Colin Edwards gave a typically colourful explanation of his 2012
MotoGP struggles when he met with the media on the eve of his home US
MotoGP at Laguna Seca on Thursday.
The former double World
[color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial][color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial]Superbike[/font][/font][/color][/color] champion and twelve-time
MotoGP podium finisher was the most high-profile
[color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial][color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial]rider[/font][/font][/color][/color] to sign-up for the new CRT privateer category.
But the Texan made clear he expected much more from the Suter-BMW project, with which he has scored points just twice so far this year.
Asked about his 'really tough' season, Edwards replied: “Yeah. My bike is a piece of sht. That'd be a better way to say it!
“It's been tough. Obviously some of the things we've been promised... we had our ... smacked and our balls tickled and it just hasn't come to fruition.
“Some of the things we were promise just haven't happened. I'm not only trying to race the bike I'm doing 100% of the development. We don't have anybody there...
“You have that big window of electronics and everything and you need to get it down to a small point, then fine tune it. We're not even there yet and it's halfway through the year.”
Unsurprisingly, given his comments, a mid-season bike change is expected by the Forward
[color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial][color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial]Racing [/font][color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial]team[/font][/color][/font][/color][/color].
Edwards tested the Gresini FTR-
[color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial][color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial]Honda[/font][/font][/color][/color] and the Avintia FTR-Kawasaki after the recent
[color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial][color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial]Mugello[/font][/font][/color][/color] round, but revealed a switch to the class-leading Aprilia is the most likely choice.
“I've heard rumours, we'll be on an Aprilia at Indianapolis,” he said. “Which is still not going to able to compete with the [prototype] guys but at least it's the best CRT bike out there. If that happens it's a step forward.”
Reflecting on the CRT concept, brought in to boost dwindling
MotoGP grid numbers, Edwards explained that changes need to be made to close the
[color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial][color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial]performance[/font][/font][/color][/color] gap to the Hondas, Yamahas and Ducatis.
“It's just kind of a ........ rule. The CRT thing. How do you expect to fly around the world and compete when you can't win?” he said. “It's been hard this year, hard to stay motivated to maybe get twelfth or tenth. Being the first CRT is all we can shoot for.
“The formula just isn't right yet. The CRT thing I think is a good idea. Or a one-brand bike. Whatever that rule is. But when you still have a bunch of prototypes out on track. It's more dangerous than anything. I feel like I'm looking over my shoulder all the time trying not to get in people's way.
“It needs to be rethought and something done so we can all compete and have a chance of victory.”
A rev limit and control
[color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial][color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial]ECU[/font][/font][/color][/color] are among the changes on the
MotoGP horizon, which could help reduce the gap between the manufacturer machines and CRTs, but Edwards had an alternative solution to providing a full grid of competitive machines
“You're taking pretty much all the development and millions of dollars that have been spent and taking a step back,” he said of the rev limit and ECU. “For me it's easy. All the bikes the prototype guys are
[color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial][color=blue !important][font=verdana, arial]riding[/font][/font][/color][/color] this year, make them available as satellite bikes next year – then you have 24 bikes.”
