| Author | Message | ||
     Trojan |
Did you catch the interview of Ben on RRW? Humble, non-committal, and praise for other riders. I think many of us have been pleasantly surprised by Spies very mature attitude in all aspects of his WSB life since he arrived here. I think many people expected a very brash Texan, especially after the well publicised arguments and spats between him and Mladin over the years (and not helped by the reports about his mother in the negotiations with team managers!), but what we have got is a very mature, very relaxed, extremely talented and very likeable guy. I was one who thought that he wouldn't be able to win the title at first attempt, and certainly disagreed with people who said he would win with rounds to spare, so I am willing to take a large slice of humble pie on that one  I'm sure he would rather win in a straight fight with Haga rather than take advantage of injuries, and hopefully we will still get to see that fight if Haga can get back up to seed quickly enough. | ||
| Jaimec |
Most of those incidents of which you've heard were instigated by Mladin. It's his way of getting into your head. As he's stated in the past, he isn't paid to be liked. He's paid to win races. It's a job he does VERY well. | ||
| Blake |
Matt should go WSBK too. Steve Martin ROCKS! Jonathan... not so much. In AMA I miss Fast Freddie and Dave W. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Fast Freddie? Are you serious? He has got to be THE worst. | ||
| Smoke |
i agree with Harlan on this one! Freddie is a talented guy and occasionally says something to the point that has merit but usually talks too much about when he was racing instead of concentrating on the fellows that are racing in front of him. JMO tim | ||
| Blake |
I do not like play by play type announcing. Save that for radio. Freddie is one of the very best at describing the challenges confronting and/or benefits aiding each rider. True expert commentary. | ||
| Jaimec |
Read this EXCELLENT article regarding Ben Spies' rookie season (so far). | ||
| Vagelis46 |
I was not sure that Spies was as good as USA bikers were suggesting. Now, I think that Spies is Hercules himself riding the bike !!! So far his WSBK carrer is like Greek mythology. He will accomplish what no other man was thinking that it was possible. | ||
| Jaimec |
Biaggi fastest in Brno (so far) but look at John Hopkins GO!! | ||
| Jaimec |
Hopper has fallen back in the standings, but Elbowz (not surprisingly) is moving up. With Ben in WSBK, Rossi/Lorenzo in MotoGP and now even Josh Hayes in NAS BIKE I'd have to say Yamaha is having one helluva year! Just hope it translates into sales for them, too. | ||
| Blake |
FIM Superbike World Championship Brno, Czech Republic July 25, 2009 Final Qualifying Results, After Superpole (all on Pirelli tires): From Superpole Three: 1. Ben SPIES (Yamaha YZF-R1), 1:58.868 2. Michel FABRIZIO (Ducati 1098 F09), 1:58.950 3. Max BIAGGI (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), 1:59.055 4. Jonathan REA (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:59.740 5. Shane BYRNE (Ducati 1098R), 1:59.787 6. Troy CORSER (BMW S1000 RR), 2:00.046 7. Ruben XAUS (BMW S1000 RR), 2:00.096 8. Tom SYKES (Yamaha YZF-R1), 2:00.240 From Superpole Two: 9. Lorenzo LANZI (Ducati 1098R), 1:59.730 10. Carlos CHECA (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:59.748 11. Makoto TAMADA (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1:59.873 12. Jakub SMRZ (Ducati 1098R), 2:00.159 13. Yukio KAGAYAMA (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 2:00.223 14. Noriyuki HAGA (Ducati 1098 F09), 2:00.235 15. Shinya NAKANO (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), 2:00.262 16. Matthieu LAGRIVE (Honda CBR1000RR), 2:00.498 From Superpole One: 17. Leon HASLAM (Honda CBR1000RR), 2:00.718 18. Ryuichi KIYONARI (Honda CBR1000RR), 2:00.811 19. Broc PARKES (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 2:03.819 20. John HOPKINS (Honda CBR1000RR), 2:14.727 The Rest of the Grid: 21. Fonsi NIETO (Ducati 1098R), 2:01.510 22. David SALOM (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 2:01.643 23. Luca SCASSA (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 2:01.816 24. Vittorio IANNUZZO (Honda CBR1000RR), 2:02.346 25. Alessandro POLITA (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 2:02.718 26. David CHECA (Yamaha YZF-R1), 2:02.785 27. Roland RESCH (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 2:04.041 28. Miloes CIHAK (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 2:04.905 | ||
| Jaimec |
