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Post by colinlinz on Jul 28, 2012 8:28:28 GMT 10
Least he's honest! It's great when riders are interviewed and they actually tell you what they think, rather than what the spin man wants them to say. BMW hasn't given them anything, it is all just bought and paid for; the same goes for the Suter chassis. I guess Colin just didn't feel the need to bullshit and play nice when they haven't done anything for his project.
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Post by colinlinz on Jul 28, 2012 8:44:55 GMT 10
I'd be stunned if Rossi went back to Yamaha with his tail between his legs. Spies after all that momentum has lost his mojo. Stoner is half asleep, Pedrosa is boring as bat shit and everyone hates Lorenzo. Good times for MotoGP. If I was Ducati, I'd dump his arse. He has cost them millions in rider fees, and targeted bike development around his every want and need. They still have a bike that is not working well. The old style crapy bikes being ridden in the satellite teams are faster than him quite often. He has had nearly two seasons to do something with the bike, but it looks like he just cant. If I were Ducati, I'd keep Hayden, because he is a solid worker and performer. He also has a high level of history with Ducati now, and is admired by the teams and understands what Ducati are about on a corporate cultural level. I would also sign Crutchlow. I think Dovi will get Spies seat, just on consistency and class experience. While we won't know if Crutchlow can ride the Ducati, he seems to have a similar mental attitude as Stoner, and does have a similar style, so it might just work for him. With Spies gone, Rossi could jump into his slot, but I think they will put Dovi in there. I'm expecting a separate Rossi/Yamaha team with Marlborough money.
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Post by paulbassett on Jul 28, 2012 11:48:55 GMT 10
Its a damn shame that WSB races arent on free to air TV. The racing is much better than motoGP especially the boring as batshit last race.
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trezza
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Post by trezza on Jul 28, 2012 19:01:41 GMT 10
I was going to say the same thing about Cals' riding style, and Stoners' when he was back on the Duc. Muscle it 'round, with your balls out ;-)
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Seanus
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Post by Seanus on Jul 28, 2012 21:33:39 GMT 10
Looks like you're right on the money there Collin. I have to say I'm enjoying the Superbike a lot more than MotoGP. But I also wonder about it to as a serious sport. BMW pulling out. Honda and Suzuki barely there everyone else gone as well. Motorcycle racing seems to be in crisis?!
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Post by colinlinz on Jul 29, 2012 9:42:19 GMT 10
As Stoner said in an interview in the latest AMCN, the sport has become too commercialised. I'm not sure that there is a lack of funds. I think the funding is there, it is just being directed to other areas rather than race bikes. Stoner mentioned a certain CRT team that has the largest and most impressive hospitality area in the paddock. Stoner believes they could fund a satellite full spec bike with the money they are spending on the hospitality tent.
Superbikes have always been good racing. I'd watch more of it if the televised it on free to air. In saying that, Superbikes do need to be careful. Their top riders are very much made up of the elder gentry of motorcycle racing. They are still great riders, but they aren't at the top of their game anymore.
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bluestorm04
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Post by bluestorm04 on Jul 29, 2012 17:56:19 GMT 10
I see Rossi qualified 9th for Laguna a full 2 seconds slower than Lorenzo on pole, from Ducati's (and audi's) perspective that is an enormous embarrassment yet all the while Rossi says his plans for the future depend on what deal Audi can bring to the table. I have been an unashamed fan of his for many years but to have to rely on your achievements to justify your greed is incomprehensible. It is becoming more and more glaringly obvious that he is unfortunately only doing it for the money and will quickly in the eyes on many of his supporters, me included, quickly lose respect.
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Seanus
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Post by Seanus on Jul 29, 2012 18:00:05 GMT 10
Agree there. Superbikes is almost like the retirement home for MotoGP riders! Ha Ha. But it's good to see the likes of Biaggi fighting it out with Checa and Melandri. They are all quality riders. And soon it looks like Spies will be there again. Who knows maybe Rossi too? Wouldn't Biaggi love that? "Oh no. not again!"
