idiotsavant
addict
Reged: 01/11/2006
Posts: 513
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I've just seen the results from the first free practice at Brno. What a total disaster for the Michelin teams. How can a company that was so dominant a couple of seasons ago have lost the plot so completely in such a short time?
Michlin got its arse kicked last year, looked to be doing a bit better this year and now its (bad) business as usual at Laguna and Brno. Is there a precedent for this?
Is it the riders? Is it bad luck? Or has something happened at Michelin – or Bridgestone – we should know about!?
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Truth is ever to be found in the simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things.
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KennyP
addict
Reged: 16/11/2006
Posts: 645
Loc: Croydon via Brussels and Glasg...
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Hmm. Yes. It does look like a total disaster. The head honcho seemed upbeat at Donington when I spoke to him and the riders accepted that there had been an improvement in 2008, but this (after Laguna) makes it hard to 'believe' anymore. I can't begin to imagine what the Michelin-shod riders are thinking at the moment.
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kenny_pryde@ipcmedia.com
"There are three sides to every story. Yours. Mine. And the truth." Robert Evans.
Waste more time here http://uk.youtube.com/SuperBikeMag
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FastBikerBoy
old hand
Reged: 08/11/2006
Posts: 1180
Loc: Norfolk, UK - Police State
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Oh it's the tyres is it? I'd been led to believe it was 'cos Rossi jumped ship to Bridgestone and the Ducati rides its self. 
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FBB
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KennyP
addict
Reged: 16/11/2006
Posts: 645
Loc: Croydon via Brussels and Glasg...
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Quote:
Is it the riders? Is it bad luck? Or has something happened at Michelin – or Bridgestone – we should know about!?
Idiot. I love press releases like this one from Pedrosa at Repsol.
"Both of today’s sessions were quite difficult for us. My left wrist and index finger are still hurting when I ride the bike, and the tyres are not helping the situation. The asphalt is new, but it’s the same situation for everyone. We have tried several different solutions today and so far we still haven’t found the right tyres for the race. We will keep working tomorrow, looking for the best tyres and working on the machine. We hope we can get some more dry track time and then we will see for Sunday.”
Obviously press releases are coded versions of the truth, but this one sounds quite pissed off. Which means the truth is...worse!
Chances of seeing a Michelin runner in the top....oh, let's say, six, on Sunday if it stays dry? I'm saying slim to none. Place your bets you gents.
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kenny_pryde@ipcmedia.com
"There are three sides to every story. Yours. Mine. And the truth." Robert Evans.
Waste more time here http://uk.youtube.com/SuperBikeMag
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rsv_mark
enthusiast
Reged: 16/11/2006
Posts: 219
Loc: Leamington
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Once again I bring some gossip from the bsb paddock.
Now the word is that Hayden went to laguna and spoke to the ama racers before motogp rolled into town. The feedback was it was a lot smoother (i suppose less abrasive) and as a result softer tyres were the way forward. Hayden promptly gets on the blower to michelin and tells them ffs not to bring the usual compounds as the feedback is.....
Laguna was resurfaced before this season but prior to this has a reputation for being very tough on tyres. Low and behold, michelin pitch up with a truck of tyres having ignored Hayden's advice.
Cue problems for all on froggie rubber and apparently Edwards went out on intermediates in an attempt to get some heat into the tyres.
But hey.....its only gossip.
But in answer to the original question...how did they get it so wrong? By ignoring Hayden. Why did they ignore him? Who knows.
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Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.
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KennyP
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Reged: 16/11/2006
Posts: 645
Loc: Croydon via Brussels and Glasg...
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Additional between the lines doom and gloom from a Michelin man (Lorenzo).
"The main problem is in the front tyre; I am worried because the first Michelin is in seventh and this isn’t great, it is clear that we all need to work together to improve this. We are working very closely together with Michelin and Yamaha and we are trying to find a better way for us here this weekend. It is very difficult at the moment to fight for the podium in the dry, and in the wet we don’t know yet. My main aim this weekend is to finish in the top seven. The new asphalt is better than last year so this is a good thing."
