Re: MotoGP 2013 Season - Updates

Wow...some good discussion after a long time.

while the views expressed by all of you are at best speculative (mortals like us will never know the truth), it is a fact that the only thing Yamaha looked at while getting Rossi back was the bundles of money in terms of sponsorship and sales since he commands a massive fan following. To a large extent, Rossi has been advertised as the icon for sport by one and all; most importantly Dorna.

Honda is the typical fox in this game. Instead of investing on an old GOAT (pun intended), they invested in young blood in the form of Marq...and it seems that their vision is paying off. The second rider syndrome is not new and has existed in all teams for a long time. Old timers will remember how Honda developed the NSR around Mick Doohan. Other riding the NSR at that point like Alex Criville and Max Biaggi were at best the second thought. In fact the reason why Max defected is primarily because he wanted the same parts as found on Doohan's NSR...which he never got obviously.Yamaha did the same when it was Vale paired with any other rider.

In the recent times, it was probably only in the Honda camp where Stoner and Pedrosa had equal machines and voices..but that was more due to Honda's desire to crush Yamaha at the triple crown than anything else. It seems the same way today with Marq and Dani.

I just hope Ben find some good footing as he is one talented rider who can mingle and dance with the best in the world..shame if he fell prey to paddock politics.

Re: MotoGP 2013 Season - Updates

While the whole world is discussing Honda-Yamaha-Rossi-Lorenzo-Cal-Pedrosa-Marquez, Dovi and Hayden seem to be quietly doing a decent job on the Desmo.

Well, I don't think Rossi is being given a different treatment by Yamaha. It's just that the current M1 is different from what Rossi had raced earlier character-wise. The present M1 is 'built/developed' for Lorenzo. However, I am of the opinion that a real top dog is one who can race any machine on any given day.

If the best 8 riders can lap Mugello within a second then, all the riders and the machines are more or less on the same level in a broader sense.

Cal is all fired up only because "he is on an 'inferior' machine (Brakes and suspension)". IMO, if you put him a factory M1, he may not be able to beat Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Marquez every Sunday.

Re: MotoGP 2013 Season - Updates

[MENTION=28698]Makky[/MENTION] Finally a post which does not go hammer and tongs at conspiracy theories!!!

Though the Desmos are not really doing a decent job. They are still roughly 20 seconds down on the winner.

Re: MotoGP 2013 Season - Updates

As "Kropotkin Thinks", mid-pack is the most dangerous. You always get caught or knocked down by the wolves and the hyenas. So, it's quite natural that they are slower. Look what Rossi is doing to himself. Failing to get that front/second row on Sat is kicking him in the butt. Well, shall we get Stoner on-board Desmo and see what's gonna happen?

PS: I am no hard-core Duc fan!

Re: MotoGP 2013 Season - Updates

It is time that Hayden moved to some other seat...At the expense of starting another pageful of posts, I think that Ducati are using him the same way that Yamaha are using Rossi.

For Ducati, the American market is extremely important and is is necessary to have someone from the US representing this brand on the grid.

Speculative and fictional: How about Hayden moving to Suzuki. I somehow feel that the Suzuki is not a full blown prototype but much like the customer RCV...again not sure but that's my perception.

Re: MotoGP 2013 Season - Updates

Yes Ducati is using Nickey Hayden for marketing purpose even they hired Ben Spies for that reason and even when Yamaha is not ready to hire Rossi , Rossi was in a situation to win and retire so he obviously landed on Yamaha because even Honda opened has opened the door Rossi would have not gone that way and in this deal both are mutually benefited Yamaha with the sales, sponsors and advertisement meanwhile Rossi got a machine where he can win races and finish his career as a winner .... All these talks arised after two crashes of Rossi at Leman and Mugello in Lemans before the crash he was contending for a podium and yesterday's race also he would have challenged for a podium when Bautista not taken him wait for the races to come and see how Rossi and his M1 is performing we don't want to come to a decision easily that Yamaha is doing politics between its riders every team invest much on their title contending rider what ever manufacturer it may be Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Aprilia and BMW . Leom Camier in a interview said that he didn't get a equal machinery what Max Biaggi got in the qualifying he was running second but when it comes to race the machine totally changes and it is not ride-able.. So every team they will work around their lead rider only ....

