the problem with Ducati, its a small company compared to Honda corp. Which throw millions of pounds into there race programs nick a bloody Honda or Yamaha and copy it. the japs have been doing for decades. I hope Cal does well, even if he doesnt win a race its a good payday for him. And he doesnt give-up, tough cookie.
What I got from that is Dovi is his favorite, don't expect anything for 3 years and something about home and track
I can't see anything but normal service being resumed. All Cal can do is stay in front of Dovi, and that ain't gonna be easy. Now, any news on Redding..?
Scott finished early yesterday... he was struggling for strength in his injured wrist and had a moan about the bike being too small... He's not scheduled to run today as Honda only has 2 bikes available at the test for Hayden/Aoyama/Redding End of day 2....
Worth noting ...Bradley is now on the 2013 bike and could move forward today in the absence of the factory team
I think that if Cal can get 5x top 5 finishes next year and beat Dovi in the Championship I will be really happy, then in 2015 I would be hoping for that to be 5x Podiums, if he stays there for 2016, then we would want a win? Does that sound fair or am I absolutely mental!?
Who would have bet on Bradders being up with MM at the end off todays testing [h=3]Live Timing - MotoGP Valencia Test 2014[/h] MotoGP Free Practice Nr. 3 Finished Po. Name TeamGap First 1MARQUEZ M.Repsol Honda Team1:30.287 2SMITH B.Monster Yamaha Tech 3+0.311 3BRADL S.LCR Honda MotoGP+0.581 4PEDROSA D.Repsol Honda Team+0.705 5BAUTISTA A.GO&FUN Honda Gresini+0.942 6ESPARGARO P.Monster Yamaha Tech 3+1.246 7IANNONE A.Pramac Racing+1.307 8ESPARGARO A.NGM Mobile Forward Racing+1.357 9DOVIZIOSO A.Ducati Team+1.429 10CRUTCHLOW C.Ducati Team+1.588 11PIRRO M.Ducati Test Team+1.596 12HAYDEN N.Power Electronics Aspar+1.836 13AOYAMA H.Power Electronics Aspar+2.243
He had a good, consistent, improving season. Hopefully he can snatch a podium or two next season. I think he's underrated.
Good luck to him I say. IMO, he's going to have to go some to save his seat for 2015. Certainly don't wish ill on him
GIGI has asked for 2 years to be competitive... as there is the expectation that the 2014 will be a 'new' design then the trick will be to stay in font of the customers Yam and HRC's if ti s a development from the 2013 bike, then it will b"e staying in front of the CRT bikes ... whatt worries me on Cal is that ever since he signed the Ducati deal, he's slipped and hasn't come close to the podium. and systematically lost all scrubs with VR and Bautista. With next years crop of Moto2 Marquez battlers and he'll have even more tough guys to contend with. If you add that Dovi reigned suprime at Tech 3, i don't want to get my hopes up for any magic coming from Cruthlow. the place i'd like to see him is in WSBK ... there he could shine... and make the difference for Ducati as well.
as to the airbox.. who knows... i'm quite sure that if it has any potential, GIGI will find it. And if it hasn't it will be scrapped knowing why... which is better then this ' if only' feeling... and GIGI knows how to make a alubeam frame... its what makes that APE so brilliant..
