Who will be the 2009 champion and runners up?

Get your predictions in now. (If you’ve got balls, otherwise just predict this years results)

Taking a realist view on the prospects of next years championship and how it will end I like to make the predictions way in advance. Not to say that the season is over yet as I’m still enjoying every minute of it irrespective of weather the winner of the championship will be announced soon or not. Also we’re not sure yet of all the riders that are going to take part but I think this will have little effect on the top spots.

My feeling is that it is going to be close and I hope we’re in for a good season.

Rossi will keep the pressure on Yamaha and with his clout may just keep the team on their toes. He will also be aware of Jorge’s progression and will be privy to what is happening on that side of the garage, although I don’t think it will play a major roll. It might if things start to get really close. Yamaha have closed the gap to Ducati and I think that they may just start the season with a slight advantage. Jorge, baring any injuries is going to be a tough competitor and seems to have come to terms with the 800 cc even in the wet. He has been humbled by this class and he seems to have more respect for the bike now which has made him a much nicer guy.

Casey is going to be right up there and is going to be tough to beat. He will be swoping paint and it will make him double aggressive to see two yams ahead at times. It will be a bit different to what he is used to, although we will still see the run away victory from time to time. I still think that we are going to see a different rider next year.

Daniel will be on the appointed year to take the title. He will have to go for the win or perhaps take the consequences. HRC, hero now loser to-morrow. HRC are difficult to predict and they may just control Andrea to be behind Daniel. Personally I would like to see him ahead of Daniel, But HRC you know.

Between these guys its any ones championship and I hope its close.

James is putting a lot of pressure on the team already saying that he is much better than the result he has shown to date and a boot up the backside might just get things working better. He will have the added advantage of not having Collin to couch him around the tracks any more and I think that he has decided that the learning curve is over and now its C for serious. Now Collin can follow him around for the fist few laps.

Nicky is the wild card here. Hell if he clicks with the Duc he could just take it to the front runners. Realistically he still has to adapt to a proper sized bike running on the stones with a lot of power. Really hope he doesn’t go the route of Malandri. He definitely will have most of us on the edge of our seat when ahead of the Hondas.

Collin will benefit from the work that James does and will be on a good bike. If he gets to the gym, well who knows, it may just stop him from going backwards. He might just get a little pissed to see James ahead though.

My prediction for 2009 is as follows.
Note: And it’s not the order of my favorite riders. (Although junkie might think otherwise)


Pos Rider Bike
1 Valentino Rossi
Yamaha
2 Jorge Lorenzo
Yamaha
3 Casey Stoner
Ducati
4 Daniel Pedrosa
Honda
5 Andrea Dovizioso
Honda
6 James Toseland
Yamaha
7 Nicky Hayden
Ducati
8 Colin Edwards
Yamaha
9 Toni Elías
Ducati
10 Alex de Angelis
Honda
11 Shinya Nakano
Honda
12 Chris Vermeulen
Suzuki
13 Marco Melandri
Kawasaki
14 Loris Capirossi
Suzuki
15 Randy de Puniet
Honda
16 Sylvain Guintoli
Ducati
17 John Hopkins
Kawasaki

Anthony West
Kawasaki

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Sep 20 2008, 05:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Rossi or Dani i think.

What wrong Tom? Not feeling very talkative. Come on balls on the block 1 st 2 nd and 3rd.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Sep 20 2008, 05:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Predictions at this point come totally from the heart. A lot can and will change, and as pre-season progresses evidence to justify actual predictions will become apparent. At this point i feel like i'm still unconcinced of Ducati's long term competativeness, and i feel that Yamaha really are the best rider/team/bike package in the world. Here and now i expect both of them to be in the top 3 overall, with Rossi ahead. Dani is the question mark, as i said predictions come from the heart and i think Dani can and will do it. I even think that having Hayden out of the garage could benefit Dani.

Rossi
Dani
Jorge

Well done Tom. You took the plunge. That’s what it’s all about “from the heart” isn’t it. I mean if you could accurately predict the future you would be making millions on a daily basis somewhere else, wouldn’t you? I promise you won’t get shot if you’re wrong but people may want to pay you if you’re right.

[quote name='Hayden Fan' date='Sep 20 2008, 09:17 PM' post='154698']
Breakdown of my top 3.

Great post Hayden Fan. That’s the kind of stuff that gets the grey matter working. Very interesting perspective and can’t fault your though process. More posts like yours with different perspectives could make for a very interesting thread.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Son of Doohan @ Sep 20 2008, 10:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Lineups aren't even sorted and you've already started this thread???
Rossi not to win in 2009 is my only prediction so far.


Come on Sun, you disappoint me a little. Lighten up a bit. Sure the line up hasn’t been decided yet but do you really think that it will affect the out come of the top three places. Surely you found Haden Fans post interesting and isn’t that what it’s all about. With your great sense of humor and your knowledge of the sport you could make a valuable contribution here. OK so you don’t think Rossi is going to take it next year, so tell us who you think it will be and tell us why. Maybe you’re having a .... day today so make a prediction some other time. Only don’t do it in the middle of next season though.