Malaysian GP

deez · 10-10-2003, 12:13 AM

Rossi will clinch this weekend barring a wreck.

FP1 is up, QP1 later tonight.

http://images.motograndprix.com/mult...250/250597.jpg

coderedcbr · 10-10-2003, 2:10 AM

WOW! Kenny Roberts

deez · 10-10-2003, 3:48 AM

http://images.motograndprix.com/mult...250/250702.jpg

tigerblade · 10-10-2003, 9:19 AM

Quote:

coderedcbr : WOW! Kenny Roberts *

First practice means very little.

Baketech · 10-10-2003, 9:21 AM

I understand Hopper is banned from this round, but does that mean the team cannot practice either?

Crash · 10-10-2003, 9:56 AM

Go Tamada!! *I smell another good race coming!

About Suzuki, just Hopper has been banned, not the team.

Baketech · 10-10-2003, 9:59 AM

Quote:

Crash : About Suzuki, just Hopper has been banned, not the team.

Can Hopper ride the practice sessions?

vtr996 · 10-10-2003, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Baketech : Quote (Crash @ Oct. 10 2003, 8:56am)About Suzuki, just Hopper has been banned, not the team.

Can Hopper ride the practice sessions?
nope, he's in australia already.

firebladetoronto · 10-10-2003, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Crash : Go Tamada!! *I smell another good race coming!

About Suzuki, just Hopper has been banned, not the team.

I think Tamada will take Rossi's ride if Rossi leaves Honda.

tigerblade · 10-10-2003, 11:25 AM

Tamada? Maybe. If I were Honda (oh think of the possibilities...) how about moving Sete to the Respol team and giving Colin the Telefonica ride?

Baketech · 10-10-2003, 11:45 AM

I am guessing that it will be Sete on the Repsol.....being a Spaniard and all....

Crash · 10-10-2003, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Baketech : I am guessing that it will be Sete on the Repsol.....being a Spaniard and all....

Yeah, Respol has almost threatened to pull out if a Spaniard is given the ride. Could be Sete and Tamada, with Colin and Nicky on the Telefonica..... Oh I love speculation

luvtolean · 10-10-2003, 12:58 PM

Man, when they find some horsepower for the Proton they might really have something.

coderedcbr · 10-10-2003, 2:45 PM

Quote:

tigerblade : Quote (coderedcbr @ Oct. 10 2003, 1:10am)WOW! Kenny Roberts *

First practice means very little. *
I know but some times you forget he is over there. The former GP champ.

Crash · 10-10-2003, 3:40 PM

Quote:

coderedcbr : Quote (tigerblade @ Oct. 10 2003, 9:19am)Quote (coderedcbr @ Oct. 10 2003, 1:10am)WOW! Kenny Roberts *

First practice means very little. *
I know but some times you forget he is over there. *The former GP champ.
I think that out of all the riders, KRJR and McCoy have had the worst cards dealt. Very talented riders with piss poor support.

deez · 10-11-2003, 11:44 AM

http://images.motograndprix.com/mult...251/251145.jpg

Who said the Yamaha wasn't competitive?

Zeeman · 10-11-2003, 7:36 PM

Looking forward to this race, looks like it will be a good one. I hope Rossi doesn't clinch it this race - that way, we will have a better race at Philip Island.

Z...

ND4SPD · 10-12-2003, 1:58 PM

WOW! My hats off to Nicky. Already looking forward to next season

deez · 10-12-2003, 2:02 PM

http://images.motograndprix.com/mult...251/251807.jpg

deez · 10-12-2003, 2:03 PM

Name: Valentino Rossi
Birth date: 16/02/1979
Birth place: Urbino, ITA
First Grand Prix: 1996 MAL 125cc
First Pole Position: 1996 CZE 125cc
First Race Fastest Lap: 1996 FRA 125cc
First Podium: 1996 AUT 125cc
First GP Victory: 1996 CZE 125cc
Grand Prix Starts: 122
500cc/MotoGP Starts: 62
250cc Starts: 30
125cc Starts: 30
Grand Prix Victories: 57
500cc/MotoGP Victories: 31
250cc Victories: 14
125cc Victories: 12
2nd Placements: 19
3rd placements: 12
Podium: 88
Pole Positions 26
Race Fastest Lap 54
World Championship Wins: 5
1997 125cc
1999 250cc
2001 500cc
2002 MotoGP
2003 MotoGP
Total Points: 2138

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA

Born: February 16, 1979 in Urbino. Son of Graziano Rossi, who was third in the 1979 250cc World Championship on a Morbidelli. Begins sporting career in 1990 in mini-moto competitions. In 1993 makes debut with Cagiva in Italian 125cc Sport Production championship, taking first victories in rookie season and winning the title in 1994.

In 1995 contests European Championships as official Aprilia rider, finishing the season in third place. Retains his Italian 125cc Championship crown.

MotoGP career:

1996: World Championship debut at the 125cc Malaysian GP riding an Aprilia in Scuderia AGV. Final Championship position: 9th with 111 points - 1 victory: Czech Republic.
1997: Second youngest ever 125cc Champion riding an Aprilia for the Nastro Azzurro Team. Final Championship position: 1st with 321 points - 11 wins: Malaysia, Spain, Italy, France, Netherlands, Imola, Germany, Brazil, Great Britain, Catalunya and Indonesia.
1998: Moves up to 250cc class riding an Aprilia for the Nastro Azzurro Team. Final Championship position: 2nd with 201 points - 5 wins: Netherlands, Imola, Catalunya, Australia and Argentina.
1999: Becomes the youngest ever 250 World Champion riding for the Aprilia Grand Prix Racing. Final Championship position: 1st with 309 points - 9 wins: Spain, Italy, Catalunya, Great Britain, Germany, Czech Republic, Australia, South Africa and Brazil.
2000: Moves up to the 500cc class riding a Honda for the Nastro Azzuro Team. Final Championship position: 2nd with 209 points - 2 wins: Great Britain and Brazil.
2001: Takes the 500cc World Championship riding a Honda for the Nastro Azzuro Team. Final Championship position: 1st with 325 points. - 11 wins: Japan, South Africa, Spain, Catalunya, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Portugal, Pacific, Australia, Malaysia and Brazil.
2002: Wins revised format MotoGP World Championship riding all-new four stroke Honda RC211V for the Repsol Honda Team.

