Pedrosa, what do you think ?

Since Pedrosa is not so much mentioned in this forum (compared to Rossi & Stoner), I'm trying to write this a little bit :

The season he already has 2 wins and 8 podiums, and there are still 9 races to go. So he is definitely a good rider.

But now everybody speaks "only" of Rossi and Stoner. Stoner is the defending champion and has found his track again after a shaky start to the season. Rossi needs no introduction and this year he is much more competitive than in the past 2 seasons.
And in their shadow Pedrosa has retaken the lead after no worse finish than a 4th at Le Mans.

So, here's the question....
Do you think his consistency and speed can pay off in the end? Do you think he needs to step up a gear? Do you think his driving has been top notch but the Honda lacks behind Ducati and Yamaha?...

IMO, I think Pedrosa still needs to fight like a dog to crunch the title, but dog fights is something he seems to avoid. When he has an open track ahead of him, he (almost) unstoppable. But put a few aggressive riders around him with equally fast bikes and I think he'll be the first to dropping back as a stone.

...He could be the world champion by being on the podium every race without a lot of wins but I don't see him beating Stoner and/or Rossi often enough to really win the championship...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (#46 @ Jul 7 2008, 04:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Since Pedrosa is not so much mentioned in this forum (compared to Rossi & Stoner), I'm trying to write this a little bit :

The season he already has 2 wins and 8 podiums, and there are still 9 races to go. So he is definitely a good rider.

But now everybody speaks "only" of Rossi and Stoner. Stoner is the defending champion and has found his track again after a shaky start to the season. Rossi needs no introduction and this year he is much more competitive than in the past 2 seasons.
And in their shadow Pedrosa has retaken the lead after no worse finish than a 4th at Le Mans.

So, here's the question....
Do you think his consistency and speed can pay off in the end? Do you think he needs to step up a gear? Do you think his driving has been top notch but the Honda lacks behind Ducati and Yamaha?...

IMO, I think Pedrosa still needs to fight like a dog to crunch the title, but dog fights is something he seems to avoid. When he has an open track ahead of him, he (almost) unstoppable. But put a few aggressive riders around him with equally fast bikes and I think he'll be the first to dropping back as a stone.

...He could be the world champion by being on the podium every race without a lot of wins but I don't see him beating Stoner and/or Rossi often enough to really win the championship...

IMHO, Pedrosa always avoid a dog fight, it can be seen when Stoner tried to overtake him after the 1st lap in Assen, when Stoner pushed him a little bit wide, he was nervous and shaking his bike to avoid contact with Stoner. I was sad because I don't see he tried to defend his line, his position was better and if he were to defend his line, I didn't think Stoner will insist to go through, although in the end Stoner will pass him, I'm sure. He is a runaway racer and he doesn't enjoy fight like Rossi or the 'hardbreaker' Stoner.

Consistency? yes indeed, no doubt about that, no matter people will call Pedrosa coward or what, but if he get the title, he is the winner. period! But I doubt he will get it if he is not brave enough to fight the front runners.

It would be silly to write Dani off when he is leading the championship.
The Honda probably needs to improve a little bit over the last half of the season, but he is very much a main player in the championship.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Frizzle @ Jul 7 2008, 12:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>It would be silly to write Dani off when he is leading the championship.
The Honda probably needs to improve a little bit over the last half of the season, but he is very much a main player in the championship.

Pedrosa will be one of the championship contenders this year. But I doubt he can challenge Rossi if he has to. Nevertheless, Pedrosa can run away in a few Michelin and neutral tracks if not challenged at early laps by Rossi or Stoner.

Pedrosa unfortunately doesn't have antiques and other personalities to attract attention unless he did some silly thing to others-- which made him popular in year 2006 . But I like his mentor Mr.Puig who always pushing and backing him and infact Stoner is one of his buddies in his early 125 & 250 years.

The current Repsol Honda Bike suit nicely to Pedrosa, he just need to overcome Rossi intimidation. Plus stoner & Duke bad luck. He will win this year championship. or later when Rossi retires..

Well Nicky did it and i can see Dani winning more races this season.

I think Dani is becoming a more polished rider in every way.

If all continues as it is now, Dani will win the title. The problem is that it will be tough for Dani to make the end of the season withouth a single bad result, and he will need more speed more often to compensate for these bad results just like Rossi and Stoner. Alternatively Vale and Casey could make the run to the end of the season without any bad results, in which case Dani will find himself short of pace. Basically Dani's last half a season has been better than anyone elses and if current form continues he's the best, but anything can happen.

Well I think he's definately good enough to beat both cause he already did it, he beat Vale last year and he beat Stoner (1st motoGP season, though you can argue Stoner didn't have an HRC bike like him and in 250cc)

This year IMO he has the handicap of the bike. The Ducati is a bike hard to judge due to the results of the other Ducati riders, but clearly the Yamaha is a better bike. We've seen a rookie win with it, we've seen Edwards do his best season so far, we've seen a full Yamaha podium. What have the other Honda's done?

If Honda doesn't improve I think it will be hard for Dani to keep Rossi and Stoner behind. If Honda does fix their pneumo engine and advance as HRC usually does Dani should win this championship, or if he doesn't it will be his fault.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teomolca @ Jul 7 2008, 05:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Well I think he's definately good enough to beat both cause he already did it, he beat Vale last year and he beat Stoner (1st motoGP season, though you can argue Stoner didn't have an HRC bike like him and in 250cc)

This year IMO he has the handicap of the bike. The Ducati is a bike hard to judge due to the results of the other Ducati riders, but clearly the Yamaha is a better bike. We've seen a rookie win with it, we've seen Edwards do his best season so far, we've seen a full Yamaha podium. What have the other Honda's done?