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Post by yellaterra on Jul 29, 2012 23:36:26 GMT 10
I'd be stunned if Rossi went back to Yamaha with his tail between his legs. Spies after all that momentum has lost his mojo. Stoner is half asleep, Pedrosa is boring as bat shit and everyone hates Lorenzo. Good times for MotoGP. If I was Ducati, I'd dump his arse. He has cost them millions in rider fees, and targeted bike development around his every want and need. They still have a bike that is not working well. The old style crapy bikes being ridden in the satellite teams are faster than him quite often. He has had nearly two seasons to do something with the bike, but it looks like he just cant. If I were Ducati, I'd keep Hayden, because he is a solid worker and performer. He also has a high level of history with Ducati now, and is admired by the teams and understands what Ducati are about on a corporate cultural level. I would also sign Crutchlow. I think Dovi will get Spies seat, just on consistency and class experience. While we won't know if Crutchlow can ride the Ducati, he seems to have a similar mental attitude as Stoner, and does have a similar style, so it might just work for him. With Spies gone, Rossi could jump into his slot, but I think they will put Dovi in there. I'm expecting a separate Rossi/Yamaha team with Marlborough money. Maybe they should have the World Superbike riders swap seats with the MotoGP riders. I love the premier class but for some reason I have been following the Superbike racing much more closely than the MotoGP's for a few years now.
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Post by snowcone on Jul 30, 2012 10:36:21 GMT 10
Rossi has reportedly been offered 12 million Euros to stay at Ducrapi. Maybe not after he fell off today
Anyway, a great tactical race by Stoner. He knew when to rest his tyres and then stage the attack and got some amazing traction when he opened her up and passed Lorenzo
Spies didn't crash in a normal manner. The swingarm broke! Got to feel sorry for the guy. He just can't get a break (no pun intended).
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bluestorm04
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Post by bluestorm04 on Jul 30, 2012 12:02:07 GMT 10
I found it to be an interesting race yet still quite predictable. Im also thinking maybe the gravel trap at the top of the corkscrew needs ploughing different, it didnt exactly take the pace off Rossi's bike, it smacked the tyre wall pretty hard.
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rowanb
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Post by rowanb on Jul 30, 2012 14:45:20 GMT 10
Did anybody else notice the SP1 in the background during the Schwantz interview
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Post by colinlinz on Jul 30, 2012 16:39:51 GMT 10
I missed it. I had an early start at work this morning. It was nice to see that Stoner could put all together.
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Pitto
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Post by Pitto on Jul 30, 2012 18:18:38 GMT 10
Did anybody else notice the SP1 in the background during the Schwantz interview I thought I was the only one that noticed it (RVT/RC50?). Good to know there is another "tragic" out there. Great race, and I agree with Steve I don't think DUAUDI will be happy with Rossi writing off his bike. Maybe some other form of barrier might help. Deduct it from his 12mill pay offer? I like Ben Spies and his style of riding but he just can't win a trick, I think moving back to WSB is a loss for the premier class.
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bluestorm04
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Post by bluestorm04 on Jul 30, 2012 21:44:53 GMT 10
Spies was pretty unlucky to have equipment failure, but I reckon even he would admit he's under acheived this year. I do wonder though in regards to team Yamaha did he jump or was he pushed, to announce mid season you're quitting the team reeks of his hand being forced which would be a shame.
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Seanus
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Post by Seanus on Jul 31, 2012 21:50:47 GMT 10
Yeah it's bad news for the sport getting a strong following in the States.
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Post by colinlinz on Aug 1, 2012 8:26:37 GMT 10
I think Edwards hit the nail on the head when he commented that they would never get real acceptance in the US. He based that reasoning on the fact that in Europe almost everyone has ridden motorbikes or scooters at some stage. They are viewed as valid fun forms of transport. In the US, the culture was that hardly anyone rides motorcycles, unless they can't afford a car. They are viewed as transport reserved for lower class people that can't afford real transport, like a car. I guess it is shifting a little, but it will be ages before it gets anywhere near the acceptance and sponsorship level that it has in Europe.
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Post by snowcone on Aug 1, 2012 11:18:58 GMT 10
Spies "lowered" rear suspension
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Post by colinlinz on Aug 1, 2012 18:31:20 GMT 10
You would have to question the support he is having from his team this year. There will always be some mechanical failures and mistakes, but he has really had a run of them this year.
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bigsnoopy
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Post by bigsnoopy on Aug 8, 2012 16:50:15 GMT 10
so this is what I'm hearing for next year, Rossi a definite to Yamaha Dovi to Ducati to partner Hayden and Ducati to run a third works bike with a satellite set up with Scott Redding in the seat (Ducati apparently very impressed with his test). Curtchlow's got the $hits bigtime coz it appears his options have dried up and may have to stay with Tech3 or maybe Gresini with Bautista losing his ride..Bradley Smith will have the second Tech3 ride coz Herve couldn't get out of his contract with Smith
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Post by snowcone on Aug 9, 2012 9:39:16 GMT 10
Copied from another site and a fair bit of reading, but it does explain a lot.
