<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Procession @ Dec 5 2006, 05:41 PM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I agree with you there that HRC does favor Dani more then Nicky, but I honestly think Nicky is more of a marketable racer then Dani. I know he's rather young and what seems to be shy but on camera he doesn't seem to have a personality that is notable, which I know doesn't mean a darn thing when your on a race track going 210 mph but still charisma wins you fans (I.E. Rossi) and Dani seems to lack in that department.
Yeah, Farmboy's there to help Honda sell Tractors/CBRs stateside, and PedRobot's there so Honda can tell all humans in the world "We're developing technology that will even replace YOU! We just can't get it to smile yet"
Seriously though, It's obvious that Nicky will be a much more marketable racer than Dani in most parts of the world, he has all the attributes, he's cool, charismatic, he's got the million-dollar smile and all that without the drawback of a questionable haircut. But Pedrosa has a massive following in Spain. I know he's not the most charismatic guy, and I'm not Spanish, so I can't be sure why the're so fond of a comparitively quiet guy, but I imagine it's got somthing to do with the fact that he's a winner. Like him or not, he's fixing to kick some ... in then next few years. Remember, there's only ever been one Spanish champion in the top class. When you compare that to the massive fan base the sport has in Spain, it's pretty sad. Sete was setting up to have a shot, but he got bitten on the ... (both by bad luck and some suss Italian guy in blue leathers), and ended up with a shoulder full of cracks and what sponsors called a "Loser's Image". Pedrosa is different. He's young, just out of his Rookie season and already has Puig's sights set on the championship. He appaers to be a very mature rider for his age, (unlike a certain Stoner who's name I won't mention) and could very well become the first Spanish multiple MotoGP champ, so he's got Spain behind him, regardless of wether he has charisma coming out of his arse or not. That's the way it is. Truth be told, Doohan's a smug ......., but, as Aussies, we love him. Rossi's a fruitcake, but Italians (and the rest of the world) love him. Pedrosa is marketable in Spain, and that's what Repsol care about.
In the age of four stroke GP racing, Sponsors no longer decide who rides for the team. The teams and factories do. They look for talent, not Charisma, suitable riding stlyes, not suitable hairstyles. And I belive Repsol Honda have, overall, the best lineup of riders out of any current motoGP team.
