[954Stealth]

Stop 4 finds the 2014 MotoGP roster back in Europe for the Jerez, Spain GP. The race will take place on International Star Wars Day, May 4th. May the 4TH be with you!! No rest from Argentina....back to back and continent to continent
Will Marquez make it 4 in a row for the season?
What will Rossi's response be to Bradl's aggressive maneuver that cost him a podium finish?
Can anyone catch the Honda guys??




Circuit info:

Length: 4.423 m / 2.748 miles
Width: 11m
Left corners: 5
Right corners: 8
Longest straight: 607 m / 0.377 miles
Constructed: 1986
Modified: 2002

Introduction:
Built in 1986 and hosting its first Grand Prix one year later, the circuit of Jerez is now one of the most popular MotoGP venues and the focal point for a city fanatical about sport. Set in a slight valley in the south of Spain, Jerez is blessed with consistently good weather and beautiful scenery, its numerous grandstands providing the perfect viewing facilities for up to 250,000 spectators.


With two alternative road circuits (4,423m and 4,428m), which were resurfaced during 2005, Jerez is a popular venue used by many race teams for testing throughout the year, whilst its recently updated corporate and media facilities have proven to be a popular addition to the complex. Other facilities such as the control tower and pit boxes have also been vastly improved.


Nicky Hayden found a UFO on the Jerez track!






Setup has begun!





Updated Points standings:

1. M. Marquez75
2. D. Pedrosa 56
3. V. Rossi 41
4. A. Dovizioso 34
5. A. Iannone 25
6. S. Bradl 24
7. J. Lorenzo 22
8. A. Espargaró 21
9. B. Smith 20
10. P. Espargaró 18


"MotoGP riders know the Jerez de la Frontera circuit well. It's been home to the Spanish Grand Prix since 1987 and is used as an official off-season testing venue. Situated in Spain's sherry-making region the weather is usually good, although wetter conditions have spiced thingsup in recent years. This race is also one of the season's best attended, regularly attracting close to 250,000 fans throughout the weekend."





#ELBOWSDOWN

[954Stealth]

Nicky Hayden # 69:
“I am really looking forward to going to Jerez this week, it’s an interesting track. You could say the season is more back to normal this weekend after a night race in Qatar, a very difficult weekend for us in Texas and a new track in Argentina. Now we go to Europe, the home of the championship, and a circuit we all know well. It’s an awesome track with an unbeatable atmosphere and most riders are fast there. I always enjoying racing at Jerez. You can’t use all of the power of a MotoGP bike in certain sections of the track but that could prove to be an advantage to us compared to the factory bikes. If we do our job right maybe we can get closer and be more competitive. Hopefully the conditions are on our side.”

Hiroshi Aoyama # 7:
“We have had three long-haul races to kick of the season and it hasn’t been an easy start for us. A new bike, new team, a lot of work to adapt and set the bike up. The positive thing is that we have made progress every week and last Sunday we were able to score a very positive result in Argentina. Now it’s time to kick off the European part of the season and this week we go to Jerez, a circuit I love and have lots of good memories of. I am sure that the characteristics of the track can really suit our bike and even though we had a good race last time we need to keep working. The main objective for this weekend is to improve the bike in corner entry and we will try to maintain the positive trend from last week.”

Marc Marquez # 93:
“Argentina was only a few days ago but we are already on our way to Spain! We had a really good weekend, taking another important 25 points, but now we go to Jerez where I know Dani and Jorge are very strong. The crowd and ambiance is very special there and it gives you special motivation to perform at your maximum level. After three fly away races it will be nice to arrive back in Europe for a few ‘normal’ races, I’ll try to relax a little and prepare myself ready for Friday’s FP1”

Dani Pedrosa # 26:
“It was a good weekend in Argentina although I would have liked to be in the battle for the victory, but I really enjoyed the race and the track! Now we have no break, and next weekend we race in Jerez! This is one of my favourite circuits on the calendar, I really enjoy seeing all the fans and racing back in Spain after three long races away. As usual we will start working hard from the Friday and hope to continue with the same momentum that we found in Argentina”

Pol Espargaro # 44:
“It may seem like a bit of a squeeze, but I am really happy that I get to go back out on my Yamaha YZR-M1 MotoGP bike again in such a short space of time after the last race. I enjoy Jerez and I have had some great results here in the past, including my first World Championship win in 125cc, so this weekend I aim to please the fans, get a good qualifying, a great start and then see what happens.
It will be really nice to race in my home country for the first time on a MotoGP bike, which will give me a boost and make me ride even harder. I can't wait to get it started."

