<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(roger-m @ Sep 7 2007, 01:50 PM) [snapback]89624[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
there words not mine
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE<div class='quotemain'>With the YZR-M1's technical weaknesses apparent from the first race, but still to be solved by Yamaha,
The good news for Yamaha is that, according to a Crash.net poll, 61% of fans believe tyre supplier Michelin is the primary cause of Rossi's 2007 woes, with 22% blaming Yamaha and 17% Valentino himself.
This was the first impression they had a Qatar (round 1) that spawned this quote, however...much has changed since, lets not get stuck on that one race…
The question is, just how much of a "technical weaknesses" does the Yamaha have compared to the Ducati? In other words, this is a question of magnitude. If the Yamaha was all that worse, I don't think Rossi would have been able to keep up with Stoner throughout ALL the race until the last lap where Stoner put in the fastest lap of the race. This also goes for the other races where Rossi mixed it up with Stoner or won the race.
And yes, it was obvious that Stoner blasted past on that monster straight at Qatar, but again Rossi fans ignore this supposed "speed advantage" at Mugello, where the straight was long and Stoner didn't manage to podium and Rossi won the race on that "technically weak" Yamaha of his.
Here is what I learned from this article. Rossi was better the first years he signed with Yamaha. This year he is not as good as he use to be, and so who gets the spot light?—Yamaha/Michelin (or indirectly/directly so does the Ducati).
Notice that the poll sites only 17% as Rossi to blame for the unexpected second in points this season. Well this doesn't surprise me that the majority blame the tires/bike because it is after-all Rossi's world that they are taking their poll from, isn't it. All this tells me is that in their poll sample, 80% were Rossi fans. This poll doesn't mean .....
As far as comparing the bikes. Well it is a perfectly legitimate and relevant point to direct ones attention to the fact that only 1 of the 4 Ducatis on the grid has had outstanding success. I don’t see how this can be called “fanboy” speak simply because the man on that particular Ducati happens to be Stoner. Its not a change of the issue under discussion, or a change in focus, moreover, it is very much the point of debate!
This is what it says to me. The “technical weakness” is not that immense pertaining to degree/magnitude compared to the Ducati. Sure, we will have another person say, but yeah, didn’t you see how the Ducati passed the Yamaha in the straight? My answer is, Yes. But my question would be in reply, do you realize this is not the difference in the result if you take into account the different tracks and their characteristics in reference to the ones Rossi was successful at? Whether people accept this or not, the fact remains, the fastest bike doesn’t always win, in fact, it is usually not the winner.
So what else accounts for the lack of success with the Yamaha/Rossi/Michelin package? My answer: Stoner is just that good. You are stupid if you think this is a fanboy comment, if you give Rossi the credit for those 5 championships.
