Take a look at the Combined Practice Times for Friday in Argentina. Two familiar names are at the top, Maverick Viñales (Yamaha) and Marc Marquez (Honda), but several top riders finished well down the pecking order. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) could manage only the 13th quickest lap, but he faired better than Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) in 16th and Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati) in 18th.
Why is Friday’s practice important for this weekend’s race? Because rain is predicted for tomorrow, and if riders are unable to improve their times, Pedrosa, Lorenzo, Rossi and even last week’s runner-up Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) will not automatically qualify to move to Q2, where the top 10 grid positions are determined.
See more of MD’s great photography:
At that track when the racers get there the track is dirty/slippery and it takes days before it’s clean enough to get safely fast on. So the veterans don’t want to get up to speed until the track is cleaner. No guts, no glory.
Apparently, that’s not the problem…
https://www.superbikeplanet.com/ryder-notes-strange-day-indeed/
What’s apparent……….dirty track or no guts, no glory?
Dirty track. Article says it was clean and several seconds faster than last year. Points to the mystery by citing that on this fast, grippy surface, old Ducatis the ones that were only competitive when grip was bad/wet) are clogging the top 10.
Q: What’s apparent……….dirty track or no guts, no glory?
suggested A: Dirty track.
correct A: NATCORK.
Oh god it’s NATCORK season crap
re: “Oh god it’s NATCORK season”
YEAH BABY…!!! (thumbs up emoticon)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2HBdRCroks
re: “At that track when the racers get there the track is dirty/slippery and it takes days before it’s clean enough to get safely fast on.”
it’s like my beloved Indianapolis is still on the schedule, as if.
Jeezalou, if it rains, some big names are going to have to make some serious moves on the pack if they want to be on the podium.
Last week’s winner was not Andrea Dovizioso was not able to qualify?
Maverick Viñales was last week’s winner, at least of the race I saw. Did I miss something? Dovi finished 2nd.
Last week Vinales won and Dovi was 2nd, Rossi 3rd.
Qualifying is tomorrow 9:30 am or noon, depending where you live.
Qualifying time doesn’t change based on where you live, just viewing time.
qualifying was in a word …suprising! There are some big names that are going to have to pass a LOT of people.(hint they are riding new Ducati’s)