MotoGP 2004 (was: pre-MotoGP)

[flero]

Bridgestone Quickly Earns Respect of MotoGP Community :devil:

One year ago, could you possibly imagine a factory MotoGP squad, desperate to improve the overall performance of its bike, switching to Bridgestones rather than Michelins? Probably not. Well, according to various reports, Kawasaki's MotoGP team should be switching from Dunlop to Bridgestone for 2004.

With just two years in MotoGP under its belt, Bridgestone has done a remarkable job. Makoto Tamada showed the potential of the Bridgestones this season, and Kawasaki is undoubtedly betting on the Bridgestone tires being at least equivalent to the long-dominant Michelin tires next year.

[BONO]

Katova nesreča razjasnjena

V grobem so prišli do spodaj opisanih spoznanj. Kato se je pripravljal na vstop v zadnjo šikano, zato je imel motor v prvi prestavi, hkrati pa je težo prenesel naprej in se nagnil v desno.

Kata je nato pri hitrosti približno 170 kilometrov na uro bočno odneslo s steze, tako da je motocikel z levo stranjo in hitrostjo približno 150 kilometrov na uro zadel v zaščitne gume,

A pri 170 km/h je imel v prvi prestavi? Se je zašaltal??

[Jure007]

A pri 170 km/h je imel v prvi prestavi? Se je zašaltal??

Ne vem zakaj bi se mogu zašaltat :hmm:

Drgač si pa te cifre nism jest zmislu.... sicer pa lepo piše: Njegov motocikel je tik pred nesrečo deloval na sami meji svojih sposobnosti.

[BONO]

Ne vem zakaj bi se mogu zašaltat :hmm:

Drgač si pa te cifre nism jest zmislu.... sicer pa lepo piše: Njegov motocikel je tik pred nesrečo deloval na sami meji svojih sposobnosti.

Nisem prepričan, da gre Honda s prvo 170 km/h.

[hotschko]

Nisem prepričan, da gre Honda s prvo 170 km/h.

zakaj pa ne, če gre 12-ka skoraj tolko, zakaj ne bi šel motor iz najhitrejše moto klase tudi toliko ...

[Jure007]

Nisem prepričan, da gre Honda s prvo 170 km/h.

Se strinjam da gre težko 170 s prvo, vendar pa je na polno priletel po ravnici, ki je pred zadnjo šikano in ko je šaltu nazaj je povsem možno, da ko je šaltnu v prvo da je še vedno drvel 170km/h..... ali tam nekje

[BONO]

Sem bral zdejle na MOTOGP strani. Kato je res priletel v zavoj z 170 km/h v prvi prestavi. Če se prav spomnik poteka proge v Suzuki, je pred šikano en strahotno hiter levi zavoj skozi keterega letijo okoli 250, nato pa ful bremzajo v šikano. Kato je po moje malo prehitro metal prestave dol, pri 170 km/h že vrgel v prvo, drseča sklopka ni mogla skompenzirati zavornega momenta in zadnje kolo je začelo drseti. Piše, da je imelo okoli 30% slipa. Ker pa bremzajo malo nagnjeni, mu je drseče zadnje kolo ušlo iz nadzora.

[Špilferderber]

ALI SE ŽE KAJ VE...?

...če bodo slučajno spet prenosi dirk na TV SLO 2 (pa naj bo mihelič še tako dolgočasen, ga kar malce pogrešam :wub: O:-) )

[Thundercat]

ALI SE ŽE KAJ VE...?

...če bodo slučajno spet prenosi dirk na TV SLO 2 (pa naj bo mihelič še tako dolgočasen, ga kar malce pogrešam :wub: O:-) )

dvomim v to....sem poslal mejl hiši...bomo vidli kaj povedo....

[danci1973]

ALI SE ŽE KAJ VE...?

...če bodo slučajno spet prenosi dirk na TV SLO 2 (pa naj bo mihelič še tako dolgočasen, ga kar malce pogrešam :wub:  O:-) )

[sočutje]

Uboga para, kaj nimaš Eurosporta v angleščini!? :cry:

[/sočutje]

MotoGP gledam na Eurosportu, prestavim jezik na angleščino in ne pogrešam nikogar in ničesar! :yea2:

D.

