Rossi set to race on Bridgestone in 2008

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(povol @ Oct 25 2007, 11:12 AM) [snapback]97013[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
No credit seems to be given that there was a package at work here. Stoner has been, for the most part been the only Ducati at the sharp end of the grid all year. His team mate Loris Capirossi has only two podiums and a win at Motegi, where he had won the previous two years. The D’Antin team, who are on very similar equipment have only one podium at Mugello with Alex Barros, so it can’t be just the bike.

Bridgestone has swept the podium five times this season, Turkey, in the wet at Le Mans (literally in Michelin’s back yard) Laguna (where they were no where last year), Misano and Motegi, where the timing of switching from wet to dry tires was more a factor. Michelin have only swept the podium once this year at Jerez. However, they have had two riders on the podium six different occasions, Bridgestone, only three. Out of 45 possible podium positions through the Motegi race, Michelin has 18 and Bridgestone has 27. Had Bridgestone been the tire brand with 40% of the podiums rather than Michelin would anyone have bat an eye? I think not. The comment most likely would have been that Bridgestone is coming along nicely and doing well.

It’s not all the tires though. Stoner was quick last year, he often could be found running on the top five in most races. His bout of crashing could have had more to do with being on a second line Honda on third line Michelins.



Well given Caseys win rate .... just how would it have looked had he been performing at the average of all the other Ducatis? Assuming that as he was new to a Ducati Capi should have been cleaning him up ...

Its almost seems like the writer of this article got his talikng points from the tire threads right here on this forum.All the points he has brought up have been discussed here at one time or another.He had another article called Moto Gp,is it sport or entertainment and the talking points have all been covered here.He also said that this has split the Gp community from the riders down to the fans,we have definatley seen that here.I wonder if this guy is a member or lurker on the board.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(povol @ Oct 25 2007, 01:37 PM) [snapback]97020[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Its almost seems like the writer of this article got his talikng points from the tire threads right here on this forum.All the points he has brought up have been discussed here at one time or another.He had another article called Moto Gp,is it sport or entertainment and the talking points have all been covered here.He also said that this has split the Gp community from the riders down to the fans,we have definatley seen that here.I wonder if this guy is a member or lurker on the board.


But his views aren't secret ... they are pretty much what a lot of folk think.

He's just expressing that ... the difference is that in his artice you don't get that religious banter that seems pervasive around some fans .... he has to write informed articles for a living. Its hard to get folk informed if you start including speculation and manipulative use of phots, vids, info etc. Guess you wouldn't last long in the game if you didn't stay impartial and try to give just the known traceable facts.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(povol @ Oct 25 2007, 03:37 AM) [snapback]97020[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Its almost seems like the writer of this article got his talikng points from the tire threads right here on this forum.All the points he has brought up have been discussed here at one time or another.He had another article called Moto Gp,is it sport or entertainment and the talking points have all been covered here.He also said that this has split the Gp community from the riders down to the fans,we have definatley seen that here.I wonder if this guy is a member or lurker on the board.


This also occurred to me when I read this particular article, but not when reading many previous articles by this author. The author is actually a moderator on another forum (right next to this one if you google motogp forum in australia) so it would not be surprising if he or she at least read this forum. The author actually posts a preview and a review of each race. They are usually excellent , and I guess likely to become more so if they benefit from the combined wit and intellect of this forum .

I think I will stop posting about tyres, but my last remaining thought on the subject is whether if rossi does switch it involves the breaking of any contracts. If so, this would lend weight to the conspiracy theory side of the argument which seems to me to be based on speculation rather than evidence so far.

This is an excerpt from another article.I know it says 'Rumored' but the next day came the quote 'Maybe i didint understand the question'.So its sounds more than rumor.

On Saturday after qualifying, the bomb burst. Valentino Rossi, who on Friday had told an Italian camera crew he expected to be on Michelins next year, was rumored to have threatened to retire from MotoGP altogether if he didn’t get Bridgestones for 2008, complaining once again that Michelin and Yamaha hadn’t worked hard enough, despite all that Rossi had done for them through the years. Rossi’s complaints about Michelin were again backed up by Dani Pedrosa, both men struggling with a lack of grip on race tires, despite Pedrosa taking pole position on qualifiers. Once again, we were talking about tires, and rules, and back room deals, and political machinations. As sick as they were of the whole situation, nobody seemed to want to talk about the racing.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(povol @ Oct 25 2007, 03:37 AM) [snapback]97020[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Its almost seems like the writer of this article got his talikng points from the tire threads right here on this forum.All the points he has brought up have been discussed here at one time or another.He had another article called Moto Gp,is it sport or entertainment and the talking points have all been covered here.He also said that this has split the Gp community from the riders down to the fans,we have definatley seen that here.I wonder if this guy is a member or lurker on the board.


