| Author | Message | ||
     Vagelis46 |
I wonder what James Toseland could do on the D'Antin Ducati. Last year at WSBK his ridding was much better than Barros'. But maybe they were not on equal bikes, last year. | ||
| Trojan |
Mugello 'should' have been a track that Ducati dominated, with the second longest straight of the year and fast flowing corners. Rossi rode a mature and masterful race, easing into it after a bad start and preserving his tyres. He and Pedrosa flattered the Michelin tyres and you only have to look at the rest of the top ten to see that. Both of their team mates riding identical bikes looked less than average all weekend and should both be worried about their jobs for next year. To suggest that Stoner rode for 4th place is a pretty ludicrous assumption, and I'm sure he rode his nuts off trying to win or get the best position he could just like everyone else did. Barros had exactly the same tyres as Stoner so there are no excuses there. The next 3 GP's will dictate the final results this year I think. Racers can be really stupidly selfish! Everyone wants to win | ||
| 12r |
James comes from a long line of British Superbike champions who sink without trace in MotoGP. Traditionally, we Brits have always been rubbish in the premier class but I think politics has a lot to do with it. Even if James gets an offer from Repsol Honda rofl I can't see him creating much of a stir. | ||
| Vagelis46 |
"He and Pedrosa flattered the Michelin tyres and you only have to look at the rest of the top ten to see that. Both of their team mates riding identical bikes looked less than average all weekend and should both be worried about their jobs for next year. " I have to agree. With the exception of Rossi and Pedrosa, the rest of the Michelin riders are.....average riders for the motoGP class. Michelin uses an 16'' front wheel. I also think that despite what we have seen so far in the season and the tire discussions, Michelin are still in front of Bridgestone. | ||
| Trojan |
James comes from a long line of British Superbike champions who sink without trace in MotoGP. Traditionally, we Brits have always been rubbish in the premier class but I think politics has a lot to do with it. Even if James gets an offer from Repsol Honda rofl I can't see him creating much of a stir. Toseland would need a top team if he was to perform as well as he is capable. Anything less would be a step down from where he is now. Personally I think that the Brits who would have the best chance in MotoGP are Bradley Smith (given time), Eugene Laverty and Chaz Davies. The trouble is that nobody wants to support them financially. | ||
| Jimidan |
So how does that make your comment work given Hayden is the poorest performing World Champion ever. Well...there he goes again! Do you actually like smoking turds on that bench in Hell? Besides, there have been some very lackluster seasons for past MotoGP champs, so to say Nicky's is the worst is over the top...unless you can back it up. Then there is the whole issue of worst season for a "Poorest performing world champion" following a complete bike platform transition. I think that there has only been one other platform change in MotoGP, hasn't there...500 2-cycle to 4 stroke 990's. We all know who made that transition successfully, and he is the best there ever was. Your comment judging Nicky's performance thus far this season is a bit lackluster when taking the facts into consideration. | ||
| Heads |
Trojan:there is plenty of ludacrous assumptions after every race in this thread. that assumption you refer to is just my opinion. As far as i can see stoner is proving himself a very good racer and a lot more mature than he was seasons past but people keep bagging him. i hope its not a aussie thing? Trojan,them brits you have named aint alone i put ant west in that category. | ||
| Jaimec |
Rocket, you seemed to have forgotten that two of the three DNF's were also on Michelin. Granted, Kurtis Roberts shouldn't "count" but Carlos Checa is a seasoned veteran who normally does at LEAST mid pack at the finish. Of the twenty starters, ten were on Bridgestones, eight were on Michelin (the Tech3 Yamaha squad uses Dunlops). Of those eight Michelin riders, only three of them made it into the top ten, whereas seven of the ten Bridgestone riders made it. Marco and Tony are dealing with both a bike AND a tire change this year. Marco's struggling but Tony is doing a whole lot better than he did last year. Could be the tires, could be the bike... only the Gresini squad has had THAT much change so maybe they're the team to watch? Everyone else is pretty much on the same tires as last year but with different machinery. | ||
| Vagelis46 |
Hayden is not the only rider having problems this year. Look at Capirossi. He has big problems with his bike, just like Hayden. At least Ducati is trying to help Capirrosi by listening to him and giving him a new engine to race. HRC ? Despite many riders complaining about aerodynamics (including Hayden), and asking for bigger fairings, HRC does not care as long as their little robot is doing OK. I do not think building a bigger fairing is that hard/expensive for HRC. Also I read that Pedrosa (only him) used a new chassis in Muggelo. On the other hand all the Ducatis, Malboro and D'Antin, have the same specs, except Capirossi's revised engine. | ||
