MotoGP 2012

[Ravenheart]

The thread for the 2012 MotoGP season.

Gone are the 125's this season replaced by the 250cc Moto3 class, which have already seem to have been given the nickname "fighter planes"

Moto 2 was certainly a fantastic season last year with probably the best racing of any of the 3 classes.

Finally we have MotoGP which introduced the CRT bikes to expand the grid.

The calendar for this season is as follows

Date Location

8 April Qatar, Losail
29 April Spain, Jerez
6 May Portugal, Estoril
20 May France, Le Mans
3 June Spain, Catalunya
17 June Great Britain, Silverstone
30 June Netherlands, Assen
8 July Germany, TBC
15 July Italy, Mugello
29 July United States, Laguna Seca
19 August United States, Indianapolis
26 August Czech Republic, Brno
16 September San Marino, Misano
30 September Spain, Aragon
14 October Japan, Motegi
28 October Australia, Phillip Island
23 October Malaysia, Sepang
11 November Spain, Valencia

---------- Post added at 10:54 ---------- Previous post was at 10:20 ----------

Sad news. Sky hoover up another sport from the 2014 season

Sky will have the exclusive right to broadcast all 18 races of the three classes (MotoGP™, Moto2™, Moto3™) of the FIM MotoGP World Championship.

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/S...clusive+rights

[Kymmy]

You'll have to get a sat dish up Jo

[Ravenheart]

Nah I'll just concentrate on the superior WSB and BSB championships

Originally Posted by Ravenheart

Nah I'll just concentrate on the superior WSB and BSB championships

I'll second that

[Ravenheart]

Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner has just announced he will retire at the end of the season.

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/Casey+retirement

There has been a rumour going round the paddock of this for a few weeks now, but he's just made it official at the Le Mans MotoGP press conference.

EDIT: Link added

Nooo! The man can ride big time. One of the last using rear brake to make the bike turn (and make it a lot wider ).

[Ravenheart]

And Valentino refutes rumours of his departures at same press conference saying he plans another 2 years

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/R...ears+in+MotoGP

[Caff]

Originally Posted by Kymmy

You'll have to get a sat dish up Jo

I believe you can catch the Le Mans on BBC 2 at 12:30, grid start at 1:00 our time.
I have no sat dish either

Go Cal, Go Cal, ad infinitum

[Ravenheart]

I enjoy the coverage on Eurosport, but they don't always have the MotoGP race live so have to switch over to the Beeb.

I'd love to see Cal get a podium at Le Mans

[Caff]

Originally Posted by Ravenheart

Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner has just announced he will retire at the end of the season.

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2012/Casey+retirement

There has been a rumour going round the paddock of this for a few weeks now, but he's just made it official at the Le Mans MotoGP press conference.

EDIT: Link added

Nooo - he can't!
Oh well, it gives others a chance I suppose.
What is it with Aussies and bits of rubber? F1, speedway and Moto GP. An Aussie told me it's their free open roads for a start

[Ravenheart]

What a cracking MotoGP race in appalling conditions at le Mans!

[Ravenheart]

Well we should have been 38 mins into the live World Superbike coverage from the states, instead we've got 2 players you've never heard of playing Eurosport 2 despite the fact the tennis has been on since 10 am on both channels.

So in television rage -

@EurosportUKTV "Now we're over to a small nearby garden where 2 more people you're not interested in play swingball" #wsb

Yes, what a complete mess they made of WSB, Grrr. Really not impressed

[Ravenheart]

Had to laugh at Jack Burnicle and James Whitham's banter while they had the red flag and were cleaning the track.

Whitham "we could have flown some British Marshals over got the track cleared and back home again in the time it's taken these guys"

2nd race after the restart was great.

[Caff]

My message to our (UK) foremost rider would be:
Credit to You, Cal, for starting the race with a broken and sparained ankle and competing for the GB fans. How many pairs of special boots do you have??? Next time Mate I know how much your pet hate hate is A&E.
Podium will come.