bookwyse

Just saying that it took a totally diffrent skill set to drive back then. A lot of the drivers would be able to but also a lot of them wouldnt without falling off the track. Schumacher is ones of the ones that probably would be ok as you just have to look at his wet weather skills.

Mcrae is another because he was brought up with the old style motors but not many of them are.

You cant deny that it took more skill when there were NO electronic aids and manual boxes, can you!!!!!

It's Czech Mate

He did race against Mansell.......Mansell won the champinship

Also in Shueys title year in 04 ( i think ) when he had a decider with Hill in Oz and had to shunt him off to cheat his way to victory....Mansell was guesting for Williams and he won from Pole........

JAP CRAP

There has been talk of reducing costs of moto gp also. I disagree that part of the reason of doing it wasn't to make it more interesting. Even if that isn't the official line on the reasons I beleive it was a large contributing factor.

Safety is obviously an issue and one that gets mentioned when t.c is debated. But you never hear the riders mention costs when they talk about the pro's and cons. As far as they are concerned it is a balance between safety and making it exciting ( people dont watch because its boring do they ) and also allowing rider talent to prevail.

I could find you 50 quotes (if I had time and could be arsed) from moto gp riders saying although rider safety is important they need to consider changes to make moto gp more "exciting".

It's Czech Mate

Possibly......todays quicker corner speeds and slip angels etc require very very fast reactions

Also todays drivers have to have a lot more technical knowledge and use this in their driving

I think its just as hard now but in different ways

ricky_3dr

***thread back on track***
Wasn't he approximately 5 seconds off the pace though

JAP CRAP

yep

philram

iTrader: (3)

thats easy... no tc, and bring back gary mccoy...

philram

iTrader: (3)

yep... at a track thats historically had the top 15 covered by 1.5secs... so equates to at least 10secs on any other track..

Rossco

Thats a life time in GP, surely there money would be better spent on someone else?

JAP CRAP

you know that! I remember watching him at donnington on his red bull yamaha Did you know he actually did test on the ilmor moto gp bike and went faster than both of their riders (mcwilliams and pitt) so had they have continued he may well have made a return!

philram

iTrader: (3)

yes, but ilmor couldn't afford the tyre bill..

JAP CRAP

It is Ross and he won't (and they wont let him) race at that pace but remember thats only his second time on the bike. If he was 16 ( ) and that was only his second time on the bike he would almost certainly make a very good moto gp rider of the future!

Schumacher should buy one of the new ducati desmosedici road bikes and test at valencia 4 days a week from now until they race their at the end of the season and he might be quick enough to keep up at the back..

JAP CRAP

I was watching some feature about something (moto gp or tyres or gary McCoy) and they had a tyre expert on there saying how Gary had found and helped them to understand that by spinning the tyre only the surface got hot but not the rest and therefore it could last or something ....Have to say I didnt understand it totally

m_nettleship

bookwyse





He Risk the race of champions!!

And had alot to lose there??????????

JAP CRAP

too much of an ego?

I don't think his ego would stop him wanting to race as a wild card. However, I very much doubt whether he'd want to become a proper moto gp rider unless he was going to be comptetitive but thats not just him, thats probably every champion in any sport....you think Rossi would change to F1 unless he was going to be very competitive!? no chance!

so its not schumacher's 'ego', its called a winners mentality! without it they may not have been champions....

Big G

Not a massive MotoGP fan, only really watched it if it was on when I was around and not upto much,
But as a BSB fan and watching the Michelin wearing Honda's kick arse, then watching WSB where 4 manufacturers on the same tyres could win a race got me thinking.

philram

iTrader: (3)

the one main positive regarding the bsb tyre rule is the return of the wsb wildcards...

Big G

and hopefully a closer field, the HM Honda's were in a league of their own, I think this year will be very interesting,
Haslams last blast at the title before going to WSB?
Crutchlow's chance to show he's got what it takes in BSB?
Shakey Byrne on the new Ducati alongside Crutchlow.
The Grinner back on a Suzuki with 12 month development under it.
Harris on a Yam with a couple of years of Pirelli behind it.

