Friday, 7 September 2012

Summer Report - MotoGP


(I did write this before they finished their summer break, but decided not to change it after deals etc developed because that was/is how I felt, enjoy!)
Key Players: There aren’t many surprises here, with the top three in the championship, Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Stoner, stealing most of the limelight, but not always for their excellent riding skills. And although they can’t touch the gold, silver or bronze championship positions the Tech three Yamaha boys are catching our attention witch good, consistent rides and ambitious qualifying positions. Cal is catching the attention of the Ducati bosses too…

Top Pupil: For me it’s Pedrosa. He has showed consistency and so far managed to avoid injury (touch wood)

Most Improved: Cal Cruchlow. He is in with a fighting chance for an elusive podium or win, if only the guys would give him a chance, and after the summer break he has had time to heal and will come back stronger.

Could do better: Ben Spies, and everyone knows it. He has just not been on his previous form, and to think at the start of the season I said he was in with a chance of coming third in the championship! Ooops…

Look out for: Aleix Espagaro, good rider and a good person by the looks of things too (him and his brother are soooooo sweet)

Predictions: Well now that Rossi is going back to Yamaha on a two year deal, that leaves space at Ducati for, probably, one of the Tech three boys. At the moment Cal seems the favourite to take up the difficult ride, and everyone thinks he can tame the beast…I wouldn’t get your hopes up though. There is always the possibility that Spies may bow out before the end, but it does seem a bit drastic, who knows?

Tuesday, 7 August 2012

Do you think they would put Cal Cruchlow on a stamp if he won a MotoGP race?

Thursday, 28 June 2012

My holiday

So I am on holiday for the next week which mean no posts =( Sorry guys

Monday, 25 June 2012

The week in picture no#4

The week in picture no#4

Monday
Paul Bird Motorsport have confirmed that they will competing in next years championship with their own chassis and two British riders! Bird said the team will be "all British – red, white and blue" although the riders have yet to be confirmed. Could it be Shakey Byrne or Scott Redding?
James-Ellison-Paul-Bird-Motorsport-Hertz-British-Grand-Prix-Press-Conference-536338

Tuesday
The MotoGP rookie rule is to be reconsidered (I wonder why... M-a-r-q-u-e-z-?) The rule was questioned at Jerez and talks got serious at Silverstone. (http://motogp-annie.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/rookie-rule-reconsidered.html)

Carmelo Ezpeleta


Wednesday
Desguaces La Torre SAG Team and Rodríguez split after a disappointing start to the season. It was an amicable split and the team say their sporting not 'human' relationship was the problem. They are now looking for a rider for the remainder of the season, maybe a Moto3 boy?

Angel Rodriguez, Desguaces La Torre SAG


Thursday
The leathers Cal Cruchlow raced in on Sunday's British GP at Silverstone are to be autioned off in aid of 'Feed the Children'








Tuesday, 19 June 2012

Rookie rule reconsidered!!

So I was just thinking about what I could write about today and I drooped down the little motogp.com rss feed on my toolbar to see this:

Firstly =O *gasp*

Any initial thoughts? Mine were 'well we all know why they're doing this; Marquez' (yes that is a 14th tag for him, shhh!)

Obviously the article is on the motogp.com website(http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/Rookie+Rule+change) and a video, that they want you to pay for, grumble, grumble...


Any thoughts on the issue? Feel free to leave me a comment or tweet to me @annieharrison17  =)

Monday, 18 June 2012

I spread my love for the Spanish equally...

As you all will know I am deeply dedicated to supporting Marc Marquez, almost religiously (If not check the tags on the side he is running a close second with 12 tags!), and with the recent so-called controversy around Pol Espagaro's crash at Cataluyna I was wholly sided with him, especially when I heard that Pol's team is trying to overturn the decision to let Marquez keep his 3rd place.

