Le Mans 'will suit' aggressive Toseland.

Gooooooooooooo JT!!!!

Gooooooo JT. C'mon JH, do you really think JT is good enough? The 12th in China is where he will finally end up once the others start to find their feet, which they are now doing. I predict 10th or lower for the championship when it ends.

Yamapimp who's your top ten at the end of the season. Top ten would include the likes of Rossi, Pedrosa, Lorenzo, Stoner, Capirossi, Melandri, Edwards, Hopkins, Hayden, then JT? Dovi may displace JT for the top ten if he gets sorted out. But the Yamaha currently seems to be working for most of their riders so he has a good shot to be within the top 10 at the end of the season.

Yamapimp,

Admittedly each of us have our favourite riders. That bit I understand. What I don't understand is the amount of sarcastic crap that your thread has. "do you think JT is good enough"
Well actually yes I do. Whilst I admit, WSBK riders that come to the GP have not over achieved shall we say, I would like to think that JT has the ability to do very well. What you have to remember is shanghai is a track that he has never riden before. 12th is not great by any stretch of the imagination, but it could have been worse. Your prediction of 10th or lower is way off base, and we shall see how wrong you are at the end of the season.
Just my humble opinion.

7th is a realistic year end for JT.

Ducati x2
Yamaha X2
Honda X2

Then JT on the Tech-3. To beat both Kawasaki & Suzuku & Dovi would be pretty
impressive on a bike that isn't too good.

That would be a good performance, surely? Especially if Colin comes 9th!

Isn't too good? Have you been watching? The Yamaha is the best machine this year easily and JT has had the pneumatic engine for I think the last two races

Yamapimp. Yes I do think JT is good enough

James has been around a long time. He has been carefully mentored since he he won the Honda 500cc cup. He has been a slow, carefull, learner. He is gutsy and a grafter. I don't think there is a fitter rider around. But he hasn't got that spark that, for example, Bayliss has (Bayliss came up the same route and the same time as Toseland). He is 27yrs old now and you could say that he has left it too late.

Well he beat Bayliss last year and Bayliss was older than James when he entered Moto GP.

I agree he hasn't the "spark" that Bayliss has but he has a completely different personer and there is no one more determined than JT. He probably won't make World Champion but most don't. I do think he is quicker than two thirds of the field and certainly good enough for a podium or two.

Ratty, Just your humble opinion is it? So what is mine then? Nothing would please me more than to see JT kick the ****s in that class but I don't think he will and that just my humble opinion. I can't see it once the others find their way too.

Totally agree jh. I really wish him well.

JH - So if you think he is quicker than two thirds of the field you are saying then that JT will finish 6th or better come the end of the season?

Yamapimp. It is a possibility, yes. That is where he is now and he hadn't been to two of the tracks.

You say when the others get up to speed they will surpass him but apart from the other rookies (who are also doing well) they have all had vastly more moto gp experience. They should already be up to speed.

IMO, I think JT is as good or better than two thirds of the field.

JH Point taken, but. Marco is not up to speed yet, is he? And neither is Elias or Capirossi. I just feel there is more to come from these boys and bikes. If and when that happens these guys will be pushing for podiums. So unless JT is pushing for wins then he will be the one who slips back with a couple of others, which will put him around 10th spot.

I agree. Marco is probably a better rider, but not on the duke. For 18 months now nobody but Casey can ride that bike and I don't know if he will get much better. I don't think Elias is as good as JT. Occasionaly brilliant but normally not. I would say JT is at a similar level to Capirossi, Hopper, Hayden and better than Vermulen, Edwards, Guintoli, West, Elias etc so top six is possible.

JH. Only time will tell who is right. As i have said I hope JT does really well and you're right, but I still don't see it happening!

As you say, only time will tell