Rossi vs. Ducati...and more spoilers

[Speeddog]

Rossi needs to sack up and ride the bike.

For inspiration, perhaps he should look across the garage at his teammate.
But maybe that's too difficult, as he got out-qualified and beaten in the race by that teammate.
And got pretty well matched on pace in pre-season testing as well.

He's becoming the whiny pussy MotoGP rider that he accused most of the paddock of being last year.

[ZLTFUL]

My post from ADVRider on the same subject:

Rossi pushed on the Yamaha because he had a competitive package underneath him.
He broke his leg and fought tooth and nail to return to the track early...because he had a competitive package underneath him.
The Ducati, unless you are willing to ride it at 11/10ths is NOT a competitive package. Stoner made it competitive because is is one hell of a rider and pushed that bike 11/10ths EVERY race he won.

Bear in mind that I am a Ducati fan boy. I love Rossi as well. But I really REALLY wish he was on the Yamaha or the Honda.
He is past his prime but definitely hasn't "lost it".

Consider it from his POV...2 years ago you crashed and destroyed your leg on a bike that could put him on the podium week in and week out by simply riding it well.
And now he is on a bike that could put him on the podium IF he pushed it beyond his comfort limits but could also punt you into the stratosphere in the same instant. You have 9 world championships. You could possibly have a contract with another team or even sport your own satellite team in 2013 on. Do you push hard knowing that the bike is going to take a complete overhaul to be competitive or do you tell Ducati to get you through the season without breaking you in half and take the brunt of the Italian press' animosity so that Ducati won't be avoided like the plague?

I don't know the man but if I were in his shoes, I would be looking forward to a contract with Gresini or even Tech 3 on a satellite badged factory bike. Or even moving to WSBK.

Fact is, MotoGP has lost its allure. All they really did was take a handful of back-marker Suzuki and Ducatis and added an even slower piece to the puzzle.

All I know is the GOAT hasn't lost his mojo. He is protecting himself from getting kicked in the mojo. Ducati either needs to step up their game and present him with a package that can win (Even Hayden who did exceptionally well isn't capable of winning on the Ducati in the dry) or let him go on to a team that can.

And to elaborate, didn't the telemetry on the Ducati show Casey crashing several times during races? I mean there is no doubt that Casey could ride the Ducati...but he was pushing HARD AS make the beast with two backs every single race. The wins weren't easy like he made them look on the Honda last year. If the bike is a handful to ride and your career is not over but the factory isn't making the changes either as you requested or at a rate you would like, why would you push the limits?

Frankly, when Vale was on the Yamaha, he was riding 8/10ths or 9/10ths and rarely ever had to push it to 100%+. Trying to do that on the Ducati is only going to put him on his head/ass. Why break yourself for a program that isn't advancing and end up having your future suffer?

Besides, everyone knows Rossi will be with Ferrari next year in F1.  

From the "I read it on the internet so it must be true." file...

Directly from persons knowing, according to the data reviewed of Casey riding the Duc, it said he crashed 3 times every lap. That is how OVER the limit he was to get results from the machine.

What everyone struggles with is the ability of Casey to take a Moto from a data crashed state to recovery consistently multiple times per lap. This is not a good way to be riding a motorcycle. This is why Rossi has always calmly said "Casey rides the Ducati in a very special way"

Very special, to save a front end the precise amount of throttle is needed to balance the rear slip and drive and again the data shows that Casey is the ONLY one who is capable of opening the throttle to the EXACT point every time to enable this save to take place. Exactly (nearly) every time!

Others 'feather' the throttle in hope of saving the front but are always too slow too fast or too late, in Casey's case he turns the throttle to EXACLTY the precise point instantly to make a save. How does did he do it?

[Jester]

Rossi needs to sack up and ride the bike.

For inspiration, perhaps he should look across the garage at his teammate.
But maybe that's too difficult, as he got out-qualified and beaten in the race by that teammate.
And got pretty well matched on pace in pre-season testing as well.

He's becoming the whiny pussy MotoGP rider that he accused most of the paddock of being last year.

I agree he should be faster than Hayden, but everyone saying "oh well look at how Hayden did" is full of s**t.  Hayden finished 28 seconds behind first on a factory ride.  Hayden didn't do jack, and none of the other Ducati riders did either.  In fact Hayden rode the nuts off that bike just to finish 28 seconds behind first.  The Ducati is a bigger joke this year than last, and still suffers from the same problems.  Every race weekend the Ducati reaches a point where it seems to stop improving by any measurable degree, while Honda/Yam keep going.  This coupled with the fact the Honda/Yam are already around a second clear without trying means that if we don't get rain, you can forget it.

[fastwin]

Maybe Ducati should just enter the 1199 in MotoGP and call it a prototype. And again, forget all the Stoner whining "my arms pumped up" bullshit, he made that POS Ducati race bike do what no one else can. No matter hard Nickey works or how skilled the GOAT is Stoner made it happen. Whiney bullshit and all! Got to give him credit.

[Speeddog]

Backpedaling started:
http://www.motomatters.com/news/2012/04/13/after_a_week_of_rumors_rossi_tells_itali.html

[ducpainter]

Maybe Stoner used the old adage...'when in doubt pin it...it will either solve the problem or you're screwed anyway'? 

Others 'feather' the throttle in hope of saving the front but are always too slow too fast or too late, in Casey's case he turns the throttle to EXACTLY the precise point instantly to make a save. How does did he do it?

