Portuguese GP: Event Schedule

Friday 2 October

12.40 – 13.40              125cc Free Practice 1
13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Free Practice 1
15.10 – 16.10              250cc Practice 1

............................................................................
 

Saturday 3 October

09.00 – 09.40              125cc Free Practice 2
09.55 – 10.55              MotoGP Free Practice 2
11.10 – 12.10              250cc Free Practice 2
13.00 – 13.40              125cc Qualifying
13.55 – 14.55              MotoGP Qualifying
15.10 – 15.55              250cc Qualifying

............................................................................
 

Sunday 4 October

09.00 – 09.20              250cc Warm Up
09.30 – 09.50              MotoGP Warm Up
10.00 – 10.20              125cc Warm Up
 
11.15                           250cc RACE (26 laps)
13.00                           MotoGP RACE (28 laps)
14.00                           125cc RACE (23 laps)

............................................................................

Indy GP - BBC TV Schedule

With it being a big old gap between us and Indy on the other side of the pond - or a completely different gap depending on where you live of course! - this weekend is one to plan carefully for TV coverage.
Here's the BBC schedules...


Saturday 29 August
Qualifying
17:50-21:00, BBC Red Button/online

....................................................................

Sunday 30 August
125 and 250cc race
16:50-18:05, BBC Red Button/online

MotoGP Race
19:45-21:00, BBC Three/online
Race repeat
02:20-03:35, BBC Three

....................................................................

Aspar Celebrates 100 Victories

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since the Dutch TT of 1984, when Jorge Martínez "Aspar" took on the role of team manager Derbi but still showed his qualities as a rider by taking his first ever victory in the 80cc class. The man he had to beat was none other than local favourite Hans Spaan, which only made his final-lap win even more exciting. Afterwards Ángel Nieto told him: "No matter how many races you have won, savour this moment because you will never forget it."
Four world titles and no fewer than 36 victories later, the 'Apsar' who lined up on the grid in Argentina was an entirely different man to that 21-year-old who came of age ten years earlier at 'The Cathedral'. Ready to race his notoriously difficult Yamaha and with more than one Japanese job at stake, the veteran made a final corner pass on Ueda to secure the final victory of his stellar career. Today Jorge Martínez "Aspar" celebrates again, having watched his team take their 200th podium no long ago he is now left to reflect on a century of victories.

His own 37 wins as a rider have been complimented by another 63 as the leader of the Aspar Team, now a standard-bearing organisation within the MotoGP paddock. The circuit was Donington and the rider lucky enough to take the milestone victory and forever form part of the glorious Jorge Martínez "Aspar" story was Julián Simón. Faubel made his mark with seven wins, Elías and Porto with six each, Fonsi with five and his cousin Pablo with the only victory of his career; each has contributed to the Aspar Team's winning pedigree. However, it has been without doubt Álvaro Bautista, the team's leading light in the 250cc class, who has been the main heir to Jorge's legacy, taking sixteen victories so far in "Aspar" colours.
 The world of motorcycling has changed and continues to change dramatically since those early days - the circuits, the bikes, the way it is viewed. but one thing that has always remained is that youthful gaze of a fifteen-year-old who has never stopped dreaming despite the success and the inevitable passage of time...
 
 
Jorge Martínez "Aspar":
"Who would have thought back in '79 when I started racing that I could end up in such a privileged position? Looking back on everything we have achieved since then makes me enormously proud and happy. It is incredible to think back to when I was a 15-year-old, when I started racing bikes, and I have never been separated from my life's passion. I am enormously proud to have a team with six riders in the World Championship, with 200 podiums recently and now 100 victories. There have obviously been a lot of hard times with crashes, injuries, operations and lean financial periods - times when you feel like throwing in the towel. However, I think that one of the most important things in life is consistency, as well as self-belief and fighting for your dreams. I would like to thank all the people who have contributed to the success of this team, from the mechanics to the chief engineers and of course all the sponsors and brands who have worked with us and without whom we could have never reached this glorious milestone."
 
Álvaro Bautista: 
"What more can I say other than that it is incredible to form part of this team. Everything I have achieved in my career has been here and I hope I can add to it. My objective is to win at least as many races as Jorge, to whom I will be eternally grateful for showing faith in me from the beginning." 
 

British GP, Donington - BBC TV Schedule

If you're not at Donington this weekend , then don't miss the coverage on the BBC...


Saturday 25 July

Qualifying
1250-1600, BBC Red Button/online

.............................................................


