Motors 2014 MotoGP/WSBK/BSB Season thread

So this is the amazing thing. It turns out that Ducati donated their factory ECU software to Magneti Marelli (the spec ECU manufactuers - aka the "championship ECU"). So all the open bikes are using Ducati's software. That means Ducati can develop the engine/chassis as much as they like, still get to use their own factory software and they can use softer tyres and more fuel if they wish to.

Total genius!

As a factory entrant you've always been able to do as you wish with the chassis but you can't touch the engine - and you only get 5 of them to boot. But it's hard to mess with the chassis when you can't also mess with the engine, as Ducati need to be able to do so very much. This'll allow them to much more easily move the engine around, change the size of it if necessary, add/remove weight to/from the crank, etc etc etc

As Neil Spalding said, I bet Gigi Dall'Igna is good at chess

 

ITV4 will be showing highlights of the MotoGP races. It's better than nothing, I guess. No mention of Moto 2 or 3 though.

 

Thanks for the heads up - but I remain massively disappointed in the whole sorry affair. I love MotoGP, and it seems I'm going to be reduced to watching it streamed in uber low quality - and all without the benefit of Toby Moody.

Sad turn of events.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yup I'm hoping that someone will be uploading a decent HD grab and putting it up on the various torrent sites...

Dorna have announced that due to the fact that Honda feel threatened by Ducati, any open bike which finishes on the podium two times or more (or something) will have their engine allocation cut from 12 to 9 and fuel from 24 to 22.5l. Piss up in a brewery springs to mind..

 

That's the only way I get to watch Ama supercross

 

This sounds like an officially sanctioned goalpost move after the game has started - Dorna have about the same record for professionalism as the FA has in the UK (and FIFA globally come to think of it).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Absolutely - what a joke! Although a couple of things spring to mind

1) I'd bet that Ducati probably won't be bothering using the full 24L of fuel - I'm assuming you can run around with as much fuel as you like as long as it isn't more than your maximum allowance (I could be wrong).
Their software is good enough as it is for them to have been finishing races on 21L and power is not their issue - indeed Dovi was hitting 213MPH recently So that part of the change is likely not a problem

2) Engine reliability is not really an issue for Ducati either so 9 rather than 12 isn't going to hinder them. They can still mess around as much as they like with 9 engines as they're not sealed affairs like the Factory options

Seems totally knee-jerk and under any scrutiny, appears (to me) to be a bit pointless. Which brings me onto my final point

3) Honda are just bitter that Ducati managed to interpret the rules better than they did. And they're probably thinking back to 2007 when they got caught with their pants down

 

I can seriously see Honda pulling out soon. Which would be a huge loss.

 

That would kill the whole thing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

PolEspargaro has broken left collarbone in late crash at Losail. Bad luck for 2014 rookie after solid preseason..

 

Crap luck


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Toby Moody will be doing commentary on BSB for ITV4 - finally we know what he's up to!

Pol will be fine

 

good looking bike, i think!

edit: kickass.to/tv/genre/sports/‎ appear to be hosting WSBK torrents, so i'm guessing they'll also have MotoGP torrents as well.

 

Got my tickets to Donny WSB ordered up! Cant wait to get some decent pictures of the Aprilia and the suzuki. They look so good

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

Movistar.... interesting

 

Somewhere in Spain, Sete Gibernau is foaming at the mouth as he silently rocks back and forth...

 

Lol

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

Watched the motogp 2014 preview on BT Sport 2 earlier, dont really think much of Skyes presenting as it was pretty poor.

A few good interviews with riders and team mechanics though will have to see what the show quaility is like in Qatar for the first race.

 

I might be able to cough make available cough a file which may or may not contain BT Sport's season preview, should anyone be interested. cough. PM me if you want it!