However now I am a bit more empathetic toward Pol's situation. Don't get me wrong, I think he is a brilliant rider and I felt so sorry for him seeing him weeping in the garage after losing out at his home race, but unlike some I do not blame Marquez for what happened. Everyone knows that if you have a wobble and go wide you're going to come straight back on to the racing line to defend your position, so what Pol did was kind of risky. Let me put it this way, if you are in the fast lane on a duel carriage way and there is a lorry in the slow lane just ahead of you and you are beginning to overtake it and the lorry signals and pulls out in front of you, you don't continue because you will be crushed up against the barriers. Yes the lorry driver is in the wrong but what if, like Marquez, they cannot see the car/Pol? Does that make sense?

So I still maintain that Marquez did not do anything wrong, but I also feel sympathy towards Pol. Although I see no reason why Marquez should be penalised and no reason why Pol's team should chase the matter, as it won't change the outcome of that race, which is what they are truly angry about! 

Sunday, 17 June 2012

The Week in Pictures No#3

The Week in Pictures No#3

Ok I know this feature died for a while (damn A-levels...) but now I am reviving it! :)

Monday
The Italian track used by MotoGP, Misano, was renamed "Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli" and unveiled today in honour of the late Marco Simoncelli.



Tuesday
Lorenzo has confirmed he has signed a two year deal with Yamaha, as opposed to relieving Honda of their empty seat upon Stoner's exit. I for one thought he would swap to the orange, red and white of Repsol...



Wednesday
I thought this was quite fun. The British boys across all three classes took part in pub games Olympics with the MotoGP guys taking bronze, Moto3 silver and Moto2 (the best class anyway!) winning gold for their efforts!

British Riders, Hertz British Grand Prix Preevent


Thursday
After Pol Espagaro's somewhat controversial crash a couple of weeks ago at his home circuit(http://motogp-annie.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/marquez-penalty.html),  his mood is on the up taking a positive view towards Marquez and the incident: "Having him as an adversary will make me stronger and bigger, because I have to work twice as hard to beat him. We do not need to be friends, but we need to feel a fierce mutual respect and admiration for each other." (Full quote can be found here: http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/Silverstone+Pol+Espargar+preview)



Friday
"Road to London for Sic" ends in Silverstone after a seven day trip by the  Morciano Vespa Club to bring a replica Simoncelli helmet to be auctioned off along with a shirt and photograph auctioned off in aid of Riders fro Health and the Marco Simoncelli Foundation.

San Carlo Honda Gresini, Day of Champions, Silverstone


Saturday
Bautista grabs an excellent first pole position in the MotoGP class before British weather ruins the fun! Although Stoner and Lorenzo did go back out looking for a pole but to no avail, which is defiantly for the better!  

Alvaro Bautista, San Carlo Honda Gresini, Silverstone QP

Sunday
Today it defiantly has to be the results of out boys! In Moto3 Danny Kent got 6th and John McPhee 28th, with Danny Webb not finishing. Moto2 saw Scott Redding beat Marquez to a well deserved 2nd place and Brad Smith forced down to 7th after battling at the front for the first few laps along with Gino Rea finishing 24th. MotoGP saw Cal Crutchlow start at the back of the grid, after an ankle injury which nearly caused him to not start the race, and come through to finish 6th, with James Elison 14th! So a good day all round! :)










Monday, 4 June 2012

Marquez penalty withdrawn

Ok so the stewards have changed their minds...Marquez has been reinstated on the podium, his 3rd place given back after his team appealed.

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/Marquez+official+confirmation

I don't know how Pol Espargaro feels about all of this??

Sunday, 3 June 2012

Marquez penalty

Oh, Ok Marquez defiantly has a Lewis Hamilton complex!! He has been given a ONE MINUTE penalty, putting him in 24th position for the incident with Pol Espargaro, for which I am not afraid to say, he is totally blameless!!

Esteve Rabat is promoted to third place.

Catalunya replay...?

I am starting to think that Marc Marquez is developing a bit of a Lewis Hamilton complex.
If you don't know what that is, let me explain. Last year in the F1Lewis didn't appear as if he could do anything right having regular trips to see the stewards and facing disciplinary action the majority of the time. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/8545307/Monaco-Grand-Prix-2011-Lewis-Hamilton-risks-disciplinary-action-after-astonishing-outburst.html#)


Similarly Johann Zarco suffered last year in the final 125cc season having his first win at Catalunya striped after minuscule contact with Terol on the last corner, resulting in 20 seconds being added to his end time pushing him down to sixth place! (http://www.crash.net/motogp/race+report/169921/1/125_zarco_stripped_of_catalunya_victory.html)
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/motogp/13660409)

I guess you can see where I am going with this. Although Marquez has not been penalised yet, I feel his chances are escalating after today's race at Catalunya with Pol Espargaro's crash and some defensive racing lines.
  