[Jure007]

[sočutje]

Uboga para, kaj nimaš Eurosporta v angleščini!? :cry:

[/sočutje]

MotoGP gledam na Eurosportu, prestavim jezik na angleščino in ne pogrešam nikogar in ničesar! :yea2:

D.

Se strinjam da ju ni čez Toby-ja in Julian-a na eurosportu. Sta fantastičen komentatorski par.

Samo Danci: zakaj bi bil nekdo, ki bi si moto GP rad ogledal na Slo2 (in mogoče celo ima eurosport) uboga para?? :hmm: :hmm:

[flero]

JEREMY MCWILLIAMS WILL RIDE FOR APRILIA ON THE RSCUBE :devil:

Today is an important day for Jeremy McWilliams: he signed for Aprilia racing directly with Ivano Beggio a contract that will see him riding with Aprilia for the next season.

Jeremy is really satisfied and Aprilia is sure that his rider is a fighting one and a very good tester for the 2004 season. The North Irish rider will be teammate of the other English rider Shane Byrne that recently signed for Aprilia. Jeremy will start testing the RSCube from the next test session scheduled for the second half of January.

For this north Irish rider, who was born in Belfast on the 4th April 1964, 177 cm tall and 66 kilos, this represents an important return. He drove for Aprilia in the years 1999 (he classified 10th) and 2000 with the 500cc and 2001 in the 250cc class when he classified 6th. Jeremy is married and has two sons. During the last two seasons he drove for Proton and for sure he is one of the most experienced rider in the world motorcycle championship: in his carrier he can count on 162 starts, one victory and three pole positions. After having signed the contact the two protagonists declare their mutual satisfaction.

Ivano Beggio: “I’m very satisfied with this choice, I know Jeremy very well and I esteem him , he is fighting on track and a very good tester and we believe he will help us to improve the performance of the bike. On one side we have Byrne that is enthusiastic for his first season, on the other side we have Jeremy who is very experienced and the right man to improve our project. Our aim for the 2004 season is to make a good performance in the championship and to develop at his best this bike “made in Noale” which is improving day by day .

Jeremy McWilliams: “I’m very happy: coming back to work for Aprilia is like coming back home. The President, Jan Witteveen and all the technical staff are for me a big family and I always have had a special feeling with this company. I really look forward to start testing but unfortunately I have to wait until January, I really look forward to this adventure. I will do my best , I believe in this project and in its big potential. It won’t be easy at the beginning but I’m sure that this project can give us big satisfactions. I really look forward to ride the “evolution” version, that is to say the bike of the 2004 season. I ‘m confident to say that I will do my best to bring the RSCube to its highest performance.

[flero]

SUPERMOTO WIN FOR BIAGGI

Max Biaggi honed his Supermoto skills by winning a two-hourendurance race in Rome on Sunday. The Camel Pramac Pons star paired up with European Supermoto contestant Simone Girolamito ride the Honda to victory. It was good preparation for Biaggi who takes on the likes of Loris Capirossi, Troy Bayliss, Gary McCoy, Carlos Checa and 250cc World Champion Manuel Poggiali in a special "Superbikers" of Supermoto at the Bologna Motorshow in Italy next Monday (December 8).

WAITING ON DATES

There may be some changes to the 2004 MotoGP calendar because of the proposed cancellation of the French Formula One Grand Prix at Magny Cours next year. If the French F1 Grand Prix is cancelled the promoters of the British F1 Grand Prix at Silverstone would alter the date of their race to July 11 which would clash with the British MotoGP event at Donington Park. Obviously such a clash is not beneficial to either event and it appears that the Donington date would be changed. If the change occurs it could also affect the dates of other MotoGP events. The Formula One dates will be confirmed at the FIA World Council meeting on December 12 and no decision about Donington will be made until then.

TYRE CHANGES

There are important tyre changes for next season with confirmation that Suzuki have switched to Bridgestones after using Michelin for almost the last 30 years.

American John Hopkins and test rider Kosuko Akioshi have already completed three days of testing the Suzuki GSV-R fitted with Bridgestones at Sepang in Malaysia.

Also at the Sepang test, were the Yamaha trio of Carlos Checa, Norick Abe and Norihiko Fujiwara. Ducati and Aprilia tested the previous week at Jerez in Spain.