Sunday 26 July

125 and 250cc race
1220-1435, BBC Red Button/online

Race
1500-1630, BBC One/online

MotoGP Extra
1630-1700, BBC Red Button/online

.............................................................

Catalunya GP Weekend - TV Schedules

Friday June 12th

Live MotoGP - 11.40am
Catalunya Grand Prix: 125cc Practice
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP - 12.45pm
Catalunya Grand Prix: MotoGP Practice
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP - 2.00pm
Catalunya Grand Prix: 250cc Practice
(Eurosport 2)

MotoGP - 9.10pm
Catalunya Grand Prix: MotoGP Practice (rpt)
(Eurosport 2)

.............................................


Saturday June 13th

MotoGP - 11.00am
Catalunya Grand Prix: Practice (rpt)
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP - 12.00pm
125cc Catalunya Grand Prix: Qualifying
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP - 12.45pm
MotoGP Catalunya Grand Prix: Qualifying
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP - 2.00pm
250cc Catalunya Grand Prix: Qualifying
(Eurosport 2)

MotoGP - 9.30pm
MotoGP Catalunya Grand Prix: Qualifying
(Eurosport 2)

.............................................


Sunday June 14th

MotoGP - 9.00am
MotoGP Catalunya Grand Prix: Qualifying (rpt)
(Eurosport 2)

Live MotoGP - 10.00am
125cc Catalunya Grand Prix
(Eurosport)

Live MotoGP - 11.00am
250cc Catalunya Grand Prix
(Eurosport)

Live MotoGP - 12.30pm
Catalunya Grand Prix
(BBC2)

MotoGP - 4.00pm (*Delayed broadcast)
MotoGP Catalunya Grand Prix
(Eurosport)

French Grand Prix Weekend - TV Schedules

Basically a Eurosport listing, with the exception of the *live* MotoGP race on BBC2...

Friday May 15th

12:00 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The practice session for the 125cc French Grand Prix

12:45 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The French Grand Prix MotoGP practice session

14:00 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The 250cc French Grand Prix practice session

18:30 - Eurosport
The French Grand Prix MotoGP practice session

22:00 - Eurosport2
The French Grand Prix MotoGP practice session

......................................................................

Saturday May 16th

12:00 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The qualifying session for the 125cc French Grand Prix

12:45 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The MotoGP French Grand Prix qualifying session

14:00 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The 250cc French Grand Prix qualifying session

16:30 - Eurosport2
The MotoGP qualifying session for the French Grand Prix

......................................................................

Sunday May 17th

09:30 - Eurosport2
The French Grand Prix warm-up session

09:45 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The 125cc French Grand Prix

11:00 - *LIVE* - Eurosport2
The 250cc French Grand Prix

12:30 - *LIVE* - BBC2
The French Grand Prix at Le Mans

15:30 - Eurosport2
The MotoGP French Grand Prix

......................................................................



Source: MindTheZap

British Eurosport TV Schedules - Spanish GP, Jerez

As ever I only recommend Eurosport coverage for MotoGP - especially of course in 250cc and 125cc (although I could change my mind if we have that totally gash commentary team from last weekend on again...). Accept no substitute for Toby and Julian though - and no substitute for committed coverage on the lesser categories.
As such, here's the main scheduling for this weekend's Spanish GP at Jerez for those of you in the UK...


Friday May 1st

01/05 12:00 (*live) Eurosport2
The 125cc practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix

01/05 13:00 (*live) Eurosport2
The MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix practice session

01/05 14:00 (*live) Eurosport2
The 250cc practice session for this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix

01/05 17:00 (*repeat) Eurosport2
The MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix practice session

................................................................

Saturday May 2nd

02/05 12:00 (*live) Eurosport2
The 125cc qualifying session for the Spanish Grand Prix

02/05 13:00 (*live) Eurosport2
The Spanish Grand Prix MotoGP qualifying session in Jerez, Spain

02/05 14:00 (*live) Eurosport2
The 250cc qualifying session in Jerez, Spain

02/05 17:00 (*repeat) Eurosport2
The MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix qualifying session

................................................................

Sunday May 3rd

03/05 09:30 (*live) Eurosport2
The Spanish Grand Prix warm-up session

03/05 10:00 (*live) Eurosport2
The 125cc race in Jerez, Spain

03/05 11:15 (*live) Eurosport2
The 250cc Spanish Grand Prix from Jerez

03/05 14:00 (*not live) Eurosport2
The MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix

................................................................


