Moto GP at Assen (spoiler)

[Valguard]

Yes! Felt so good to hear the national anthem playing. Good job Spies! Miles ahead of the rest.

A little more of a parade than a race, but still good. So glad to see Spies really do something. I hope it continues and I hope he actually has some balls to get around people on the track now. Guess we'll see at the next one.

But hey! If he can just stay in first place the whole time, I guess he wont have to!?

Oh Marco, why am I not surprised? Too bad for Jorge. That's got to be frustrating.

[Tylar]

[JustSomeDude]

A little more of a parade than a race...

Just like the last four years. I wish they'd get rid of the f*cking electronics already. The races, and grid sizes, blow.

Spies +8 second gap at Assen
Stoner +15 second gap at Silverstone
Stoner +14 second gap at Le Mans
Lorenzo +19 second gap at Jerez

[Ted]

I am digging Yamama's new colours.

[Stank Juic3]

YAMAHA FTMFW. I'm just bias!

[Valguard]

Just like the last four years. I wish they'd get rid of the f*cking electronics already. The races, and grid sizes, blow.

Spies +8 second gap at Assen
Stoner +15 second gap at Silverstone
Stoner +14 second gap at Le Mans
Lorenzo +19 second gap at Jerez

I agree. They will never get rid of it though. As they say, those factory teams are in the business of selling bikes, not racing. I think I read an interview with Edwards saying that they best MotoGP could do is move to a single electronics package for all the bikes. I think that's what F-1 does? I've also heard that lifting the fuel restrictions would make a huge difference. Anyway, who knows. I was hoping 2012 with the 1000cc would bring back some driver skill, but I think its going to be exactly the same as it is now. :[ (not that there is no driver skill, just that there is less driver freedom/style so you get these kind of races.)

[CaneZach]

Why did they race today instead of Sunday?

[DanFZ1]

Why did they race today instead of Sunday?

I wish I knew. It caught me totally off guard. I went to the MotoGP website not expecting the race to have already been run. I wanted to find out when they were going to start on Sunday. So what's the first thing I see? "Spies Lands First MotoGP Victory".

...that actually kind of SPOILED it for me.

The upside though, was that it wasn't going to take too long to figure out who the winner was going to be anyway. (...and we got to see Marco high-side again...)

[spideyrdr]

FINALLY got to watch the race. (I have a 1-year-old and was on call this weekend to boot). I want a bowl of whatever Spies had for breakfast - it was a great ride. Simoncelli can suck it - that idiot needs to be booted out out the premier class.

btw, hotbodies posted a spoiler on their facebook page minutes after the race ended. YOU DO NOT DO THAT. If you are sponsored by them or are 'friends' with them on facebook, I highly recommend you let them know that posting race results right after the race ends is generally LAAAAAME.

[JustSomeDude]

Why did they race today instead of Sunday?

Assen is always Saturday... it's a tradition for the Dutch circuit.

As for how/when the tradition started - I couldn't tell ya.

Simoncelli can suck it - that idiot needs to be booted out out the premier class.

I'm sure he's getting pretty stern "talking tos" from his team bosses. He's starting to piss off one too many riders on the grid. I have a feeling that his being "booted" may end up happening sooner than later if he doesn't straighten his act out.

[trinitypowder]

I like Super Sic. As stated early with the huge margins of victory and the only real racing taking place for 13th posistion, ol' Simoncelli keeps everybody on their toes and gives us some excitement. Besides that, Lorenzo is a puss.

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

The best thing they can do is go back to 1000cc, go back to gas tanks large enough to run the race instead of make it a fuel-mileage event, and ban electronic rider aids entirely. F1 DOES have a standard ECU, but there are no electronic aids anymore. The only electronic control I'd be in favor of would be to have the throttle be like a rheostat in controlling engine speed (varied by the throttle bodies and/or ignition curve) as opposed to the throttle controlling the throttle bodies with the engine speed being a byproduct of butterfly angle and engine load. CRUCIAL difference. It would not be traction control, but would definately smooth out power delivery, making the gas engine behave more like an electric motor with active speed control. I twould still allow the rider to make mistakes, unlike the TC now.

