2011 Valencia Post-Race Day 1 Test Times - Pedrosa Leads Honda Domination

By David Emmett | Tue, 08/11/2011 - 16:24

Results:

Pos No Rider Bike Time Diff Diff previous
1 26 Dani Pedrosa Honda 1:32.186    
2 27 Casey Stoner Honda 1:32.322 0.136 0.136
3 11 Ben Spies Yamaha 1:33.226 1.040 0.904
4 14 Randy de Puniet Suzuki 1:33.544 1.358 0.318
5 35 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha 1:33.652 1.466 0.108
6 46 Valentino Rossi Ducati 1:33.857 1.671 0.205
7 4 Andrea Dovizioso Yamaha 1:33.859 1.673 0.002
8 8 Hector Barbera Ducati 1:34.174 1.988 0.315
9 0 Stefan Bradl Honda 800 1:34.330 2.144 0.156
10 17 Karel Abraham Ducati 1:34.393 2.207 0.063
11 69 Franco Battaini Ducati 1:35.371 3.185 0.978
12 0 Kousuke Akiyoshi Honda 1:35.728 3.542 0.357
13 22 Ivan Silva BQR Inmotec 1:37.159 4.973 1.431
14 31 Carmelo Morales Suter BMW 1:38.989 6.803 1.830
15 0 Gianluca Nannelli Gapam BMW 1:39.173 6.987 0.184
16 0 Federico Sandi Gapam BMW 1:39.827 7.641 0.654

 

2011
MotoGP
Valencia, Spain
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Comments

The most underestimated driver in MotoGP is surely RdP. First outing on the 800 cc Suzuki and it is only the factory 1000 cc Hondas and Yamahas that are ahead. I can't believe he doesn't get a contract with a good bike. Sure he rode very well on the LCR Honda last year but that was on a 09 spec Honda imagine his results had he gotten factory machinery. 2011 was lost, Pramac Ducati, I rest my case (Good Luck on that one Barbera).

If you had the riders changing teams a year ago, I'd agree with you for Good Luck Barbera to Pramac (or any other Ducati, be it factory or Satellite). But for 2012, they're going to 1000cc *and* perhaps an entirely new non-engine-stressed chassis.

I think that Ducati will still have a lot of catching up to do and it remains to be seen how competitive they can make their twin-spar, but at least it should no longer be the automatic back of the pack death sentence that it's been for every Ducati rider besides Stoner.

i'm fairly sure all the hondas started equal last year so i'm not sure where you're getting that he was riding a year old bike from

it's been my understanding that pretty much all the satellite bikes are a few races behind the factory bikes but not a season

Between the Hondas and the Yamaha? Is it soft tires or is the Honda just sorted?

RDP to Suzuki. I wonder if they'll have one or two riders. It'd be nice to see Hopper back in MotoGP.

Ben posted a good comment about that gap

https://www.facebook.com/benspiesofficial/posts/188531664562739

Not to say the Honda's were going full tilt just that Ben was not.

Those who don't want to click the link I pasted the full facebook post here:

"We weren’t too worried about lap times today, we made a lot of small changes to the bike including geometry changes, electronics etc to make the bike as comfortable as possible. Tomorrow we’ll try a different chassis spec so we can choose which one to go forward in. We confirmed which direction to go with in power delivery today which is good. This is testing so we never got close to the limit with the bike; it’s about riding at 90% consistently to test the motorcycle. When we get the full package next year in Sepang we’ll go closer to the limit. I can’t complain about the engine power though, we don’t need any more. It’s a shame my team mate Jorge is not here today, I know that whatever you give him he can go fast on it! I’m looking forward to getting his feedback as well when we test together in Sepang." -Ben Spies on his facebook page

Day 1 and the Ducati times are of particular interest. Both Hector and Karel within .5 of Valentino. A sign of the times ? Yamaha enjoyed not too dramatic a day,but must feel encouraged. The big mover of the day must be Dovi. New bike,new team...sattelite at that. RdP posted well on the 800 Suzuki, however,the kit was already fine tuned for the race on Sunday and conditions were not much different today. Understated Stefan Bradl will sleep well tonight.
Let's see what the 'morrow and the rumour mill brings. CRT,well !! Let us put it this way...When you are rock bottom,there is only one way to go, that's up.

Who honestly cares whether Suzuki had a good setup? This is still a completely new bike to the monstrosity Randy was racing with all year long. With absolutely not prior experience with it, he goes and clocks a laptime only a tenth slower than Bautista's qualifying time from Saturday.

Amazing if you ask me.

by opening salvos I presume you mean your the first to start the childish sniping..??

Great work by Randy and Bradl today, though I doubt we've really seen much of anything to build up a picture just yet, already knew the honda was great..
On gpone Rossi appears to have the same problems with the new chassis, though that was on a free translation version and it also mentioned him having a rainbow can anyone shed any light his best lap was very early on.. ??

RdP was only a tenth behind Bautista's qualifying time, after 40 laps on the blue bike.
Not to take anything from "Bati", who did great this season, but that tells a story.

In an audio interview for Moto Revue, he said that he rides a lot with the front. No doubt the Ducati did not suit him.
You could feel his satisfaction but also some anxiety. Let's hope he can get that ride next season !

Rossi ? Last year, on his first day on a GP10 he didn't know anything about, he circulated 1.9s from Lorenzo. 1.8s from Stoner on the wednesday. Yes, this bike is a laboratory, but given his comments afterwards let's not hope too much from him next year.
Very early days, but this situation is really getting embarrassing. I have a feel that he his kind of wasting precious years, for him, for the show, and for us.

and not just because that means Lauren Vickers will be wearing those sexy Rizla girl uniforms. It looks like the guy can get the 800cc competitive on tracks like Valencia where less HP isn't punished on long straights.

a two bike team with Hopper would be the best case scenario. Two different riding styles with a history of being fast, albeit inconsistently. I vaguely recall an interview of when Hopper first joined Kawasaki and rode using RdPs setup. He was completely befuddled how RdP could have ridden it with the geometry and weight distribution as it was!

I have to agree about Rossi on the Ducati. Lab bike or not. In the post test he is clearly disappointed. Stating something like: "We reach the limit very fast and fail to improve"

Skip that big lump of L shaped engine and go for a narrower screamer design is my recipe. Maximum power and agility.

Excellent result for the young German. Today should confirm his elevation to the top table for all sorts of reasons - being German, Dorna wants to see champions graduate, necessity, sponsorship, but least not because the man has just proven he belongs and deserves it!

I thought Josh Hayes was supposed to ride the 1000 today. I haven't seen anything about this. Did they cancel him?

Also, finally it was nice to have a rider say "I can't complain about the engine power though, we don't need any more.". I've been waiting 5 years to hear that!

Back in September, Stoner said the following

'We still have a lot more power than we can use. That frustrates me these days, when people say that one bike is faster than another. We all have too much grunt: you have to get it out of the corner better than the other person, or set it up better than him. We’ve still got way too much power.'

Quite relevant after the last race especially when it was on a wet track so power was irrelevant. I also haven't heard too many riders in general complain about a lack of power, it's normally always setup or bike feel.