MOTOGP » Edwards: New team, new start.

It hasn't gone well for most of the WSBK converts in previous years. None, except Bayliss (for a short time) have really managed to cope with MotoGP. I personally don't expect much from Tech3 next year. I'd be happy to be wrong though.

The reaction of James at trying the bike speaks volumes, here is a guy that raced in WSBK for what, 6 years(?)
and he's completely overwhelmed with the MotoGP bike, the lightweight rocketship experience with the carbon brakes
had him dumbfounded at first. He's very open and illustrative about it (also on the MCN interviews), interesting stuff to read.

Harald Bartol, the head of the KTM racing said it right: 'WSBK or AMA just doesn't get you there, you need to be racing in the lower classes on the same tracks, getting used to the paddock then step up'.

James has to compete with boys with that experience that are some 8 years younger than him...
Still, good luck to him!

I think Nicky Hayden might have something to say regarding the switch from a superbike to MotoGP or shall we not mention him for the sake of your arguments?

Claiming that JT is completely overwhelmed is ridiculous. He's at the bottom of a learning curve looking up. Where else would he be?

It's not an accusation mate,
read the interviews on MCN. He is adapting fast and like he says, once it feels like my bike and not somebody elses things will come more instinctively.
I think Hayden is just the exception and it also shows what an exceptional rider he is, though not without luck in 2006.
He got massive credit from Honda too, coming straight in through the front door (HRC and not a satellite team) in 2003 and winless for a long time. I doubt that anyone else gets a chance to stay in that team for six straight years while only racking up three wins. Had he not won the title in 2006 would he still be there?

I have read the interviews with JT on MCN and the bloke is not completely overwhelmed. He's being very honest and open about the task at hand. The bloody huge task at hand. It's new, it's hot, it stops ridiculously quickly, it's hot - fair play to him for being so open. He knows he can only learn so much in a day and as a result he speaks quite openly about those limitations. He's not overwhelmed, he's exactly as he should be...a little better than he should be if you read todays comments from his team.

I agree with you about NIcky, though I never like to attribute his 2006 success to luck.
Vale had bad luck , Nicky earned his 1 plate.

Well it's a matter of opinion, maybe overwhelmed isn't the right word.
I find it very interesting to read as you get a good impression of the differences of the classes,
also shows what technical stuff is being used in MotoGP to get data (GPS to track the riders...).
His openness is very good, reminds me of Hayden (and Rossi for that matter) but the press
sometimes takes advantage of it.
I for one find it childish to put the emphasis on a practice 'crash' (he just slid, not even in the gravel)
when you know the track was drying up and a couple of other riders fell at the same spot.
Documenting it in fotoseries and putting the film on your website (like MCN) is cheap rubbish.