2018 MOTOGP Season ****SPOILER ALERT*** *****WARNING - SPOILER *******

[The Black Knight]

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2018/0...-yamaha/268587

Figured Morbidelli would be one to go. Little surprised by Quartararo. But he's new and brings a breathe of fresh air to the paddock. He's a better and safer bet than some of the re-treads left(i.e. Smith, Abraham, Redding etc..)

Speaking of Redding, did you see his comments about Aprilia and the bike after the race?? Suffice to say, he didn't just burn that bridge, he took off and nuked the site from orbit just to be sure. Honestly though, I can't blame the guy for laying into Aprilia the way he did. I'm not saying Redding is an amazing rider or had tons of promise but if a manufacture isn't willing to fix some problems. Then it will eventually come out. I think A. Espargaro is basically overriding the bike, whereas Redding just gave up on it.

His comments: https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/90...end-hell-start

Now, I'm just waiting for the same thing to come from Vinales. Though, I think Maverick wants to win and has a more professional approach to the whole concept. He's not going to burn the bridge. Yet, you can tell he's getting really frustrated. Which I think has to do with how he started last year. He won three races in five races, dominated winter testing and was touted as being the one to take the fight to Marquez. Then the wheels came off when the heat went up and they(Yamaha) lost their way. So he knows he can win, and being win-less for so long just makes it even more excruciating.

[madvlad]

Decent results from Yamaha so far in FP1-2, hope weather stays dry for tomorrow

[The Black Knight]

Decent results from Yamaha so far in FP1-2, hope weather stays dry for tomorrow

Hope for a dry race, would like to see what, if any advancements Yamaha made during the Misano test. Rossi said, he tried some new stuff in FP2 that Vinales has used at the Misano test and that it was positive. So we'll see.

As usual, I'm not holding my breath though, this is Silverstone and anything can happen. Probably get rained out, we haven't had a proper rain race this season.

[The Black Knight]

LOL!!! Factory Yamaha really have their head in their ass....

[madvlad]

Spoke too soon... lord wtf was that?

[madvlad]

Ahhhhh fucking rain...

[The Black Knight]

Ahhhhh fucking rain...

Heard that!!

An investigation has been launched. Six weeks and we'll get an answer as to what the problem is. I can already tell them what their problem is, poor design and zero storm water runoff.

I'm sure the UK have their own set of "codes" they have to permit for. But here in the US, just about everything new(meaning new buildings, or parking lots for that matter) are required to have catch basins or sediment retention ponds that catch the storm water run off and then let it filter down either through the sediment itself or then fill up to a point and then release that water into culverts that divert the water into a river or stream.

Silverstone really needs to in the off season, trench two long lines, along that back straight and install lots of french drains. They can then drain into a main drain/pipe and that can take the water off site, via storm water run off system.

Also wouldn't hurt to go along the back straight and cut in a long swale with check damns that would help with water run off and sediment retention.

Obviously, any storm water management system can and sometimes will get overwhelmed with water. That usually occurs during quick bursts of extreme torrential downpours, and not the steady rains we saw in Silverstone.

That whole fiasco at Silverstone could have been avoided if someone would have paid attention and installed proper BMP's for storm water runoff.

[madvlad]

Yeah not sure how it all works in that area but definitely zero drainage. That company is about to get the daylights used out of them for damages from both silverstone and Dorna. Fans were livid and there was talk that no refunds would be given. This is going to create some problems for the future scheduling of silverstone

[salsashark]

Well, for you two, look at the upside. Yamaha didn't lose any points to Honda and Ducati this weekend...

[The Black Knight]

Yeah not sure how it all works in that area but definitely zero drainage. That company is about to get the daylights used out of them for damages from both silverstone and Dorna. Fans were livid and there was talk that no refunds would be given. This is going to create some problems for the future scheduling of silverstone

Wow, no refunds?? Now that is a dick move. If they aren't going to refund the money, then what should be done, is those people keep their tickets and present them at next year's British GP and they can gain entrance for free(well not free, as they've paid for a race they never got).

Wouldn't mind seeing Donington make a comeback at least it's able to be raced on during rains.

Or another thing they could do, is look into moving the timing of the British GP. It's always in mid-summer and that's a bad time for rains. Maybe move it up into the Spring time or back during the Fall. Might help in missing the heavy rain season. I know, it's England and it's always wet there but they need to figure something out. People shouldn't be getting jived out of their money with tickets to a race that gets cancelled.

They did the right thing in cancelling because it would have been chaos for all the racers. I remember(thinking it was back in 2014) that a rider in WSBK died at the Russia track because of the torrential rains while racing. Was a big accident caused by all the spray kicked up.

Well, for you two, look at the upside. Yamaha didn't lose any points to Honda and Ducati this weekend...