Source: mindthezap.tv

Japanese Grand Prix - TV Coverage On British Eurosport

24/04 05:00 - *LIVE* MotoGP, Eurosport
The Japanese Grand Prix 125cc practice session

24/04 06:00 - *LIVE* MotoGP, Eurosport
The Japanese Grand Prix MotoGP practice session

24/04 07:00 - *LIVE* MotoGP, Eurosport
The Japanese Grand Prix 250cc practice session

24/04 08:30 - MotoGP, Eurosport
The Japanese Grand Prix MotoGP practice session

24/04 13:00 - MotoGP, Eurosport
The Japanese Grand Prix MotoGP practice session

24/04 22:30 - MotoGP, Eurosport
The Japanese Grand Prix MotoGP practice session

25/04 05:00 - *LIVE* MotoGP, Eurosport
The Japanese Grand Prix 125cc qualifying session

25/04 06:00 - *LIVE* MotoGP, Eurosport
The Japanese Grand Prix MotoGP qualifying session

25/04 07:00 - *LIVE* MotoGP, Eurosport
The Japanese Grand Prix 250cc qualifying session

25/04 15:00 - MotoGP, Eurosport2
The Japanese Grand Prix MotoGP qualifying session

25/04 17:30 - MotoGP, Eurosport
The Japanese Grand Prix MotoGP qualifying session

26/04 04:00 - *LIVE* MotoGP, Eurosport
The Japanese Grand Prix 125cc race

26/04 05:15 - *LIVE* MotoGP, Eurosport
The Japanese Grand Prix 250cc race

26/04 06:30 - MotoGP, Eurosport
The Japanese Grand Prix MotoGP race

26/04 07:30 - MotoGP, Eurosport
The Japanese Grand Prix 250cc race

26/04 08:00 - MotoGP, Eurosport
The Japanese Grand Prix MotoGP race

Qatar GP - Eurosport TV Coverage

Friday:
125cc = Practice: 1830 (Eurosport2) LIVE
MotoGP = Practice: 1930 (Eurosport2) LIVE
250cc = Practice: 2030 (Eurosport2) LIVE

Saturday:
125cc = Quali: 2000 (Eurosport2) LIVE
MotoGP = Quali: 2100 (Eurosport2) LIVE
250cc = Quali: 2200 (Eurosport2) LIVE

Sunday:
125cc = Race: 1730 (Eurosport) LIVE
250cc = Race: 1915 (Eurosport) LIVE
MotoGP = Race: 2200 (Eurosport) REPLAY

(*Times - BST)

Commentary Confirmation

Following the brilliant news that Eurosport will retain their coverage of MotoGP this year, it's great to know that Julian Ryder will also be joining the previously confirmed Toby Moody in the commentary box.
Whilst it's a shame that Randy Mamola isn't on the crew, it's Toby and Julian who are central to my enjoyment of the coverage (particularly as it's more about 125 and 250 which he doesn't really involve himself in).

So this year promises fabulous 125cc and 250cc coverage of sessions across the weekend AND Messrs Moody and Ryder doing the commentary.
Awesome. Fantastic. Brilliant.

In fact, exactly as it was last year before DORNA and the bloody Beeb went and tried to crap all over it!

Yaaaaay! Eurosport Keeps MotoGP In 2009!

Final proof that there is in fact a God, and that we do not live in some cruel and meaningless void, comes this morning with news that - as predicted earlier in the week by MCN - a deal has been struck to return a big fat chunk of MotoGP coverage to the thoroughly deserving British Eurosport.

There is a small degree of sacrifice in that they won't be screening the main MotoGP race itself *live* on race weekends - this is presumably a sop so that the BBC can retain a special status of partial exclusivity on what is largely perceived as the "main event".
Strangely enough, I don't mind that too much.
Of far more importance to me - and, it turns out, many others - is that the wholesale descruction of decent coverage of the entire weekend as far as 125cc and 250cc classes are concerned has been avoided (it still astonishes me that the BBC could have thought they could get away with treating 125cc with such utter contempt given the presence of hugely popular British young guns Scott Redding, Danny Webb, Bradley Smith and Matt Hoyle in the class) - and we should now not have to worry about being able to watch live coverage of a host of the practice and qualifying sessions.

Autosport reports that Toby Moody will remain part of the commentary team - although I can find no mention of Julian Ryder at the moment... Please let it be both of them...

And if you're one of the people who's been complaining to the Beeb, pestering them and taking part in forum discussions and protest messages over all this then pat yourself on the back, because it's without a shadow of a doubt that it's *punter power* that's at the root of the change of heart.
Well done! Top stuff!

