Moto GP and Superbike

herr_oberst · 05-10-2009, 06:18 PM

Tivo'ed the F1, watched it early this morning, then this evening, watched Superbike from Monza.

Conclusion from a lifelong fan of Formula One? Max and Bernie have driven the mojo out forever. Yes, it is fun to see the Brawn team and the Toro Rosso and the Toyota doing some damage, but when you compare the racing with the Superbikes and MotoGP, there is no comparison. My heart is in my mouth 10 times a lap, watching these guys. Bold? These guys are totally fearless, and I'm talking deep into the pack, not just the lead guys.

The best part of F1 is knockout qualifying, the races are a snooze.
The most exciting thing in today's race was trying to figure out just how Mark Webber made up all that time by pit stop advantage. And therein lies the rub, that pass was made with strategy, not with nerve (although his move to keep Alonso from passing was admittedly nervy)

My point is, it is a hoot to watch Valentino Rossi or Ben Spies really lay it on the line for 18 laps, lap after lap; they drop back to third with a big gap, then all of a sudden they are passing for the lead within the space of one corner! not so much fun to watch 5 or 6 F1 contenders separated by twenty five seconds, each of them hoping that pit strategy puts them on the box. (and by the way, I didn't think the damn cars could get any uglier than those from last year, but it just goes to show that if enough money gets spent anything is possible)

Just sayin'

mike

LakeCleElum · 05-10-2009, 06:58 PM

Watched both and have to agree with you. This week at least. Was some good F1 action in the rain a few weeks ago.....

javadog · 05-10-2009, 06:59 PM

Agreed. I didn't even watch this week's F1 race. And I've been watching them for 25 years....

JR

HardDrive · 05-10-2009, 07:57 PM

Saw some Moto GP recently. Its poetry.

The control these guys have of the machines.....I kid you not, I think its a thing of beauty. The way they wipe off 80mph and bring themselves into a corner essentially in a controlled oversteer......wow.

Hebrewhomeboy · 05-10-2009, 11:47 PM

Watch it in person. It's simply amazing, and I'll definitely agree about jaw-dropping. The first time I worked corners at Jennings GP, I was 100% certain I was going to have to pick a guy up in a mangled wreck when I saw his entire bike shimmying, due to wheelspin at about 130+mph... but nope, the rear wheel kept spinning, his bike kept wobbling, and he stayed at wide open throttle and kept accelerating, all the way into a corner. The next lap it was the same way. Simply amazing.

If any of you get a chance to take a bike on a track (if you're in the southeast, jennings gp has a lot of track days, it's a nice track), you'll have even more respect for them. I'm just a casual rider, but I felt like I was tearing the track up... Then I realized the pros take some of these corners almost twice as fast as I do. Good stuff.

deanp · 05-11-2009, 03:05 AM

The battles between Haga and Spies are going to be epic all year. It was a shame what happened at the end of race 1 yesterday and then in race 2 Haga was reportedly struck by a bird which is what made him drop back in the pack in the first lap. It's amazing that Spies has captrued all the Superpoles this year, on tracks that he had never been to (with limited exceptions) on a bike, tires, crew that is new to him. I am sure it helped being able to bring T Housewoth along, but that feat is amazing.

It will be interesting to watch how the single tire supplier and reduced practice times change MotoGP this year, as well as the changes for 2010.