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Re-watching the Styrian GP last night, I noticed how far back Pol Espargaro was so thought I'd start the discussion on here.
Is the 2nd seat cursed? It was a career ender for 2 world champions and while Ale Marquez was a rookie, Pol was hired and expected to shine based on the fact he had a more aggressive riding style that in theory should suit the RC213. Again, like Lorenzo, he had a promising pre season and has faded into the outskirts of the top 10-15 in the season.
It's not for the want of trying. If you watch him, he is ringing that things neck! However, Marque came back from a year off, and is instantly making him look slow. Hell even Alex is doing better on the LCR this season.
What is it going to take for Honda to get both factory bikes to the front again? People blame development direction going in Marquez direction which I won't discount, but I do believe there is some Ducati 2007-2009esque attitude going on within HRC in that Marquez was/is still winning on it.
I personally was hugely excited when Lorenzo was signed. I believed that had he been able to develop the bike to be more rider friendly then the bike, and the Repsol team would have been as dominant as McLaren-Honda in the late 80's with a rider rivalry to match. Alas it was a hill that Lorenzo admitted he didn't want to climb after nearly breaking his neck at Assen.
It seems to me that Honda should have kept Alex, or at least recruit a rider from Moto2. Ducati used to have a lot more success with riders who weren't spoiled by a Yamaha or similar.
Is the 2nd seat cursed? It was a career ender for 2 world champions and while Ale Marquez was a rookie, Pol was hired and expected to shine based on the fact he had a more aggressive riding style that in theory should suit the RC213. Again, like Lorenzo, he had a promising pre season and has faded into the outskirts of the top 10-15 in the season.
It's not for the want of trying. If you watch him, he is ringing that things neck! However, Marque came back from a year off, and is instantly making him look slow. Hell even Alex is doing better on the LCR this season.
What is it going to take for Honda to get both factory bikes to the front again? People blame development direction going in Marquez direction which I won't discount, but I do believe there is some Ducati 2007-2009esque attitude going on within HRC in that Marquez was/is still winning on it.
I personally was hugely excited when Lorenzo was signed. I believed that had he been able to develop the bike to be more rider friendly then the bike, and the Repsol team would have been as dominant as McLaren-Honda in the late 80's with a rider rivalry to match. Alas it was a hill that Lorenzo admitted he didn't want to climb after nearly breaking his neck at Assen.
It seems to me that Honda should have kept Alex, or at least recruit a rider from Moto2. Ducati used to have a lot more success with riders who weren't spoiled by a Yamaha or similar.
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