And, to be fair, a genuine thank you DORNA for seeing sense.

Eurosport MotoGP 2009 Coverage Looking More Likely

An update to the previous story about MCN's claim that British Eurosport would retain MotoGP coverage in 2009.
They now say that an announcement will be made this week confirming this...

If this is the case, then it is brilliant news indeed.
Even if the sacrifice is that Eurosport do not show the top class race live, the return of all the 125cc and 250cc coverage which the BBC were making a great job of completely butchering / shafting is a huge cause for celebration in itself.
There's no mention of whether our fave commentary team will be retained either.
I really hope so, but on the back of *proper* 125 and 250s then anything else is just chocolate :-)

Until the announcement is made I'm keeping pretty much *everything* crossed.
But it's sounding really promising.

British Eurosport To Retain MotoGP Coverage?

The hopes of thousands upon thousands of MotoGP fans (particularly those who, like us, are into 125cc and 250cc coverage as well as the main class) were raised today when MCN reported that British Eurosport may yet retain rights to TV coverage in 2009 (though this appears to be with the exception of live coverage of the MotoGP race itself).
According to MCN...

Live coverage of the 125 and 250 races is expected to remain, as is British Eurosport’s heavy output of practice and qualifying from all three classes.

This would be fantastic news - and I hope to god it's true and our hopes aren't dashed again.

It's become clear just how piss-poor the BBC proposition was, and ongoing public discussions via sites like Crash.net about the coverage and fans' concerns has shown them (the Beeb) to be little short of a bunch of shitwits with no interest in serving up the best possible product for true fans.

Please let it be true - Please let it be Eurosport that I'm following this season with!
You can read the full article here...

BBC & MotoGP Coverage - Latest Inadequate / Lame Response

For those of us (and that by definition means Alvaro fans) who have an interest in the classes outside of MotoGP itself, the various bits of news and information about the BBC's exclusive takeover of coverage for 2009 has been a huge worry.
I must admit that the choice of commentators doesn't rile me as much as overall questions of the amount of 250 and 125 coverage (you can always turn the volume down), and the fact that much of what we are interested in looks like it will be stuck behind the red button, away from where it can be recorded.
BBC MotoGP Series Producer Belinda Rogerson has responded on Crash.net (in as far as you can call the following a response - to be brutally honest apart from a couple of piffling and largely irrelevant bits of technical smoke and mirrors, and some elaboration on the commentators, it's nothing new from what they said last summer...) to other disgruntled and concerned fans.
Here's what she has to say:

"BBC Sport are proud of their coverage of MotoGP and bringing premier class racing to a terrestrial audience. In 2009 we are expanding our coverage to include Qualifying of the 125 and 250 classes on Saturday alongside MotoGP Qualifying from every round on the red button. There will be live coverage of every race and in Europe MotoGP Extra after the race has finished giving further insight and interviews. That's around 7 hours of coverage each weekend.

"Our coverage attracts audiences of over a million with an approval rating that has been the highest for any terrestrial program in a given week. We believe the BBC team and the commentary team are key to that success and we look forward to another exciting season in 2009.
Steve Parrish raced at the very highest level and Charlie Cox is an experienced lead commentator with a great passion for and extensive knowledge of motor bikes. We always review our coverage at the end of the season and I frequently read the comments posted on a variety of websites including this one but commentary is a hugely subjective issue and we believe we have the best team to lead our programme.
In terms of presentation Suzi Perry has a wealth of experience from years of fronting motorbike racing and our pitlane reporter Matthew Roberts has worked as a journalist for Dorna for 8 years before joining the BBC and his excellent connections with the teams enabled us to break stories last year ahead of anyone else.

"We have taken on board feedback about the non-recordable nature of the red button when viewed on certain platforms and as a result we will be looping the Qualifying on Saturday afternoon and evening and will do the same with the races on Sunday into the following week. A timetable for this will appear on the website at the start of the season.
The inability to record the red button is a Sky Box issue rather than a specifically BBC one so we are doing all we can to enable you to watch the sessions you may have missed live. If you can get Eurosport then you will also be able to access the red button. Under the terms of the licence we can't turn BBC3 or 4 into a sports channel although we can use them occasionally and they are unavailable during the day as the bandwidth is used by CBeebies and CBBC.

"All broadcasters take the race coverage from Dorna and this is currently not produced in HD although I understand they are planning to do so in 2010. We took the widescreen coverage of the racing as soon as it became available at the start of the last season and we are always looking for further ways to innovate our coverage. I have a great deal of time for all the Eurosport team, I know them all personally and I was very sorry to see them go at the end of last season but this was a decision taken by Dorna and not the BBC."