The British-based Proton KR team have used Bridgestone tyres for the last two years and are still hoping to continue with them next year.

ROSSI'S YAMAHA DEBUT

World Champion Valentino Rossi will make his long awaited Yamaha debut at Sepang in Malaysia on January 20 next year.Yamaha were hoping that Rossi would be released from his Honda contract to enable him to test this weekend but Honda refused. The 24-year old Italian has nearly two months to wait until his first ride on the M1 machine.

Yamaha have also confirmed that four members of Rossi's Honda World Championship team will move with him to near Monza in Italy, where the Yamaha MotoGP team are based. They are crew chief Jerry Burgess and mechanics Alex Briggs, Bernard Ansiau and Gary Coleman.

[danci1973]

Se strinjam da ju ni čez Toby-ja in Julian-a na eurosportu. Sta fantastičen komentatorski par.

Kaj pa Randy? Skupaj z njim pa so najboljši par... :)

Samo Danci: zakaj bi bil nekdo, ki bi si moto GP rad ogledal na Slo2 (in mogoče celo ima eurosport) uboga para?? :hmm:  :hmm:

Če bi si nekdo RAD ogledal MotoGP na Slo2, potem vsekakor ni uboga para... :hmm:

Če pa nima druge izbire, pa je to bil le moj izbruh sočutja... :lol1:

lp, D.

[flero]

Biaggi and Checa claim Supermoto glory

Max Biaggi shared victory with Carlos Checa at the 'Superbikers' Supermoto event at the Bologna Motor Show yesterday.

Yamaha MotoGP rider Checa won both of the qualifying races but it was Honda rider Max Biaggi who took the honours in the final. Ducati rider Troy Bayliss was initially leading the final race but fell when Biaggi put on the pressure.

MotoGP stars Gary McCoy and Loris Capirossi were also racing with 250GP riders Manuel Poggiali and Alex De Angelis riding the new Aprilia SXV 4.5 V-twin supermoto.

Biaggi was one step ahead of the other riders having already practised with a low key supermoto race appearance in Rome, where the GP star teamed up with European Supermoto racer Simone Girolami to take part in a two-hour endurance race. The pair led from start to finish, on a Honda CRF450, beating Italian national supermoto riders in the process.

The superbikers race was followed by a display from next year's Ducati Desmosedici riders Neil Hodgson, Loris Capirossi, Troy Bayliss and Ruben Xaus.

[TNT]

Do sedaj znana startna lista.

Provisional entry list for the 2004 MotoGP World Championship

 

3. Max Biaggi ITA Honda Camel Pramac Honda Pons

4. Alex Barros BRA Yamaha Fortuna Yamaha Team

6. Makoto Tamada JPN Honda Camel Pramac Honda Pons

7. Carlos Checa SPA Yamaha Gauloises Yamaha Team

9. Nobuatsu Aoki JPN Proton KR Proton Team KR

10. Kenny Roberts USA Suzuki Suzuki Grand Prix Team

11. Ruben Xaus SPA Ducati D'Antin MotoGP

12. Troy Bayliss AUS Ducati Ducati Marlboro Team

15. Sete Gibernau SPA Honda Telefonica Movistar Honda

21. John Hopkins USA Suzuki Suzuki Grand Prix Team

33. Marco Melandri ITA Yamaha Fortuna Yamaha Team

45. Colin Edwards USA Honda Telefonica Movistar Honda

46. Valentino Rossi ITA Yamaha Gauloises Yamaha Team

56. Shinya Nakano JPN Kawasaki Kawasaki Racing Team

65. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Ducati Marlboro Team

66. Alex Hofmann GER Kawasaki Kawasaki Racing Team

67. Shane Byrne GBR Aprilia Aprilia Racing

69. Nicky Hayden USA Honda Repsol Honda

80. Kurtis Roberts USA Proton KR Proton Team KR

99. Jeremy McWilliams GBR Aprilia Aprilia Racing

Tba Neil Hodgson GBR Ducati D'Antin MotoGP

Tba Honda Repsol Honda

tba Harris WCM WCM

tba Harris WCM WCM

Popravljeno December 11, 2003. Popravil TNT

[kycysymet]

46. Valentino Rossi ITA Yamaha Gauloises Yamaha Team

:? :? :?

