Jerez FIM GP: who will get the cava?

[Schummy]

([OT]cava: a sort of champagne variety from Catalonia, Spain)

Jerez suits Yamaha equal or more than Welkom, so maybe Rossi can go on with the magic. Local heroe Sete is my best bet against VR, I don't think Jerez fits well Biaggi/Honda.

I'm curious about: Edwards, he has a good bike, let's see what can he do (without excuses); grippy tyres for Suzuki & Kawa, can they reveal in Jerez corners?; Ducati, they were nowhere in Welkom's race, Jerez doesn't suits them for sure, what can they do?

My bet: Rossi-Gibernau-Biaggi

250cc. Pedrosa can be mighty in home soil, and Jerez winding road can be good for his style. De Puniet is fast and regular, he is a potential contender every where. Porto was astonishingly fast in Welkom.

My bet: Pedrosa-Porto-DePuniet

125cc. Locatelli is probably the best all-rounder there, and he looks motivated (covering his weak point). Giansanti, Dovizioso, Stoner will be probably factors this season, but I would go for the local bonus that Spanish riders will get. Among them I'd choose Barbera with Aprilia, but this is a really difficult category to predict!

My bet: Locatelli-Barbera-Giansanti (and so many more!)

Luckily my "bets" are without any money, because I'm sure things will conspire to make them useless!

[santori]

Motogp: Biaggi-Rossi-Gibernau

250 - Porto-Pedrosa-DP

125 - Hmmmm.

[Schummy]

Yes, I agree Hmmmm can do a good race

[asha]

Max - Edwards - Rossi
Porto - Rolfo - Randy
Stoner (with local knowledge) - loca - Hector B

[Schummy]

asha: Interesting guesses.

Edwards getting podium ahead Rossi would be a real boost for his FIM career.

Pedrosa not even in podium is intriguing, but maybe we are reading too much in Pedrosa's success in Welkom.

Max, Rossi, Porto, Puniet, we all three agreed they will be contenders in Jerez as well. Poor Poggy, nobody seems to remember him, if he wins we will get a tart in our face!

[ASCII Man]

MotoGP: Rossi - Gibernau - Barros
250: Rolfo - Porto - Pedrosa
125: Barbera - Locatelli - Giansanti

[climb]

Originally posted by santori
Motogp: Biaggi-Rossi-Gibernau

250 - Porto-Pedrosa-DP

...

That's exactlky what I hope it will happen

[Schummy]

Resume of guesses: (schummy, santori, asha, ascii man)

MotoGP: Rossi 4; Biaggi, Gibernau 3; Barros, Edwards 1.
250cc: Porto 4; DePuniet, Pedrosa 3; Rolfo 2.
125cc: Locatelli, Barbera 3; Giansanti 2; Stoner 1.

So our collective guess is (as now):
MotoGP: Rossi-Biaggi=Gibernau
250cc: Porto-DePuniet=Pedrosa
125cc: Locatelli=Barbera-Giansanti

[Pitbabe]

OK, here is what I think (for what it's worth):

125: Stoner, Dovizioso, Nieto

250: Poggiali, Pedrosa, de Angelis

MotoGP: Rossi, Gibernau, Biaggi

(Go, go, go, Vale !!!!!)

[climb]

Originally posted by Schummy
Resume of guesses: (schummy, santori, asha, ascii man)


...

Many thanks Schummy!!!
You just forgot me

[Schummy]

climb: friend, I thought you were saying you would like that result! I didn't think it was a pronostic

I'll update it with your and Pitbabe's opinions.

[x_dt]

MotoGP: Giberneau, Rossi, Edwards

250cc: de Puniet, Porto, Poggiali

125cc: Dovizioso, Giansanti (he should have won years ago), Kallio

[f1manoz]

MotoGP: Sete, Rossi, Max

250cc: de Puniet, Rolfo, Poggiali

125cc: Loca, Stoner, Dovizioso

[Dani Filth]

Rossi, Randy and Locatelli

[climb]

Originally posted by Schummy
climb: friend, I thought you were saying you would like that result! I didn't think it was a pronostic

I'll update it with your and Pitbabe's opinions.

[DavidStHubbins]

MotoGP: Rossi, Gibernau and Biaggi

[Schummy]

Resume until now (number of "nominations" ), including climby's :

MotoGP: (out of 10)
Rossi    10 (100%) **********
Gibernau  8  (80%) ********
Biaggi    7  (70%) *******
Edwards   2  (20%) **
Barros    1  (10%) *

250cc: (out of 9)
Puniet   7 (78%) *******
Porto    6 (67%) ******
Pedrosa  5 (56%) *****
Poggiali 3 (33%) ***
Rolfo    3 (33%) ***
Angelis  1 (10%) *

125cc: (out of 7)
Locatelli 5 (71%) *****
Giansanti 3 (43%) ***
Stoner    3 (43%) ***
Dovizioso 3 (43%) ***
Barbera   3 (43%) ***
P.Nieto   1 (14%) *
Kallio    1 (14%) *

So, collective guess is:
MotoGP: Rossi - Gibernau - Biaggi
250cc: Puniet - Porto - Pedrosa
125cc: Locatelli - Giansanti = Stoner = Dovizioso = Barbera

As almost always, 250cc is "more spread" than MotoGP and 125 is even more open than 250cc

[Schummy]

After 1st practice in Jerez (see DavidStHubbins' thread about Jerez's times) it seems favourites are basically confirming their status.

[asha]

all except the 125!

[Schummy]

At last I could see the (taped) races!

MotoGP's podium was relatively reasonable, except for the always notable fact of Rossi not winning. I think Rossi is less awesome in wet conditions, although if means just that: *less* awesome. His Yamaha looked not very well adjusted for the conditions, anyway.

Even more notably, Valentino was out of the podium. I'm not sure but I think he has broken the historically longest run of podiums ever in 500/MotoGP. Therefore, a little great event in the sport: the record is fixed.

One of the good things about it is maybe Rossi will have a strong opposition in the WC, or perhaps it was just the very wet flukey conditions.

In 250cc, Porto, Pedrosa and Poggiali did a collective Titanic and sunk in(to) the waters. Puniet solid as ever, my only concern is that "steady" riders/drivers usually don't get WCs, they need to win more often. Rolfo was brilliant (good call ASCII man, asha, f1manoz), but will be able to mount an along-the-season claim for the title?

The smaller class was really crazy . Simoncelli as winner appeared out of the blue, Jenkner was not predicted neither (in fact he saved a big off-road excursion!). Barbera was the only one more or less likely to end in the podium (lol, he nearly crashed in the last lap!).

Anyway, the race belonged most of time to poor Stoner, who crashed in the evil pool in the "Doohan" 2nd curve. Locatelli was not only out of the race but out of the country as well. My fav for the title is Loca, though, I "hope" he does better in dry tarmac.