It's this inconsequential stuff about red-button recording being a Sky issue and so-on that grates... These people knew the limitations of the technology perfectly well, and also apparently the limitations of their own channel outputs (not being able to elect to build a sports channel as such) and were by default in a perfect position to see - as me and anyone with half a brain (or possibly less) were able to - that the end product would therefore be a lesser offering by far than Eurosport's.
Why on earth - despite that bit about it being DORNA's decision (what rubbish! DORNA forced them to broadcast this?) did they commit to ensuring they were the sole broadcaster of a product that it was utterly inappropriate for them to broadcast.

I have to say I'm as annoyed about it as when I first heard, as everything continues to confirm my worst fears over the quality and quantity and accessibility of 250 and 125.
Get it out from behind the red button and into the videostream and give us *AT LEAST* what Eurosport did (Friday 250 & 125 sessions for example!) and then you will have found a base level from which to build something to be proud of.
Until then it's a load of crap.
They have very deliberately bid to be in a position where they broadcast an exclusive, yet worse, product than people had before - and the public now have absolutely no choice on TV coverage and have to go to the Beeb to watch something weaker, more difficult to access and more limited in extent of sessions covered and in the ability to record. The BBC should be fucking ashamed, quite frankly.

I tell you I'm just glad I'm going away; I'd have a bloody anger stroke if I had to contemplate this mess much more!

This Year I Shall Mainly Be Cheering For...

Pere Tutusaus - 125cc & CEV

Leon Haslam - World Superbikes

Leon Camier - British Superbikes

Scott Redding - 125cc

Dani Pedrosa - MotoGP

As much as my life / fanboyism / geekdom / nerdity revolves around Alvaro, he's not the only person I'll be rooting for in 2009.

As I've said below in a previous post, I'm going to be cheering on fellow Talaveran and Alvaro Bautista Peña member Juanjo Nuñez too - and hopefully brigning you good news of his exploits - and also, in categories and championships that are easier to follow / keep up with / watch here in the UK I'll be rooting for these guys...

MotoGP
Dani Pedrosa
(*also Casey Stoner)
(*also James Toseland)
(*also Andrea Dovizioso)

250cc
Alvaro Bautista (Durrhhh...)

125cc
Pere Tutusaus
Scott Redding
(*also Bradley Smith)
(*also Danny Webb)

World Superbikes
Leon Haslam
(*also Gregorio Lavilla)
(*also Tom Sykes)

British Superbikes
Leon Camier
(*also James Ellison)
(*also Graeme Gowland)


To see who other BatiFans are going to be supporting in 2009 click here...

End Of Year Number Crunching

The finale to this season saw Alvaro taking part in his 100th Grand Prix in the World Championships.
It's a fitting time to take stock of his record since he first contested a WC race at Jerez in 2002 as a wildcard (entering the championships properly in 2003) and to knock out a few figures.
Lurking in these stats are his fab 2006 season, comprising the title, 8 victories and 14 podiums; and also this year's excellent 4 victories and 11 podiums (10 of which were consecutive)...

Here we go:

125cc
Races: 67
Victories: 8
Poles: 8
Fastest Laps: 9
Podiums 18

250cc
Races: 33
Victories: 6
Poles: 6
Fastest Laps: 8
Podiums: 18

TOTAL
Races: 100
Victories: 14
Poles: 14
Fastest Laps: 17
Podiums: 36


Great stuff, eh?
Hopefully plenty more cool stats to come next year - including another world title! :-)

Test Your MotoGP Knowledge With The 2008 MegaMoto Quiz

Fancy testing your knowledge of MotoGP 2008?
Then go see our special 2008 MegaMoto Quiz over at BatiFans.com, where we've set up a nice big quiz to keep you occupied over the Christmas break - 30 questions; 10 for each class -125cc, 250cc and MotoGP.
To actually enter the quiz you need to be a member, but that also brings with it the opportunity of winning some pretty cool Valentino Rossi diecasts, an Avlaro Bautista documentary on DVD, official Bati '19' stickers...
(*And of course, other exclusive downloads and competitions. And the priceless benefit of being a member of the friendliest MotoGP forum there is...)

Go on, go on.... ;-)

Alvaro Bautista Diecasts Campaign - UPDATE

(*Above: Who wouldn't buy this lot???? Our suggested "Collection"...)

