Race 1: Qatar (Spoiler)

[Sean]

What did you think?

Honda: They were killing it, especially down the straits! For awhile they were 1, 2 and 3. Stoner and Pedrosa looked really good on them.

Ducati- Rossi did better than I thought, but it really seemed like the bike was underpowered. Didn't Barbara pass him on the straight? And you would think that Hayden would be settled into the bike by now.

Tech 3: Nice to see Edwards putting up a fight and staying in the top 10. He's like a rock. I think Cal is going to have a little learning curve.

San Carlo: Simoncelli? First race fluke or contender?

Suzuki: Hopkins is covering for Bautista after that nasty crash. Did anything actually happen to Loris?

Pramac: whoops... Bad race!

[salsashark]

Honda - as expected... they want the 800cc title, they wanted Stoner, Stoner crushes Qatar... nuff said

Ducati - Rossi's said numerous times that they have a lot of work to do to his riding style and the bike to make them work well together... Came in about like I expected... But how about that launch?! I personally feel like Hayden's along for the ride in 2011. He's never liked the 800cc class. I think we'll see him perk back up in 2012 when they go back to a 1000cc bike.

Yamaha facory/tech 3 - pretty much what I expected as well.

Suzuki - well, another American joins the paddock... for a while at least.

Pramac - disappointed. I really want to see them do well.

[CaneZach]

Personally, I didn't find the race to be that exciting. I enjoyed it because it kicks off the 2011 season, but there wasn't a whole lot of action. Granted, I was working and watching simultaneously, so I didn't give the race my full attention, but it just didn't have a lot of action from what I saw.

The Hondas were indeed killing it. They made the other bikes seem slow. Stoner rides Losail very well!

Ducs gonna Duc. Beautiful bikes, but I just don't understand how they seem to be at a disadvantage every year. It seems like no one can get those bikes set up properly for them. I know there have been rumors in the past about the Duc techs telling the riders how the bike will be set up, instead of letting the riders dictate, but I don't know how true they are.

Edwards is still a great rider. I'm sure Crutchlow will come around.

Having watched Simoncelli when he was on 125's and 250's, he's a great rider who will likely be in the 5-10 range with some podiums along the way. He'd probably be better on a factory ride, but I don't know if he'd ever be a guy who consistently challenges for podiums, like a Rossi, Lorenzo, etc.

[Sean]

Having watched Simoncelli when he was on 125's and 250's, he's a great rider who will likely be in the 5-10 range with some podiums along the way. He'd probably be better on a factory ride, but I don't know if he'd ever be a guy who consistently challenges for podiums, like a Rossi, Lorenzo, etc.

I never watched him back then, guess I should have. I know last year he was getting his nose in a couple of battles, but never thought of him as a real contender for top five. Granted, picking out the season via the first race is just dumb, but maybe he'll be hanging around with the leaders a little?

Personally, I have a feeling Dovi is going to start working his way up the ladder. He's showing a ton of potential.

[drago52]

I thought the race was awesome. I was disappointed that Spies didn't do better than he did, but I thought there were some great battles. The first half of the race with pedrosa/stoner/lorenzo was great then towards the end with spies/rossi, lorenzo/stoner. I expected Simoncelli to do well. He was flying towards the end of last year and has no fear about blasting people out of the way to get a position. I definitely expect him to crash others or himself out in several races. How about that save by Rossi during the pass by Spies!? that was sweet.

Although I don't really like Lorenzo, the guy can ride a bike. He fought it out. I'm glad it wasn't stoner/pedrosa running away with it would have been boring. Regarding the hondas, it was pretty amazing to watch those bikes from the on-board view shifting through gears under acceleration and leaned over. incredible. Can't wait for the next race.

Dovi actually did better than I expected and Hayden too, but he still needs to be higher up. ah well. we'll see at the next race.

[rybo]

After doing really well in 250's he did a 1 off ride on the Aprilia in WSBK and finished in the top 5 first time out. No question that Marco has the talent and agression required to ride at the world level. We will see him on the podium this year.

In addition to sorting out the bike, Rossi needs his shoulder to heal. Surgery over the off season seems to have made it worse, not better, and the demading nature of the Ducati not suiting his riding style only makes that problem worse.