Final Championship position: 1st with 355 points -11 wins: Japan, Spain, France, Catalunya, Italy, Netherlands, Great Britain, Germany, Portugal, Brazil and Australia.
2003: Wins his second MotoGP World Championship for the Repsol Honda Team. Final Championship position: 1st with 307 points after 14 of 16 rounds. 7 wins so far: Japan, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Portugal, Rio and Malaysia.

Other facts about Rossi's career:

In 2001 Rossi became the youngest ever rider to win titles in three different classes. The only other two riders to win titles in three classes are Phil Read (125, 250, 500) and Mike Hailwood (250, 350, 500).

Rossi was the fourth youngest rider ever to win the 500cc title after Freddie Spencer, Mike Hailwood and John Surtees.

Rossi is the second rider ever to win the premier class title with a two-stroke and a four-stroke machine (2001 – Honda NSR500; 2002 – Honda RC211V). The first was Giacomo Agostini (1966 to 1972 – MV 500cc four-stroke; 1975 Yamaha 500cc two-stroke).

Rossi is the eighth rider to have won three or more successive premier-class titles. He joins an illustrious list which also includes Geoff Duke, John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini, Kenny Roberts, Wayne Rainey and Mick Doohan.

CBRVFR · 10-12-2003, 3:17 PM

Booth asked........
Who said the Yamaha wasn't competitive?

I did. And Alex Barros agreed....
I think it will be less competitive next year, particularly if they go to their dual shock chassis versus the proven and even more refined 2004 RCV. If Vale the demigod rides it to a championship, it will be on sheer ability. But I doubt he'll be able to do so.

And anyway, enough about him....Nicky was magnificent !!

deez · 10-12-2003, 5:36 PM

Checa put it 2nd on the grid, it's competitive. I bet Rossi could have ridden it to the title this year.

ccwilli3 · 10-12-2003, 8:12 PM

Quote:

tigerblade : Tamada? *Maybe. *If I were Honda (oh think of the possibilities...) how about moving Sete to the Respol team and giving Colin the Telefonica ride?

Sete brought the telefonica with him to honda from suzuki. Sete will have telelfonica with HIM, wherever he goes. It'll be with him again next year for sure. Though, from his press conference today, it sounded like he'd be with them and Honda for MANY years...

I agree, Hayden did look good today.

Rossi is just the man, no matter how you look at it... Wow...

Baketech · 10-12-2003, 8:50 PM

Honda Quotes:
Quote
Valentino Rossi
Repsol Honda Team: 1st
'This is like a dream, the fifth title. It was a very hard race just like the whole season but also very good fun. Sete put me under much pressure and I have to work hard. I think we won over the season because we were more constant. We fight for the victory every race. We are always on the podium and we always take points and it's possible to make the championship here. I say thank you to my team. We have a great group of people from all over the world. I thank Honda for the constant development of the bike that makes it possible to win. Tonight we make a party with the fan club!'

Sete Gibernau
Telefonica MoviStar Honda: 2nd
'We have been fighting face to face for the world championship and the title went to Vale. My idea was to get a good start and get away but when Valentino passed me I couldn't follow his pace. Second is good for me now. I will now concentrate hard for each of the last two races. Dani Pedrosa's title did not come by accident, it is the results of a job well done and very well planned. I congratulate him on what must be a very special day for him.'

Fausto Gresini
Team Manager
'Sete ran a very good race today without errors and at a very high rhythm. Once again he has shown he is in very good form and I congratulate him on his performance. We have to be conscious that we are racing against the World Champion.'

Max Biaggi
Camel Pramac Pons: 3th
'The beginning of the race was complicated for me. I did not make a good start and it took me a couple of laps to get on the pace. By that time, the leaders had gained enough of an advantage to escape and I could not make contact with them. It was quite a difficult race. I gave everything I had as always, but I must congratulate Rossi on winning the Championship. This season has been more difficult for Valentino than last season and I hope that next year will be even more difficult for him.'

Sito Pons
'I am very happy because we have achieved another podium finish which reflects the competitiveness of both Max and the team. Max and Tohru both made poor starts, but they fought their way back through the field well.I hope that we manage to maintain the high level of performance shown in the last two races of the season. Finally I would like to congratulate Valentino Rossi and Honda on winning another World Championship.'

Nicky Hayden
Repsol Honda Team: 4th
'That was great. I got a pretty good start off the jump. Valentino didn't make such a great start and I had to go round him at turn 1. I made up a few spots that was good. I wanted to go with Biaggi. I went with Capirossi and outbraked myself then he got me back. He was so fast. I then got him and made the pass stick. Then managed to catch Checa. He upped the pace a little and I eventually got him in the end. Pretty committed overtakin'! When I tested here I really struggled. The track didn't suit my style. I've definitely learned a lot since then, especially about pickin' the bike up when the tires have gone away. Really pleased to have moved up another spot!'

BDA116 · 10-12-2003, 10:17 PM

Checa put the pile second on the grid once this year. I like Rossi, and he is very talented, but there is no way in h3ll Rossi would have won the title on the M1 this year.
I don't think you seriously believe that, but if you do you need to put down the pipe.