Is it all about the bike, (Sorry Moto GP)

tim_wand

I love Rossi, (Valentino/ The Doctor) dont think anyone can get near him for bike control, What he did with Yamaha was truly astounding, but W.T.F is going on with him at Ducati?

Out qualified on the same kit by Nicky Hayden, Only Casey Stoner has ever won on the Desmosedici ,

Has launch control and electronics made everyone as good as Rossi is natrually?

Im watching the Moto GP highlights on BBC now as I went to see the Gooners beat Man City today, so I hope I m wrong and Rossi aces it, In 10 th at the moment though.

andy46

Yes, it saddens me as I'm a big Rossi fan (hence the 46 in my username) the Ducati is a dog of a bike compared to the Honda and Yamaha. I dare say Rossi could win on a non works Japanese bike, but he just can't get on with the Ducati at the minute. Look at all the other quality riders who have had their GP careers virtually ended by that bike Gibernau, Melandri, Checa etc all good riders, Checa is current world superbike champ!

I hate to say it but I suspect (I hope I'm wrong) that Rossi's heart is not in it like it used to be, and lets face it Moto gp has been going down the pan these last few years.

I'd like to see Rossi move to World Superbikes next season, racing with old rival Max Biaggi would bring out the racer in him again.

It's nice to see Cal Crutchlow have a good start to the year, could we possibly have a Brit on the podium this year?

kettrinboy

I dont think its just that he is not getting on with the Ducati,maybe he has just passed the peak of his riding career and the young guns like Lorenzo,Stoner and Pedrosa are just coming up to or already at theirs,and obviously getting on with their bikes, great ride from Cal Crutchlow though to get 4th place.

proto

I'd like to see Rossi move to World Superbikes next season, racing with old rival Max Biaggi would bring out the racer in him again.

Now that is a very, very good idea!

Hard to believe that the Rossi/Burgess combo can't sort the Ducati out. They worked miracles when they went from Honda to the no hoper that was the early M1 Yamaha, and it didn't take them long, but nothing seems to be improving. Simoncelli's death may have scrambled Rossi's race head a bit but I'd still expect them to have made major dvelopment improvements by now, they are the best in the business.

How the heck did Stoner make it work?

Ber Nard

kettrinboy wrote:

I dont think its just that he is not getting on with the Ducati,maybe he has just passed the peak of his riding career and the young guns like Lorenzo,Stoner and Pedrosa are just coming up to or already at theirs,and obviously getting on with their bikes, great ride from Cal Crutchlow though to get 4th place.

I agree with this.

I was never a Rossi fan when he was so dominant (I always support the underdog when there's no British interest) but when Rossi moved to Ducati I thought it was a match made in Heaven. I hoped he would wipe the floor with everyone but sadly that doesn't look like happening. I think he'll retire soon.

And the start that Pedrosa got - Bloody Hell!

Rob

Bozman

Desmo - A bike built for Stoner and even he jumped ship after the GP10 only produced one result, i have no doubt that Rossi will be the highest finishing Ducati for most of the season but the match made in heaven hasn't worked, I doubt that it ever will, apparently Mr Burgess has nowhere near the input that allowed him/them to change the M1 from a nail in to a championship winning bike, even given the chance i doubt that anything could be done with it.
Ducati will never win a GP in the dry again, they've had their moment and now they'll disappear from MotoGP.

Lets just hope that Rossi can get a competitive ride and finish a great career winning again, put Rossi on a Honda or Yamaha and i have no doubt that he'll win again, goat or not goat he is top quality and a fit Rossi on a top bike will give the rest a run for their money.

Top result for Crutchlow, looks like all that cycling over the winter paid off.

paultheparaglider

proto wrote:

[
How the heck did Stoner make it work?

Because, in my opinion anyway, and despite the fact that I am a big Rossi fan, Stoner is simply the best rider out there at the moment. His bike control on the limit is simply incredible.

He seems to be hard on his tyres, though, which is giving Lorenzo an opening.

tim_wand

Fantastic result for Crutchlow, great to see.

Ducati just dont seem to be competitive in Moto GP, I dont know why they dont change Rossi's contract to ride WSB , where I am sure he and the Ducati combination would clean up.

Look what WSB did for sales with the Likes of Foggy and the 916 and Corser and Bayliss on the later bikes.

I still associate Dukes with WSB . Will be interested to see if BMW ever try to mount a Moto GP challenge but think they will stick in WSB which is where Ducati need to focus again.

Smokin Joe

Rossi has passed his peak in my opinion. I think he should have moved to Formula 1 when he had the chance, he tested in a Ferrari and i think he was within a few tenths of the works drivers. Valantino has had some big crashes in his career and over time that tends to to knock the edge off riders.

it was a great race yesterday though I don't like the night races, they look like something on a Playstation.

mattshrops

lot of people are starting to realise just how damn good stoner is.

Lorenzo also a proper class act

Vale is one of the greats, be nice for him to have a fairytale end to his career.Might have to be next year??

Brilliant for Cal.

veronese68

Something occurred to me whilst discussing the bit about Stoner saying having a baby used to slow you down in the old days when racing was dangerous. Besides the fact that people still get killed, he's recently become a father and he suffered arm pump. Right forearm, coincidence? I always knew the whinging little twat was a tosser.
I grant you he can ride a bike though.
Crutchlow did really well, pleased he passed Dovizioso.

andy46

It sounds as though Rossi and his crew aren't enjoying the freedom they've had in the past at Yamaha.

http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-rac ... 20417.html

tim_wand

I cant see why Ducati played so hard to get the Doctor and Burgess on board if they are not going to give them input into set up and development.

The M1 (Yamaha) was unrideable and one of the worse chasis in Moto Gp before Mr Burgess and Rossi sorted out the handling out.

No one has ever been as good at front end set up as the Doctor and Burgess interpretating his instincts .

It cant just be an Italian superstar on an Italian bike thing, the home market in Italy isnt that big and I dont think anyone else in Europe (Despite his hero status) is bothered that Rossi is on a duke if the bike isnt winning.

Sure Yamaha sold a lot of R6's and R1's off the back of Rossi but not before he got it winning.

I can see Ducati leaving Moto GP its not their market and its not their sport.

lostboysaint

Firstly, cards on the table, I'm a huge Rossi fan.

Secondly, anyone who suggests that he'd batter the youngsters if he had similar machinary now is dreaming. He'd give them a really good fight but I'm afraid the current master is, without doubt, Stoner.

The M1 wasn't unrideable, just go back and have a look at the results it was getting before the Dream Team finally iced that cake. On the other hand the Ducati was completely unrideable for everyone except Stoner. The same Stoner that's got onto the Honda and without being ridiculously light (Pedrosa) he's put it in a different place than anyone else. Remember Lorenzo was still second in the world championship and Dovi (now having his arse handed to him by Crutchlow) was third. Pedrosa couldn't live with Stoner, despite trying and we were sadly robbed of the only talent likely to run him close when they got on matched machinery, Simoncelli.

Rossi is and will probably remain the GOAT. He is, however, being forced to see out his career in the shadow of the next truly great rider, Stoner.

veronese68

lostboysaint wrote:

A lot of sense.

Simoncelli is a massive loss to the sport. Of the young riders he was the one that was most likely to live up to Rossi as a package. A very talented rider that wasn't afraid of a scrap that had personality.
Stoner is a great rider. But, he's a whiny little twunt.
Pedrosa is always grumpy because he's too puny to support his own eyebrows.
Lorenzo just seems to arrogant. I accept you have to have enormous self belief to get to the top, but he needs to lighten up.