It is a bit of a risk, announcing that Valentino Rossi will be switching to Yamaha just a couple of days after getting caught out by a hacked Twitter and email account. This time, though, confirmation is coming from multiple sources, including our own. Rossi will be leaving Ducati for Yamaha at the end of this season, with an official press release expected from Yamaha on the morning of August 15th, the Italian national holiday of Ferragosto, and the day before the paddock assembles at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Red Bull Indianapolis GP. According to the Italian media, the decision was taken a few days after the US GP at Laguna Seca, a race which was typical of Rossi’s experience with the Ducati: slow during practice, unable to make progress during qualifying leaving him to start from 10th, and topped off with a crash at the top of the Corkscrew. Rossi crashed on lap 30, losing the front while braking and still almost upright. Unable to get any heat into the tire, the front tire looked almost new, despite having nearly the full race distance on it. Ducati CEO Gabriele Del Torchio had flown especially to the US to present an offer to Rossi and convince him of the sweeping changes that Audi will help to bring about to the racing program, and at the Sachsenring and Mugello, Rossi had spoken to senior Audi executives about their plans for MotoGP. Ducati had even gone so far as to try to persuade Masao Furusawa, the former leader of Yamaha’s M1 MotoGP project, to come to Ducati to help fix the bike. Furusawa declined, as respected Japanese journalist Akira Nishimura reported on his Twitter page this morning after interviewing the former Yamaha man. Furusawa’s reasons were deeply rooted in Japanese culture, and the strong bond between company and employee, even after the employment contract is terminated: it would not be right for a former employee to betray the company he worked for, and that was a step too far for Furusawa. The Japanese engineer revealed just how far Ducati were prepared to go to get help, telling Nishimura that Preziosi had said ”I just want to make our bike better. It doesn’t matter if I lose my position.” The Furusawa gambit was probably Ducati’s last chance at getting Rossi to stay, and when it failed, Rossi made uip his mind. The only thing that Rossi wanted was a competitive bike for the beginning of the 2013 season. When Preziosi acknowledged he could not provide that, Rossi’s decision was clear. At the age of 33, Rossi understands that he does not have many more seasons left in MotoGP. He cannot afford to wait for Ducati to build a competitive bike. If he wants to start challenging for podiums and wins again – and more importantly, start enjoying racing again, finding the pleasure in racing that gives him the energy to make it through the long slog of testing and training – then he needs to be on competitive machinery. The Yamaha is competitive now; the Ducati is clearly no such thing. Rossi’s departure from Ducati is a defeat for both parties, as a curious retraction from the Italian magazine Motociclismo’s website makes plain. Motociclismo published quotes from Ducati PR Manager Francesco Rapisarda, acknowledging that Rossi would leave Ducati. The story with quotes was then removed from the website – though picked up by the eagle-eyed GPOne.com, who also saved a copy of the quotes as a screenshot - and Rapisarda denied to GPOne that he had made those statements, while editorial staff at Motociclismo told GPOne that it was ‘a misunderstanding’. Whether a Ducati spokesperson said those words or not, the underlying truth remains. Rossi left Honda for Yamaha to demonstrate that the rider was more important than the bike. His return to Yamaha from Ducati demonstrates that this is only true up to a point. There is a basic level of performance that is needed from the bike for a rider such as Rossi to be able to perform. But the move – indeed, the threat of a Rossi departure – has already had a massive effect on Ducati. The Corse department are scheduled to hold a major meeting this week, to discuss their R&D strategy and plan for the rest of the season. Rossi’s leaving will have a major impact on the testing schedule, and cause Ducati to rethink their R&D efforts. Though help from Audi will not be direct, they may be able to help in speeding up redesign and production of new parts, with new parts feeding into the process more quickly. Ducati may find themselves in a quandary: having a man widely acknowledged as one of the best and most sensitive development riders under contract, but unwilling to give away too much of their future development direction. There is still one fly in the ointment for the Rossi-to-Yamaha story: Though Rossi will be taking a massive pay cut to return to Yamaha, and leaving most of his entourage behind (only his ‘Australian’ crew are expected to follow him, the group consisting of Jeremy Burgess, Alex Briggs, Bernard Ansiau, Brent Stephens and Matteo Flamigni) the factory is still without a title sponsor for the second year running. Rossi is expected to bring a sponsor with him, and though the appeal of the Italian is undiminished – his name is far, far bigger than the sport, a risk to the future of the series itself once he retires – the pen has not yet been put to paper. Once that hurdle has been cleared, then the deal can be announced officially. We realize that after being tricked by a hacked Twitter and email account, our credibility has suffered when it comes to Rossi’s move to Yamaha. The Twitter and email messages about Rossi visiting Yamaha’s HQ in Amsterdam may have been faked. But as many people pointed out, Rossi does not need to fly to Amsterdam to sign a contract with Yamaha. Just because he wasn’t at Schiphol-Rijk, it doesn’t mean that Rossi hasn’t signed for Yamaha.
