<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tinks @ Aug 6 2006, 05:14 AM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>looking at the advantage he hsa over the other riders hes on the best bike n stones lighter than some of them it wud be a hollow championship for him if he won
Valentino has been incredible this year looking at the points situation he may be 50 points behind but looking at his previous run of luck....knocked off, tyre blew up, major mechanical engine failure, broken wrist + foot, and then tyre AND engine failure in the same race Hes the only rider who cud stay in contention for the championship.
I like nicky hayden but he doesnt really fight its about time he did something though baring in mind hes been on that bike since 2003 . All credit to him for being consitent but has there been a race where hes gone head to head with vale and won...? er no =]
i love valentino <3 x
Yeah, Dani's got a real advantage. The most well funded team in the paddock and a top bike. Forget the fact that the first time he rode the bike was in November, took his first podium in March and his maiden win in May. He did all this with all the pressure associated with being "The Next Rossi." He's done a very commendable job.
Valentino has rode incredibly this season and if his Yamaha/Michelin package was a bit more reliable then the tables might look differently. But things happen, Dani has crashed, Casey has crashed, Marco was nowhere in the beginning, Nicky has been sick and Edwards is still nowhere (unfortunately). Take the highs with the lows.
I'll agree with you that Nicky had lacked a fightinh spirit up until 2005. I'm not sure how you can say Nicky hasn't fought in 2006 but that's your opinion. Yeah, Nicky has been with Repsol Honda since 2003 but this is the first season he's had any real say in the development of the bike. Obviously he wouldn't have any input as a rookie when Rossi is still there, in 2004 they tried to give him some input but he was overwhelmed and they let Barros and Gibernau handle it all. In 2005, Max and Gibernau led development. Finally in 2006 Nicky heads the development, despite the fact that he is on the ....... child of a bike that no other HRC rider wanted. Sure, Nicky hasn't won a race against Rossi "heads up." But then again, he beat Rossi fair and square at Laguna in 2005 and had him covered again in 206 until Rossi blew up.
Just an aside I'd like to throw out there. Repsol Honda is NOT the best team on the grid. It has been a common misconception as of late that spending the most money is equal to having the best team. True, Repsol Honda WAS the best team in the paddock until 2004. When Rossi left for Yamaha, he took the most valuable pieces of the team with him. I don't know about Dani's side of the garage, but Nicky's is made up of the leftovers from Rossi's defection, Pete Benson was a rookie crewchief in 2005, Nicky's first win at Laguna was Pete's first as a boss. That's one win for Nicky's crew. Burgess and the former Repsol (now Yamaha) boys have been winning championships since 1994 with multiple riders before Rossi. Just wanted to get that off my chest.
Cheers all.