And I'm sure I saw/read/heard the same post-Laguna, Hayden-Michelin story, so I'm assuming it's as near the truth as we are going to get.
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kenny_pryde@ipcmedia.com
"There are three sides to every story. Yours. Mine. And the truth." Robert Evans.
Waste more time here http://uk.youtube.com/SuperBikeMag
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idiotsavant
addict
Reged: 01/11/2006
Posts: 513
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Quote:
Chances of seeing a Michelin runner in the top....oh, let's say, six, on Sunday if it stays dry? I'm saying slim to none. Place your bets you gents.
Worst Michelin result ever? Dovi the best in ninth, 38 seconds off the winning pace? I think the chances of seeing a single-make tyre MotoGP championship in 2009 have just increased tenfold.
Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing, given the resurgence of WSB and the more level playing field we've been seeing in BSB. But, somehow, it wouldn't seem right in a prototype race championship.
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Truth is ever to be found in the simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things.
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KwH
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/11/2006
Posts: 1714
Loc: Carmarthen, Dyfed
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Quote:
And I'm sure I saw/read/heard the same post-Laguna, Hayden-Michelin story, so I'm assuming it's as near the truth as we are going to get.
According to Julian and Sandy^H^H^H^H^HToby on Eurospart, there was a riders meeting over the weekend where all the Michelin riders were suggesting that they'd really quite like a one-tyre rule for next year, where the one tyre was... Bridgestone.
Lovely quote from Mick Doohan today on the Beeb to the effect that a one tyre rule would be a terrible idea, and they could just let people use what tyres they want to. Then everybody would be on Bridgestones, obviously, but maybe that way Michelin could come back in a few years and try again... 
Rossi was smirking away like a good'n as well and when asked if he was pleased that he was on Bridgestones this year, said something like "I think, maybe, I make not such a bad decision, no?".
No, Vale, not such a bad decision at all...
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Ken Haylock
http://www.cix.co.uk/~kwh
"Ride what you like, how you like, as often as you like; but always take responsibilty for your actions." - Anonymous Zen Guru
"Obviously all I'll care about is if it's good for wheelies (i.e. fluffs up my meagre skills), and what free gift they give on the launch." - Anonymous Moto-Journalism Guru
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shinybusa
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 08/01/2008
Posts: 1608
Loc: away with the fairies..
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Are Rossi's mind games begining to take their toll on Stoner???
Yes, Casey shot off into a decent lead straight off the line, closely followed by Vale, but then as Vale started to eat into his lead he became a bit ragged, just ever so slightly, resulting in the crash he had....Is he able to handle the pressure thats building? Glad he walked away from it though..
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Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day....
Teach a man to fish.........................................and he'll sit in a boat and drink beer all day!!
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Biggles
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/05/2007
Posts: 2206
Loc: I am over here!
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yes it does smack a bit of what Rossi did to Gibenau.
clever guy that Rossi.
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Post US election quote "They've kicked our backsides, we've got to lick our wounds..." )
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FastBikerBoy
old hand
Reged: 08/11/2006
Posts: 1180
Loc: Norfolk, UK - Police State
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I still don't think so, had Rossi been up his chuff, it might have been, but from over a second behind after a couple of laps with a whole race to go? I doubt it.
It would be good to find out what caused it though it looked too sudden to be a simple front end slide. Eurosport were speculating that a footpeg may have dug in and lifted the front.
Whatever it was has spoiled what was set to be one of the best MotoGP championship run-ins for a long time. Unless Rossi has some cruel luck of course.
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FBB
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monkiboi
old hand
Reged: 11/11/2006
Posts: 874
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It seemed to me that Stoner was pushing hard to get away from Rossi, maybe he didn't want a repeat of Laguna, and he seemed to always be pushing right on the edge. He was spinning up out of most turns laying rubber from the first lap.
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Only ride as fast as your guardian angel can fly!
I've been wondering, can a tortoise swim?
Not according to 118118!! (can someone lend me a tortoise to see if they're right?)
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Biggles
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/05/2007
Posts: 2206
Loc: I am over here!
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Quote:
I still don't think so, had Rossi been up his chuff, it might have been, but from over a second behind after a couple of laps...