Marc Marquez Marc Marquez of Spain and Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol rounds the bend during the free practice at Circuit de Catalunya on June 2, 2012 in Montmelo, Spain. Marc Marquez got the pole position of Moto2.

He is a bit of a Marmite character, but I remain assured he is one of the best riders out there...25 pole positions by the age of 19...ahem...

Sunday, 29 April 2012

Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Marquez sponsorship

Ok so I may actually, sort of, be in love with him, but that does not make me entirely impartial! =P
Plus it's Two Door Cinema Club in the background! <3

Sunday, 8 April 2012

Need for a change of predictions?

Looks like I may need to change my predictions! Romano Fenati and Arthur Sissis coming out of no where!

2012 prediction

So I suppose it is time for me to look into my crystal ball and see if I can take a look at who may be in with a shot of championship happiness in 2012...

Moto3
1. Maverick Vinales - Rising (Spanish) star, he WILL follow in the steps of Pedrosa and Marquez
2. Sandro Cortese - If he just stays strong he could be a quiet winner
3. Danny Kent - Doing it for the Brits, he is good he just needs to keep it on the black stuff!

Moto2
1. Marc Marquez - No questions asked, he's the best, last year he could have won, but he chose not to!
2. Thomas Luthi - Same as Cortese, but louder
3. Brad Smith - Because he works so hard and has the motivation of MotoGP, and he's British!

MotoGP
1. Dani Pedrosa - This year, finally, if he can stay injury free!!
2. Casey Stoner - He's stroppiness will prevent him keeping the No# 1 but he's still good
3. Ben Spies - A dark horse I know, but he has it in him and if everything goes according to plan...

So there are my predictions. Some of them are a bit off the cuff but hey I'm crazy like that! What do you think?

Thursday, 5 April 2012

MotoGP class of 2012

Yippee, after months of waiting look what is just around the corner! And motogp.com have kindly uploaded a FREE teaser!

http://www.motogp.com/en/videos/latest+videos#The+2012+MotoGP+Class

(I don't know if it is just me who can see it, but is there a little bit of sadness in Rossi's eyes before the smile? - RIP SuperSic)

Shame I have not found similar videos for the Moto2 and Moto3 championships...

Monday, 2 April 2012

The week in pictures No# 2

So 4 more days until the action starts at Qatar but it looks like whilst some teams are presenting their bright young stars, others still don't know who's riding for them...

Sunday
Casey Stoner, Repsol Honda Team, Jerez Test
Final day of testing at Jerez and final testing before Qatar in a few days time, Casey Stoner doing well!
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/day3+report+test+motogp+jerez

Monday
Alvaro Bautista, San Carlo Honda Gresini, Jerez Test
Bautista crashed twice on the final day at Jerez, but the Gresini team are confident for Qatar


Tuesday
Marc Marquez, Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol Team Presentation
The CatalunyaCaixa Repsol Team unveil Marc Marquez's Moto2 2012 livery.
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/marquez+official+presentation

Wednesday
Ivan Silva, Avintia Racing, Jerez Test
Avintia Blusens ends pre-season closer to top
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/Avintia+Blusens+end+preseason+closer+to+top


Thursday
Aspar Team Presentation
The Spanish set-up, which will run teams across all three World Championship categories this season, made a presentation in Madrid on Wednesday
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/aspar+team+official+presentation+in+madrid



Friday
Ben Spies, Yamaha Factory Racing, Jerez Test
Ben Spies is the first interviewee for the new 2012 motogp.com Premier class interviews
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/Spies+360



Saturday
Anthony West
In a VERY late line-up change for the 2012 World Championship, Anthony West has been signed up to ride a Moriwaki for the QMMF Racing Team in Moto2™ replacing Damian Cudlin!
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/West+in+for+QMMF+team



And we know next weeks one will be even more exciting as the 2012 season kicks off! Can't wait!