Quick update on the Diecasts campaign.
I've found a couple more contact addresses that we can all write too, and I would suggest that you also send in the image above - or the PDF version of it which you can download from here...
We think it'd be good if a company just went and made either a couple of key bikes in 1:12 scale or perhaps a whole collection (as illustrated) in 1:24 scale.

Altaya have a suggestion page on their website: Click here...
And here is the page translated into English...
(It requires a 5-figure postcode - just put 11111)
You could also try sending an email to them at: info@altaya.es

Here's the contacts for IXO...
Trade inquiries: sales@ixomodels.com
Customer Service: cs@ixomodels.com

This is the email address for Minichamps...
info@minichamps.de

And here's the contacts for another Spanish company called Guisval...
info@guisval.es
sales@guisval.es

There's more about all this campaign here... if you want to find out all about it and get fully involved.
Cheers,
gb

Alvaro Bautista Diecasts Campaign - Level 2

We at BatiFans want to try and push the campaign for Alvaro Bautista diecast models further afield than Minichamps, and would appreciate your help in also filling up the Suggestion Boxes at Spanish company Altaya (who already produce some nice 1:24 MotoGP bikes) and Chinese manufactrer Ixo (who produced the 2005 Alvaro Honda in 1:24).
Obivously the 2006 and 2008 bikes are probably going to be the most important to suggest, but particularly with 1:24 scale why not push for a full "collection"...

Altaya have a suggestion page on their website: Click here...
And here is the page translated into English...
Please can you submit the suggestions to this site (pmaybe be courteous and write in Spanish if you can, using Google's translation page) - and on this occasion make sure you remind them that as a Spanish company they could use Alvaro's popularity in Spain to sell such a collection.
By the way - If you have problems submitting the form it is because it demands a postcode (Spanish I guess) - I just filled that field with 11111 and it worked.


As for IXO, they have a page also saying they welcome suggestions, so please don't be shy.
As ever let's campaign for all bikes from 2003 through to 2008 - including the red & yellow World Championship end of season 2006 livery. Here's the contacts for IXO...
Trade inquiries: sales@ixomodels.com
Customer Service: cs@ixomodels.com

Please write, and get other fans to write, and let's get some momentum behind this!
Thanks :)
gb

Riding As Alvaro Bautista In Moto GP 08 On PS3

Many thanks to Richard Goodbourn for posting this youtube clip of himself riding as Bati on a few laps of Donington in the Moto GP 08 game for PS3...



And here's his talk-through of how the game feels and responds, using this clip for reference...

“This is a 3 lap quick race on the latest Moto GP game for the PS3. Basically, the race is setup on the easiest setting round Donington Park riding as the one and only Alvaro Bautista. As you can see quick race automatically puts you at the back of the grid from the brief look back view. As the lights turn green, obviously you’re gonna shoot off on the easy mode and scythe through the field I clip either Lucas Pesek or Yuki Takahashi and spear off. Upon returning to the track, Manuel Hernandez rear ends me, throwing Bati off the bike.

The games respawn is very quick and your off away again. The graphics mind are near realistic with Capcom, just missing out minor noticeable details.

Being the easiest AI, I quickly catch up with the pack, cutting my way through. The handling of the bikes make the lower class bikes very nimble, hence barging past Espagaro like the Flying Hairball would. Upon entry to the Esses, Kallio is put off by me passing for the lead and falls off screen (could have been Barbera, don’t know). I loose the lead by entering the Melbourne Loop too hot, but quickly out drag Barbera into Goddards. Braking on these bikes are confidence provoking as the front and rear brakes are independent. From then on I pull away to take the win by 5 seconds over the rest of the 3 laps.

Moto GP 08 is a real step up from last years disappointment on the PS2, with the intro of the 125cc & 250cc classes and fields up to 35 riders. Track and Bike wise, there a lot of photo realism and noticeable gradient changes for the bike to twitch over and the rain effect on the lenses add another brilliant challenge to the racing.
Career mode allows you to earn points unlocking teams, helmets and upgrades for the bike to make it more competitive at the start.

Now the bad news. Sound wise, the 250’s are more 4-stroke-ish and the 125cc doesn’t quite sound right. The Moto GP bikes are still heavy to turn and corner speed is compromised, because of that. It is also irritating on difficulty settings as there is a significant gap between the 2nd & 3rd hardest settings also with going off the track being a major punishment as you will loose significant speed, which could cost you the race and possibly points overall.
In conclusion, This game is a must have, but be patient when things get tough."


Cheers for the lowdown Richard; much appreciated :)