Minolta Honda (M) 2min 0.157 secs

11. Alex Hofmann GER Pramac d'Antin MotoGP (B) 2min 0.175 secs

12. Toni Elias SPA Gresini Honda (B) 2min 0.205 secs

13. Carlos Checa SPA Honda LCR (M) 2min 0.319 secs

14. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 2min 0.369 secs

15. Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 2min 0.680 secs

16. Kenny Roberts USA Team Roberts (M) 2min 0.763 secs

17. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Dunlop Tech 3 Yamaha (D) 2min 1.157 secs

18. Makoto Tamada JPN Dunlop Tech 3 Yamaha (D) 2min 1.178 secs

i could not believe that rossi smashed 990 lap record which no one in the last ten Min's came close to catch in, but i think it will be a different race tomorrow and a very hard race for rossi as a lot of us see stoner or any other ducati as favorite.

[fredsredhat]

Wasn't every ducati faster down the straight? it's a shame Roberts is so down the order. last year he fought a good few races, same for melandri and capirossi.