Is Stoner here to stay?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinky @ Sep 24 2007, 12:36 PM) [snapback]92968[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
actually most riders and teams are content with a podium or at best a win a season. the only teams realistically wanting a WC are respol, yamaha and ducati.

look at all the talk about elias, everyone praises him all year just because he rode with a broken collar bone. maybe he should get injused next season so people can praise him again for doing jack .....

he rode with a broken femur actually, it was rdp who rode with a busted collar bone , whats your point ??

Marco is gonna hand Stoner his ... in 08.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(xx CURVE xx @ Sep 24 2007, 11:11 PM) [snapback]92987[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Marco is gonna hand Stoner his ... in 08.


Another "TROLL" spoken by Mr. xxCURVExx

Yeah more like Stoner is going to hand Marco his dues in 08!!!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CSCVAW @ Sep 24 2007, 08:20 AM) [snapback]92991[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Another "TROLL" spoken by Mr. xxCURVExx

Yeah more like Stoner is going to hand Marco his dues in 08!!!


wow did you come up with that on your own? not bad for a 30ish 12 year old.

as far as "TROLL"..come on....everyone here knows YOU'RE, the KING!

How long Stoner lasts depends entirely on his mind. He is the best by a big enough margin this season to confirm that he has everything that it takes to ride to a title, but when Honda and Yamaha catch up, when he's defending titles and when things aren't going his way he needs to stay strong. How he will behave is almost impossible to predict.

In my opinion the ducati is clearly the best package is the best package this season without a doubt. As honda + yamaha are having serious problems i dont think they can make up the differece over the winter break unless they come up with a package just as good which seems unlikely.I think as long as stoner is on that ducati for next year anyway he will be competitive.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gabi_l @ Sep 24 2007, 08:03 PM) [snapback]93023[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Melandri will certainly be fighting for the title next year, but i wouldn't rush in on saying he will beat Stoner. You have to take into consideration that Stoner is 4 years younger and has gained tons of experience from racing this year. It should be a fantastic season anyway.

stoner has the advantage because he has ridden the duc for a year but i cant see what 4 years younger has to do with it ! melandri is hardly and old man and incase you didn't notice capi who is quite a bit older than both of them won the race.

I think the competition will be a lot more closer next year. You have Rossi back wanting desperately to regain his title, Hayden doing the same, Pedrosa who will be really coming into his element, Melandri who has always had the talent but now on a full factory ride, and of course the new champ wanting to defend his title. Im looking forward to the last few races, I love Phillip Island, but next year I think will be a great one.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bootsakah @ Sep 24 2007, 07:53 PM) [snapback]93032[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
I think the competition will be a lot more closer next year. You have Rossi back wanting desperately to regain his title, Hayden doing the same, Pedrosa who will be really coming into his element, Melandri who has always had the talent but now on a full factory ride, and of course the new champ wanting to defend his title. Im looking forward to the last few races, I love Phillip Island, but next year I think will be a great one.




Agreed totally and would add Hopper wanting to prove himself on the Kwak, West not wanting to be outshone, Capirossi wanting to shove it up Ducati by top notch performances on the Zook and of course Vermuelen who should now start getting good results.

Throw into that the newbies on competitive machinery and provided Dorna leave all rules as they are we should be in for a good season.





Garry

<span style="font-family:Book AntiquaStoner's biggest problem next year will be Melandri. Besides the fact he is very good, there is going to be a lot of friction next year b/c one of two things will happen.

1) Melandri will race really well and Ducati won't be able to stop themselves from playing favorites.


<span style="font-family:Lucida Consoleif Melandri starts winning races and performong consistently in 08 it could cause problems for Stoner


<span style="font-family:GeorgiaMelandri will cease him


<span style="font-family:Comic Sans MsMarco is gonna hand Stoner his ... in 08. wink.gif


<span style="font-family:Arial BlackMelandri Melandri Melandri. Everybody gots the Melandri fevah!

