Stoner really had the odds stacked against him in 07 when He came in on a Ducati on bridgestone tyres when no one expected him to win a race let alone dominate the season the way he did, This year everyone knew he was going to be the guy at the front. For the most part he had almost a perfect season. Didn't crash much, with the exception of the one Rossi helped him out with, Yamaha will have to bring it in 2012 if they hope to dethrone him because i doubt Dani will be able to
Stoner really had the odds stacked against him in 07 when He came in on a Ducati on bridgestone tyres when no one expected him to win a race let alone dominate the season the way he did, This year everyone knew he was going to be the guy at the front. For the most part he had almost a perfect season. Didn't crash much, with the exception of the one Rossi helped him out with, Yamaha will have to bring it in 2012 if they hope to dethrone him because i doubt Dani will be able to
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
Congratulations and Happy Birthday To Casey Stoner! I still consider him a little .... but indeed a Moto GP World Champion little ....!
with that said Im glad Keshav is 2,800 miles away in NYC as he would probably try and have ... with me to Celebrate the little ..... Title!
And you wouldn't put up much of a fight, you .....
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
No bikes in GP are "dead equal" my friend. Not even bikes on same factory. Again, no Stoner, you have a Yamaha champ. About the gap, there wasn't much, Lorenzo was usually on the podium. About riding on the ragged edge, that's what all the top guys do, Stoner isn't exactly cruising.
Btw, Stop acting gay with CK. Its not becoming of a man of your dote age.
Joined Apr 2008
7K Posts | 3K+
Out of Nowhere
In the light of this statement from last year following his announcement to move to Ducati - he had to start at some point this season:
"It is impossible to judge the true potential of the Ducati because Stoner is not trying hard enough" - VR Misano 2010.
That single quote has reared up to bite him on the arse perhaps more than the errant front end this season. 'Vanity'no Rossi's move to Ducati was ill measured and conceited and the biggest mistake of his racing career. It was a meeting of brands for all the wrong reasons.
Today Vale the racer reappeared on his favourite circuit and he was cruelly and unjustly punished by another unforgiving front end washout. Last year, many on here for some inexplicable reason in the hands of Stoner found this eventuality hilarious and lampooned the man. Valentino in his 'own' ghost written words from 'What if I'd never tried it?' chastised the ethos at Ducati as being more about the machine that even his former employers HRC. This - a company that sent Melandri to a sports psychologist as opposed to taking a long hard look at their machine and more importantly themselves. Only Valentino in the face of such stubborn corporate ethos and brand protection could have 'engineered' a switch to a twin beam aluminium chassis along with the gazillion changes and parts that have been tested this year. I genuinely hope they get it right and next season we can see a return of unquestionably one of the greatest racers this sport has ever seen. In the meantime I applaud Valentino for his race today - ironically he finally rode it like Casey used to, and started to try.
Congratulations to Casey - his timing was impeccable - a shrewd move by both him and Suppo, and a shrewd signing by Honda. There was only ever going to be one outcome, the way he has ridden this year has been sublime to watch, and he will continue to raise the bar next year. I remember Ben Spies asked after his inaugural year what scared him most about Moto GP - and he simply retorted the prospect of "Casey on a Honda".
Jorge and Dani have both been superb this year, and I pray that next season we can finally see Pedrosa unencumbered by injury. Had that not been the case and had Valentino still had his M1 beneath him I somehow feel that Stoner's god like riding aside - this year would have been a hell of a lot closer.
Joined Jul 2006
11K Posts | 291+
Texas
Good work, Stace. Deserved this title 100%.
Someone wake me up in 5 years when this sport gets back on the right track. How many people started/finished this grand prix? Ghastly.
Someone wake me up in 5 years when this sport gets back on the right track. How many people started/finished this grand prix? Ghastly.
Joined Jul 2006
11K Posts | 291+
Texas
as far as the race that was pathetic. there was like 5 bikes on the grid
Joined Aug 2007
11K Posts | 3K+
Pomona NY
No bikes in GP are "dead equal" my friend. Not even bikes on same factory. Again, no Stoner, you have a Yamaha champ. About the gap, there wasn't much, Lorenzo was usually on the podium. About riding on the ragged edge, that's what all the top guys do, Stoner isn't exactly cruising.
Btw, Stop acting gay with CK. Its not becoming of a man of your dote age.
I was speaking in a speculative and theoretical vein, oh my brother. How far apart in performance the top factory bikes are is something that I believe, even the mechanics and engineers cannot fully quantify. I know you will agree that were Nicky to have a top Repsol Honda possessing all the same refinements that Casey's does, he would have been on the podium a few times this year.
Re: CK - yer just jealous that he called me first.
I would have got back to you sooner but I just came back from Wall Street. I met and talked with all kinds of interesting folks including Russel Simmons, Salman Rushdie and Tracey Walter ("John Wayne was a ....") http://www.youtube.c...h?v=-uv_WGEHr4I
I agree with this is the case for everyone in the field exept one, and he won a title on a Ducati.
As for the Yamaha & Honda, in the hands of the right rider they are virtually identical IMO. Some say the Honda is the best bike by a mile, if this is the case then why has Lorenzo regularly beaten every other factory Honda this year. If the Honda is the best bike, then essentially they are saying Pedro, Simmo & Dovi are average riders at best.
Joined May 2009
6K Posts | 4K+
Shovel's Club
as far as the race that was pathetic. there was like 5 bikes on the grid
Congrats again to Stoner the greatest 800cc rider of the crappiest era ever in Moto GP history
Congrats Stoner. Now go build Pedro a bike he can win on.
Yours truly,
El Honda
Joined Feb 2007
11K Posts | 2K+
Tennessee
Gongrats Casey, enjoyed the season.Go out and win the last 2 and put this year in the books as one of the most dominant ever. As far as the bikes, if you put Stoner on a Yamaha, i think he still wins the title, he is that good. I also beleive that these other riders are pushing themselves beyond their limits to try and stay with Stoner now that he is on equal footing. He was their equal on a pos, he is their master on a competent machine.
I blame him for being a wuss who landers to the msma, but the lame formula is thanks to the manufacturers. Formula is so weak, the msma are dropping out.
Joined Apr 2011
1K Posts | 87+
Pangea
Good to see you posting again Arrab as I have missed your insights into the racing.
Only thing I would add to your summary is an honourable mention for Bautista....I think his riding has been excellent this year after he broke his femur and Suzuki have seemingly made some progress in bike development. If they run a 1000cc bike next season and continue improving I hope the team can finally get some well deserved podiums.
