MotoGP 2016

Darryl_1983 · 13 Apr 2016 at 15:42

ShakenNstirred said:
yes the Honda's and ducati's etc run different maps, you can set that to what your bike needs, but the software that runs and programs the ECU is the same for every team, they cant like last year have there own software programs, last year tech 3 was running the older Yamaha software as was cals Honda team, so they were always a few version behind.
this year all the teams be it works team or satellite run the same software and hardware version, no one can get or make a newer version, only dorna can update the program and gives it to all the teams at the same time, so no works team advantage anymore.

The customer bikes will be sold with a base map that works with the bike, that team will then need to adjust it from track to track. I'd guess the factory teams will probably help with this to some degree as they still want there customer bikes to perform well against the competition. But the factory teams have a massive advantage in resources and will no doubt have the ecu setup and utilied better than any of the customer teams.

The factory teams still hold an advangtage over the customer teams, just the gap in performance over the entire field seems to have reduced a little this year.

englishpremier · 16 Apr 2016 at 18:30

Not a fan of Austin, or Silverstone. The tracks are too long for MotoGP and make boring races. Shorter tracks for the win.

SoliD · 18 Apr 2016 at 15:23

Lorenzo has left Yamaha, worlds worst kept secret.

benhaha85 · 18 Apr 2016 at 15:28

It'll be interesting to see what Yamaha do this year with regards to upgrades etc. Lorenzo is their best chance of another title so you'd imagine they'd give him all the best bits even with him going.

ShakenNstirred · 18 Apr 2016 at 16:04

benhaha85 said:
It'll be interesting to see what Yamaha do this year with regards to upgrades etc. Lorenzo is their best chance of another title so you'd imagine they'd give him all the best bits even with him going.

To be fair, these days you don't get that many upgrades.
they cant upgrade the engine at all( its spec is locked at the first race of the season), the ECU is only upgradeable by Dorna(everyone gets the update at the same time).
So its only the frames n body work/exhausts

benhaha85 · 18 Apr 2016 at 16:19

Ah fair enough. I don't really follow the off track stuff that much, I just enjoy the racing

Darryl_1983 · 19 Apr 2016 at 11:50

Ducati should be strong next year now with lorenzo on board. The bike is definitely a race winning bike, just needs a top level rider to take the next step up.

Dovi was never anything special, struggled to match pedrosa on the honda, and was about a match with Cal on the yamaha. Iannone maybe has more potential, but he's not there yet.

Hopefully we'll see Honda, Yamaha and Ducati winning races next year. I suspect the Suzuki won't do as well if maverick leaves for a better ride.

ShakenNstirred · 22 Apr 2016 at 19:13

MotoGP Jerez - Free Practice (2) Results

All the top teams are now running wings, Even Aprillia
1. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 39.555s [Lap 16/18] 287km/h (Top Speed)
2. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 39.900s +0.345s [6/18] 290km/h
3. Aleix Espargaro ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 1m 40.093s +0.538s [16/16] 283km/h
4. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 1m 40.229s +0.674s [14/17] 292km/h
5. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 40.282s +0.727s [7/20] 286km/h
6. Maverick Viñales ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 1m 40.448s +0.893s [13/22] 286km/h
7. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP) 1m 40.737s +1.182s [13/15] 294km/h
8. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Yakhnich (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 40.860s +1.305s [14/17] 289km/h
9. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 40.925s +1.370s [17/18] 289km/h
10. Eugene Laverty IRL Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP14.2) 1m 40.925s +1.370s [18/19] 293km/h
11. Andrea Iannone ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP) 1m 41.017s +1.462s [19/19] 295km/h
12. Yonny Hernandez COL Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP14.2) 1m 41.028s +1.473s [15/17] 289km/h
13. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 1m 41.112s +1.557s [6/18] 288km/h
14. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 1m 41.167s +1.612s [20/20] 290km/h
15. Stefan Bradl GER Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 1m 41.178s +1.623s [16/19] 288km/h
16. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 1m 41.287s +1.732s [20/20] 287km/h
17. Loris Baz FRA Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 1m 41.320s +1.765s [14/15] 285km/h
18. Alvaro Bautista ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 1m 41.573s +2.018s [11/19] 285km/h
19. Michele Pirro ITA Octo Pramac Yakhnich (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 41.841s +2.286s [18/18] 290km/h
20. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 1m 41.904s +2.349s [4/15] 281km/h
21. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V)* 1m 42.230s +2.675s [16/21] 282km/h

Banny · 23 Apr 2016 at 14:12

Go vale

ShakenNstirred · 23 Apr 2016 at 19:19

Qualifying 2:
1. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 38.736s [Lap 8/8] 287km/h (Top Speed)
2. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 38.858s +0.122s [6/8] 288km/h
3. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 38.891s +0.155s [8/8] 286km/h
4. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP) 1m 39.580s +0.844s [7/8] 292km/h
5. Maverick Viñales ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 1m 39.581s +0.845s [8/8] 285km/h
6. Aleix Espargaro ESP Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) 1m 39.588s +0.852s [7/7] 282km/h
7. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 39.678s +0.942s [7/8] 287km/h
8. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 1m 39.720s +0.984s [7/8] 288km/h
9. Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 1m 39.742s +1.006s [6/8] 290km/h
10. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 1m 39.881s +1.145s [6/8] 287km/h
11. Andrea Iannone ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP) 1m 40.054s +1.318s [6/6] 294km/h
12. Loris Baz FRA Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP14.2) 1m 40.184s +1.448s [5/5] 284km/h