[zooom]

KRJ chimes in...

http://superbikeplanet.com/2012/Apr/120413-1046.htm

[gm2]

KRJ chimes in...

http://superbikeplanet.com/2012/Apr/120413-1046.htm

the whole thing of course is very worth reading; i liked the end:

"Racing right now is just no fun. Life for him right now is probably no fun, but at the same time, that's what racing is normally like. You don't have the perfect bike every season. If you see it once in your career you're lucky."

[OT]

None of these guys have won races/titles pedaling a Schwinn.  It's all about the bike, especially these days.  I think Rossi has won enough championships (on a bunch of different bikes) to know that he's not riding Secretariat, but Mr. Ed.

Frankly, I'm glad that he's publicly expressed his frustration because he could easily smile for the cameras, ride around in 6th, blame it on old injuries, stay healthy, and make a boatload of money.  But he hasn't - because he says he wants to win, has pride, and has a crew that, I would hope, also is in this to win championships.  I'm Burgess's age and I know that I wouldn't be putting myself thru what he's doing right now just cause I don't like Oz in the winter.  All great champions, riders and their crews, want to win - and they're all willing to do what it takes to get there.

His "I want to win" attitude alone makes Rossi worth every penny Ducati (Marlboro) pays him - and we don't know what he was promised to sign with a team that he 'swore' he'd never sign with in the past.

KRJ backed into his championship and now spends his time "on the water"?  WTF....

I'm a little surprised by KRJ's comments - "...having the perfect bike every season...." Hey Ken, it has nothing to do with luck, and Rossi proved in 2004 (and Casey on the Duc, too) that the "perfect" bike isn't necessary, but one that's competitive is.

[gm2]

None of these guys have won races/titles pedaling a Schwinn.  It's all about the bike, especially these days.  I think Rossi has won enough championships (on a bunch of different bikes) to know that he's not riding Secretariat, but Mr. Ed.

Frankly, I'm glad that he's publicly expressed his frustration because he could easily smile for the cameras, ride around in 6th, blame it on old injuries, stay healthy, and make a boatload of money.  But he hasn't - because he says he wants to win, has pride, and has a crew that, I would hope, also is in this to win championships.  I'm Burgess's age and I know that I wouldn't be putting myself thru what he's doing right now just cause I don't like Oz in the winter.  All great champions, riders and their crews, want to win - and they're all willing to do what it takes to get there.

His "I want to win" attitude alone makes Rossi worth every penny Ducati (Marlboro) pays him - and we don't know what he was promised to sign with a team that he 'swore' he'd never sign with in the past.

KRJ backed into his championship and now spends his time "on the water"?  WTF....

I'm a little surprised by KRJ's comments - "...having the perfect bike every season...." Hey Ken, it has nothing to do with luck, and Rossi proved in 2004 (and Casey on the Duc, too) that the "perfect" bike isn't necessary, but one that's competitive is.

 

[fastwin]

^ what he said.

[Privateer]

let me preface my comment below with this:  I'm a relatively new race fan and I don't have all the background and who-won-what-when, and I do think Rossi is a talented racer altho I am ambivalent towards him as a fan.


So then, I see two things:

1) He is manipulating the press and thereby the public to look like some kind of modern-day Cassandra, then hopefully to repeat the image as the savior of the brand, just like he did at yamaha, if they finally get the bike sorted.  I'm not saying he didn't turn the yammie around, but from his statements this what I'm coming away with ("If only they'd listen to me!")

2) He's that kid that didn't learn how to fail.  Probably played team sports as a kid and was on the winning team every year.  Sure, he didn't win every game/race/whatever, but overall he always comes out on top or least saw a way to victory for the following season.  Right now that isn't happening and he's not equipped to handle it.



again, just what I'm getting from the rumor mill and his own statements.

[ducpainter]

I don't think he ever played organized team sports.

Been racing since he was 5.

[gm2]

I don't think he ever played organized team sports.

Been racing since he was 5.

[gm2]

1) He is manipulating the press and thereby the public to look like some kind of modern-day Cassandra, then hopefully to repeat the image as the savior of the brand, just like he did at yamaha, if they finally get the bike sorted.  I'm not saying he didn't turn the yammie around, but from his statements this what I'm coming away with ("If only they'd listen to me!")

it's true he's very good at using the press.  however he spent a YEAR waving the ducati flag when he could have been saying all the things he's saying now.  he knew from day one he was in deep shit but he was very much a team player in 2011.

2) He's that kid that didn't learn how to fail.  Probably played team sports as a kid and was on the winning team every year.  Sure, he didn't win every game/race/whatever, but overall he always comes out on top or least saw a way to victory for the following season.  Right now that isn't happening and he's not equipped to handle it.

i get what you're saying but..
 - though you were using it as metaphor, in 2010 when he did fall in a major way he was back long before anyone thought it possible.  he's not a prima donna who just expects to win and go back to his trailer.  and before that broken leg he had competed in every single race since he started in 125s.  never missed one.  and it's not like he was never sick or injured since 1996.

 - he's 'always won' because he's a make the beast with two backsing monster on the track.  that goofy off track persona is just that.  he's a natural no doubt and exceptionally talented but no one wants to win as badly as he does.

obviously i'm pro-Rossi.  and hell yes, he has a history of using the press to his benefit.  but frankly him saying the bike is unrideable is not to his benefit.  he wants to go win races, not have a pissing contest with his team and then go sit out the season.  but, he's just fed up.