Ko je bil pri Hondi je rekel, da ne bo nikoli dirkal s tobačnimi sponzorji.

[SF]

"Propušio" je že... Zdej mora sam še "propiti" pa "napuniti šljem"... hehehe

[BONO]

Ko je bil pri Hondi je rekel, da ne bo nikoli dirkal s tobačnimi sponzorji.

Denar sveta vladar!

Ker pa si je Rossi izboril polovico motorja pobarvanega v barve lastnega sponzorja, bo verjetno tobačni napis na njegovem motorju malo manjši kot na Barrosovem.

[kycysymet]

"Propušio" je že... Zdej mora sam še "propiti" pa "napuniti šljem"... hehehe

Propijo je že...

[flero]

Honda MotoGP Riders Get Equal Parts Support in 2004 :P

By Dirck Edge

In the wake of our discussion with readers regarding which rider might receive the "Rossi treatment" from Honda in 2004 , Honda is indicating that all of its MotoGP riders will receive equally fresh, updated parts during the 2004 MotoGP season, according to Max Biaggi. This appears to be a new strategy for Honda which has traditionally favored its star riders (such as Valentino Rossi and Mick Doohan) with exclusive access to the latest parts and engine developments

[flero]

Edwards gets on the pace as Valencia test concludes

Progress continued on the final day of the three-day final test of 2003 at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain, with two of the four Honda riders improving their times and the fourth holding onto the fastest time overall.

For the second time in three days, Telefonica MoviStar Honda's Sete Gibernau finished the day with the fastest time, the Barcelona native making progress while working through the choice between the 16.5 inch and 17 inch front tires. Gibernau ended the day with a time of 1:33.20, well under the 1:33.404 he turned in the season-ending Community of Valencia Grand Prix just six weeks ago. "In the whole three days I haven't touched one click of the bike, just to keep the bike how it was. And that's why I'm so happy," he said. Tomorrow Gibernau is off to play golf with countryman Sergio Garcia.

Team-mate Colin Edwards reverted to fork settings he'd used en route to the 2002 World Superbike Championship aboard the Castrol Honda VTR1000SP-2 and the change was instant and dramatic. A new set of forks installed at mid-day inspired confidence in the Texan and he instantly dropped half a second from his lap time, then consistently lapped in the mid 1:33's, the fastest he'd ever been around the 4.005 kilometre circuit. "They're basically World Superbike forks," Edwards said. "Put it on there and went half a second faster in two laps and kept it there." Edwards lost more than half the day when a mechanical problem sidelined him in the early going. Once back on track, he attacked with his trademark aggression and smoothness, which translated to his best times of the weekend.

Pramac Honda's Makoto Tamada nearly equaled his best lap time from the previous day before crashing after just 20 laps. The Japanese rider had little warning when an oil leak coated his rear tire sending him over the high-side. He was up quickly and unhurt, but his testing day was over.

Camel Pramac Pons' Max Biaggi found an infuriating chatter this morning that never went away. The veteran Italian said the problem was perplexing and kept him from improving on the best lap of the test, a 1:32.88 done on Thursday afternoon. "Basically I lost one day because in the morning I have a chatter problem, big problem," he said.

Overall though, the test was deemed a success by Honda Racing Corporation team manager Shoji Tachikawa. "Everybody made many laps and we tested many items for Michelin and Bridgestone, and they're happy," he said. He was also happy that HRC was able to supply advanced spec motors at the end of the race year, rather than early in the 2004 test season. "We planned the new spec engine a little early. Normally it's January or February. We prepared for the riders now because it's necessary. It's an evolution engine and we'll have a new one for the first test of the New Year."

Sete Gibernau, 1:33.20, 78 laps. - "I think we're doing a great job exactly, that's our main goal to work very hard on what we think has to be the correct bike and the correct setting and the correct tires and that takes a lot of effort from not only me but the whole time to be very concentrated every lap for three days. And not. Just focused on that. And in racing it's very difficult because at the end of the day everyone is looking for the lap time but many of the times you have to put that behind to see what the pace is, to see what happens when you've got 30 laps on the tyre. It's very difficult to go back and forth between the 16.5 and the 17-inch the riding style is completely different. So that's why at the end I'd been able to do low 33's with both and that is why I'm so happy. Now I can race with any of the tyres, although I think my mind is quite clear on what I would like to have. We tried 16.5-inch small rim, big rim, 17 inch small, wide. The overall is the reaction and the speed that the bikes moves from one lean angle completely to the other. That is the biggest difference. The 16.5 really moves very fast from the right to the left. It can't be straight up and down and then throw it. Really when you're on the side to the other side it's faster. There's other areas that we need to work."