Eh? not sure we watched the same race
it was the *sixth* lap and Rossi was holding the initial gap (after the almost traditional crap start), but then began closing it, his times were coming down.
Stoner who went too quick and the front folded-he admitted as much in the interview after the race
shame he didn't stay onboard it was just about to become very interesting
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Post US election quote "They've kicked our backsides, we've got to lick our wounds..." )
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chappers
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 31/12/2006
Posts: 5379
Loc: Mind your own business
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Glad I knew better than to read this thread first.
Edited by chappers (17/08/2008 21:33)
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makka
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 13/05/2007
Posts: 2554
Loc: Jungle, Near Byron Bay, Austra...
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Yup, when I read the first idiotic post I thought of you Chappers.
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makka
drinking heavily
it's the only solution
Well, maybe meditation helps too.
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chappers
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 31/12/2006
Posts: 5379
Loc: Mind your own business
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The first posts were regarding practise I just stayed away from it all.
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makka
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 13/05/2007
Posts: 2554
Loc: Jungle, Near Byron Bay, Austra...
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I meant the first spoiler post by the idiot.
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makka
drinking heavily
it's the only solution
Well, maybe meditation helps too.
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chappers
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 31/12/2006
Posts: 5379
Loc: Mind your own business
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Oh sorry just read it see what you mean. Oh well there's a surprise, I'm sure they will become a regular feature now.
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big_al
veteran
Reged: 16/01/2007
Posts: 1507
Loc: Germany (British Forces)
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I was chuffed to fuck when stoner binned it! I know that doesn't sound very fair, but i don't give a shit, especially after Stoner threw his teddy in the corner three weeks ago, although i heard they made up and shook hands afterwards. At least Rossi has the sportsmanship to admit to Suzi Perry that he feels a little bit sorry for stoner, after all, Rossi knows what it feels like to be chasing championship points so hard, only to end up in the gravel.
Taxi for Stoner!!.........
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If you succeed without having to try hard, you have failed.
If you fail but have tried hard, you have succeeded.
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Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
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FastBikerBoy
old hand
Reged: 08/11/2006
Posts: 1180
Loc: Norfolk, UK - Police State
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Quote:
Quote:
I still don't think so, had Rossi been up his chuff, it might have been, but from over a second behind after a couple of laps...
Eh? not sure we watched the same race
it was the *sixth* lap and Rossi was holding the initial gap (after the almost traditional crap start), but then began closing it, his times were coming down.
Stoner who went too quick and the front folded-he admitted as much in the interview after the race
shame he didn't stay onboard it was just about to become very interesting
Not sure we did then 'cos in the one I watched Stoner had 1.142 lead after the first lap and 1.2 after two, that grew on every lap reaching a shade over 1.3 until lap 6 when Rossi closed by a around 0.2 My point was there were plenty of laps left, hardly 'panic stations'.
My remarks where merely answering the question poised, is Stoner caving in mentally similar to how Gibernau used to? I don't think he did. Yes he was obviously pushing but he'd already set the fastest lap on lap 5 so I accept he lost it pushing but I think he pushes himself rather than fretting about anyone else. The situation with Gibernau was totally different, Gibernau never really thought he could beat Rossi who was always up his chuff, whereas Stoner already knows he can, so I don't think he feels the same as Gibernau did.
Seeing as the Ducati rides itself, it obviously wasn't Stoner's fault anyway but the bikes
I think it's a real shame for the championship though, had he stayed on the championship would have still had some life in it but now it's gone the same way as the other two, WSB and BSB, foregone conclusions barring disasters of course. Great if you happen to be a 'fan' of either Rossi, Bayliss, or Shakey but if you're a fan of close exciting championships rather boring.
I'm afraid I still don't get this whole 'fan of one rider' bit. What happens when that rider retires? Do his fans stop watching? A football team fan I can understand as the team is a continuous entity but a rider no matter how good is eventually going to stop. I just love to watch good close racing and championships, I think they're all heroes, even tossers like Biaggi and Foggy I'd never describe as crap, 'cos they quite obviously aren't.
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FBB
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