Let's really look at this. Rossi hasn't ridden for over two months and he's only 0.17s behind biaggi on a bike he's never been on. He's got his challenge and biaggi has a history of fragging under pressure whether Honda does or not. He's temperamental, egotistical and useless outside of his very narrow groove. Rossi is adaptable, has racecraft and a much wider range of skills. He also has fun and works together with his team towards a common goal. Now who do you think will be able to withstand a season of pressure. Yamaha will give him anything he wants in a bike because they know it will reflect on them if he doesn't win at least a few races.
Sepang MotoGP Testing Times
FIRST POST! The most interesting thing is that Rossi is about 8/10ths faster than Checa and 2 seconds faster than Melandri and Abe (all Yamahas). Just in case people think that riders are not important...
Giuliom
Giuliom
21 - 37 of 37 Posts
Good point, I missed him.
He, Sete, will come in before Nicky. Thanks for pointing that out. I am a Baylis fan. But its hard not to be a Rossi fan.
He, Sete, will come in before Nicky. Thanks for pointing that out. I am a Baylis fan. But its hard not to be a Rossi fan.
Re: Revised Standings includes Sete
I want to see how bad Biatch freaks out when Hayden beats him this season which is going to happen at some of the races. We are going to hear all kinds of whining about his inferior equipment again.
I think Nicky is another one of the guys like Rossi who really steps it up during the race and doesn't lose his composure easily. Max seems to rail until he feels pressure then he just comes unglued.
I want to see how bad Biatch freaks out when Hayden beats him this season which is going to happen at some of the races. We are going to hear all kinds of whining about his inferior equipment again.
I think Nicky is another one of the guys like Rossi who really steps it up during the race and doesn't lose his composure easily. Max seems to rail until he feels pressure then he just comes unglued.
Re: Picking on Honda again!
truly it is fun to have a personal grudge against such a behemoth. adds a whole new dimension.
truly it is fun to have a personal grudge against such a behemoth. adds a whole new dimension.
Wow! After reading all the final standings from the experts I guess I can skip watching this year.
So what are your predictions for 2005?
So what are your predictions for 2005?
2004 Predictions
I think it'll shake-out something like this:
1.) Barros
2.) Gibernau
3.) Rossi
4.) Biaggi
5.) Capirossi
6.) Edwards
7.) Hayden
8.) Tamada
9.) Melandri
10.) Bayliss
11.) Checa
12.) Hopkins
- But personally, I'm cheering for Edwards, Hayden, Bayliss, Capirossi and Rossi
I think it'll shake-out something like this:
1.) Barros
2.) Gibernau
3.) Rossi
4.) Biaggi
5.) Capirossi
6.) Edwards
7.) Hayden
8.) Tamada
9.) Melandri
10.) Bayliss
11.) Checa
12.) Hopkins
- But personally, I'm cheering for Edwards, Hayden, Bayliss, Capirossi and Rossi
Re: 2004 Predictions
well that would explain the lack of content. You're on the crack.
well that would explain the lack of content. You're on the crack.
No they weren't, Rossi's bike had a different engine spec and a different chassis spec. And any "difference", however small, can mean significant differences in lap times. So unless they were on the same spec bike, on which different "settings" may be tweaked, they were on different machines.
Re: 2004 Predictions
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
You think whatever you want to think. Rossi is consistently faster than the others and a better racer as well. That's why he wins, not because he gets all the good stuff and the others are intentionally penalized.
I guess that's what this year is all about anyway. It will be exciting to see how he does on the Yamaha.
I guess that's what this year is all about anyway. It will be exciting to see how he does on the Yamaha.
I saw Rossi on TWT last night and it's just amazing what he can do on a GP bike. If I was a Biaggi fan I would take offense to this post, kvr but I put Maxie in the same class as Curtis "Crybaby" Roberts. That class of course would be no class.
Re: 2004 Predictions
Nahhh... Edwards will do a lot of spanking this year....people seem to count him out, and I don't know why..
1) He's Michelin's development rider
2) He helped develop the RCV
3) He never crashes
4) He never gets rattled
5) He makes ice look out when the pressure is on
Edwards for 2004 MGP champ, me thinks
Nahhh... Edwards will do a lot of spanking this year....people seem to count him out, and I don't know why..
1) He's Michelin's development rider
2) He helped develop the RCV
3) He never crashes
4) He never gets rattled
5) He makes ice look out when the pressure is on
Edwards for 2004 MGP champ, me thinks
My Predictions
Some good observations.
A couple of points of disagreement:
While development costs for MotoGP are huge by our standards, I don't believe they even show up in the rounding on Honda or Yamaha financial statements -- for that matter, Suzuki or Kawasaki either (not that those have much to show for what they have spent). It IS an issue for Ducati and Aprilia but Ducati at least have not done at all badly for their budget constraints!