Colin Edwards, 1:33.40, 63 laps - "I struggled for the two days just trying to find where the limit was. I had no clue. The front wasn't telling me anything. When I rode this thing at Barcelona, the Showa guys said we have your fork valving from Superbike ready, so you can test that in Valencia. As it turned out that particular setting is one that probably went through about 15 or 18 different settings in 2002, found that one, never changed all year. Same valving, unheard of. Never changed the valving and you know how good that bike was. As it turned out we didn't put it on until midday today. We changed forks, just totally forks. Just different all around. Different valving, different coding, different everything. Did 33's the whole time. It was good. I had no clue what was going on. Then as soon as I put those forks on I remember these. 'I missed you. Thanks honey for coming back.' Stayed on 16.5. this 16.5 is different form the one I was on in 2002, even last year. I was just milling around while the bike was getting put back together. So I was like, when I get back on we'll go as hard as we can for as long as we can."

Makoto Tamada, 1:33.50 - "We had a small problem and for this moment they're checking it. It caused me to fall when there was oil on the tyre. It happened very suddenly in the right at the top of the track before the last corner after the short cut. Luckily, I was not injured. Before I fell, we changed the front fork settings and it helped. But we had a lot of things to test. I wanted to make the fast lap of this test."

Max Biaggi, 1:33.85, 50 laps - "In the morning and afternoon we changed the tyre, the front the rear, we changed the suspension. No change. We used the 17. I tried the 16.5. No change. So a surprise. Also the Japanese are surprised because they see on the data big chatter. They don't know where it's coming from. We set the fast time yesterday and normally you want to go faster. I ended up with such a big problem that we didn't have yesterday at all. When you watch the data, it's fair. That's what happened. That's what you see. They must check."

[flero]

FIM announcement. 2004 MotoGP World Championship Calendar: date changes

The British Grand Prix will be held at the Donington Park circuit on July 25 (instead of July 11). The date of the Rio Grand Prix has also changed; it will take place on Sunday 4 July (instead of Saturday 31 July) at the Autódromo Nelson Piquet in Jacarepaguá.

The calendar is the following:

DATE CIRCUIT COUNTRY

18-4 Welkom South Africa

2-5 Jerez Spain

16-5 Le Mans France

6-6 Mugello Italy

13-6 Catalunya Spain

26-6 Assen Holland

4-7 Rio Brazil

18-7 Sachsenring Germany

25-7 Donington United Kingdom

22-8 Brno Czech Republic

5-9 Estoril Portugal

19-9 Motegi Japan

2-10 Doha Qatar

10-10 Sepang Malaysia

17-10 Phillip Island Australia

31-10 Valencia Spain

[flero]

Hodgson survives MotoGP test scare

Neil Hodgson had luck on his side during his first MotoGP test on the 246bhp Ducati Desmosedici V4.

An oil leak led to some scary slides within his first three minutes on the bike, but fortunately he spotted oil all over his boot and managed to pull in without incident. His steady approach to riding the Ducati saw him finish the tests 10th fastest, with a time of 1:35.15.

And all this was the start of a weekend which saw him collect an FIM Award in Dubai, before jetting back to London to make the final five in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Popravljeno December 19, 2003. Popravil flero

[flero]

The MotoGP World Championship will undergo a small make over for the 2004 season with starting grids narrowed to three riders per row, while the 125cc and 250cc will remain unchanged, and a new 'drive-through' penalty, organisers the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) announced on Thursday.

In order to do away with the superficial ten-second penalty or the laborious stop and go penalty, riders will now be required to ride through the pit lane at the required speed limit. To prevent competitors taking ride-through penalties at the same time, riders will be signalled to ride through on subsequent laps with precedence based on qualifying times.

eurosport.com