Suzukis First Win in Moto GP

[LA Busa]

In the rain but hey, its a start!!


From Speed TV:
May 20 2007

With a spellbinding wet weather performance Australian rider Chris Vermeulen won his maiden MotoGP race with his victory in the French Grand Prix at Le Mans today. In a late-race downpour, Vermeulen and his Suzuki were virtually unchallenged as he raced to a 12-second victory over Honda rival Marco Melandri on a Honda.

Vermeulen joined a select group of riders who have won races in both the Superbike and MotoGP world championships. And the win was Suzuki’s first in the four-stroke MotoGP era which started with the 990cc bikes in 2002 before the current switch to 800cc motors.


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[BA BUSA]

1st win with the four strokes...2002 is when they were introduced. 2000 was Suzuki's last win in MotoGP

 

[Charlesbusa]

Congrats to Suzuki  

Congrats to Vermeulen!!    

But this isn't as sweet as a dry win.  Suzuki will get its dry win this year  

 Either Hopkins or Vermeulen  

Such a heartbreaker for Hayden, crashed in 4th position with 2 laps to go...  

 

[bigoltool]

Did they offer any explanation for Nicky's wreck? That was just weird where and how he wrecked.

 

[Charlesbusa]

(bigoltool @ May 21 2007,21:15) Did they offer any explanation for Nicky's wreck? That was just weird where and how he wrecked.

Nicky siad it was his fault, too much front brake in the puddles.

But then as soon as I touched the brake at the end of the back straight it folded on me. I hadn't even started back-shifting yet and before I knew it I was just picking up speed as I hit the ground - it was a rough ride. It sucks, but it seems like no bones are broken and that's a good thing, though I've damaged some cartilage in my ribcage.[/Quote]

 

[LA Busa]

I am kinda new to the whole racing scene but I have absolutely been taken in by Speed's coverage of AMA and MotoGP on Sundays!

I came here Monday and thought no way no one posted anything about the Rizla Zuk winning but saw nothing and posted..... then saw all of it in General section

They (sanctioning body) must have really imposed some heavy changes to field and Hayden's Honda (is that thing a 5 cylinder?) because he has seemed to struggle so far this season.

I love it!
Those guys can freaking ride...

 

[saygbye]

(YH2K @ May 22 2007,11:48) I am kinda new to the whole racing scene but I have absolutely been taken in by Speed's coverage of AMA and MotoGP on Sundays!

I came here Monday and thought no way no one posted anything about the Rizla Zuk winning but saw nothing and posted..... then saw all of it in General section

They (sanctioning body) must have really imposed some heavy changes to field and Hayden's Honda (is that thing a 5 cylinder?) because he has seemed to struggle so far this season.

I love it!
Those guys can freaking ride...

i thought the same thing but a few folks on here are into the twisty racing.

the motogp is definetly the best of the best but the world superbike is great to watch also. motogp and wsbk are usually up for grabs. you have your frontrunners but anyone could win.

ama is cool but it seems there are only about 6 bikes that actually have a chance of winning ive never really seen anyone come from the back or out of the blue and win, and the races are usually blowouts. moto and wsbk are usually tight with an blowout every now and again.

all bikes are new 800cc down from the 990cc the few years.

 

[Charlesbusa]

(YH2K @ May 22 2007,09:48) They (sanctioning body) must have really imposed some heavy changes to field and Hayden's Honda (is that thing a 5 cylinder?) because he has seemed to struggle so far this season.

The bike is a 4 cylinder 800cc.

Rossi is having problems with the new tire rule, but he's still 2nd in the standings.

Hayden is having problems with the tire rule also.  Plus his first couple races he wasn't 100% fit due to injury, he's run into bad luck, and he's having trouble adapting to the new 800s.  His background comes from dirt biking/flat tracking and superbike.  He was better on the 990s because they carried less corner speed and were more stop and go.  The guys who are doing well this year all come from 125 and 250 racing were you carry a lot of corner speed.  So Nicky is relearning how to ride the new bike.

Last year without the new tire rule, Michelin made tires right there on the track in a semi-truck.  They could make an unlimited # of tires, which meant Nicky and Rossi got the best tire and it could be made right before the race.  Now they can only bring a certain # of fronts and rears and they have to make them all prior to the first practice.  They have to guess which compounds to bring.

 

[mountainmotor]

Last season Chris set pole position during a wet Qualifying Practice . Next day race was a dry one . I forget what he finished . He's very good in the rain so now   < cough cough  >  

 if they would just give him the same bike Hopkins is riding . I think it's kinda like what Honda was doing with Pedrosa and Hayden last season . Hayden on the experimental/develomental bike that he made no bones about disliking .

