Suddenly FIM loves Nicky Hayden

[gm2]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/67592

'Hayden, who last won a race in the 2006 US Grand Prix, reckons he is struggling because of his lack of experience in lesser categories.'

"Pedrosa comes from the 125cc and 250cc classes, so he's used to look for linearity in the trajectory and he knows how to keep a higher speed through corners," he added. "So his riding style is very much suited to the 800cc." '

[sqweak]

I don't get how the article shows FIM loves Nicky?

[gm2]

it doesn't show they actually love him, but he is indirectly supporting their cause

FIM wants the most successful GP riders to come from the support GP classes.  it strengthens the series they own.  by extension (they'd never say this, of course) they want the path from sbk -> GP to be less 'recommended'... common thinking should be 'successful GP riders come from 125 and 250'.. that sort of thing. 

nicky is saying what they want him to.. not that they asked him to do so.  but he's saying what they want to hear.


...this is my personal opinion why they moved to 800cc machines, btw.  i don't think they ever believed that nonsense about safety and slowing things down.  they just wanted to promote the corner speed riding style over the point-and-shoot style, so that The Path to GP success came from their own series.

[sqweak]

ahh, now i get your meaning

I wonder what kind of impact the switch to 4 strokes will have. 

[derby]

the bikes will be heavier, but there will still be more of a focus on cornerspeed.

[ducpainter]

<snip>

nicky is saying what they want him to.. not that they asked him to do so.  but he's saying what they want to hear.


<snip>

Nicky has always been a 'company man'.

If he says what they want to hear he's ensuring his future in the Euro racing scene should he decide to stay there.

He may be a bumpkin, but he's far from stupid.

[mikeb]

Nicky has always been a 'company man'.

If he says what they want to hear he's ensuring his future in the Euro racing scene should he decide to stay there.

I didn't take his comments in the article to mean he was a "company man".  Or was saying what Dorna wanted to hear.  He was merely stating the facts.  He comes from dirt-track racing where you steer with the rear.  To me he was merely stating why he's struggling.  And putting the blame on his own shoulders.  I think it's very big of him to say he's the one that needs to step up.

I don't see how Nicky, stating the obvious, makes him a "company man".  Or how it will help insure his place in GP racing.  He rides for Honda not Dorna.  And he's saying I can't ride this Honda very well.  What's that going to get him?

Stating that riders from the smaller GP classes are better suited for the 800's is only stating the obvious......it's not ass-kissing company talk.

[ducpainter]

I didn't take his comments in the article to mean he was a "company man".  Or was saying what Dorna wanted to hear.  He was merely stating the facts.  He comes from dirt-track racing where you steer with the rear.  To me he was merely stating why he's struggling.  And putting the blame on his own shoulders.  I think it's very big of him to say he's the one that needs to step up.

I don't see how Nicky, stating the obvious, makes him a "company man".  Or how it will help insure his place in GP racing.  He rides for Honda not Dorna.  And he's saying I can't ride this Honda very well.  What's that going to get him?

Stating that riders from the smaller GP classes are better suited for the 800's is only stating the obvious......it's not ass-kissing company talk.

I don't think being a loyal employee to Honda, biting his tongue when he's pissed, or being a company man is a bad thing...or kissing ass...

It's good business.

[mikeb]

I don't think being a loyal employee to Honda, biting his tongue when he's pissed, or being a company man is a bad thing...or kissing ass...

It's good business.

I didn't say it wasn't good business.

I just don't think he was doing any of that in the interview.  To me he was just being honest and stating obvious facts.  He sucks on the new breed of bikes because they favor cornerspeed.  It's not a revelation.