Re: MotoGP 2013 Season - Updates

Mat Oxley - Stealing Speed, by Mat Oxley | RideApart

An old article.

Re: MotoGP 2013 Season - Updates

To add to the recent discussion we've had on this forum, here's something Ben had to say about last season.
Courtesy - EXCLUSIVE Ben Spies - Q&A | Page 2 | MotoGP Interview | May 2013 | Crash.Net

"Usually I don't pay much attention to what people say online because they need stories to write about to get attention, but as regards what's happening behind the scenes with the rider and the bike, more often than not the fans are not getting the true story anyway because the factories won't allow it to be told."

Is that a hint for us all ?

Coming to the exact point -
Crash.net:
Do you think you had similar equipment at Yamaha to Jorge's?

Ben Spies:
Errm, no. It's one of those things that you can never be sure about, but I just know that at the end of the day the chassis and the engine weren't the same, even at the beginning of the year and there were a couple of engine upgrades during the year that we never got. It's hard to know what was what and what was being tested on my bike, the equipment was not quite the same though.

Crash.net:
So you were fighting with lesser equipment at the end?

Ben Spies:
Yeah.

Maybe Rossi will relieve the truth about Yamaha once he's out of contract.

Re: MotoGP 2013 Season - Updates

Amidst all this, have you guys seen Mahindra rider Miguel Oliveira in Moto2? This dude rides like he has stolen it. I mean the way he fights with those KTM Guys in his Mahindra is commendable. Before the start finish line, he is able to take few positions up, however, once they hit the long straight, the KTM guys (vinhalese, Rin, Salom) just go past him like he is standing still.

And he starts fighting again for positions, finding gaps at regular interval. Watching him race makes it feel so easy.

Inspite of that he finished 4 th last race ahead of Marquez Jr.

He is the guy to watch out for. Watching him race reminds me of a saying "its the size of the fight in the dog that matter and not the size of the dog".

Re: MotoGP 2013 Season - Updates

He is an awesome rider and has truckloads of talent. But he is a rider in Moto 3 not Moto 2. Mahindra is really doing the country proud, along with Mahi Racing in WSS. They have built a fantastic motorcycle in collaboration with Suter. I wonder why can't they build a decent motorcycle for the Indian market

Re: MotoGP 2013 Season - Updates


Thanks for correcting.

Re: MotoGP 2013 Season - Updates

Highlights from Mugello -



Pol Esparago tops Moto 2 test in Mugello -

2013 Mugello Post-Race Moto2 Test: Espargaro Finds Speed In Rain-Stricken Test | MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks

Max Biaggi to test the Ducati at Mugello, while Pirro will be replacing Spies in Catalunya on the Ducati Lab Bike -

Max Biaggi To Test Ben Spies' Ducati At Mugello, Pirro To Replace Spies At Barcelona | MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks

Re: MotoGP 2013 Season - Updates

Biaggi!!
Do they ever Stop riding bikes on Track, Nice
(Loris too)
EDIT:

Its not necessary for Tech 3 to have Both Prototype bikes, is it?
I have a feeling (Biased).
Yamaha could have on more team I think. Factory support, like the rumors we hear before.
Cuz Yamaha leasing out engines next year.
So everyone happy

(Hope I didn't paint a target on my back )

Re: MotoGP 2013 Season - Updates

Aspar Press Release: Controlling The Uncontrollable - The Role Of Ritual In Racing | MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks

Re: MotoGP 2013 Season - Updates

Loris Capirossi talks Marc Marquez -