Speaking of tires . Immediately after the race did anyone notice the two Bridgetone bikes had the tires covered up so no-one could examine the tread design ? The Zuki and the Ducati that is .

Secrets secrets  

 

[Gunnybusa]

(YH2K @ May 22 2007,09:48) I am kinda new to the whole racing scene but I have absolutely been taken in by Speed's coverage of AMA and MotoGP on Sundays!

I came here Monday and thought no way no one posted anything about the Rizla Zuk winning but saw nothing and posted..... then saw all of it in General section

They (sanctioning body) must have really imposed some heavy changes to field and Hayden's Honda (is that thing a 5 cylinder?) because he has seemed to struggle so far this season.

I love it!
Those guys can freaking ride...

Its the new frame he dosent like, he says the front end is too light.

 

[mountainmotor]

They had Nickey a new frame set up for this last race . Got it early in the week as I read it .

 

[LA Busa]

(saygbye @ May 22 2007,11:41)

i thought the same thing but a few folks on here are into the twisty racing.

the motogp is definetly the best of the best but the world superbike is great to watch also. motogp and wsbk are usually up for grabs. you have your frontrunners but anyone could win.

ama is cool but it seems there are only about 6 bikes that actually have a chance of winning ive never really seen anyone come from the back or out of the blue and win, and the races are usually blowouts. moto and wsbk are usually tight with an blowout every now and again.

all bikes are new 800cc down from the 990cc the few years.[/Quote]
Not sure what made me think that the Repsol Honda was a v type engine with 5 cylinders. I think I bought a Cycle World or Sport Rider mag at an airport and saw it in there. Called an RC45 or something.

Anyway, you are right. AMA seems to have a small group that have the funding and then there seem to be like 20 bikes that just run laps. It is still fun to watch those guys flog those GSXRs around the track though.

Another question to you guys; does Suzuki have anything to do with a certain team in either Moto GP or AMA?
My thinking has been that they support the Yoshimura Team with Spies and Mladin and have no direct involvement with any MotoGP team.

NASCAR I got, this stuff is new for me but I am getting hooked and watching less and less of that 'cookie cutter' stock car racing!

 

[JINKSTER]

ahhhhhh...the sweet tatse of victory!

Whad i tell ya'll back when i bought this....

Shoei X11 TC-5 with tribal flame...

"Chris Vermulen Graphics"

i have one word...."score"

L8R, Bill.

 

[Charlesbusa]

A pic for you guys

 

[JINKSTER]

(Charlesbusa @ May 22 2007,13:54) A pic for you guys

That's one he11 of a shot Charles! Thanks fer shar'in man!

 

[saygbye]

not sure about suzuki's involvement as far as factory support. like you said in ama you've got the yoshi suzuki team and the jordan suzukis but i think the rest are just unsponsered gsxr riders

im sure motogp and wsbk have factory support but im not sure how. i know when i was watching wsbk they were talking about biaggi's zuk being a factory bike from germany? or something like that. i dont really understand all that yet myself.

 

[Charlesbusa]

In motogp, the #1 factory teams are;
Honda-Repsol
Yamaha-Fiat
Suzuki-Rizla
Kawa-Full factory sopnsor
Ducati-Marlboro

The other factory teams are;
Honda-Gresini
Honda-LCR
Honda-Konica Minolta
Yamaha-Tech 3
Ducati-Parmac D'Antin

The only non factory team is Team Roberts.

In MotoGP bikes are protoypes.  That means they can't use any parts used in a production motorcycle.
Factories are the only ones how can afford to make these multi-million $$$ machines.  So all but Roberts is a factory team.

Team Roberts buys the engines from Honda but makes their own chasis.

 

[bacharles]

(Charlesbusa @ May 23 2007,01:09) In motogp, the #1 factory teams are;
Honda-Repsol
Yamaha-Fiat
Suzuki-Rizla
Kawa-Full factory sopnsor
Ducati-Marlboro

The other factory teams are;
Honda-Gresini
Honda-LCR
Honda-Konica Minolta
Yamaha-Tech 3
Ducati-Parmac D'Antin

The only non factory team is Team Roberts.

In MotoGP bikes are protoypes.  That means they can't use any parts used in a production motorcycle.
Factories are the only ones how can afford to make these multi-million $$$ machines.  So all but Roberts is a factory team.

Team Roberts buys the engines from Honda but makes their own chasis.

And someday even Michael Jordan's team will make the A-list....