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

[asp_125]

Following...

(Mar18th?)

[madvlad]

Following...

(Mar18th?)

Yep, Sunday the 18th at 10 am sharp is when the race lights go off.

[Vance]

Ok, they're going to reserve 15 for the big screen and will adjust up or down as needed. Probably no sound because they don't want to pump it through the entire restaurant. They suggested Tunity, whatever that is...

Let's get a count going.

In as much as I can be!

[~Barn~]

Sounds like a winner!

[madvlad]

Is this happening after all?

[Kim-n-Dean]

Is this happening after all?

I thought it was...

[longrider]

I am going to be there

[madvlad]

Just double checking lol, still in

[Kim-n-Dean]

Just double checking lol, still in

You are riding, even if it snows, right!!

[madvlad]

Weather looks great, I'm riding for sure.

[madvlad]

Confirmed now, Rossi signs for 2 more years

[The Black Knight]

2018 is on!!!

Very good pole from Zarco, can't believe the speed of the top 3 in qualifications. Top three destroyed the lap record that has stood for 10 years. I can't wait for tomorrow, the race looks good.

Marquez is setting up for another title. It's his to lose this year. Zarco is fast, but won't always be there and you could see Marquez sizing him up and watching.

Factory Yamaha, well they are picking up right where they left off, and that's going backwards. Good job, and keep up the good work.

Race predictions:
1. Marquez
2. Dovi or Zarco
3. ???

Yamaha's will be lucky to get into top 5.

2018 = dismal year for Factory Yamaha

[madvlad]

Zarco is a one or two lap type of guy, I'm not holding my breath on that dude. I'm sure same usual suspects however on Rossi I am kind of meh cause of the time change on the race and that could affect conditions for them. Should be a good race nonetheless

[The Black Knight]

Zarco is a one or two lap type of guy, I'm not holding my breath on that dude. I'm sure same usual suspects however on Rossi I am kind of meh cause of the time change on the race and that could affect conditions for them. Should be a good race nonetheless

He is, his overall race pace isn't the best. I'd say Dovi has probably the best race pace. Marquez is kind of up in the air, his pace is better than Zarco's. Rossi on the other hand, his race pace is good. He's not quite where Dovi is at, but he did churn out lots of good consistent laps and FP's weren't all that bad. Honestly, it's Vinales that's really all of nowhere. He only had a decent FP4 and even then, seemed to finally get it all together. If you compare Dovi's FP4(which is indicative of race pace) he was doing high high 55.9's and then a few 55.2's but then you look at Rossi and he did some 55.4's and then a bunch of low 56.0's. So really those two could trade pace during the race.

Rossi is a race day rider, so I expect they will find something for him in warm-up. Vinales in FP4 did do a lot of 55's and 56's, so he may have found something but sure didn't show it during Q2. Having gone 12th is a dismal Q2 and really Rossi's P8 in Q2 isn't that bad, considering he's done it before. I didn't think Rossi really had the pace for front row, but I certainly expected him at least on the 2nd row but oh well, is was it is.

He even said it, there are roughly 12 riders with more or less the same pace. So I think it will be a battle to get to the front first is what will win this race tomorrow. If Rossi can get to the front early and stay with the lead pack, then he's got a shot at the podium. Still I cautiously only see Rossi getting a 3rd for the podium(that's if it all comes together). If he pulls something more out then great but we shall wait and see.

[asp_125]

Heroic last three corners! Great race from Zarco, better luck next time with better tire management.

[The Black Knight]

Heroic last three corners! Great race from Zarco, better luck next time with better tire management.

Yeah I was a little surprised his tires went so quick. Thought he was going to be there until the end. Dovi has a rocket for a bike this year. That thing just blows past everyone down the straight. Marquez going for that banzai move at the end was good. And Rossi held it together and brought home some good points and probably a lot more in confidence that the bike is working better.

Looks like my predictions just about ended the way I thought. Figured Marquez would nab Dovi at the end and Dovi would have been 2nd. But the podium is about how I called it, Marquez, Dovi and Rossi.. Very good and hard race...

[madvlad]

Great start to the season, oh man that was awesome. Rossi still shutting people up, Zarco a bust as expected, he doesn't realize this isn't moto2 still lol. This season is already cooking up to be a great one

[The Black Knight]

Great start to the season, oh man that was awesome. Rossi still shutting people up, Zarco a bust as expected, he doesn't realize this isn't moto2 still lol. This season is already cooking up to be a great one

Yeah I'm just glad Zarco didn't do any of his typical bonehead Moto2 moves that he has in the past. He seemed to show some grace in being passed cleanly and didn't try a quick pass back and have his usual contact with the other rider.

I think that's what the others were really waiting on, it was for his tires to fall off.

Pedrosa was a little odd. Found speed, then lost speed, found speed and then lost it again. And Vinales, well as I mentioned the Yamaha's have the pace for the top 5 and he showed it. He certainly would have been there the whole race if not for that crappy qualifying he had. He did come back and gain many positions. Vinales seemed to have pulled a Rossi-esque comeback. Too little, too late though.

Keep in mind this is a Yamaha track and it fits their bike very well. I think we'll see the Factory Yamaha's do better in the season but I also think we may see their weaknesses exposed at tracks they don't normally go well at. Qatar is not really a Honda track, yet Marquez is always there. I don't think we will see the same from Team Yamaha.

What I think will be Rossi's best bet for a 10th title challenge this year will be to at least win where he can and then just go into damage limitation everywhere else, and then hope for the best. I just don't think Yamaha have provided a great bike this year. It's certainly miles ahead of the 2017 M1 but everyone else have moved the goal posts as well.

I agree with you, it is nice to see Rossi make a lot of people eat some crow. The guy is the little bulldog that never gives up. I will say this, I think Rossi is faster than he ever has been, everyone else is just as fast though.

I'm just glad 2018 MotoGP is finally here!!


p.s.
Oh yeah, I broke down and re-activated my MotoGP subscription. Just couldn't hold out any longer and waited until the beginning of MotoGP Q1 to start it up again.

It's like a bad habit man, you just can't say no. Which I basically had to have it anyways. Playstation Vue isn't bringing back BeIN sports anytime soon. And I just can't miss the action. The good thing is, there are way worse habits to have in life and this one(MotoGP) is mine

[Gramps]

Great start to the season, oh man that was awesome. Rossi still shutting people up, Zarco a bust as expected, he doesn't realize this isn't moto2 still lol. This season is already cooking up to be a great one

Great race for sure.

[salsashark]

p.s.
Oh yeah, I broke down and re-activated my MotoGP subscription. Just couldn't hold out any longer and waited until the beginning of MotoGP Q1 to start it up again.

It's like a bad habit man, you just can't say no. Which I basically had to have it anyways. Playstation Vue isn't bringing back BeIN sports anytime soon. And I just can't miss the action. The good thing is, there are way worse habits to have in life and this one(MotoGP) is mine

I did the same thing this morning... Just jab the needle back in my arm!

[madvlad]

Crackheads

[asp_125]

I did the same thing this morning... Just jab the needle back in my arm!

Crackheads

LOL Yeah.. I had it on auto renew since the last race of last season.

[madvlad]

I got this month free but may bite the bullet and join you guys haha. Would anyone be down to meet up for the Argentina round in 3 weeks?

[salsashark]

LOL Yeah.. I had it on auto renew since the last race of last season.

I had cancelled the auto-renew, but decided it was the best of all the bad options to watch GP.

I got this month free but may bite the bullet and join you guys haha. Would anyone be down to meet up for the Argentina round in 3 weeks?

Possibly