Saturday, 24 March 2012

The week in pictures No# 1

Okay, so it is the first ever week in pictures, are you excited? I am!

This week has be the Jerez testing so that is what the pics will mainly be focusing on!


Monday
Rossi and Hayden's Ducati Desmosedici GP12
Online unveiling for Ducati Desmosedici GP12. So Ducati have released pic of what Nicky and Vali will be riding this year, it looks a bit too Italian for my liking though.

Tuesday
Power Electronics Aspar Presentation, Valencia
Aspar holds MotoGP™ launch in Valencia. On Tuesday evening the Power Electronics Aspar Team held it's official team presentation, with riders Aleix Espargaro and Randy de Puniet.
 http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/Power+Electronics+Aspar+Team+presented+in+Valencia
Wednesday

Avintia Racing presentation, Jerez Test
Avintia Racing presents three-category 2012 line-up, including Maverick Viñales riding in Moto3, Julián Simón in Moto2 and Iván Silva and Yonny Hernández riding in Moto GP.
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/avintia+racing+presentation+jerez

Thursday
MotoGP Spanish line-up, Mediaset Presentation - Jerez Circuit
Spanish MotoGP™ contingent reunited at Jerez for Mediaset España launch. I am very happy to see all the Spanish riders in one place, although from the British boys point of view it could be seen a an opportunity to eradicate the prim opposition...
Friday

Casey Stoner, Repsol Honda Team, Jerez Test
Stoner claims fastest lap on day one at Jerez. It looks like the Honda's remain on form, I hope both Pedrosa and Stoner will be in contention for the Championship this year!

Saturday

Ivan Silva, Avintia Racing, Jerez Test
Progress at Jerez hindered by weather. After dry weather yesterday, today it's windy and rainy, with only a handful of riders making it out on track (that's Ivan Silva by the way).


So there we go, that concludes it the first ever week in pictures. Did you enjoy it? I did! =P Of course al ot more happened so keep tabs on the blog for more news!

Awesome idea!

As the title suggests, I've had a 'awesome idea' (if I say do so my say self), but basically I thought I would do a post which shows the week in pictures! You like?

Anyways the first one will be coming up in a few minutes! Yippee! =)

Wednesday, 15 February 2012

Marquez recovery

So Marquez has been out playing with his toys before he hits the test sessions later on, although it is not confirmed which ones he will be attending with his team as they missed this weeks Jerez practise and they are not setting any return dates. He also says he feels nearly 100%, but we all know he can't push it. Hopefully he will be 200% by the start of the season!

Anyway I got some pics for you and a link to a video of him on the dirt bike, and doing flappy things with his arms at the start (I still love him) and a message at the end, but it is in Spanish so I can only make out a few words, so if you can translate it for me please leave a comment! =)

http://www.motogp.com/en/videos/2012/2012+Moto2+Preseason+Marc+Mrquez



Monday, 16 January 2012

Marquez eye surgery

Good news kids, Marquez is now recovering after a successful operation to restore full vision to his right eye, which he injured last year in a practise session.


Full story: http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/Marquez+successfully+operated

Sunday, 15 January 2012

Russian audience

This is just a quick hello to my Russian audience! And a question: Is MotoGP big up there? =) x

2012 grid line-ups released!

Well hello you, look what Gem we have here (all be it a little late) the 2012 grid line-ups for MotoGP, Moto2 and the all new Moto3!

MotoGP: http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/provisional%20entry%20list%20motogp%202012%200

Moto2: http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/provisional+entry+list+moto2+2012

Moto3: http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/provisional+entry+list+moto3+2012

And the best thing is, there are more Brits (par Taylor Mackenzie) and a lady making an entry in Moto2, I have a feelin' this could be a very good season, but more on that later!

Friday, 6 January 2012

More injury news

After the news from Hayden about his broken ribs and collar bone, we now hear that Dovi has managed to break himself too, also injuring his collar bone.
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/dovizioso%20injured

I see a pattern developing here...