| 12r |
Hayden is statistically the 'poorest performing champion' of modern times, whichever way you look at it. KR jr's championship in 2000 runs him pretty close and strictly speaking Criville/Schwantz were only champions because of another rider's misfortune but they put in good performances during the seasons. | ||
| Jaimec |
If I were cruel, I'd point out that the year Nicky won the AMA Superbike title, Mat Mladin had the kind of year Rossi had last year... But Nicky's a likeable guy, and "that's racing." It's not just the rider, it's the bike, the mechanics, the tires, and Lady Luck all rolled into one. | ||
| Buell2001b |
Stoner and Ducati are still ahead,  (Message edited by buell2001b on June 04, 2007) | ||
| Vagelis46 |
"As far as i can see stoner is proving himself a very good racer and a lot more mature than he was seasons past but people keep bagging him. i hope its not a aussie thing? " This is happening whenever a rider is challenging Rossi's domination in motoGP. It happened to Gibernau, to Hayden, to Pedrosa and now to Stoner. I just hope Stoner takes it easy, do his best, and not think about the championship and points too much. I would rather see him ride agressively as usual, than just settle for points. I hope that Doohan is talking to him. | ||
| Rocketman |
to say Nicky's is the worst is over the top...unless you can back it up. I don't need to. Hayden's doing a great job of it himself! So let's look at Hayden. We've seen him fast this season. Both in qualifying and racing, but in racing he goes backwards faster than he does forwards. Is it the bike? Is it the tyres? Is it him? The answer is simple. Everyone else, tall or small, has to adapt to the machines they're given. Honda have not ignored Hayden's request for help, according to reports. Hayden has not it seems got the vicious power delivery under control, and claims he needs the electronics sorting to make the bike more ride-able. If that's the case I don't see how Hayden's height and the RCV212 aerodynamics are restricting his progress significantly that such would give a much usable advantage to the other Honda riders. I'm pretty sure Pedrosa's bike is no less vicious than Hayden's otherwise Hayden would have the same package available. Pedrosa is better on the throttle and being lighter I'm sure that must disadvantage him rather than Hayden if the vicious power delivery is a problem. Rocket, you seemed to have forgotten that two of the three DNF's were also on Michelin. Not at all. Look who's on what rubber. The majority of the usual front runners are on Bridgestone rubber. Michelin run with who besides Rossi, Pedrosa and Hayden? No one else anywhere near as good was my point. Rocket | ||
| Trojan |
Hayden is not the only one who has complained about the Honda this year. Melandri, Elias, Checa and Pedrosa have all had less than complimentary things to say about the bike. It is a sad fact however that Hayden is the one who is having the most trouble adapting to the bike, and it must be galling for Honda to see their reigning world champion on the workds bike beaten every week by the 'customer' spec RCV212 runners on Bridgestone tyres. Both Hayden and Pedrosa had some significant changes to theri bikes in Mugello, but only Pedrosa seemed able to make use of them. Nicky's biggest problem seems to be a crisis of confidence rather than any particular problem with the bike, and you only have to read his recent press interviews to see that he has lost some of his fire. He needs to use the summer break to get away from MotoGP and back to the family ranch to get his head together, but Honda won't allow that and will want him at Suzuka for the 8 hour race of course. | ||
| Jaimec |
Personally, I don't think Honda cares WHAT happens to Nicky as long as their "Golden Boy" Dani Pedrosa does well... Wasn't he supposed to be their great hope of wresting the title away from Rossi once and for all? | ||
| Blake |
Sean, It is astounding to me how some folks like you who have never ever come anywhere near the type of world-class achievement and success of a Nick Hayden find it so easy to try to belittle him. It just doesn't get much more sucky than that. | ||
| Blake |
Concerning Bridgestone versus Michelin... was it not the high temperature venues at which Bridgestone excelled last year? Now this year the excuse is that cooler temperatures favor the Bridgestones? How about this... Bridgestone is beating Michelin. Yamaha and Honda obviously found some more power for Mugello. The Ducatis had to use the draft to pass on the straight. Good for Yamaha and Honda; good for MotoGP. My opinion is that Pedrosa is too little to be able to win a championship on the big bike. At the more challenging tracks where upper body leverage, strength and endurance are more important, he will not be able to win. He is too tiny and poops out before the end of the race. His significant weight and aerodynamic advantages at the longer more flowing tracks like Mugello allow him to perform well there. | ||
