Joined Feb 2007
11K Posts | 2K+
Tennessee
Joined Apr 2015
6K Posts | 5K+
NJ
Interesting. The problem still remains that there is nothing Lorenzo has shown thus far that he will be capable of adapting to a bike that has required the rider adapt, rather than the bike adapting to the rider.
Having Stoner as the rider coach is nice, but frankly, there is no one that has ever been able to do what Casey did on a bike. I don't mean to sound like a negative Nancy, but I think Lorenzo is nuts. He may very well win races, but he also may not, and for as talented as he is, his career is probably going to be defined by this move rather than the 5 titles he already has.
Having Stoner as the rider coach is nice, but frankly, there is no one that has ever been able to do what Casey did on a bike. I don't mean to sound like a negative Nancy, but I think Lorenzo is nuts. He may very well win races, but he also may not, and for as talented as he is, his career is probably going to be defined by this move rather than the 5 titles he already has.
Agreed totally JP but if the report of JL seeking Stoner as a riding coach are correct (and reading the article it does seem either Biaggi or CS) then it may be a showing that he knows that he needs to adapt his style, and who better to use than CS?
Hopefully it is just that, an acknowledgement that he needs to change and if so I see it is a good initial sign, the admitting that changes are needed.
As for Gabbarini, well personally I would rather see him stay and work with Miller (from a purely bias point of view based on nationality lines) but I could not blame him were he to return and I sure as .... sticks to a blanket do not blame Lorenzo for seeking Gabbarini out either
2017 is shaping up with a bit of interest with the machinations that are being spoken about.
Hopefully it is just that, an acknowledgement that he needs to change and if so I see it is a good initial sign, the admitting that changes are needed.
As for Gabbarini, well personally I would rather see him stay and work with Miller (from a purely bias point of view based on nationality lines) but I could not blame him were he to return and I sure as .... sticks to a blanket do not blame Lorenzo for seeking Gabbarini out either
2017 is shaping up with a bit of interest with the machinations that are being spoken about.
Maybe but how do we know he can't adapt, he has only ever ridden a yam.
Also he may not need to adapt, the new duc is very different to the stoner era. The fact that Lorenzo kicked dovis arse in 250 and dovi is fast nearly every week on that thing is promising, dovi should have won on it by now. Lorenzo just might.
He will want stoners help cos he knows Ducati, so it will get him up to speed quicker
Joined Feb 2007
11K Posts | 2K+
Tennessee
I don't know what Biaggi can offer Lorenzo as a rider coach for Ducati. He rode 1 year on a Ducati in WSBK 8 years ago, a bike that has virtually zero performance characteristics to its GP counterpart . Plus , Max has a history of being cancerous inside a team, something Lorenzo doesn't need anymore of with his already put offish attitude.
Joined Apr 2008
7K Posts | 3K+
Out of Nowhere
And the YZR 500 Yamaha that Cadalora rode has no performance characteristics in common with the M1 beneath Rossi. It's about sounding out - an objective observer in terms of performance and technical input. Admittedly Cadalora's understanding and contribution in terms of of the latter would I suggest be superior to Biaggi's. Further, as a personality in the garage, a positive factor, where I agree - Biaggi was a difficult and recalcitrant individual.
I've always found this fashion for riding coaches and mentors highly amusing. Surely it's only a matter of time before someone calls up Kocinski?
God I just have to .............
Or Gobert
He can be a riding coach and source a supplier of the more, ermmm relaxing kind as well as look out for little old people with money to encourage them to invest in the relevant team
Joined Apr 2008
7K Posts | 3K+
Out of Nowhere
Heck yeah.
But I seriously reckon that Lorenzo could do worse .......... I mean, Harry Miller may be looking for a gig soon
Joined Jun 2007
10K Posts | 1K+
Norah Head
Joined May 2009
6K Posts | 4K+
Shovel's Club
Lorenzo will eventually retire? Who would have thought it.
I don't know how he will live with himself with 6 or more titles and having never accused a fellow rider of conspiracy, a practice I extremely doubt he will take up between now and his retirement, either.
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I think your right.
It seems like Stoners job at Ducati is to polish the brand. And good luck to him.
Joined May 2009
6K Posts | 4K+
Shovel's Club
Joined Aug 2007
11K Posts | 3K+
Pomona NY
Biaggi was good at pissing off rossi though ....... maybe thats Lorenzos plan
Funny enough Barry .............. that was my absolute first thought.
JL was mentioning Biaggi simply to piss VR off even more
He could do a lot worse.
Stoner seems to have invested well, is still employed in a job that many ex-riders do not even have the opportunity to enjoy, is young and fit enough to enjoy that which life has to offer, is still sought out for input into certain aspects of the sport (sought out by media) and above all else, still hast he capability to piss off a number of people simply by being present at a race track
Oh, plus he can show JL that racing is not all about money and that money does not buy happiness but being content with what one has achieved and with what one has in place is far better than being a miserable old ....... with heaps of money
Maybe, maybe not as after all, us armchair experts have spent hours typing away that only Stoner knows how to ride the Ducati (which rings true t o this years test where he has been the fastest Ducati rider), so who better to have onside to try to help you achieve the results that only that person could?
Sure there is marketing in there as well, but if only CS can get the maximum from the Ducati (as seems to be the case), then having him onside as your 'coach' (coach is such a .... word in these circumstances as it would be more observer role) may be a masterstroke, although I suspect that were that to be the case then CS would likely already be in the role for the other riders
Another aspect that may be over looked a little is that CS and JL did and do actually get along (include Pedrosa in there a bit) as there really was little aggravation between the two (2007/2008 not withstanding) and we all remember the happier podiums of the day
Joined Oct 2007
4K Posts | 744+
Tuscany, Italy
Biaggi was Lorenzo's idol when he was a kid, and their riding styles are similar.Anyway if you are a top rider like Lorenzo, a coach is supposed to observe and analyze and tell you objectively, corner by corner, what a faster rival does different and what you do different -- then it's up to you finding a way to ride more effectively. He needs to be experienced at a high level and have good observation, but doesn't need to know how to ride your bike. And certainly you are not asking for riding tips. Then, the coach-rider relation is personal, the team is not involved.
