MOTOGP » Stoner ready in the dry, honoured

Not really a surpirse they did a lot of winter testing at PI.. He has a huge advantage this weekend, it''s all new to ROssi and he''s already missed one session through rain...

Ohhhhh Carboniferous!! "it's all new to ROssi and he's already missed one session through rain..." ????? Rossi has done more racing at PI than Stoner has. Yamaha didn't do the February testing: true, but Feb is Australia is mid summer and 35 plus degrees, October is cold, wet and windy spring. Any data obtained during the tests is useless for this time of year anyway. Don't worry though: I'm sure Rossi has just enough experience at Phillip Island to cope.

I think Carboniferous was referring to tyre data perhaps?

Exactly...another new track to rossi on this package, he's not doin bad anyway, its not like its the first time he's been over half a second behind stoner in a session, and still gone on to win the race...

roll on 6am sunday..

Even if he was papi, that tyre data is useless. The temperature difference alone makes sure of that. The PI Feb tests are more for base settings, and by late season the bikes have evolved so far from pre season that any data is useless. Same thing with last years data - it can't be used because the bikes and tyres have evolved. CV said in an interview here LATE last season (crash.net) that if he had to go and ride on the tyres from EARLY in the season he would complain because the difference is so great. There has been so much ill informed hysteria posted here about Rossi having "no tyre data" for 2008 - after Qatar it didn't matter because the tyres keep evolving too. Just like the bikes.

So were just forgetting that stoner has been 2 PI last season on the same bike with bridgestones...

The point is, ducati and stoner have a better base setting to go from, they have some idea, where as yamaha and bridgestone, are starting from scratch...its not like anyone's making excuses for him, who needs to, he's just won the WC...

but yeah, its not a big deal, he's 2nd fastest in the dry and it'll be a lot closer tomorrow...surely stoner's dreaded injury is gonna catch up with him here...or is it not hurting this weekend...

back to back races, he got tired in the motegi race, surely the same is gonna happen again?

Jimmy - the Ducati GP7 and GP8 are different bikes. Is Rossi's 07 Yamaha the same as his 08 bike?? No. The tyres from last year are different to the tyres from this year - that is what development means. All that is the same is the name.

And you are exactly right - it is no big deal. Thank you for agreeing with me. As one of the prime pushers of the "Rossi has no tyre data" mantra you have just managed to contradict yourself. Does that make you hypocritical, or just a monocular rossi fan??

Either way - it's no big deal. Rossi will find improvement in the setup, race day will be a cracker, and I would like to see Stoner win this one. Pedrosa is too close.

Stoner may have an advantage, if so it is only slight. Rossi will have been gathering data all season, ok not at PI but the team will have gathered enough info as will bridgestone to use logic on the yamaha to get him in the ball park...

had to have a little smile "its was great to recieve the trophy today as world champion"... well near enough eh

all in all I think that Stoner had maybe a small advantage but nothing significant. He just gets out and rides it like a hire bike every session. Rossi will be up there, he rarely shows his hand until raceday, and no doubt those 2 will be fighting it out come then!

Can somebody get a taxi for Mr Mel

the not a big deal thing was aimed at, rossi having won the championship and there's only 3 races left before the new tyre rule comes in...so no need to go on about it now..

carry on trying to pick at every post that isnt brown nosing stoner, fact remains, rossi wanted to be on the same tyre's as stoner, he got them and his first year on them, he's beat stoner who's on his 2nd season as a bridgestone rider..

also rossi hasnt tested the 'new' yam at PI ducati will have collected data from the test that will come in useful, unless of course you work for ducati and you know they've gone to phillip island with absolutely no idea of what they are doin...but you don't

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