Sorry, I was confusing two articles in my previous reply to this post. The guy who wrote this article posts on the forum kropotkin is associated with, and it is said on your link he also podcasts. I was actually referring to the article about motogp, is it sport or entertainment?, which I thought was actually by kropotkin with whom you are no doubt familiar.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BarryMachine @ Oct 25 2007, 02:16 AM) [snapback]97011[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
and I am saying that this is just a very poor excuse for natural lessening of performance with age .... it is a very unreasonable assumption to presume Rossi is going to continue to perform as he has in the past ... especially given his performance as of the past two years.


Now this is nothing less than sensational. When a Stoner fan can sit in his coatch watching the races and figure out that the guy that has beaten Stoner more times than any other this year is not only loosing the grip because of age (28) but also figure out that the tire problems are just an excuse for that lacking performance.

Lets see, what hapens if this is true?
Rossi will performe worse than this year, as he gets older and because he is on unknown tires without data. If his compalints were nothing but excuses, and age really influence his riding I can see no other outcome. With that he has little options but to quit MotoGP with his worst season ever. Leaving in disgrace, I'm sure that's just the way he wanted it.

On the other hand, maybe, just maybe the guy that has beaten Stoner more than any this year and more or less the only one fighting with stoner and has done that at several races often the whole race. Maybe that guy pick up some undesputable differences in the equipment. Differences that make him conclude the only way is to get the same stuff. Differences that force him to a pretty desperate decition against his advisors and team manager. A decition that may lead to the result above if it doesn't succeed.

What you ultimatly say is that Rossi plan to leave as a failure and end his career that way. I believe he has every intention to reclaim the title.

Any way, it still ramains to be seen if he go to bridgestone or not. My hope is that he is talked out of it during the days since last race and that he come back next year on competetive michelins.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Babelfish @ Oct 25 2007, 10:22 PM) [snapback]97122[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>

On the other hand, maybe, just maybe the guy that has beaten Stoner more than any this year and more or less the only one fighting with stoner and has done that at several races often the whole race. Maybe that guy pick up some undesputable differences in the equipment. Differences that make him conclude the only way is to get the same stuff. Differences that force him to a pretty desperate decition against his advisors and team manager. A decition that may lead to the result above if it doesn't succeed.


thats a very good point here. people say "its only rossi who had problems) well it was only rossi who took the fight to stoner this year. he pushed that much harder than the others so had that much more problems with equipment.

i hope rossi ..... off michilin and gets stones then we have another boring season with rossi winning and stoner and his fans making all sorts of excuses and us "rossi cheerleaders, fluffers,fanboys" or what ever you like to call us will be laughing our heads off.
rossi has lost 2 championships on the trott, so we can be called hardened fans now cos we have seen it all. roll on next year cos im going to be digging a lot of these threads back up .
imo the doctor knows what he is doing, so sit back and watch this space.

Trust me..im also waiting for next season to dig up some of these Rossi hating posts.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(esco @ Oct 26 2007, 02:36 PM) [snapback]97147[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Trust me..im also waiting for next season to dig up some of these Rossi hating posts.


He has a lot more to worry about than tyres to reclaim the title I think.
No way I think he's too old or past it, he's as brilliant as ever. The bigwigs at Yamaha need to give him a better bike. The competition is a lot tougher nowadays and he cannot afford to be giving away any advantage to his rivals. If he changes to Bridgestones I don't think it's going to help as much as some people think.
He will still have weekends where the stones are just not up to it and the Repsol boys will ride away. Michelin have had some tough weekends for sure this season but I certainly wouldn't write them off in 2008. They may have lost their top rider to Bridgestone and I think they will be extremely motivated to show him the error of his ways, and if Michelin win the title back in 2008 then you won't be able to keep the smiles of their technicians faces I'm picking.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Frizzle @ Oct 26 2007, 08:03 AM) [snapback]97150[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
He has a lot more to worry about than tyres to reclaim the title I think.
No way I think he's too old or past it, he's as brilliant as ever. The bigwigs at Yamaha need to give him a better bike. The competition is a lot tougher nowadays and he cannot afford to be giving away any advantage to his rivals. If he changes to Bridgestones I don't think it's going to help as much as some people think.