Who here thinks that Melandri is THAT much better than Cappirossi???
Is Melandri more Paisan than Cappirossi? No? So why would they suddenly turn their backs on Stoner? He's already a proven commodity. I know a lot of folks got emotional and blamed Hayden's ...... 2007 ride on Spanish Repsol execs, but there have been a few things Hayden has said that seem imply (when you read between the lines) it was more about Honda's arrogance based on their previous successes in four-stroke racing than any nationalistic agenda from Repsol. Big corporations like Repsol rarely shoot themselves in the foot in such an obvious way - especially when all their efforts are focused on the best possible publicity for themselves.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(roger-m @ Sep 25 2007, 05:49 AM) [snapback]93031[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
stoner has the advantage because he has ridden the duc for a year but i cant see what 4 years younger has to do with it ! melandri is hardly and old man and incase you didn't notice capi who is quite a bit older than both of them won the race.



you can't possibly say caparossi WAS the fastests on track at japan? even the biggest loris fans could admit to that.

loris and ducati deserved the win. what it prooves is a good race strategy can win you a race here and there, but i wouldnt rely on it to win u a WC.

and people like to blame the manufacturer for not producing a bike thats competitive.

from the past, it is the riders that TELL the engineers whats wrong with the car to make it go fast.

Prime example was yamaha. First year rossi got there, he said it was full crap. then he worked with mechanics to iron out the flaws. the engineers can only engineer if they are told whats wrong.

another example is Shcumacher, when he went to ferari it was a dud. he turned that team around in 2 years.

Also fernando alonso this year moving to McClaren, suddenly its the fastest car this year. And Renault is now just a mid pack car.

Hmmmm despite nearly a billion $$$ in engineering, the #1 commodity is the driver.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinky @ Sep 24 2007, 11:05 PM) [snapback]93040[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
you can't possibly say caparossi WAS the fastests on track at japan? even the biggest loris fans could admit to that.


i didn't say he was, but he did win !

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bootsakah @ Sep 24 2007, 09:53 PM) [snapback]93032[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
I think the competition will be a lot more closer next year. You have Rossi back wanting desperately to regain his title, Hayden doing the same, Pedrosa who will be really coming into his element, Melandri who has always had the talent but now on a full factory ride, and of course the new champ wanting to defend his title. Im looking forward to the last few races, I love Phillip Island, but next year I think will be a great one.


Fortunatly I think you are right on all points. The bikes will be closer, the tires will be closer and the races much closer, I hope.

Stoner, I'm sure, will be up there fighting for the podium places. He was fast in 2006 as well and faster now.

I,m sure next year it will be a lot closer. I expect Stoner to win again, but how close Melandri is going to be is the big question. Toms points are good.
Vermeulin will move up another notch, Kawasaki may win with Hopkins ( and West if wet), and the newbies will add a lot of interest, especially Lorenzo. And of course Rossi and Pedrosa will be closer. It should be a great year of racing. I expect Pedrosa to be runner up.


Of course there is always the unknown, where another team makes unexpected advances with its bike and rider. Who could have predicted this years outcome??

Its all good!

yep - i rekon stoner will be right on the button next year - he may even win it but i'd like to see a closer fight regardless of the outcome.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinky @ Sep 24 2007, 12:36 PM) [snapback]92968[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
actually most riders and teams are content with a podium or at best a win a season. the only teams realistically wanting a WC are respol, yamaha and ducati.

look at all the talk about elias, everyone praises him all year just because he rode with a broken collar bone. maybe he should get injused next season so people can praise him again for doing jack .....


where's that ignore button ?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bootsakah @ Sep 24 2007, 08:53 PM) [snapback]93032[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
I think the competition will be a lot more closer next year. You have Rossi back wanting desperately to regain his title, Hayden doing the same, Pedrosa who will be really coming into his element, Melandri who has always had the talent but now on a full factory ride, and of course the new champ wanting to defend his title. Im looking forward to the last few races, I love Phillip Island, but next year I think will be a great one.


i think Rossi desperately wanted to retake the crown this year and it didn't happen - same for Hayden and I dare say Pedrobot had his eyes on it too..................... in short, I don't think Casey will have any more problem than he had this year unless the other manufacturers/michelin pull their fingers out - he's certainly not phased by Rossi or anyone else.

it's too early to call till we see what next years packages are like but i would hope that the gap would certainly close between Ducati & Japan although the Italians certainly have a considerable headstart.

it's going to be an interesting season.