Well I stupidly looked at the wrong website and now know the results of race one. Without giving the winner away, I will say that Fabrizio did come up with a novel way of preserving his teammate's lead in the series...  | ||
| Jaimec |
Well Haga was able to hang on to the series lead thanks to his team mate in Race 1 as well as some heroic riding on his own part. Ben did manage to halve the difference in Race 2 from 14 points to just seven. Now it just seems like FOREVER until the next race in September. And I have to echo Fabrizio's observation on the Aprilia... if this is their "development year" what the hell is that thing going to be like NEXT year?? Of course, Biaggi flatters the bike... can't say Tamada has been all that impressive on the other one, but still... | ||
| Vagelis46 |
I would like Spies to get the title this year and move to motoGP next year. He is too good for the WSBK series, and makes other riders look bad. I think that there is no doubt that Aprilia will get a WSBK title very soon. Lets hope Edwards joins them. | ||
| Jaimec |
Right now I'd suspect Edwards to stay with Tech 3, and a one-for-one swap Toseland for Spies deal. We'll see... silly season isn't far off. | ||
| Jaimec |
Rumor has it that Lorenzo is staying with Fiat/Yamaha and Edwards wants to stay in MotoGP. Matt (Trojan) doesn't think there's ANY way Tech3 will run TWO Americans on their team so unless something unexpected occurs, Ben will remain in WSBK for one more season. | ||
| Trojan |
Spies has other options available to him in MotoGP such as Suzuki or one of the satellite Honda squads (if they can afford him), but I think he will take the Tech 3 place in a straight swap with Colin Edwards. Tech 3 won't have two US riders simply because of marketing, so it is very unlikely that both Colin and Ben will be in the same team next year. I have read that both Toseland and Edwards will be offered a new contract with Yamaha that will have a proviso for swapping with Spies should he wish to move series, but that may have changed since of course. Toseland hasn't performed as well as Edwards this year and I can't see him keep his place based on results. However, these things are never as simple as that, and it may be that Toseland will stay at Tech 3 because Dorna want a Brit on the MotoGP grid and are willing to pay for it. He also has the benefit of age on his side compared to Colin Edwards, so is probably a better long term bet. If finance is the only factor then I would expect Toseland to be out of his job and replaced by a paying European (Spanish) rider for next year. WSB looks like hotting up next year too, with the Aprilia getting more competitive. Biaggi will obviously stay with the team, but who will be his stable mate next year? BMW are also getting closer to the front and rumour has it that Stiggy will get the R1 for 2010 in place of the Honda, so Haslam is likely to stay with them for another year at least. | ||
| Jaimec |
Yamaha would like to keep Edwards, if for no other reason than his proven development skills. | ||
| Trojan |
Yamaha would like to keep Edwards, if for no other reason than his proven development skills. I keep reading about Edwards' development skills, but I think Yamaha have a couple of better development riders already in the factory team now. It is pretty well known that Rossi runs settings that other riders (including Edwards) can't live with and find unrideable, so it would be of dubious benefit to them to keep him. I have been a fan of Colin since his WSB days, but I think his shelf life in MotoGP is coming close to the end now. I would like to see him in WSb again but I think it is time for younger blood in GP racing (the same applies to Capirossi). | ||
| Blake |
Age discrimination in racing sucks. | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
"Age discrimination in racing sucks." +1. It's nice when someone like Bayliss bucks the trend I'm an Edwards fan, he's one of those racers who I think would be nice to meet in person. Do you think he's still got that desire to win? It doesn't seem like he's slowing down. | ||
| Slaughter |
Hey - age AND Religious discrimination sux. In LA, we have a local morning drive host who is a lawyer - AND Jewish. He says you only have to look at the NBA to see their OPEN discrimination against the old AND the Jewish | ||
| Trojan |
I met Colin Edwards a few years ago at a Honda dealership open day. He was with Aaron Slight, so that tells you how long ago it was! He and Aaron were both very nice guys and had lots of time for everyone and their daft questions, and spent a lot longer than they were contractually obliged to do hanging out with the fans Talking of age discrimination..........Jeremy McWilliams has just signed for KTM to do the last few rounds of the German Superbike series (IDM) on the RC8-R | ||