Alvaro Bautista # 19:
“I really hope that the first European race can finally put an end to this bad period: the only thing we can do right now is to continue to believe in ourselves and work hard, like we have done so far, in order to try to reverse the trend.”

Bradley Smith # 39:
“After what has been a great couple of weeks travelling from one continent to the next, it will be nice to get back to Europe, and to Jerez which is a circuit I, and the Yamaha favour,” he said.
I scored my first Pole position here in 2008, and then won the race in 2009 in the 125 class, which are nice memories. For this year there's a little work that needs to be undertaken on the bike, but I have full confidence that we will continue our steady improvements, and the team as well as Yamaha are doing a great job so far.
However, the result from the last race was not where I would like to be, and I am determined to close the gap to the bikes in front of me, and who knows, possibly be in the hunt for a podium.”

[Razzy]

Super excited for this!

[954Stealth]

Originally Posted by Razzy

Super excited for this!

Same here this is always a good track




Bridgestone expands front tyre allocation for MotoGP™ riders
Read the full article here:
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/B...+MotoGP+riders

[954Stealth]

Yamaha really needs a win in Jerez if they hope to win the championship this year on the day of MM93's 100th grand prix.

The Honda/Yamaha battle continues!





This happened earlier in the year at Jerez:


and local Jerez news. The MotoGP Grand Prix brings motorcycle fans from all over Spain and Europe in a LARGE rally. Question - Where do you park 50 Thousand Motorcycles??:

"The city of Jerez and the surrounding area are preparing for the roar of over 50,000 bikes arrive in the city from today attracted to the Spain Grand Prix Championship, to be held within the next 2 to 4 May. Another year the Motorcycle Grand Prix at the Circuit of calls about 130,000 Jerez lovers of two wheels from all over Spain and from other countries in Europe have in the Grand Prix one of his main events .

To monitor the roads before their arrival in addition to the assistance of more than 250,000 motorcycles 50,000 vehicle movements are expected, the Directorate General of Traffic ( DGT) is today launching a special discharge monitoring and assistance. The DGT insists on caution on the roads and remember that motorists have a risk of injury is between 20 and 40 times higher for a user of the vehicle.

Agents of the Traffic Civil Guard will be deployed in the main roads of the country , especially in the area of influence of the circuit, where there will be at least 350 agents."

[954Stealth]

The Doctor is in:

[954Stealth]

On the way to Jerez:


Rockets ready to fire:


59 degrees of freedom.


Obvious product placement:


There they are


Always wear a helmet, guys. My Dad's friend died in his arms on the side of the road because he didn't have a helmet on


Warp speed, Captain!


Get in the Zone ( not Autozone)

[954Stealth]

Umbrella girls say: What day is it?? No not hump day (although these make it tempting) It is....Wheelie Wednesday!!





Hey who put that last one there??
Alright well, ahem, on that note lets get to the wheelies



Reverse Wheelie or Endo:

[Youpaiyou]

Where do you get all your picks of the riders and stuff?

[954Stealth]

Originally Posted by Youpaiyou

Where do you get all your picks of the riders and stuff?

