Moto GP

[stramasher]

RIP Big Simmo.

Horrible. Gutted.

[Binky]

RIP Big Simmo.

Horrible. Gutted.

have just viewed the crash on u tube suspect it woun,t be there long mind you

horendous doesn,t even cover you can see his helmet bouncing along side colins bike in the aftermath, would suspect he would have know little about it though

thoughts with his family and friends and team and a little one for poor colin edwards who had no chance to do anything but hit him

[eFestivals]

thoughts with his family and friends and team and a little one for poor colin edwards who had no chance to do anything but hit him

...and Rossi too.

I doubt there's many who'd get two bikes in their back at 100+mph and get up afterwards. It's rather spookily similar to last season's fatal Moto2 crash.

[modey]

Just seen this, awful crash, RIP

[The Nal]

RIP. Horrible to watch. When I saw the helmet off it had to be bad didnt it?

Gutted.

[The Nal]

Not going to post the pics but the link is here if anyone wants to see.

Looks like it was Rossi's bike that did the damage, about half way down the page.

Steve Parrish's article here suggesting Rossi could retire. I think Simoncelli is the only racer Rossi has allowed himself to get close to in his career.

Edited October 24, 2011 by The Nal

[Binky]

Not going to post the pics but the link is here if anyone wants to see.

Looks like it was Rossi's bike that did the damage, about half way down the page.

Steve Parrish's article here suggesting Rossi could retire. I think Simoncelli is the only racer Rossi has allowed himself to get close to in his career.

Got to be honest up until i saw that head on pic i thought rossi hadn,t made contact with him

wondering if his massive head of curly hair had an impact on his helmet being knocked off

[The Nal]

Got to be honest up until i saw that head on pic i thought rossi hadn,t made contact with him

wondering if his massive head of curly hair had an impact on his helmet being knocked off

Doubt it. Those helmet are on pretty tight. It would take something like a motorbike travelling at 80mph to whip it off someones head, which is sadly what happened. The spinning wheel probably added to the helmet coming off, freak accident.

His helmet rolling 50 yards down the track represents the impact on his head.

Pity were not going to see him anymore, a very exciting rider.

Edit - Just saw this from earlier in the thread. Only last week actually.

Big Simmo has been entertaining this year (on &off track), hopefully more so next season if he can stay on the things a wee bit longer.

He has been yeah but hes going to get himself hurt if he keeps riding like that.

A certain degree of inevitability about it really.......

Edited October 25, 2011 by The Nal

[stramasher]

Away to the last race in Valencia, a week friday.

Always an end of season mega party/blow-out.

Expecting it to be much more sombre, certainly at the track. A wake.

A very popular guy in a short space of time says a lot about his character. I had travelled over to Estoril earlier in the year and when he fell off on the 1st or 2nd lap (not even at the front) the fantastic atmosphere in the crowd uniformly dissapeared there and then. Could not believe it. Everbody willing him his first win.

Can't imagine what even the usually mentally impregnable Edwards and Rossi are feeling.

[eFestivals]

I've been pleased to read this morning that there's no way that Rossi is going to retire cos of Simmo's death.

It's a dangerous sport and I guess that riders have to be cold to what might go on around them, but it's a different thing when a rider is directly involved in another rider's death as Rossi and Edwards were - and with both towards the end of their careers, retirement must have crossed both their minds.

But that would be a very sad way for a rider of Rossi's calibre to bow out of the sport, so I hope that the new bike for next year puts him back at the front and then he can hopefully win another title, this time for his mate Simoncelli.

[The Nal]

Great end to the season, I mean the VERY end, the race and the wipeout at the start were shite. Stoner really showing the power of the Honda coming out of the last corner. The season will obviously be remembered for Big Simmo.

Till next spring then.....

Also, what a highside!

[The Nal]

New Ducati

[eFestivals]

when does the proper racing kick off this year then?

F1 is so god damned boring in comparison to motoGP and moto2.

[The Nal]

when does the proper racing kick off this year then?

F1 is so god damned boring in comparison to motoGP and moto2.

Qatar April 8th. Then nothing for 3 weeks and then it starts properly in early May. Superbikes are on next weekend. Very entertaining last season.

Will be watching more of the Moto2 this year aswell.

Rossi's bike hasn't improved much though! Shite pre season testing. Hope hes ironed out the issues since then.

[eFestivals]

Qatar April 8th. Then nothing for 3 weeks and then it starts properly in early May. Superbikes are on next weekend. Very entertaining last season.

Will be watching more of the Moto2 this year aswell.

Rossi's bike hasn't improved much though! Shite pre season testing. Hope hes ironed out the issues since then.

Thanks.

I can't say I'm that bothered with the Superbikes, it doesn't much grab me for some reason.

I reckon moto2 is the best of the lot - there's a lot to be said for having all the riders using the same engine. I reckon the scrawny ginger Brit is going to properly make an impression this year too.

Shame if Rossi's bike still isn't up to scratch.

[The Nal]

Rossi a good 1.5 seconds off Lorenzo at the top in testing. Poor start.

[The Nal]

Just saw this. in HD and edited well with some good music.

Still one of the most exciting 5 minutes of sport I've ever seen

http://vimeo.com/32756097

[eFestivals]

cheers for that, absolutely superb.

There's been a few of them with Rossi over the years. They just don't get better than him.

Let's hope he gets a competitive bike again before he hangs up his helmet.

[The Nal]

So just watched Le Mans from the weekend. Stoner announced his retirement at the end of the season?! Aged 26?

Good race though. Best of the season so far. Rossi in the rain. Incredible.

[eFestivals]

So just watched Le Mans from the weekend. Stoner announced his retirement at the end of the season?! Aged 26?

Good race though. Best of the season so far. Rossi in the rain. Incredible.

all three races were superb - I love watching them race in the rain.

As for Rossi, along with the much better result for him, I'm thinking that there's also been a significant improvement in the bike too. We'll get to find out if that's really the case at the next race if it's not raining.

[The Nal]

all three races were superb - I love watching them race in the rain.

As for Rossi, along with the much better result for him, I'm thinking that there's also been a significant improvement in the bike too. We'll get to find out if that's really the case at the next race if it's not raining.

Certainly looked it speed wise on the straights. Was able to keep up with the Honda no problem. And he was delighted too. Hopefully its the confidence boost he needs.

[eFestivals]

Certainly looked it speed wise on the straights. Was able to keep up with the Honda no problem. And he was delighted too. Hopefully its the confidence boost he needs.

yep - it's that sort of thing which has me thinking there's been an improvement with the bike that the rain was hiding.

And I agree, it'll have given Rossi a confidence boost, along with beating Stoner, plus Stoner announcing his retirement - a press conference where Rossi stood up and said "but I'm still going to be around for a few years" btw, if you'd not heard.

Not only did he nicely take the piss out of Stoner for retiring, he's also confirmed he's not about stop racing which is the best news that motoGP could have.

[The Nal]

What a bellend!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CenLA-51eXo

[The Nal]

Rossi meeting Ducati tonight. Looks like hes taking Stoner seat in Yamaha next year! Look out!!

[eFestivals]

Rossi meeting Ducati tonight. Looks like hes taking Stoner seat in Yamaha next year! Look out!!

shame they can't do a season on the same bikes. They'd only be one winner.