| Jaimec |
Rossi is good at developing a bike HE can ride. Edwards is good at developing a bike they can ALL ride. Proof was a couple of seasons ago when Rossi was unable to participate in the off-season development so Colin did the lion's share. That was the beginning of Yamaha's dominance on the podium (and not JUST Valentino). | ||
| Trojan |
Proof was a couple of seasons ago when Rossi was unable to participate in the off-season development so Colin did the lion's share. That was the beginning of Yamaha's dominance on the podium (and not JUST Valentino). I'm afraid I have to disagree with you on that one. The only thing that has got the Yamaha into compatitive shape is Rossi/Burgess and the pressure they have put onto the factory to develop the bike. Various riders got the occasional podium on the M1 before Rossi arrived or got involved in the development, but it would not be the bike it is today if he had not come on board when he did. Edwards has still to win a GP and seldom runs at the same pace as Rossi/Lorenzo during the race weekend, and a bike needs to be developed for and by its fastest rider to be competitive. Jeremy McWilliams was always considered a great development rider, as was Ron Halsam, but neither of them ever got to ride the very best of the GP bikes in order to put any development into them. | ||
| Jaimec |
This is the most recent article that mentions Colin's development skills. There were more (older) articles but they don't show up in Google anymore: http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresul ts/MotoGP/2009/August/aug0709-colin-edwards-unlike ly-to-make-wsb-switch/ | ||
| Blake |
Good find Jaime.
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| Trojan |
I have also read a lot about Edwards development skills over the years (and Haslam, McWilliams, Corser etc) but I don't understand why Bridgestone can want him so much when he had no input into developing the current tyres and has struggled all year to get a front tyre to work on his bike ( and has had little input into developing the current M1 Yamaha since joining Tech 3). At Donington (his best result this year) he used a front tyre that was chosen for him by Bridgestone and which he didn't want to use. Obviously there is a lot going on that we don't get to know about, but a lot of what is printed in the MCN is conjecture and rubbish rather than hard fact. Some riders build up a reputation as 'development' riders even though they have little input into what tey are developing, but are merely test riders for new ideas from the factory. Ron Haslam was regarded as one of the very best 'development' riders in the world, yet he admits that he just rode what he was given most of the time, and although he gave a lot of feedback he never knew if his ideas were acted upon in Japan. I always thought that a bike can only really be developed right at the peak of its performance, hence Rossi and Lorenzo are the two best development riders at Yamaha right now, just as Stoner is the best development rider at Ducati. Midfield riders develop mid field bikes rather than winning bikes. I could develop a bike to suit me, but it wouldn't win any races  | ||
| Jaimec |
I think one of the examples of Colin's development capabilities is being played out in every race this year. After being forced to switch mechanics against his will (to suit whiny cry-baby Toseland), he is STILL kicking Toseland's ass in every race despite Jamesy-boy having Colin's mechanic from last year... | ||
| Trojan |
After being forced to switch mechanics against his will (to suit whiny cry-baby Toseland), he is STILL kicking Toseland's ass in every race despite Jamesy-boy having Colin's mechanic from last year... Edwards actually has the better crew chief this year. The reason that Toseland couldn't work with Coulon was that he just couldn't understand what he was saying and Coulon didn't understand Toseland either! Colin Edwards made a lot more of the situation than it was worth to behonest, and Toseland was unaware that Edwards hadn't been told about the switch earlier so was a bit of an unwitting victim. Having said that, Toseland hasn't performed anywhere near well enough to keep his ride on merit, and unless Dorna make moves to keep him in MotoGp I can see him back in a top WSB team next year. Maybe back at Ducati if they decide to move Fabrizio to MotoGp permanently(other wise why would they give him the ride in MotoGp at all?) |
