MOTOGP » Hayden '09 mirrors Melandri '08

Hayden does not have the technique to ride 800's. This is his third season of mediocrity on them.

Stavros

Do you think the TV telemetry is showing something diffrent to stoners hand on the throttle? It goes closed to open very quickly. Hes absolutely amazing that he can do that, electronics be damned, as Nicky et al cant even get at the sharp end of the field.

Hopkins and Melandri didn't lie about Stoner seem to trust the thing completely because they got enough when the thing bite them back and stay below the limitation. While Stoner only trust the thing enough to work as it should and recognize the limitation. So, Stoner always want absolute control over everything. For e.g. he develop a creative technique with the rear brake when he want to take over the TC.

While Rossi let his world's best technical team to give him what he want the thing do up to the max when his riding style applied. The different was, Stoner would know if anything not up to the minimum specs almost immediately after he exit from the pit. Less time to go fast in practice.

Found a interview with N.H on Autosport.com and one of the questions they ask is.
Q. Looks like Casey Stoner has no traction control, whereas you're using some at the corner apexes. Is that just for safety while you're not comfortable on the bike, or just while you're learning?

NH: I'm not sure. That's more just the setting we found. I'm not sure if we're that different on traction control, or just because I'm spinning worse. Maybe you don't hear the noise because of the spinning.
Sounds like Casey is feeding the throttle on much smoother than Nicky.

Hayden will never deliver. He just sticks around for the Sponsors. In 2005 MM was 2nd and Hayden was 3rd. Won the 2006 Championship out of sheer skills. Think Melandri had more wins that year and so did Rossi and so did Pedrosa. Go figure. In 2007 MM was 5th and NH was 8th. This year I am predicting he will be last again.

Fans who think he will take the same path next year with the Hayate are in for a shock. As a Racer Melandri is better than Hayden but without the Championship. Those who think that Hayden's smoking rear wheel sliding in is awesome Melandri is equally good if not better. Hayden is History. If you think no one will want to ride in the Ducati, No one will hire Hayden. He might be better off in the Moto2 next year. Who in the USA will buy the Ducati. They might buy it because of Casey Stoner. Hardy haha.

Last year all the Fans were jumpin for joy when they heard that Hayden will be with Ducati. Complete silence now. Billy from Canada where are you.

Regardless of traction control or any other rider aid, the best riders are always at the front. It does not matter who uses more or less of anything. Basically you are an idiot if you don't best utilize the tools at your disposal.

The Yams are going to be hard to beat this year (despite them not working as a team). If Stoner is in front at the end of the year no one will be able to argue his brilliance.

You gotta love all the "engineers " here on this site talking about how Stoner doesn't need TC and just rides around it with the rear brake etc...and even when the racers themselves ( you know the ones that actually ride the bikes) tell you that the bikes ( especially the Duc. are unrideable without the electronics, you still don't believe it.Credit to Stoner, he has found a way to ride that thing that works( most of the time ) for him but I can't count how many interviews I have seen with Stoner where he says he has learned to trust the electronics and that the Duc's power is way too abrupt to ride without TC.By the way Ducati runs one of the most advanced electronic systems on the grid!

The best riders in the world know what they want from what's available to them
Rossi / Took his all conquering team from Honda to Yamaha, Yamaha develops a great package.
Now Yamaha riders are benefitting from this.

Stoner / New to the team was quick to learn the tools at his disposal, and developed a bike, only he can ride to the max, others MM & NH have failed in this respected as the bikes they have ridden before, had been developed mainly by some one else. Ducati even developed a special engine for Loris

Honda have been all over the place since Rossi & his team left, Dani is fast but just doesn't do it, crashes to much trying to keep up. Honda's heyday was Mick Doohan & Rossi

I see my previous comments have been hammered, as someone who's been following GP racing more than most I stand behind my comment that Nicky was lucky.
The Nicky fanboys say Honda was giving Nicky inferior machinery, why???? ducati is giving him inferior double why???? when Ducati would love nothing better than win the manufacturer's championship.
How many races has Nicky won, how many years has he been in moto GP and Colin's not any better has not even won a race.
Not that the US has not turned out some worthy champions Rainy, Roberts, and for my money the best considering what he was riding Kevin Schwantz.
A true champion is up around the top barring injuries for at least a few years