MOTOGP » Indianapolis MotoGP test - Wednesday

what will Rossi learn by having a test rider that far off the pace?

Yes, and yet another comparison would be Daytona. I understand Loudon used to be extremely dangerous and bikes haven't raced there for years now. Anyway, I am more concerned about turn one than about the last one (16, I believe?) at Indy. After all, the latter is quite slow, but turn one is approached at maximum speed. If you read ben Spies's comments, he says that once you're in the corner, you're fine, which I take to mean that if you lose your brakes and go straight at the end of the main straight you are going directly towards the wall. I'm sure they'll put loads of airfences and tyres but at 180 mph the impact is bound to be huge.

The front straight may not be the best configuration compared to other modern tracks, but can be directly compared to the EuroSpeedway in Lausitz that the WSBK ran at for a couple of years. The entry to the straight puts them on the apron of turn 4 on about a 150 degree bend. Turn 1 at Lausitz is nearly an identical setup to Indy. The front straight appears wider at Lausitz & they painted a no fly zone on the outside about 3 meters wide. I don't recall any problems there.
Another comparison is to Loudon that is also an oval first. I remember mahem there for a few riders including Duhamel breaking his femur when he overshot turn 1.

I mean, I haven't been able to find a photograph or a video that shows a bike going out of the last turn from a point of view that allows to see how close it gets to the wall. There was the onboard video of Hayden but he was going very slow and obviously not using all the track, so that doesn't really count.

I have been concerned about safety issues at Indy from the first time I saw the map of the track, most particularly on the first and last turns, due to the proximity of the wall. What I find interesting is that none of the pictures or video clips that have been made available through the Indianapolis or other motorsports sites shows those two turns from angles that allow to appreciate how close the riders get to the wall. There seems to be some concern on the part of the riders as well as the track owners: the trouble is, due to the nature of Indianapolis the problem with those two corners is pretty much unavoidable if you want to use the main straight. Any comments?

Does anyone else notice that these times go down to the 10th of a thousand of a sec?
Is this normal for US sport? MotoGP,etc only go to the 1000th! Wow, very exacting times.

Small point but I thought I'd mention it.

I have to say though, it will be interesting to see how these compare with "proper" times come the qualifying sessions for the GP. I think they will going well below 1.46
(Probably closer to 1.44 or even 1.43 I think)

FooAtari, ZX9R steve, completely agree with you guys. My point exactly!!!!

dont worry grumpy doctor, i stil love you

also anyone else who talks bad on casey stoner's off track personality

...and do most of the development work.

I have no idea why people read so much into testing. On any given day, in any given run they could be testing any amount of different things. Testing is not about making the bike go as fast as possible every time you are on the track.

"and it is no mean feat to be faster than Spies here"

Why AMA don't go to Indy, it's as new to Spies as everyone else.

I rate Spies. But these test mean very little when it comes to how the championship regulalrs perform come September. Sure Canepa is fastest, but the Duke is one of the fastest bikes on the grid anyway, does that mean he is anywhere near as quick as Stoner? Probably not, otherwise Melandri would be out and he'd be in. It's testing for tyre data buy the test riders. So the times mean very little. Im not knocking the test riders, it's not an easy job, and I'd guess most race drivers don't make the best test riders and vice-vera, they are very important...