If the ride becomes available I would like to see Redding get it, he wont but I think he is going about his business in a very professional manner.
It'll be a bloodbath of riders trying to wriggle out of contracts. Basically, everyone on the grid will want that bike. This is why I'm worried; there is one very quick rider, still with close ties to Honda, and with no contract to worry about. Well, two actually, if you include Bayliss...
However he's SO SO far off the pace it's silly. He was saying on BT sport the day before his bike is EXACTLY the same as Cals.... However, they're a whole world apart. You can be exceptionally professional... but that's little use if you're not up the pointy end.
Just a question: why are so many on here convinced of Redding's future immortal status? What is he supposed to have that countless Spaniards or even Italians haven't? Amongst a very talented pool of peers, I don't think his talent sticks out particularly. Maybe I'm missing something.
Make no mistake, every rider on that motogp grid is exceptionally talented, but a small difference to the bike, or just to the rider's mindset, can make a big difference on track. Crutchlow is supremely confident in himself, that's clear for all to see, but maybe Redding doesn't have the same self-confidence, maybe he doesn't have the same setup skills. He was moaning about mid-corner speed on his bike, so maybe it's just a click or two away from letting him shine. Either way, the reason people crow about him is because he's the most successful brit we've had in GPs for years, having won in 125s and moto2, even challenging for the title in moto2. That's why we believe in him.
I thought that was it. His talent is being equated with this Britishness, which unfortunately doesn't have much bearing on talent. All power to his elbow, but I don't see him as being a new Barry Sheene.
He's still learning, give him a few races and he'll move on up and be challenging the rest of the customer boys.
I think that's a bit harsh really. He was a bona fide title contender in motogp despite a demonstrable lack of speed on the straights (due to his physical size). He came very close to winning the title, remember. And the people he raced against that year are considered to be upcoming superstars, so why not Redding?
The guy who really impresses me is Alex Asparagus. He seems to constantly outperform expectations and achieve results he never should. He'd have been the bloke you want on a full factory ride, but now his fate is in the hands of the Suzuki's developers. It could all come good for him in a year or so.
I'm not saying that he isn't extremely talented or fast, just that in a pool of similar people, I'm not sure that he stands out. I have a sneaking suspicion that the next bloke to stand out will be the younger Marquez. Maybe it's something in their genes. Did you see Rins in the Moto2? Suddenly at the end of the race, he seemed to have another 20 bhp more than anyone else. He's only just arrived from Moto3, hasn't he? Alarming.
Several things. Firstly, MarcVDS are new to the premier class, so they have a bit to learn; redding is also still a relative rookie (Crutchlow must be in his 5th or 6th season by now?); and there was only about 30 seconds covering all the points scorers at the end of the race - back in Sheene's era you could win by entire laps - so the competition is much, much tighter than it used to be. Also note that neither of the works Hondas did particularly well this race...even with a bona fide megastar on board.
the press release... Superb double podium for Ducati Team riders in Grand Prix of Qatar. Dovizioso second and Iannone third at the end of a spectacular race at the Losail circuit. The Ducati Team riders, Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone, produced a couple of great races in the opening round of the 2015 MotoGP World Championship – the Grand Prix of Qatar – held under floodlights at the Losail International Circuit on the outskirts of Doha. Dovizioso, who started from pole position, powered away into the lead during the opening lap, before engaging in a terrific battle with Jorge Lorenzo until lap 18, when he moved into the lead once again, this time followed by Valentino Rossi. On the twenty-first and penultimate lap Rossi was able to slip past and Dovizioso tried to attack him for the win, but had to settle for an excellent second place, just 0.174 seconds away from the top slot. Iannone started from row 2 and crossed the line at the end of lap 1 in third place. He then kept that position until lap 12, when he was passed by Rossi. The man from Vasto remained in fourth place until lap 19, when he managed to get past Lorenzo, and he eventually finished the race in third place just over two seconds down on the winner. Today’s result for Iannone was his first-ever MotoGP career podium. The Grand Prix of Qatar saw an exceptional race debut for the new Ducati Desmosedici GP15, which made its track debut just over one month ago in the Sepang 2 tests. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 2nd “This is a special result for Ducati and for me, after everything we have been through in the last few years, and it rewards the work that we have done together to arrive at this point. I never expected to be so competitive in the first race, and it really is an extraordinary result. I want to thank all the engineers and the people in Bologna, who managed to get the bike ready in time for the Sepang 2 tests, the mechanics who have worked so hard this weekend and all the guys in Ducati Corse for the commitment they have demonstrated with this project. Iannone and I managed to get two podiums for Ducati and that’s a great result, but above all now I believe that this is only a starting-point for the future.” Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team #29) – 3rd “I am very pleased with this result: it is my first podium in MotoGP and it’s really incredible to have done it on my debut race as a factory Ducati rider. Dovi and I finished second and third with the new GP15 bikes, and I didn’t expect to be so competitive so soon in the first race, so it really is a fantastic sensation. Back home the guys in Ducati Corse have done a great job this winter, and I owe a lot to them. Since 2013 I have had the support of this great company, which has helped me to improve and which has taught me a lot of things, and so I would like to dedicate my first podium to all of them. A big thanks to everyone in Ducati, to Gigi Dall’Igna, to Claudio Domenicali and all the people who work with me.” Luigi Dall’Igna (Ducati Corse General Manager) “For sure it’s a great emotion to have two riders on the podium with the new GP15, and for this reason I am really pleased, especially for all the guys in Ducati Corse who have done a great job back home in planning, designing and building the new bike in such a short period of time over the last few months. Probably today we could have even come away with a victory and not having done so actually leaves me with a tinge of disappointment, but today’s result in any case is fantastic and I am sure that we will manage to achieve our aim in the next few races.”
If Pedrosa is correct in what he said in that 'Honda are aware of the situation' then you know damn well they would have a backup rider sorted already (if they want to use one).....
cant agree with that,, marco came throo from the back,, another few laps he would have been challenging
just watched it in 117....... what a fkn crakin race,,,, absol fntstic result for Rossi, ( should be the daddy not the fkn doctor shit ! ) and great result for our own ducati,, not forgetting Jorge , he seems to be getting better every year,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Smith