[The Black Knight]

The best thing they can do is go back to 1000cc, go back to gas tanks large enough to run the race instead of make it a fuel-mileage event, and ban electronic rider aids entirely. F1 DOES have a standard ECU, but there are no electronic aids anymore. The only electronic control I'd be in favor of would be to have the throttle be like a rheostat in controlling engine speed (varied by the throttle bodies and/or ignition curve) as opposed to the throttle controlling the throttle bodies with the engine speed being a byproduct of butterfly angle and engine load. CRUCIAL difference. It would not be traction control, but would definately smooth out power delivery, making the gas engine behave more like an electric motor with active speed control. I twould still allow the rider to make mistakes, unlike the TC now.

Yeah but in F1 now, the drivers can change how much or how little downforce their cars produce. The teams always figure a way around the restrictions. F1 got rid of traction control, so the teams have now developed driver controlled down force(which is basically traction control, just not in controlled by the engine).

Oh yeah, great race and I'm glad Spies finally got his first. He was very fast this weekend and it was nice to see Stoner with his typical sad face during the interviews.

Only other thing I'd like to see is Ducati finding Rossi some speed. It's getting real old not watching #46 up in the front battling it out. It's like a complete reversal from 2007(when the Ducati 800cc debuted). Back then it had all the power(was the bike to beat), now it's sucking hind tit. Rossi's been able to be consistent and keep himself in the points and not far off at this point. But if they can't find him something soon, his and their season will be over.

[DanFZ1]

The best thing they can do is go back to 1000cc, go back to gas tanks large enough to run the race instead of make it a fuel-mileage event, and ban electronic rider aids entirely. F1 DOES have a standard ECU, but there are no electronic aids anymore. The only electronic control I'd be in favor of would be to have the throttle be like a rheostat in controlling engine speed (varied by the throttle bodies and/or ignition curve) as opposed to the throttle controlling the throttle bodies with the engine speed being a byproduct of butterfly angle and engine load. CRUCIAL difference. It would not be traction control, but would definately smooth out power delivery, making the gas engine behave more like an electric motor with active speed control. I twould still allow the rider to make mistakes, unlike the TC now.

I would just be happy if they got rid of the spec. tire rule.
I can also see where a mechanical slipper clutch and an ignition management system would make sense, but I wouldn't go beyond that.
Making it easier to get the bike dialed in from a pit crew's point of view is just fine by me; but that having been said, the fewer rider aides the better.

Lap times won't keep dropping without that new technology and, getting the brake, clutch and throttle set just the way each individual alien likes it is a big part of seeing the those lap times drop.

[Valguard]

I seriously think just dropping the fuel restrictions alone would make all the difference. Its one change and totally doable. I would think it would be a win-win for everyone.

[Sean]

Just saw the race....

Spies- FTMFW! Way to go! He rode his ass off.

Jorge- Last to sixth after a crash, that's a good ride too. He's showing signs of a younger Rossi weaving through the traffic. It doesn't matter if you don't like him, he's one hell of a rider. Not to mention, he was only another second away from 5th.

Rossi- is getting lucky that people are crashing. Otherwise he'd be 9th or 10th, instead he's like 5th in the points.

Stoner/Dovi- solid ride, but pretty boring. Stoner is pulling away in the points. Almost 50 point lead?

Marco- Stuffed Jorge in the corner and then bin it. What a dick. He was slightly out of control before he went in the corner and then lost it. It wasn't as bad as some of his other moves, but it's still a dick move that could potentially screw someone else out of the championship. He's quick, but he needs to learn some manners and how to stay on the fucking bike.

Speaking of DePuniet...dude has only finished two out of seven races. That just sucks!