That's very true. The yamaha still overheats and have issues with power delivery. The IL4 is not the best configuration for racing, but yamaha insist on keeping it and that might turn into a major problem. The chassi was good this year and I hop they can maintain that for next year, but they really need to improve the engine. Eurosport commentators said last Sunday that over the weekend the yamaha were the slowest of all the bikes in top speed. That will have to change if Rossi can have any chance of regaining the title.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Babelfish @ Oct 26 2007, 07:22 AM) [snapback]97122[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
If his compalints were nothing but excuses, and age really influence his riding I can see no other outcome. With that he has little options but to quit MotoGP with his worst season ever. Leaving in disgrace,



See now there you go ... I think thats something I don't comprehend .... folk call themselves Rossi fans ... then they suggest it will be disgraceful if he does not win. Thats absurd! You are saying we are Rossi fans when he wins but not when he gets second.!!

What I am suggesting is that its unreasonable to see it that way ... just because I say he is on the downturn, does not mean I think poorly of him ... in fact I am beginning to wonder if perhaps I am myself a "closet" Rossi fan ..... yes I like his riding and performance, loved it when he dominated he was great to watch ..... but even now I wouldn't dare to call him a disgrace ... even if he stayed in it for years and got down to say 5th place ( and looking at his performance he could well drift down that slowly ) ( he came into motogp in his rookie year at 2nd ... at his peak he set the record of 367 points!! many years later he is now second best in the world!!! how can that ever be a disgrace!!??

To suggest he is a disgrace after not winning a few championships I can't see where he could possibly be a disgrace ... he won 5 years in a row and is still up near the top!!

No I accept he is not winning and I accept we may have seen his best . But I don't think I will denounce his prowess as he is on the decline. Nor would I ever say I think he will return and dominate again .. unless I see reason for that.

You all still aint getting it.Its not that we hate Rossi,its the side of him that has come out when things got tough that is a huge disappointment.The willingness to split his team,the manipulation of Dorna,and Dorna's manipulation of Gp, the constant diggs at Yamaha and Michelin,He just not acting like the rider who is considered the GOAT should act.He is coming across as a spoiled rotten little brat that pitches a tantrum when things dont go his way.And then there is the Rossi fan.The ones that cant see the forest for the trees,the ones that are so biased in their thinking they cant or wont see what has been happening to the sport we have chosen as our own.The ones that put Rossi winning over anything,that's what gets us hot.Basically what we are saying is,we care more about the sport than Rossi or any rider who ever competed in GP.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BarryMachine @ Oct 26 2007, 02:12 PM) [snapback]97182[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>

perhaps I am myself a "closet" Rossi fan ..... yes I like his riding and performance, loved it when he dominated he was great to watch .....

umm no surprise there you glory hunter

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(roger-m @ Oct 26 2007, 05:54 PM) [snapback]97224[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
umm no surprise there you glory hunter


I gotta agree with him Rossi was a great champ probably the best ever at doing everything including the fans, growing the sport worldwide hes responsible for alot.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BarryMachine @ Oct 26 2007, 03:12 PM) [snapback]97182[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
See now there you go ... I think thats something I don't comprehend .... folk call themselves Rossi fans ... then they suggest it will be disgraceful if he does not win. Thats absurd! You are saying we are Rossi fans when he wins but not when he gets second.!!


There's a lot you don't comprehend. I only open for the most humiliating exit possible. I am able to see it, however unlikely, something you obviously are not able to when we switch and look at the best posssible outcome.

No, we (I) don't say it would be disgraceful if he loose. It would be disgraceful for him if Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Hayden beats him, on michelins, and Melandri and Stoner beats him on bridgestones. That would be disgraceful and that is a worst possible outcome. I doesn't matter how I feel about it, to him it would be disgraceful. That's just the way he works.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE<div class='quotemain'>
What I am suggesting is that its unreasonable to see it that way ... just because I say he is on the downturn, does not mean I think poorly of him ... in fact I am beginning to wonder if perhaps I am myself a "closet" Rossi fan ..... yes I like his riding and performance, loved it when he dominated he was great to watch ..... but even now I wouldn't dare to call him a disgrace ... even if he stayed in it for years and got down to say 5th place ( and looking at his performance he could well drift down that slowly ) ( he came into motogp in his rookie year at 2nd ... at his peak he set the record of 367 points!! many years later he is now second best in the world!!! how can that ever be a disgrace!!??