Re Aprilia setting top speed records -- they did that at several tracks in 2002, but were usually well off the fastest radar trap speeds in 2003 and I see no reason for that to significantly change in 2004. So far, Ducati has the fastest speed, and at tracks where getting a good drive out of the corner leading into the main straight is more important, the Honda was usually fastest. This data are available on the official MotoGP site (www.motograndprix.tiscali.com).
With minor exceptions, tires have not been a big issue, and Rossi seems to be the master at managing his tires, so I think your prediction of his chunking tires is off-base.
My predictions:
Sete or Biaggi takes the title -- Colin as possible long shot.
Agree that Nicky will take at least one win.
Rossi will take several wins, and could dominate the 2nd half of the season.
Capi will take at least one win and will podium regularly. I pick Troy to take a win also, but I admit that is largely wishful thinking. He will at least challenge for the podium frequently.
Checa and Melandri will impress on the improved Yamaha
Nakano will seriously comtemplate Hari Kari as he observes the results of the M1 vs the Kawasaki (WTF was he thinking!)
Some good observations.
A couple of points of disagreement:
While development costs for MotoGP are huge by our standards, I don't believe they even show up in the rounding on Honda or Yamaha financial statements -- for that matter, Suzuki or Kawasaki either (not that those have much to show for what they have spent). It IS an issue for Ducati and Aprilia but Ducati at least have not done at all badly for their budget constraints!
Re Aprilia setting top speed records -- they did that at several tracks in 2002, but were usually well off the fastest radar trap speeds in 2003 and I see no reason for that to significantly change in 2004. So far, Ducati has the fastest speed, and at tracks where getting a good drive out of the corner leading into the main straight is more important, the Honda was usually fastest. This data are available on the official MotoGP site (www.motograndprix.tiscali.com).
With minor exceptions, tires have not been a big issue, and Rossi seems to be the master at managing his tires, so I think your prediction of his chunking tires is off-base.
My predictions:
Sete or Biaggi takes the title -- Colin as possible long shot.
Agree that Nicky will take at least one win.
Rossi will take several wins, and could dominate the 2nd half of the season.
Capi will take at least one win and will podium regularly. I pick Troy to take a win also, but I admit that is largely wishful thinking. He will at least challenge for the podium frequently.
Checa and Melandri will impress on the improved Yamaha
Nakano will seriously comtemplate Hari Kari as he observes the results of the M1 vs the Kawasaki (WTF was he thinking!)
Will any of you guys be at Sepang this year? FYI I like in KL so Sepang is my playground. I sometimes drive at trackdays for RM150 but in a car. Haven't tried a bike yet but all this MotoGP talk is making me think of looking for a 2-stroke 125 or 250! Aarrgh!
Great Riders make their own success. Rossi will reign supreme again in 2004, mark my words. Biaggi is a flawed genius and blames his machinery for his poor results.
I do believe Rossi received special attention, but I don't believe for a minute Honda would be willing to try anything radically different or experimental on the champ's bike for obvious reasons. The differences must have been minor IMO.
Same with Yamaha, I bet right now they are all on exactly the same machinery, after all they want to gather as much testdata as possible. It doesn't make sense to have one bike which is fundamentally different from the others, it slows development instead of speeding it up.
On a sidenote, I agree with you that Biaggi deserves more credit than he's getting on this forum, he's a fast and very smooth rider, and still the only one to win on an M1. He's no quitter either, I remember he lost the front end a couple of times on a row (in different races, a couple of years ago...), he just got back on and finished the race every time, except once when his bike was totalled...
However, while Rossi and his team are in a league of their own when it comes to setting the bike up and choosing tires, Biaggi and team still pick the wrong tires or settings every now and then, and unfortunately Biaggi seems to think that's something he should complain about instead of feeling responsible for it.
All in all, while I don't think he is as good as Rossi, he is a great competitor, and one of the best of the rest ;-)
Same with Yamaha, I bet right now they are all on exactly the same machinery, after all they want to gather as much testdata as possible. It doesn't make sense to have one bike which is fundamentally different from the others, it slows development instead of speeding it up.
On a sidenote, I agree with you that Biaggi deserves more credit than he's getting on this forum, he's a fast and very smooth rider, and still the only one to win on an M1. He's no quitter either, I remember he lost the front end a couple of times on a row (in different races, a couple of years ago...), he just got back on and finished the race every time, except once when his bike was totalled...
However, while Rossi and his team are in a league of their own when it comes to setting the bike up and choosing tires, Biaggi and team still pick the wrong tires or settings every now and then, and unfortunately Biaggi seems to think that's something he should complain about instead of feeling responsible for it.
All in all, while I don't think he is as good as Rossi, he is a great competitor, and one of the best of the rest ;-)
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