Qualifying 1:
13. Alvaro Bautista ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 1m 40.239s 285km/h
14. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 1m 40.242s 287km/h
15. Eugene Laverty IRL Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP14.2) 1m 40.292s 287km/h
16. Yonny Hernandez COL Aspar MotoGP Team (Desmosedici GP14.2) 1m 40.335s 287km/h
17. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Yakhnich (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 40.595s 288km/h
18. Stefan Bradl GER Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 1m 40.835s 281km/h
19. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 1m 40.968s 284km/h
20. Michele Pirro ITA Octo Pramac Yakhnich (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 40.985s 289km/h
21. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V)* 1m 41.039s 280km/h

englishpremier · 23 Apr 2016 at 22:49

Was surprised to see Vale pull out that lap after being over 3 tenths down at best on his other fastest laps.

Can't see anyone other than Jorge going into the first corner first though. He really mastered his starts a few years ago. Both Rossi and Marquez seem poor in that area, often losing places.

Banny · 24 Apr 2016 at 13:49

You was so wrong vale dominated totally

teejay73 · 24 Apr 2016 at 14:40

A comprehensive Valentino victory today. Managed it faultlessly! A shame Lorenzo was looking for excuses.....Again! If the rear tyre was this or it was that blah,blah. He had the same compound Michelins as Rossi and Marquez. Truth be told Rossi and his side of the garage had better race tactics end of. Lorenzo needs to be more humble, and not act like a petulant 6 yr old everytime he gets beat by Vr.

Imo, Lorenzo is the fastest there is, but conditions have to favour his rigid "250cc" riding style. Think personally he will win on a Ducati, but reckon 2yrs down the line when Vr retires, he will come back to Yamaha. Won't win a championship on the Duc imo.

mrgubby · 24 Apr 2016 at 15:14

I'm not sure Lorenzo's 250cc riding still will suit the Ducati, but it'll be fun to watch the sulks if it doesn't work out

englishpremier · 24 Apr 2016 at 15:53

Banny said:
You was so wrong vale dominated totally

Happy to be wrong. Not seen him dominate like that for a some time.

SKILL · 25 Apr 2016 at 11:31

Yeah, not the most exciting of races but as a Rossi fan it was good to see him dominate, was not expecting that. Didn't watch or read about Qualifying so just to see him on Pole was a bit of a shock

Agree with the bit about Lorenzo's riding style and the Ducati as well, he appears not to be able to adapt either quickly or possibly at all, when the bike works for him he's crazy good, but when it doesn't work he can be nowhere, or even worse crashing. But it will be fun to see the tantrums/meltdown

Darryl_1983 · 25 Apr 2016 at 12:12

teejay73 said:
A comprehensive Valentino victory today. Managed it faultlessly! A shame Lorenzo was looking for excuses.....Again! If the rear tyre was this or it was that blah,blah. He had the same compound Michelins as Rossi and Marquez. Truth be told Rossi and his side of the garage had better race tactics end of. Lorenzo needs to be more humble, and not act like a petulant 6 yr old everytime he gets beat by Vr.

Imo, Lorenzo is the fastest there is, but conditions have to favour his rigid "250cc" riding style. Think personally he will win on a Ducati, but reckon 2yrs down the line when Vr retires, he will come back to Yamaha. Won't win a championship on the Duc imo.

I think the problem is that Michelin keep changing the construction of the rear tyre. As there is next to no testing, when a new tyre turns up, it can be difficult to find a setting that works in the few hours they get to practice, they were saying that the bridgestone tyres were always only a small development. The michelins on the other hand can be vastly different from one generation to the next. This is what Rossi was moaning about last week, saying that the tyre was fine and it was ducati's problem, etc, as they seemed to be the only ones suffering. He didn't want a new tyre bringing in that didn't suit his bike anymore. Turns out he's the one that made it work best.

Also all the top riders want to win, they all moan and make excuses when they don't win.

Rossi was definitely worth the win this weekend. It's looking like it's going to be another close season this year. I'm just hoping Marc stays on the bike when he's not winning and settles for a podium when he has to. That way it should be a three way battle all the way to the end of the season.

Entai · 25 Apr 2016 at 16:20

Not only are Michelin changing the construction and compounds on their tyres regularly and by big margins, but I think that one set of Michelin's can be vastly different to another set, even of supposedly the same construction and the same compound.

Look at when they had to pit stop and change bikes in Argentina, so many riders got on well with one bike and not with the next, or vice versa.

There were big differences between the way the two bikes handled and sorry that is not down to setup changes that is down to tyres.

Bridgestone used to supply incredibly consistent tyres, month in month out they would handle and behave the same, Michelin is yet to get to that point and until they do riders will lose out on occasions when they get a bad set.

I can believe that Lorenzo does have a slight point, yes a lot can be down to the way he rides but I would bet a lot was down to the tyres as well, he could easily have got a duff rear tyre compared to Rossi's.

ShakenNstirred · 27 Apr 2016 at 06:49

Michelin say the compounds are the same as before, its just the construction of the carcass that stiffer

4T5 · 27 Apr 2016 at 07:00

Was great to see Rossi win again & not only win but completely dominate, was a **** race to watch though but who cares.