To suggest he is a disgrace after not winning a few championships I can't see where he could possibly be a disgrace ... he won 5 years in a row and is still up near the top!!

No I accept he is not winning and I accept we may have seen his best . But I don't think I will denounce his prowess as he is on the decline. Nor would I ever say I think he will return and dominate again .. unless I see reason for that.


Are you a clever troll or do you you really expect me to think that you tried to say something nice here?

This smell trolling from far away.
How do you think people would react if I repeatdly go on to say: "Haydens performance were never influenced by the rumors that he is gay There are other reasons for his midicore title defence"? An untrue rumor created by me because soemone made a joke about it.
Get it? No Rossi fan has said he is a disgrace, or will be for simply losing the championship next year again. You simply find the word there and make up your storry around it. There is a few in youre camp using that or similar words but let them play their game. I'm not letting my self down there.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(povol @ Oct 26 2007, 06:22 PM) [snapback]97220[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
You all still aint getting it.Its not that we hate Rossi,its the side of him that has come out when things got tough that is a huge disappointment.The willingness to split his team,the manipulation of Dorna,and Dorna's manipulation of Gp, the constant diggs at Yamaha and Michelin,He just not acting like the rider who is considered the GOAT should act.He is coming across as a spoiled rotten little brat that pitches a tantrum when things dont go his way.And then there is the Rossi fan.The ones that cant see the forest for the trees,the ones that are so biased in their thinking they cant or wont see what has been happening to the sport we have chosen as our own.The ones that put Rossi winning over anything,that's what gets us hot.Basically what we are saying is,we care more about the sport than Rossi or any rider who ever competed in GP.


Now I see, you are not rossi haters, it's just us that are to blind too see.
Wait a minute, how can that be when we have at least one Stoner fan among us here on this forum?
How can it be that you "know" exactly whats happening when we don't even know the results yet?
How can that be when we are the ones to say "let's see what happens before we cast judgements" while you are creating the big conspiracy build on som facts, some journalists interpertations, some commentators speculations and then adding your own speculations just to gule it all together.
sure, it's us who cant see the forest for the trees.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(roger-m @ Oct 27 2007, 02:54 AM) [snapback]97224[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
umm no surprise there you glory hunter


umm .... how does one get "glory" from watching a good rider?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Babelfish @ Oct 27 2007, 08:40 AM) [snapback]97254[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
How do you think people would react if I repeatdly go on to say: "Haydens performance were never influenced by the rumors that he is gay There are other reasons for his midicore title defence"? An untrue rumor created by me because soemone made a joke about it.


Well for a start if Nicky was gay .... there would be some guy waiting for him at the finish line every race ...... oh ..... oops I'd better not go there


But we are not talking about that are we we are talking about the basic reason Rossi is not at the top ... and indeed getting further away from the top as the years pass now ..


Everyone was saying it was thre tyres ... so he's switching to Bridgestone ... maybe
lo and behold folk are now saying " I think the tyres are only a tiny bit of the problem" ... its the Yamaha thats why he is not at the top .... he hasn't even gone the Bridgestone way yet!!

why would that be the case? It smacks of a "contingency excuse" for if the tyres don't turn out to be ok ....

So is all this tyre "kerfuffle" worth anything??

Me I go off watching the riders in a race ... and Rossi is not as "hungry" as he used to be ..... he used to fight back and win .... like Assen this year ..... but then that was the once he did it. I don't see that in him anymore.

I see no disgrace for a rider getting slower and slower with age and I accept it happens .... others see differently and seem to be producing any reason under the sun to not accept it.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Babelfish @ Oct 27 2007, 08:40 AM) [snapback]97254[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
Are you a clever troll or do you you really expect me to think that you tried to say something nice here?


No you are assuming that I am a Rossi hater

on two counts.

1. I feel Rossi has had his prime and express that. Do you want me to say Rossi is at the top?? ... because he is not .... so it would be just humouring you. He was once at the top ... he is not now ... how else could I possibly interpret that??

2. I celebrate Stoner or Hayden or any other rider winning .... just as I did when Rossi won .... as I did when Doohan, Roberts, Creville won ...

Because I am not a Rossi lover does not mean I am a Rossi hater ... I think its just how you feel about Rossi that makes you feel that way.

Its your interpretation of the situation not mine. It is possible to enjoy motogp without being a diehard rider fan.

Gee I don't even mind Dani!! LOL ( thats allmost a crime I know LOL) But I must admit I felt he was a ratbag when he knocked Hayden off in 06.