If Honda doesn't improve I think it will be hard for Dani to keep Rossi and Stoner behind. If Honda does fix their pneumo engine and advance as HRC usually does Dani should win this championship, or if he doesn't it will be his fault.

+1

A championship is about accumulating more points than any other rider during that season, not accumulating wins. This is something that DP is doing quite well and has done so since he came into MotoGP so to write him off as a championship threat is (IMO) fraught with a level of peril.

There is much talk about the perception of his lack of fight when head to head, but he is riding very sensibly and not getting involved in others incidents, which with the consistency he currently has makes him a very serious championship threat. IMO, at this stage he is possibly even the front runner due to the aforementioned consistency as both VR, CS and Lorenzo have not been as consistent (marginally in VR/CS).

Whilst many will criticise him at the personal level for what they perceive as a 'lack of personality', or even due to his incident with NH, I am totally non-plussed and feel that he has shown he deserves to be in the top league and that he is good enough to win the title. Will he is the question that won't be answered for a number of months.






Garry

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teomolca @ Jul 7 2008, 09:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Well I think he's definately good enough to beat both cause he already did it, he beat Vale last year and he beat Stoner (1st motoGP season, though you can argue Stoner didn't have an HRC bike like him and in 250cc)

This year IMO he has the handicap of the bike. The Ducati is a bike hard to judge due to the results of the other Ducati riders, but clearly the Yamaha is a better bike. We've seen a rookie win with it, we've seen Edwards do his best season so far, we've seen a full Yamaha podium. What have the other Honda's done?

If Honda doesn't improve I think it will be hard for Dani to keep Rossi and Stoner behind. If Honda does fix their pneumo engine and advance as HRC usually does Dani should win this championship, or if he doesn't it will be his fault.
Hard to argue with this, I don't dispute his talent at all, and I think he worries casey stoner because of his success over stoner in the 250s. I also agree that the yamaha would seem to be better than the spring-valve honda.

I think dani does have a problem going one on one with valentino, which is not unique in modern motogp history, and it remains to be seen whether the pneumatic engine will suit him when it is developed, although more power is seldom a disadvantage. As others have pointed out, he is also leading the championship after 9 of 18 races, which one would think gives him some chance of winning it overall .

Dani is a serious title contender. he is leading the championship and now this weekend where going to sachsenring where dani has won for the past 2 years. if dani wins here this weekend i think rossi and casey are going to start to feel the pressure.

i think dani will win at least 2 more races this year and have a solid string of podiums. that might well be enough for the title this year.

hes amazing and smooth and very fast, but for me, his racing doesnt make great spectating & i dont particularly care for him. id rather watch rossi or lorenzo charge than watch dani lead when hes having his day.

dani is having a great season and is without a doubt a contender for the title.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ Jul 7 2008, 08:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Dani is a serious title contender. he is leading the championship and now this weekend where going to sachsenring where dani has won for the past 2 years. if dani wins here this weekend i think rossi and casey are going to start to feel the pressure.

Giving away one of Vale's hard fought wins in 2006 Rog ?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Frizzle @ Jul 7 2008, 11:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Giving away one of Vale's hard fought wins in 2006 Rog ?
yeah your quite right , dani didn't win he got pole my bad. i tend not to google like others but speak from memory. but i know who doesn't go very well there

so nothing to say about pedrosa then friz, or are you waiting to turn it into yet another you no who thread

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ Jul 7 2008, 09:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>yeah your quite right , dani didn't win he got pole my bad. i tend not to google like others but speak from memory. but i know who doesn't go very well there

so nothing to say about pedrosa then friz, or are you waiting to turn it into yet another you no who thread

Post # 3 mate.
If we don't mention you know who, or you know who, all should be fine

Pedro can go out and win EVERY single race from here on out...win multiple championships, break all the records in the books...dominate the next 20 years....and STILL he'll be a little ......, punk ....., ....., midget, Puig ball sucker, ......, little girl...

Dani is a very good rider. I agree with some others though that he isn't particularly agressive in traffic, and as many insiders say he's a little tender on the deep braking. Consistency is key though, as it was for Nicky in 2006, to which he can credit his title. Karma seems to follow each rider though throughout the season, and although he has had some falls in practice, he still may find himself on the receiving end of a bad luck spell which luckily hasn't found him yet on race day. Stoner has had his string of lack luster races, and Rossi duffed it in Assen, so if "what goes around comes around", Pedrosa might be due. But so far, I have been very impressed this year with his riding. He seems much more seasoned and poised on the bike.
On a personal level, I'm not a big Pedrosa guy because of his somewhat blunted personality. I feel like if he wins the title he won't really be excited or pumped, and he'll make a boring one lap parade, queen of england waving type of victory loop and then go home. That clearly has NOTHING to do with his racing ability, but it subtracts from the spectacle.

My opinion of Dani is

Great rider
Not a great racer

Something missing,balls,intestinal fortitude,whatever you want to call it.Willing to settle for best result instead of racer mentallity like Rossi of old that would not settle.Willing to throw everything away for a win.You can win a title running like Dani,but things have to fall into place.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Frizzle @ Jul 7 2008, 01:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Post # 3 mate.
If we don't mention you know who, or you know who, all should be fine
oh yes very knowledgeable and insightful mate.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Frizzle @ Jul 7 2008, 05:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>It would be silly to write Dani off when he is leading the championship.
The Honda probably needs to improve a little bit over the last half of the season, but he is very much a main player in the championship.

+1 well said.