| Rocketman |
Hey Blake, that's pretty nasty. I'm not belittling Hayden. Just pointing out that he, as Matt pointed out too, is the Honda rider least performing this season. As for my world class achievements. I don't know of any Saab sales and repair garages that Hayden has a hand in. Has he got a 130 Club certificate from Bonneville? I didn't see him making love with my wife ever. Yep, pretty sure he hasn't fathered any kids to her either. Guess I'm a pretty phenomenal world champ across my own door step. But you know what. Hayden can offer up his criticism of me any time he likes. Of course though, he's a little more able to cope with criticism given the several million dollars salary he's earned whilst putting himself up for public appearances. After all, we simple spectators I'm sure have paid for the privilege to offer criticism when these high paid sports personalities aren't earning their wages that incidentally we pay for through the gloves or boots or clothes we wear in his or any other racers name. Paying for any one's sponsorship allows us the right to criticise. Rocket | ||
| Reepicheep |
That makes absolutely no sense. If your boots are too expensive, buy another brand. | ||
| Vagelis46 |
Pedrosa won last year at Donnigton, which is a technical and demanding track. I think he is a future champion, despite his small size. Also by growing up, his body strength and weight can increase. I still think that Michelin is No.1 in MotoGP. I wish Malboro Ducati were using Michelin tires, to level the game. Maybe the difficulty of the Ducati bike to turn in, as Stoner described, is due to the tires. Michelin is using a 16'' front, and Bridgeston is still using 16.5'', and this could makes a big difference. | ||
| Trojan |
I don't think that Honda is favouring Pedrosa at the expense of Hayden. They are just doing what HRC always does, and the individual rider doesn't really fit into their plans at all to be honest. All that is important to them is winning, the rider is just a small part of that formula to them. Honda think very little of their riders, and if it were possible I am sure they would have their bikes run by remote control and get rid of the rider altogether. The biggest reason for Rossi leaving big H was their impersonal attitude. | ||
| Jaimec |
Blake, I'm not sure why you are implying that the Ducatis had to draft in order to keep up with the Yamaha and the Honda. Alex Barros (on the non-factory Ducati) posted the highest straight line speed of any of the riders last weekend. | ||
| Blake |
"I'm not sure why you are implying that the Ducatis had to draft in order to keep up with the Yamaha and the Honda. " I implied no such thing. You no read good. I stated clearly that the Ducatis had to use the draft not to "keep up with" but to "pass" on the straights. Pay better attention. | ||
| Rocketman |
That makes absolutely no sense. If your boots are too expensive, buy another brand. Doesn't matter what brand I buy. Cheap or not so cheap, and incidentally I go for proven quality, chances are they'll be sponsoring someone somewhere. So whatever I buy to ride, my money allows me the privilege to criticise. Rocket | ||
| Rocketman |
The works Ducati's were a little tuned down on Sunday to conserve fuel for what was a long race distance. Rocket | ||
| Jaimec |
Different interpretation of the same words, Blake. In order to keep up with the leading Yamaha and Honda, Ducati had to pass the other bikes. Poe-TAY-toe, Poe-TAH-toe This is why lawyers make the big bucks. | ||
| Jimidan |
Rocket sez: JIMI's challenge: "to say Nicky's is the worst is over the top...unless you can back it up." I don't need to. Hayden's doing a great job of it himself! That is your snappy comeback? Nobody is saying that Nicky isn't struggling with the new H bike this year...and he isn't alone as has been said. But "worst champion ever" IS over the top...and simply stating the obvious that Hayden is having trouble this year doesn't back it up. He is doing a hell of a lot better than some riders out there this year, in spite of his problems. I suggest that they give the boy some Viagra, and then I dare you to turn him loose with your wife for a while...we will see who is the king of YOUR throne!  } | ||
| Trojan |
Yamaha and Honda obviously found some more power for Mugello. The Ducatis had to use the draft to pass on the straight. Good for Yamaha and Honda; good for MotoGP. According to this week's MCN, Rossi's Yamaha was still one of the slowest bikes in a straight line at Mugello and was losing out to the Ducati by around 6-8mph on the straights. | ||
| Jaimec |
A few years ago (when Rossi first took the title for Yamaha) there was a wonderful interview with him and Jeremy Burgess in Cycle World. As Jeremy pointed out, you tend to have ONE long straight, but 13 or more curves in the track. What would YOU tune the bike to do?  |
