MOTOGP » 125: Smith fastest at Jerez

I don't buy this passport thing. Sure it helps if your Spanish or Italian but only until you can't win. Then you're history. If you are fast enough then any team that doesn't need your money (i.e. decent team) will want to hire you (Bradders is proof in point).

British riders find too many excuses not to perform, they don't have the best equipment etc, but they rarely admit to not being fast enough of not wanting it enough. Just look at BSB. When was the last Brit that won that. How can Aussies, Japanese, Sapinish and Finns (KTM Duke cup 2007) just turn up and win? I'm afraid it is the same in almost all sport. We are just too good at coming second.

John Reynolds in 2004.... there have only been three non Brit winners of the BSB title since 1988.. Bayliss, Lavilla and Kiyonari (x2). Of the Brits most if not all have competed in the top flight in some class or other, Darren Dixon.. world sidecar champ (also competed at 250 GP if I recall). Terry Rymer, Rob McElnea, Nial MacKenzie, Jamie Whithan, all had "factory" 500 rides, Shane Byrne MotoGP ride. Neil Hodgson... seem to think he might have done something in WSBK. Brian Morrison has been world endurance champ (unless my memory is playing up).

I think a better guage of up and coming Brit talent is to have a look at the CEV buckler championships in Spain and see how the Brits do there

Hi Al. I might have sounded a bit harsh but you do underline my point somewhat. How many brits were racing with Kiyo, Lavilla and Bayliss on similar or equal equipment. Why did they come second or worse to their team mate? Hodgson I will grant you. All of the others were over a decade ago. I'm talking about now. I agree with you about Spain. This is what I mean about Bradders. He wants to win badly enough to get up out of his comfort zone, move to a different country and "suffer" a bit. The others who will follow his lead can see there is a big world out there and have to raise their game to stand out.

Endurance is not top flight and more about reliability than outright speed.

I'll agree entirely, we haven't had a true top flight 500/MotoGP rider for a longgg time. If you look back over the years, although Britain is the second highest ranked nation in the all time list of GP winners by country (Solos all classes... we're miles ahead as far as sidecars go!).. the majority of those are pre 1970's, with only Phil Read and Bazza in the 70s. You will hear many people also quote that's a reflection on the British bike industries decline, which is actually BS as there have only ever been 8 british bikes win a world GP title!
Odd stat for you... last year was the first year since 1960 when a Japanese firm didn't win a GP title..... (MV won all four titles in 1960)

err... all time list of GP champions... winners would be on a per race basis and I'm talking actual championships (although it's been a damned long time since a Brit won a single race!)

I want a brit to win top flight as much as anyone, I am just trying to open a debate about why we (Brits) don't seem able to take that final step. Things are looking up. JT has real potential (in Motogp, nothing left to prove in WSBK) and I really believe Bradders could go all the way (Maybe this year!). After these, I don't know. Rea? Camier? (too tall for modern Motogp) or as you say the chaps now in Spain? History is great but we are in danger of becoming motorcyclings' version of the 1966 world cup (crying into our beer every four years).

OK, lets start with the simple things....

Too many Brits see WSS -> WSBK as a stepping stone to GPs (it ain't and never really was.. unless you win a couple of titles and even then you don't get a decent factory ride).. bring back 250s I say!!!!
As far as money goes (and yes I know it shouldn't make any odds, but without some, somewhere down the line, you won't get too far).. how many British sponsors are there at GP level... is that a reflection of lack of Brit talent, or is the lack of riders due to the lack of money... or do we end up just wasting too much on the afore mentioned kicking about of a pigs bladder ......

Sorry for the delay, I had to walk the dogs. Yes WSBK and WSS are not the natural path to MotoGP. I guess we have Foggy to blame for that (not that I blame him for anything other than a trend), at least he wanted to win at any cost, even if he could be obnoxious at times. Maybe money, although if we look at Stoner, his family sold up and moved as far away from their comfort zone as they could, lived in a caravan because they (plural, family) wanted it and believed they could achieve it. They commuted to Spain and got noticed. The rest is history. An extreme example but if you want it enough and believe then this is perhaps what you have to do. cont

As far as I can see there are no aussie sponsors at Motogp but there is no shortage of aussie riders there. At the end of the day if a teams rider is good enough to be at the sharp end then your sponsor will be happy.

Your right about the football thing. The thing that annoys me is that we can't even play international football anymore.

I am obviously simplifying things and of course a very good rider still needs money for very good equipment but Gabor Talmaschi (spelling??) managed ok from a country which is certainly not considered wealthy.