Jorge is the guy to beat this year. He's coming off of a championship season on a well developed bike and riding it with GREAT consistency. He's wearing the #1 - so he'll be the target that everyone else is aiming for. He had a great ride on Sunday.

Casey is looking great. Pre-Ducati he had a bad habit of making frequent unscheduled encounters with the ground. If he can keep that demon away he's going to do very well this year. It looks like Honda pushed a pile of money at the RC212V for 2011, just before the layout of the bike becomes outdated. Much like the first generation of the 990 there have got to be people asking how much they spent to make the bike exceptional for 2011.

From the looks of it the Honda was the dominant platform at the race, and either Dani chose the wrong tire or he chose to push too hard in the opening stages damaging his chances of an end of race run. The bike was clearly fast enough, and no one starts the race better than him, but it simply didn't last the distance.

The main reason for the layout change for 2012 is to get more bikes on the grid. This is the premier class of motorcycle racing in the world and a mere 13 riders finished the race. Add the 1000cc production based engines back in, make the sport accessible to more teams (read lower budgets) and the grid will grow. Then we will see a "championship within a championship" develop with the factory bikes fighting for the title and the satellite bikes running for "king of the alsorans"

S

I never watched him back then, guess I should have. I know last year he was getting his nose in a couple of battles, but never thought of him as a real contender for top five. Granted, picking out the season via the first race is just dumb, but maybe he'll be hanging around with the leaders a little?

Personally, I have a feeling Dovi is going to start working his way up the ladder. He's showing a ton of potential.

[Sean]

Rybo: I did listen to them talk about Rossi and his shoulder...but a part of my gut says that they are just using it as a scapegoat and he just doesn't have the bike going well. I have nothing to prove that, but I just have a hard time believeing that Rossi is not doing well becuase of the shoulder. He's to much of a fighter. I just felt like his bike wasn't able to keep up with how he could ride. Then again, I could be totally full of shit.

I thought it might be kind of interesting to look at last years. I think Casey was leading it for most of the time, and then crashed out. Maybe it's not really Bautista's type of track?

1. Valentino Rossi ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 42m 50.099s
2. Jorge Lorenzo SPA Fiat Yamaha Team 42m 51.121s
3. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Repsol Honda Team 42m 51.964s
4. Nicky Hayden USA Ducati Marlboro Team 42m 51.975s
5. Ben Spies USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 42m 54.002s
6. Randy de Puniet FRA LCR Honda MotoGP 42m 59.421s
7. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 43m 6.607s
8. Colin Edwards USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 43m 9.966s
9. Loris Capirossi ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 43m 10.992s
10. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Interwetten Honda MotoGP 43m 11.199s
11. Marco Simoncelli ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 43m 21.737s
12. Hector Barbera SPA Paginas Amarillas Aspar 43m 22.672s
13. Marco Melandri ITA San Carlo Honda Gresini 43m 30.879s
DNF:
Alvaro Bautista SPA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP
Aleix Espargaro SPA Pramac Racing
Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team
Mika Kallio FIN Pramac Racing


Edwards is as steady as they come! Colin Edwards MotoGP Champion 2011!!!!!!!!!!!

[LambeauXLIV]

From the looks of it the Honda was the dominant platform at the race, and either Dani chose the wrong tire or he chose to push too hard in the opening stages damaging his chances of an end of race run. The bike was clearly fast enough, and no one starts the race better than him, but it simply didn't last the distance.

I think Pedrosa had arm pump, if I recall correctly....

[dirkterrell]

Interesting read:

http://www.motomatters.com/analysis/...ew_hundre.html

Dirk

[TinkerinWstuff]

Interesting read:

http://www.motomatters.com/analysis/...ew_hundre.html

Dirk

yes it was. Thanks for sharing

[Pharmgirl]

My prediction of Stoner, Lorenzo, Pedrosa stands. Though now that Pedrosa admits to still being injured, I may move him down and bump up Rossi or Simoncelli. Hmmmm... We'll see how Jerez is. As always, Cal Crutchlow on the loser podium, to be joined by Toni Elias and now, Hopkins.

[cromer611]

stoner lorenzo, simoncelli

[Sean]

I think Pedrosa had arm pump, if I recall correctly....

At first I thought it was the tires, but then he got a 2nd wind and started coming back strong. Arm pump makes sense.