LOL!! that's what I was thinking. Yamaha must have been happy to not get their teeth kicked in for the nth time this season.

Don't worry though, they'll get it handed to them in Misano in a few weeks time.

What sucks is I really feel back for Rossi(as I'm a huge fan) and Vinales(I think he's a good racer). They are the two having to deal with the embarrassment out on track.

As for Yamaha the company, the top brass and team managers, it just puts a smile on my face every time they taste failure.

It's the same reason I piled on Ducati all the time(before they started being competitive again). I had nothing against the brand or the bike. But my issue was with the manufacture itself being so blind and believing their own BS, that they wouldn't listen to their riders. They did it with Stoner, they really did it with Rossi. And it wasn't until they brought in D'allngna and got the concessions when they started to turn things around. They let someone with a visions take the helm and drive the development and actually help make a bike that was competitive.

Suzuki on the other hand is different. I'm a Suzuki guy through and through. Suzuki can make a great bike, their problem is retaining a great rider. They had one in Vinales, and I think he would have taken that bike to levels I'm afraid they won't see anytime soon now. I think he could have been a championship contender with the Suzuki. From my personal point of view, had I been in Vinales shoes. I wouldn't have chosen to stay with Suzuki and have the bike completely developed around me. Sure, Yamaha looks great and wonderful and it was a championship winning bike. Problem is, it sucks now and it's really deflated him. Rossi is pretty immune to this kind of disappointment. I mean, he did two years on a Ducati that went nowhere. So he's built up the mental fortitude to tough through this. Vinales, may never rebound if he can't get some results.

[madvlad]

Well, for you two, look at the upside. Yamaha didn't lose any points to Honda and Ducati this weekend...

Lol

[longrider]

A sad note for anybody with DirecTV, BeIN Sports is in contract dispute with DirecTV and the channel is down. Comcast I believe is still down too. I dont know how this will turn out as they are not asking for more money per subscriber but they want to be moved into a lower package which means more subscribers and therefore more expense. If it doesnt work out hopefully Dorna can work things out with Fox Sports for both MotoGP and WSB

[The Black Knight]

A sad note for anybody with DirecTV, BeIN Sports is in contract dispute with DirecTV and the channel is down. Comcast I believe is still down too. I dont know how this will turn out as they are not asking for more money per subscriber but they want to be moved into a lower package which means more subscribers and therefore more expense. If it doesnt work out hopefully Dorna can work things out with Fox Sports for both MotoGP and WSB

Would really like to see this happen, as it's getting old seeing how stubborn BeIN Sports is getting with their channel. I'd love to see WSBK and MotoGP go back to Fox Sports 1 or 2. Would mean we'd get it back in HD, cause even when I used to get BeIN Sports on DTV, it never came in good HD. Not compared to MotoGP.com's HD streaming that is. But I've got the subscription for MotoGP, what I'd like to get back is WSBK.

The only thing cool about BeIN is their YouTube channel they have, where I get to watch the MotoAmerica races for free. Usually get them a day or two late but who cares, they are free streaming and I still get to see the races.

[madvlad]

Fox sports probably won’t get it again as they only broadcast like 1/2 the race cause they’re too busy making money from ads lol

[The Black Knight]

Fox sports probably won’t get it again as they only broadcast like 1/2 the race cause they’re too busy making money from ads lol

I agree with that. I'd say that was the main drawback with Fox Sports, is they showed more BS ads than the race. At least with BeIN Sports, you got the whole race and even the parc ferme celebrations.

Not sure if you remember, but back in the day with the old Speed Channel/Speedvision. They would show the whole race and then the post race press conference as well. I used to think back then, that it was normal to see the post race interview conference. Then slowly it all started to change and the races would cut off and not show the interviews. I'd have to say it was right around when DORNA fully took over and started moving the post race conference to a couple hours after the race. So the only way to catch the interviews would be via the motogp.com subscription.

The good old days lol!!

[madvlad]

Oh dude the days of speedvision were the shit even when F1 and WRC were worth watching. That channel was a proper petrol head channel

[The Black Knight]

Oh dude the days of speedvision were the shit even when F1 and WRC were worth watching. That channel was a proper petrol head channel

Oh for sure it was great. I always looked forward to Two Wheel Tuesday where we got all things two wheels that day.

I will say, that I do enjoy the way Formula 1 is televised now. I know some may think that's crazy but I love the level of professionalism with ESPN sports, even better than NBCSports they had been on for the last few years. Least with F1, you get all the practices, Q1-Q3 and Race. They aren't as stingy with Formula 1 here.

But yeah, once Speedvision went away, just about all interest in any kind of two wheel racing went with it.


P.S.
I honestly think if they brought back the old Speedvision and put all things racing back on that platform. It would flourish once again. I know many people were bummed to see the evolution of Speedvision go down the drain. Put it back to the way it first started and I bet people would love to have it back.