Melandri today is more Hype than rider, unfortunatelly. He still needs to proof he is as good and consistent as Stoner, but in my point of view, Melandri is a very good rider, same level as Stoner.

If I'd bet in some rider to be the champion next year, for sure would be Stoner.

I've been waiting this title for Ducati for 3 long years, and I respect the man who achieved this.

But IS FACT that Stoner wins by far thanks to Rossi/Yamaha/Michelin problems. Although I cheer for him, I can't deny that. It's so obvious.

Alright, I have to be the one to say it. Stoner got lucky. I do not mean that he got lucky winning every race, I mean that he got lucky to end up with the perfect formula for engine, tire, and team. Dont get me wrong, you do not win a GP championship without being a great rider. Stoner is indeed a great rider. I however do not think that he is any better than Rossi, Melandri, Hayden. Stoner is the only rider in the paddock to not have any problems with either his chasis, engine, or tires. Ducati made this championship easier for Stoner to win. Stoner still had to win it, but Ducati did their part as well. If Stoner were on any other bike, even Capirossi's bike, the championship would have been much different.

And Hayden is still racing, so you can not say he was a 1 and out rider like Roberts Jr. just yet.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Eagle088 @ Sep 25 2007, 12:09 PM) [snapback]93054[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
If Stoner were on any other bike, even Capirossi's bike, the championship would have been much different.




your momma dropped u when u was a baby???

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Eagle088 @ Sep 25 2007, 12:09 PM) [snapback]93054[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Alright, I have to be the one to say it. Stoner got lucky.


Yep it was all luck ....


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Eagle088 @ Sep 25 2007, 12:09 PM) [snapback]93054[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
I do not mean that he got lucky winning every race,


No but it helped!! ........


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Eagle088 @ Sep 25 2007, 12:09 PM) [snapback]93054[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
I mean that he got lucky to end up with the perfect formula for engine, tire, and team.......... If Stoner were on any other bike, even Capirossi's bike, the championship would have been much different.


I'm trying hard to figure out the logic there .... but I'm slow


Edit: I get it now .... they turn up at races with 4 completely assembled bikes in a big box marked "LUCKY DIP" and Casey and Loris have to close their eyes and put their hand in and pull out a bike!!?? Oh well yeah he must have got lucky cos them lucky dip are hard to win.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Eagle088 @ Sep 25 2007, 12:09 PM) [snapback]93054[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Stoner is the only rider in the paddock to not have any problems with either his chasis, engine, or tires.


Now wait a minute .... I thought folk were saying he was a "whinger" ....

Maybe just maybe , when a guy is going good it incudes riding through problems??? But gee you'd never hear Rossi, Hayden, Doohan, Rainey etc. say that would you???


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Eagle088 @ Sep 25 2007, 12:09 PM) [snapback]93054[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
And Hayden is still racing, so you can not say he was a 1 and out rider like Roberts Jr. just yet.


Even if Hayden only ever has that 1 Championship to his name .... its still an amazing feat! Why downplay that?? I certainly have not come very close to such a feat in my lifetime ...... but I'm a champion at watching it well on TV!!!


I'm sure he had some luck ..... maybe it was in the getting of his G/F/Wife judging on likeness pictures, aimed at belittling the fellow, I've seen folk post on threads here .... one can only assume that the posters are better looking than CS and that Mrs Stoner would have preferred them to Casey!!! ..... so was that luck too?? ....

LUCK!!

DENIAL