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bigsnoopy
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Post by bigsnoopy on Aug 9, 2012 18:46:35 GMT 10
the latest is that Yamaha will announce the Rossi signing in the next 24 hours instead of the 15th which had been planned
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Post by colinlinz on Aug 10, 2012 18:10:52 GMT 10
It's all official now. Rossi will be going back to Yamaha. I guess the Ducati was just too much for him.
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trezza
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Post by trezza on Aug 13, 2012 10:42:22 GMT 10
Looks like Dovi is gonna give the Duc a crack. Bit unfortunate really, I quite like Dovi, I hope he has more luck there than The Doctor did.
I sick of all this political publicity crap, I just want them to finish their summer holiday and start racing again!
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Post by colinlinz on Aug 13, 2012 15:57:07 GMT 10
If I was Ducati, I'd put Crutchlow in the seat. But then I'm not, and I know bugger all about what they need. I just think Crutchlow would have less problems in adapting to it. Now if I was Crutchlow or Dovi, I would be in no hurry to go anywhere. The Tech3 team might not be a factory team, but it is doing very well, better than some factory teams. The team is obviously switched on and is capable of supporting both these guys to podiums. A little bit more time together might even see them at the front of races sometimes.
I hate the mid season break.
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trezza
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Post by trezza on Aug 13, 2012 16:52:08 GMT 10
Exactly my thoughts Col. Cal would have suited the Duc more than Dovi I would have thought, but it would also be a shame to see Cal wasted on the Duc trying to get it sorted out. The Tech3 bikes are very competitive, I really didn't see a need for either of them to go, other than the fact that they are seemingly always in direct competition with each other, trying to get the bottom step of the pdium, and riding ontop of each other nearly all race, every race. Not ideal for team-mates.
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bluestorm04
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Post by bluestorm04 on Aug 14, 2012 9:20:46 GMT 10
I am also a Dovizioso fan and hope that he isnt taking a backward step, considering it wasnt that long ago he wasnt interested in going to Ducati. After being dumped by Honda he is doing an outstanding job on the Tech3 bike, if he cannot recreate the form he is currently showing he will quickly become a spent force and very likely find himself looking for other avenues.
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Post by paulbassett on Aug 14, 2012 11:10:40 GMT 10
I am also a Dovizioso fan and hope that he isnt taking a backward step, considering it wasnt that long ago he wasnt interested in going to Ducati. After being dumped by Honda he is doing an outstanding job on the Tech3 bike, if he cannot recreate the form he is currently showing he will quickly become a spent force and very likely find himself looking for other avenues. +3 I like Dovi too and hope the Duc doesn't turn out to be too much of a handful for him, and yes the Tech 3 Yamaha is a good package, and he can ride it too.
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trezza
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Post by trezza on Aug 20, 2012 10:18:06 GMT 10
No way! Are you F-ing serious! There's bad luck, and then there's sabotage.
I reckon Spies was looking good for the podium too... He would have been at least 4th, and comfortably second. I can't help but feel sorry for him. Pedro had alot more pace, he was sitting on his exhaust for a long time before he overtook him. The Hondas just seem to have so much more speed down the long straights, almost all of Stoners' overtakes were down the main drag.
I don't know if the crutches were necessary when he got off the bike, but otherwise I take my hat off to him, it can't have been a pleasent race for him.
Ducati won't confirm Dovi has moved, but his lawyers are going over the contract now. He had a great race, and snuck onto the podium nicely. I still wish he wasn't going to Ducati though, it's a shame Yamaha didn't pick him up for the factory bike. I'm most definately a Rossi fan, and I really do hope he sorts it all out on the Yammie, but I am doubtful.
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bigsnoopy
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Post by bigsnoopy on Aug 20, 2012 20:45:28 GMT 10
mate I tore all the tendons in my right ankle about 30 years ago and the pain was excruciating, I was on crutches for three weeks and the doctor said I would have been much better off breaking it I thought Stoner did as good a job as was possible under the circumstances
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