The trouble with tyres is If you have a single make then it brings problems for some manufacturers. Always Ducati it seems, and Honda had problems too. if you have a tyre free for all, some people get preferential treatment, because that's who the suppliers are sponsoring. Win on Sunday, sell on Monday. They should open up the number manufacturers and have the riders draw lots for which tyre batch they get from their selected manufacturer. That would eliminate people getting preferential treatment and the suspicion that they are. Ducati would get a tyre that worked for them and the racing would improve. single tyre supplier is not working
Some very enjoyable races. It would be interesting to see Stoner have raced Marquez, but I think that even Stoner wouldn't have been able to stop him.
I'm not so sure. Marquez isn't yet winning by much. He may in the future, but right now, he's still gettable.
Stoner wasn't really dominating his last year before he crashed , was he? how MM just comes along and plays those gods ( 2 guys even Vale can't run with) in any way possible is mindboggling...
Yep. He bides his time, weighs up the situation, trys a few experimental moves gathering information, then pounces. Marc the Merciless
Yeah, but I don't think you can bring Rossi into the equation. While he was doing his Doctoring at Ducati, Stoner was getting a ride on a decent bike. Result? He made JL and DP raise there game. Rossi will never get to their level as he won't take the risks the top 3 guys do. MM was very lucky at Mugello. He might not be so lucky again, in which case the championship will be blown wide open. MMs arrival has had the same effect, would Stoner beat him ? Who knows. Would Stoner be closer to him than JL and DP? I think so.
I should have added that had VR had a competitive bike in those two years, he could well still be as quick as the others as be would have been on that gradual curve. Now he has a mountain to climb.
I am unconvinced of this. I think it's an age and injury thing. Valentino was never quite as fast once he'd had a painful off as he was before. It's got to take a tenth or two out of your lap time. Jorge beat him fair and square on the same bike. But Rossi in his pomp was pretty untouchable.
I think it's fair now to say that Rossi has had his time, but I reckon he's still got a couple of wins in him on the odd occasion. But Jorge and Dani must be shaking their heads in despair at the moment. You could see in Jorge's face that he had no answer at all to Marquez at Brno, maybe if he had the new gearbox he could have stayed with him, but until that comes it's all uphill for him. Worse for Dani, cos he's on the best bike in the paddock already.
this is true but vale also beat him on the same bike too. i think the age thing is right though..same happened to Schumacher in F1. next year will be the final year in motogp for vale to show if hes still got it on a bike with the current regs. and thats the crux of it - the current regs dont suit him as the front tyre is the opposite of what he goes for - too supple and riding a bike is all about confidence and feel. cant deny the age thing tho - scientific fact age slows you down..
Have you ever raced Fig? I have (backmarker admittedly :biggrin and in my experience needing to win by a certain amount doesn't come into it. The racer mentality is to get as far ahead of everyone else as you can .... totally annihilate them if possible. I don't think MM is holding back - he's uber-talented and he's smart, but he's still trying as hard as he can. If he could lead right from the start and 'check out' then he would I reckon.
No Ive not raced (not legally anyway), but in the couple of races where he's been chased down (by Pedrosa in the dying stages at Brno, and by Crutchlow in an earlier race) he's responded to them closing him down then slowed his pace slightly once he's established a gap. Which suggests to me he's leaving a bit in reserve.
He's doing what pro's do: the minimum needed to win. Preserve tyres. Preserve fuel. Why risk that 101% braking when 99% is enough. How log has he been racing? Probably longer than half the grid twice his age...and his brother is quicker, allegedly...
Same reason Red Bull tell Vettel to slow down when he's miles in front. Problem there is Vettel gets bored and just likes banging in fastest laps, but that is a tale for another thread :smile:
yeah, am sure age is part of it, and maybe Simo's death also. But he has gone from championship contender to mid pack runner in two seasons. Capirossi was 33 in 2006. He was a genuine championship contender on a bike which was arguably more of a handful to ride, without Rossis physical strength.
Lorenzo is the only man to put it up to Marquez but that Yam aint gonna do it. Lorenzo is the one guy who can push the Yam to its limits. You could see it in Lorenzo's face, he knows, he aint got the hammer to drive the nail, its that simple. The pressure Lorenzo must be under, those two HRC's buzzing around him like blood thirsty vampire hornets...you'd need to keep a cool head. Only person to give Marquez a run for his money on a Honda would be Stoner imo. Screw the Stoner haters, I think he's a f**kin great guy, legend.
