Cool, cheers Kesh, so i take it they all struggle a little with the fuel limits.
So, how's ya shop doing???
So, how's ya shop doing???
are you sure of this? did dani tell you or are you an on-screen analyst of babel proportions?
which is more tiring? 50 test laps with how many of those being outlaps, in-laps etc? OR 12 laps of flat out adrenaline fuelled racing at the limit to try and break/keep stoner behind you? i know the answer because i saw it on sunday.....
Did you miss my inference that this is a common trend with Pedrosa and not limited to the race on Sunday? I guess you did as you didn't answer my question which was attached to that statement.
Do you think if Dani was 3 seconds in front of Stoner at lap 12 he still would have lost .5 sec per lap to finish 2nd or 3rd or do you think he may have found something inside of himself to win the race? In my opinion he would have. This is why I think it is a mental weakness. You are free to think what you want but I have the opinion based on more than just one race that Pedrosa despite his speed and ability to jump on a bike when injured has a mental weakness that causes him to give up when passed for the lead in a race. Most regular observers if asked would suggest that Pedrosa has no fight back in a contest. I don't think many of them would suggest it is a lack of skill the prevents him doing it.
If you ask or observe any top athlete in any sport what is the difference between winning and losing an honest one would say mentally preparation, strength and belief that they can win. The winner in any contest is rarely the fittest or most talented, it is often the one who believes they can win the most. Why does an athlete/sportsman who has never won go on to win regularly once they crack their first win? Belief that they can win in my opinion.
There are only a few people on here that have inside knowledge and or connections in the sport. I am not one of them. However, I am free to observe and form an opinion the same as you are. I take offence to your suggestion that I am trying to be any different to the many others on here that observe, form an opinion and share it. If this did not occur then powerslide would not exist. The rest of it I appreciate as I love a good debate.
I didn't agree with this argument when it was applied to stoner, and I don't agree with it being applied to dani.
Dani's major problem to me is his physical fragility, leading to him almost always carrying significant injuries. I also think the way he has the honda set up leads to it being slower later in races; lex's theory that his set-up affects the fuel economy seems reasonable, given that the fuel economy of the honda appears to be possibly the most marginal anyway. If stoner can stay with dani early and be faster later in races this will be difficult for dani to combat regardless of injuries.
Joined Feb 2007
11K Posts | 2K+
Tennessee
At what point after 5 years do you try something different if this is the case. It really doesnt matter if its early, middle or late, once you dispatch of Dani on the race track, you rarely have to worry about him coming back. The strange lap times at Qatar do not jive with a numb arm, or an electronically slowed machine. His last lap was 7/10ths faster than his next to last lap, and there were other laps that were 3-410ths faster than the previous. I guess its possible that the arm all of a sudden wasnt numb, or that the computer kept offering up variable power from one lap to the other, but i personally doubt it.
Joined Aug 2007
11K Posts | 3K+
Pomona NY
Joined Feb 2007
11K Posts | 2K+
Tennessee
Just got to watch the race and few observations. First, the Eurosport coverage that had Paul Denning in the booth was enjoyable, he added some really good insight. Stoner, when he pulled the pin, did it just long enough to get comfy then protected that advantage, instead of trying to ground everyone into dust. I will stick to my opinion on Pedro and Rossi. Pedro was fighting and taking 2nd from Lorenzo with 4 laps to go, eventually succombed to Lorenzo and started falling back into the clutches of Dovi , only to pick up his pace by 7/10ths on the last lap to protect the podium. Im not buying that he went numb at half race.Rossi also used his shoulder as an excuse and was turning his fastest laps of the race the 2 laps prior to Spies passing him with 6 laps to go. Rossi backed it off when he damn near tucked the front when Spies passed him. He found the limit of the Ducati front end and backed it off when Spies passed him and started throwing in laps in the 1.55's. Speaking of Spies, dude, you have got to get those starts figured out. His times after he got past Rossi would have more than likely made him a podium finisher.I think he showed Rossi way to much respect and should have muscled his way thru much earlier in the race. Simo was his typical self when he bumped past Dovi. i was a little disappointed that Dovi didnt punt him back when he got the chance. That message should have been sent loud and clear, i will not take this .... from you.
Dani had the look of a man who was broken, he rode his heart out only to see his teammate blow by him and disappear. Its like the reality of his situation had come clear.The question we will find out in a week, is he broke for the season, or was he just broke for the weekend. Home race gives him hope, if Stoner beats him and Lorenzo there, watch out.
Dani had the look of a man who was broken, he rode his heart out only to see his teammate blow by him and disappear. Its like the reality of his situation had come clear.The question we will find out in a week, is he broke for the season, or was he just broke for the weekend. Home race gives him hope, if Stoner beats him and Lorenzo there, watch out.
Joined May 2008
3K Posts | 79+
Southern Aridzona - Hell's doorstep.
FWIW, I think Pedrosa's erratic times DO jive with a loss of strength, coupled with a big dose of raw pain. The guys was no doubt trying different techniques and lines etc, in an effort to ride around the problem. It's also quite possible that the arm's strength varied from minute to minute. About once a month I manage to put pressure on my shoulder that causes some sort of pinched or pissed-off nerve situation. My arm gets a little tingly and loses about 50% of it's power. It hurts like a SOB too! Resting the shoulder for 5 minutes pretty much fixes the problem, but I can't imagine trying to race a bike in this condition. If this is anything like the situation Peddles faced, I think he did damn well just to hang on to third.
I suspect you're right and that Dani realized that Stoner was just playing cat-and mouse. That couldn't have helped his mood much (That and looking forward to an hour of punishment in Puig's Agony Booth.) but I don't think the evening's outcome was remotely enough to 'break' him for the season.
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
apologies, but most of my shots are greater than 2mb so cant upload them....will work on solution to share...
Put pics in a folder on desktop. Select all and open, then resize to 640, do that for all then save. That will lower them to manageable size. Upload 10 per post.
I think JB put the cover on the tank to cover the Ducati decals and then told Rossi that he had switched bikes back to a Yamaha.... but alas Rossi looked down and saw the Ducati name and well............he finished 7th hehehehe
Joined Jun 2007
10K Posts | 1K+
Norah Head
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