[longrider]

Has MotoGP just become a 2 person conversation here?? Racing is what both brought me to DirecTV and made me quit. When Speedvision was launched my cable company was not going to have it so I switched to then new DirecTV. 19 years later when MotoGP moved to BeIN Sports I left. While the upgrade to my package to add BeIN was a wash with the streaming package that devalued the rest of DirecTV. I was paying $100/month for basically DVR service and about 6 series a year I cant get with an antenna. A TiVo for DVR is less than $15/month and those 6 series on iTunes is about $180. I also discovered this year when I could watch Austin at a friends house I greatly prefer the world feed announcers to the ones on BeIN

[The Black Knight]

Has MotoGP just become a 2 person conversation here?? Racing is what both brought me to DirecTV and made me quit. When Speedvision was launched my cable company was not going to have it so I switched to then new DirecTV. 19 years later when MotoGP moved to BeIN Sports I left. While the upgrade to my package to add BeIN was a wash with the streaming package that devalued the rest of DirecTV. I was paying $100/month for basically DVR service and about 6 series a year I cant get with an antenna. A TiVo for DVR is less than $15/month and those 6 series on iTunes is about $180. I also discovered this year when I could watch Austin at a friends house I greatly prefer the world feed announcers to the ones on BeIN

I'm sure you've probably seen the motogp.com subscription. In my opinion it's well worth the price. I've been on a yearly subscription, where mine expires at the end of each racing season and then I renew in just before Winter testing of the next year. I still only pay $150 a year, and that gives me access to everything. All the extra content you can't get without the subscription. Plus all the FP's, Q1 and Q2, plus races. Not to mention all the old races, I believe you can go back as far as 1996 and watch old races. So it really is worth every penny if you use it a lot. I do, I go back and watch old races from time to time and catch all the other content that is offered.

Plus, I'm with you, I like motogp announcers way better. I miss Nick Harris as I enjoyed his commentary but the new guy isn't that bad.

Only issues I run into the subscription is streaming problems. Seems around some races, I have some issues with streaming but that could be a number of reasons.

And yes, MotoGP has become a two person conversation here

[madvlad]

MotoGP pass is the way to go for the money after all is said and done. Cable TV is getting Uber overrated and programming gets worse and worse and it gets pricier and pricier.

[Mother Goose]

Or just get a VPN, and download your shows/races for free on the internets and save a shit ton of money....

[salsashark]

2019 Provisional Calendar

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2018/09/04/provisional-2019-calendar-released

1. QATAR GP Losail International Circuit 10th MARCH *
2. ARGENTINA GP Termas de Rio Hondo 31st MARCH
3. AMERICAS GP Circuit of the Americas 14th APRIL
4. SPANISH GP Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto 05th MAY
5. FRENCH GP Le Mans 19th MAY
6. ITALIAN GP Autodromo di Mugello 02nd JUNE
7. CATALUNYA GP Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya 16th JUNE
8. DUTCH GP TT Circuit Assen 30th JUNE
9. GERMAN GP Sachsenring 07th JULY
10. CZECH GP Automotodrom Brno 04th AUGUST
11. AUSTRIAN GP Red Bull Ring - Spielberg 11th AUGUST
12. BRITISH GP Silverstone Circuit 25th AUGUST
13. SAN MARINO GP Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli 15th SEPTEMBER
14. ARAGON GP MotorLand Aragon 22nd SEPTEMBER
15. THAI GP Chang International Circuit 06th OCTOBER
16. JAPANESE GP Twin Ring Motegi 20th OCTOBER
17. AUSTRALIAN GP Phillip Island Circuit 27th OCTOBER
18. MALAYSIAN GP Sepang International Circuit 03rd NOVEMBER
19. VALENCIA GP Circuit Ricardo Tormo 17th NOVEMBER

[madvlad]

They need Laguna back

[salsashark]

That would be nice, but Laguna doesn't need MotoGP and their required track updates, so...

I will say this. Having been to GP at all three US locations, they're all strong and weak in different areas.

- Laguna Seca was great based on local, but the track's a nightmare to get in and out of. Felt like club racing after attending races at Indy.
- Indy was way more professional, but given the size of the place, I can see why it didn't work. 80K people (IIRC was the most they ever saw for GP) barely made a dent in that place. All that infrastructure comes at a cost. It's too bad, because listening to the GP bikes screaming down the front straight was insane
- COTA puts on a great show, but honestly the race is the most boring part. And I'm not just talking about 93 smoking the field... The track's designed for F1 first and foremost. So for bikes, it's just meh...

I'll keep going back though. The U.S. won't have a hope or prayer of ever seeing more than one race if they can't make COTA work.