Ninjette Newsbot
April 7th, 2012, 05:20 PM
MotoGP Qatar 2012 qualifying report—Tire wear will be a factor
http://image.sportrider.com/f/news/146_12040_motogp_2012_qatar_qualifying_report_tire_wear_factor/37372645+ppromo_large/146-12040-+motogp-2012-qatar-qualifying-report-lorenzo+6.jpg
Jorge Lorenzo stops the Casey Stoner/Honda freight train by grabbing pole position over the Australian, with Cal Crutchlow third, Ben Spies fourth despite another crash; Nicky Hayden fifth, Rossi 12th, Edwards 13th (http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_12040_motogp_2012_qatar_qualifying_report_tire_wear_factor/index.html)LOSAIL, QATAR, APRIL 7 – The opening race of the 2012 MotoGP World Championship was always going to be newsworthy. The return to 1000cc, along with the advent of the CRT machines long ago made it one to watch. What wasn’t given as much consideration was tires. The tires Bridgestone built for the liter bikes warm up faster, but also drop off precipitously, which should make Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix a spectacle worth watching, and possibly unpredictable to the end.
Are the tires doing what the riders expected, Ducati Marlboro’s Nicky Hayden was asked after qualifying fifth fastest?
“Oh yeah,” he said, confirming that they drop off after about four or five laps.
As it gets worse, can you keep the lap time?
“We’ll find out tomorrow about lap 12 or so,” he said with a smile.
What many saw as the inevitable march of Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) to a third world championship was derailed, at least for a night and possibly longer, though tires weren’t his issue. The team that clicked off poles and wins last year with military precision was lost in qualifying and unable to answer when Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo clocked the fastest qualifying time. It was a demonstration of Yamaha’s new strength and a vulnerability of the Hondas not seen during their domination of the three pre-season tests. Stoner qualified second with Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Cal Crutchlow a career best third. Where was Dani Pedrosa? The second Repsol Honda rider was down in seventh. In between came Yamaha’s Ben Spies, despite a second front end tuck in two days, Ducati Marlboro’s Nicky Hayden, seven spots in front of downfield teammate Valentino Rossi, and Crutchlow’s teammate Andrea Dovizioso.
What made the Yamaha domination more astounding is that Lorenzo had the 11th slowest top speed of the 12 prototypes. Rossi, the slowest of the prototypes topped out at 210 mph; Lorenzo was a full 6 mph slower. Which only proved that the Yamaha’s strengths in the corners, and especially corner entry, more than made up for the lack of top speed.
But it’s in the corners where the tires will be tested and how they survive is a question no one can accurately answer. Bridgestone brought two tires, but only one would last race distance.
Photo Gallery: MotoGP 2012 Qatar qualifying report—Tire wear will be a factor - Sport Rider Magazine (http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_12040_motogp_2012_qatar_qualifying_report_tire_wear_factor/index.html)
MotoGP Qatar 2012 qualifying report—Tire wear will be a factor (http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_12040_motogp_2012_qatar_qualifying_report_tire_wear_factor/index.html) | Digg It (http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_12040_motogp_2012_qatar_qualifying_report_tire_wear_factor/index.html&title=MotoGP Qatar 2012 qualifying report—Tire wear will be a factor) | Add to del.icio.us (http://del.icio.us/post?url=2&url=http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_12040_motogp_2012_qatar_qualifying_report_tire_wear_factor/index.html&title=MotoGP Qatar 2012 qualifying report—Tire wear will be a factor)
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http://image.sportrider.com/f/news/146_12040_motogp_2012_qatar_qualifying_report_tire_wear_factor/37372645+ppromo_large/146-12040-+motogp-2012-qatar-qualifying-report-lorenzo+6.jpg
Jorge Lorenzo stops the Casey Stoner/Honda freight train by grabbing pole position over the Australian, with Cal Crutchlow third, Ben Spies fourth despite another crash; Nicky Hayden fifth, Rossi 12th, Edwards 13th (http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_12040_motogp_2012_qatar_qualifying_report_tire_wear_factor/index.html)LOSAIL, QATAR, APRIL 7 – The opening race of the 2012 MotoGP World Championship was always going to be newsworthy. The return to 1000cc, along with the advent of the CRT machines long ago made it one to watch. What wasn’t given as much consideration was tires. The tires Bridgestone built for the liter bikes warm up faster, but also drop off precipitously, which should make Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix a spectacle worth watching, and possibly unpredictable to the end.
Are the tires doing what the riders expected, Ducati Marlboro’s Nicky Hayden was asked after qualifying fifth fastest?
“Oh yeah,” he said, confirming that they drop off after about four or five laps.
As it gets worse, can you keep the lap time?
“We’ll find out tomorrow about lap 12 or so,” he said with a smile.
What many saw as the inevitable march of Casey Stoner (Repsol Honda) to a third world championship was derailed, at least for a night and possibly longer, though tires weren’t his issue. The team that clicked off poles and wins last year with military precision was lost in qualifying and unable to answer when Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo clocked the fastest qualifying time. It was a demonstration of Yamaha’s new strength and a vulnerability of the Hondas not seen during their domination of the three pre-season tests. Stoner qualified second with Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Cal Crutchlow a career best third. Where was Dani Pedrosa? The second Repsol Honda rider was down in seventh. In between came Yamaha’s Ben Spies, despite a second front end tuck in two days, Ducati Marlboro’s Nicky Hayden, seven spots in front of downfield teammate Valentino Rossi, and Crutchlow’s teammate Andrea Dovizioso.
What made the Yamaha domination more astounding is that Lorenzo had the 11th slowest top speed of the 12 prototypes. Rossi, the slowest of the prototypes topped out at 210 mph; Lorenzo was a full 6 mph slower. Which only proved that the Yamaha’s strengths in the corners, and especially corner entry, more than made up for the lack of top speed.
But it’s in the corners where the tires will be tested and how they survive is a question no one can accurately answer. Bridgestone brought two tires, but only one would last race distance.
Photo Gallery: MotoGP 2012 Qatar qualifying report—Tire wear will be a factor - Sport Rider Magazine (http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_12040_motogp_2012_qatar_qualifying_report_tire_wear_factor/index.html)
MotoGP Qatar 2012 qualifying report—Tire wear will be a factor (http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_12040_motogp_2012_qatar_qualifying_report_tire_wear_factor/index.html) | Digg It (http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_12040_motogp_2012_qatar_qualifying_report_tire_wear_factor/index.html&title=MotoGP Qatar 2012 qualifying report—Tire wear will be a factor) | Add to del.icio.us (http://del.icio.us/post?url=2&url=http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_12040_motogp_2012_qatar_qualifying_report_tire_wear_factor/index.html&title=MotoGP Qatar 2012 qualifying report—Tire wear will be a factor)
Click here for full story... (http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_12040_motogp_2012_qatar_qualifying_report_tire_wear_factor/index.html)