Fascinating racing last night, though disappointing from an Aussie point of view. Casey’s crash when he had a commanding lead is being touted on most American forums as evidence that Casey has developed the same glass jaw that typified the relationship between Rossi and Gibernau and Rossi and Biaggi.
I hope they don’t hold their breath waiting for that to happen. Rossi may be now in the box seat for the Championship but he’d better not expect Casey to roll over and die.
The riders’ meeeting with Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna, before the race on Sunday was ostensibly to discuss circuit safety, but actually ended up discussing the riders’s dissatisfaction with the present regulations and the desparate situation in which the Michelin runners are finding themselves. Don’t be surprised if we end up with a control tyre, supplied by Bridgestone, in 2009.
The switch to 800’s hasn’t made the bikes slower in the area where they are having the most accidents, the corners. In fact, because of “fly-by-wire” throttles and traction control, the bikes are actually arriving at the corners far faster than they ever have. John Hopkins’s dreadful accident at Assen is a mute testimony to this. Until the FIM and Dorna move to limit CORNER speed, any regulations designed to slow the bikes down, will be totally ineffective.
It was delightful to see Anthony West getting a good finish for a change; just goes to show you what confidence can do.
As usual, it was the 125’s and the 250’s that supplied the best racing. Quite how the authorities can suggest that the 250 class be replaced by a 600cc, production-based, ECU-spec, control-tyred, 4 stroke class is beyond my comprehension.
And don’t be surprised, either if it proves that Tony Elias AND Ant West have produced contract-saving rides last night. It seems inconceivable that the teams could base hiring and firing on the basis of one race performance, but it actually does happen.
Postscript: This in from crash.net this evening. There were 5 suggestions that the riders made at this meeting.
1. Introduce a single control tyre.
2. Increase control of the throttle by the rider (by removing fly by wire technology).
3. Use narrower tyre rims.
4. A possible return to 990cc engines, but with a limit on top speed.
5. Stay with 800cc, but increase motorcycle minimum weight.
In any event, #1 is the serious one and will, if implemented, cause MotoGp to go down the same, boring route as Formula 1.