JAP CRAP

How old is Haslam now? Personally I think his management must suck as I would have thought he could have had the second Ducati seat in WSB as they were looking for someone young... I dont really follow him or BSB but he was in Moto GP for one season wasn't he? (2001?) Seems to have gone backwards big time since then.

Big G

He's 24 now, so still got a good 10 years if he can keep out of trouble.
I dont know how he didnt get the 2nd Ducati myself, but he said he had unfinished business in BSB before he moves on, or was that a humble pie statement
He did MotoGP for a season on a 2nd rate bike, and admitted later that it was too soon for him to go there.

philram

iTrader: (3)

from what i've read bayliss didn't want a fast partner, apparently put a stop a hodgeson getting the ride aswell..
leon only did a season on the shell advance v-twin 500 honda that was a complete bag of shit that was years out of date. the idea of blooding him through as many championships as possible from a young age was his dads, to try to get as much experience under his belt as possible, then concentrate on his career ladder.
if he can perform well on the honda this year they can take him to the world stage easily, probably 8hr and wss, remember honda also still have huge respect for ron, and that counts for a lot with the japanese...

philram

iTrader: (3)

shakey back on a duke..

will be interesting to see how watanabe does aswell if he can settle in to the culture quick, they dont give jap sbk championships away..

is bomber doing bsb or bss..? i've read both.

Big G

Bayliss is a strange one though, as he thinks there are too many older guys taking seats that younger riders are missing out on, yet he doesnt want a fast young rider as a team mate, but he has admitted that when he stops challenging for the podium he will retire.

Big G

I have heard he is doing both, but cant see it, 3 races a day is abit hectic, plus the way he got unlucky with injuries last year would just put him down the grid.

Hydrex and Bike Animal have joined forces to become 'Hydrex Bike Animal' with James Ellison and Guy Martin in the saddle.

Paul Bird has left BSB to go WSB with Lavilla riding for him.

Michael Laverty joins Superbikes on the TAS Suzuki.

Buildbase Ducati were rumoured to be putting a bike in BSB.


All in all, with them on the same rubber too, it looks like it may be a good open season, plus Privateer champ Tristan Palmer is on an 07 Stobart bike for THR, them bikes aint shy

philram

iTrader: (3)

i think that was more towards biaggi-barros-checa walking into wsb rides with little or no sbk experience in the last year or two. i dont think he'd say it if it was edwards, but you can see his point, the kids need a chance, but it seems they have to prove it in wss before they're considered for wsb these days.. kiyo got in because he's won honda the bsb twice

Big G

Biaggi is a class act, and he shown he can do the job, plus carries a fair whack of sponsorship which helps,
Cant believe Checa has got a Ten Kate seat, god knows how he pulled that off.
I think WSS could be tasty this year though, and with 4 Brits having decent seats its gotta be worth a watch, just depends which spurious channel shows it

Kiyo was sent over by Honda to the BSB as an education, and again Honda got him on their best bike in WSB, he is a quality rider though, very clean in his cornering.

philram

iTrader: (3)

i agree with you about biaggi, he's really shown some class this year, just kept his head down and worked, when he may of thrown a paddy in years gone by..

hopefully wss/wsb will be shown on eurosport again ... more of the jack & jamie show

JAP CRAP

Checa's in because of the spanish sponsers he takes with him. He brings a lot of money into the team. Plus, he actually is a good rider if he's on something competititve. He did ok when he was on the ducati in moto gp.

I was a little bit disappointed to hear Biaggi is riding for a privateer team this year as I like to see him fighting for the chamionship. Maybe he still will. I really think he needs to go back to moto gp! Was unlikely this year though because he has bad history with honda, Rossi probably has enough say to keep him out of of yamaha and he was never going to take Melandri's seat (even though he did try) as they've been trying to get Marco for a couple of years now and he's an awesome rider! Plus Biaggi probably always still thought the suzuki team would eventually come up with the money that he wanted so wasn't exploring other options early in the season.