Does anyone know the owner of this, that was posted on here a few weeks ago? If you could be so kind as to pass the details on to Vale, as I'm sure he'd be happy with that right now. The owner has obviously got a great sense of humour and too much money.
Sad times. Both Ducati and Rossi will lose out in the long run. No top rider will want to touch the Ducati now as only one rider has made it look competitive in over 5 years. Every other rider has found there is something inherently wrong with the design of the bike, enough for them to have no confidence in it.
It will all work out fine when MotoGP and WSB are merged, which is surely the next stage of CRT. I'm sure the 1199 will be competitive, once the ground work is done by the guys in BSB.
But dont forget the 1199 is the technolgy that Rossi ditched.............the stressed airbox/headstock thing...........
I don't think they need a 'top rider', what they need is a rider who's young enough to want to push and can learn the style required. I said from the very start Rossi may be too stuck in his ways to adapt and that's what's being said to be the main reasons of his issues, even JB angled towards that in a comment he made yesterday. I'd be looking towards Bradl, Cal etc Just because Rossi can't ride it means nothing, not a jot. Cos until they have a rider who dosnt expect the earth and who 'may' have more determination at this stage of their career then they'll never know if those 8-9 hundredths are lacking in the bike or the riders. You can't keep bending over at whim and change the bike just to try and make rossi feel good about himself, he may simply not have the style required.....he may never ever be happy so what then?
I'd be looking towards Cal I reckon - the guy has mongrel in him and will fight. Very impressive ride from him.
Yeah, because it's not Yamaha. The rules of the new single series will be twisted and contorted to produce a money making spectacle to sell to the tv companies. Gone will be the days of it being the pinnacle display of engineering prowess. But we'll all still be watching what's left and having the next generation Rossi v debates as it's what we all love. Anth
It isn't just Rossi though is it? Melandri's career was destroyed by it. Hayden has always struggled with it. Capirossi has sadi how difficult it is to ride, Gibernau struggled on it. All riders who have won on other bikes but couldn't get the Ducati to do what they wanted to. You can't have a bike that very few can ride as it puts doubt in a rider's mind. IIRC even Simoncelli said last year he wouldn't have gone to Ducati even though they were interested because of how hard the bike appears to be to ride.
Is it really engineering prowess we want? I just want close, exciting racing, and that means more riders on the grid. We need that far more than technical chest-beating.
But without the 'technical chest-beating' we have no development and without development we have no new technology to filter down to the end users. Now where did I put those sticks to rub to light the fire? :wink: Ps. Watch moto2 or BSB now that is close racing.
I know what you are saying - but theres an awful long list of riders now, who apparently cant get on with.... Capirex, Sete, Melandri, Rossi, Hayden... Things must be tense in the team though for Rossi to publicly lambast Ducati like that - He's no fool and with the experience he has, you would expect him to be reasonably media savvy....looks as if this outburst was deliberate and pre-meditated to me....
I used to say that; used to think that grand prix must remain a prototype series. But then moto2 came along and blew that theory out the window. Now I couldn't care less what they're riding. And I'm not too keen on the thought of having all this technology forced upon me as a road rider...
If he was the leading Ducati rider and making those comments they'd hold more water than they do now - he was a long way behind Nicky. Especially with Burgess coming out and making the comments he did this weekend; it kind of undermines Vale's position. I think there's enough doubt about his pace and commitment on the bike that his words won't mean what they would have done 4 years ago. He's a genius, and entertained us all for a very long time. I want him to retire gracefully and with his respect in tact. He'll ruin that if he keeps on moaning the way he has been, in my opinion.
hmmmm, not atm. but hasnt Bradley Smith been promised a ride next year in the tech3 gp..................so 3 into 2 dont go. If Cal continues to perform, and i wouldnt put that past him or the bike given performance so far, and Spies has a mare whilst jorge is shining.........its happened before.....
Yep, Smith is a Tech 3 MotoGP rider next year. It makes things interesting for Poncharal, good problem to have. Spies needs to pull his finger out...
Yeah I wouldnt want to be forced to have a bike that's had its design proven and tested elsewhere, no way do I want to have disc brakes forced upon me, I love carb icing and inefficient fueling, suspension??? Give me a sprung saddle any day. Come on guys, it's evolution, without the premier prototype class, there is no other class, no stuff to filter to Moto 2, Moto 3, WSB or BSB. As mere road riders we all need the wheels of progress to turn.