I'll shoot you a PM


Since we did wheelie Wednesday let's do Throwback Thursday and in a few hours we can do FP Friday

So, without further ado I give you ye olde photo of MM93




In Other news, Cal Crutchlow is confirmed to be racing this weekend after taking Argentina off. He's been spending a lot of time in a hyperbaric chamber in an attempt to accelerate the healing process. He'll do free practice and see how he feels

He did have this to say:
"I still have a lot of pain and driving is extremely difficult this weekend" and goes on to say:

"My hand is getting better every day, but I still have a lot of pain and makes driving this weekend extreme difficult "
Though he is of the opinion that the slow and demanding course in Jerez is a rather inappropriate place, according to return an injury of its kind, he wants to bite on the teeth.
"On Friday I will try to go and get the best. Then we'll see. It feels really good to all cases from to be back with the team on the road. "
- Cal Crutchlow



Paddock, prep & conference:

[tito_gsx]

Jerez GP is going to be awesome! love this thread

[954Stealth]

[954Stealth]

It's Repsol Honda's 20th anniversary.
Here is Hayden sitting on his old bike

[Razzy]

I too am curious where you are gettin these pics. They are not the normal ones I see on other sites.

In other news, Beidgestone will not be the Official Tire for MotoGp from the end of 2015.

[954Stealth]

GP1 Numbers. AEsp was quickest

1 41 Aleix Espargaró NGM Forward Racing Yamaha B 1:39.357 18
2 99 Jorge Lorenzo Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha B 1:39.714 + 0.357 17
3 93 Marc Marquez Repsol Honda Team Honda B 1:39.849 + 0.492 20
4 26 Daniel Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team Honda B 1:39.860 + 0.503 21
5 46 Valentino Rossi Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha B 1:40.167 + 0.810 19
6 19 Alvaro Bautista GO&FUN Honda Gresini Honda B 1:40.560 + 1.203 18
7 4 Andrea Dovizioso Ducati Team Ducati B 1:40.619 + 1.262 17
8 6 Stefan Bradl LCR Honda MotoGP Honda B 1:40.644 + 1.287 18
9 68 Yonny Hernandez Pramac Racing Team Ducati B 1:40.686 + 1.329 17
10 38 Bradley Smith Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha B 1:40.758 + 1.401 21
11 69 Nicky Hayden Drive M7 Aspar Honda B 1:40.846 + 1.489 19
12 29 Andrea Iannone Pramac Racing Team Ducati B 1:40.879 + 1.522 16
13 51 Michele Pirro Ducati Team Ducati B 1:40.924 + 1.567 17
14 8 Hector Barbera Avintia Racing Kawasaki B 1:40.928 + 1.571 17
15 44 Pol Espargaró Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha B 1:41.002 + 1.645 22
16 7 Hiroshi Aoyama Drive M7 Aspar Honda B 1:41.183 + 1.826 21
17 5 Colin Edwards NGM Forward Racing Yamaha B 1:41.252 + 1.895 18
18 35 Cal Crutchlow Ducati Team Ducati B 1:41.364 + 2.007 18
19 45 Scott Redding GO&FUN Honda Gresini Honda B 1:41.374 + 2.017 17
20 17 Karel Abraham Cardion AB Motoracing Honda B 1:41.578 + 2.221 19
21 23 Broc Parkes Paul Bird Motorsport Aprilia B 1:42.171 + 2.814 18
22 9 Danilo Petrucci Ioda Racing Project Aprilia B 1:42.188 + 2.831 18
23 63 Mike Di Meglio Avintia Racing Kawasaki B 1:42.346 + 2.989 16
24 70 Michael Laverty Paul Bird Motorsport Aprilia B 1:43.015 + 3.658 20

[954Stealth]

Marquez is quickest now in later runs on a greasy track complete with a few dumps and scrapes

Photo of Hayden's leathers after he took a fall today




Bradley Smith crashed the M1 in turn four late in this practice session in Spain and sent the M1 tumbling down the countryside. Smith limped away but the bike looked very "do over". Hiroshi Aoyama + Barbera crashed too but walked away just fine....






... And there are rumors that this might be Edward's last race! I hope he finishes the season at least....

[954Stealth]

Brembo brakes are allowing about 1.36g's during deceleration

[954Stealth]

He's on fire!

[metrickid]

Hayden didn't crash, his leathers look like that because he saved a few front wheel mishaps with the arm (and knee).

[954Stealth]

Originally Posted by Rossifumi

Hayden didn't crash, his leathers look like that because he saved a few front wheel mishaps with the arm (and knee).

Oops you're right! My mistake

[954Stealth]

Last ones for today...

[954Stealth]

The FP's continue as does the nice scenery!