Hopkins high, West low.

West needs a drastic aolution ... just try some new settings, or copy Hopper s setup ... but he s already been warned - i didnt ex0ect mucgh from him but certainly didnt expect THIS.

Worse than coming last is finishing in another time zone behind your team mate. I'd give him another 5 races max - and if he still hasn't improved then he never will and it's time to bring someone else in who can do the job. Now who is going to get the bullet first, Westy or Malandri or even Hayden...mmm...my monies on Westy as his boss sounds like he's running out of patience.

bring back jaque!

if it rains anyway!

I doubt West will get the ax before the end of the season but that's only because they won't have anyone to replace him with. Still, he is doing terrible, much worse than I thought he would. Melandri is doing even worse and I have to wonder if Ducati has a performance clause in his contract that would allow them to boot him after one year.

Hayden certainly is not going to lose his ride before the end of this season, that's not even a possibility. However, if Dovi beats him in the championship then it's safe to say he'll probably be out at Repsol Honda.

if he finishes last a coupole more races he ll get ****canned -´there s a million guys whi will taske that ride for food

Three words:

Roger Lee Hayden

Two more words:

Chaz Davies

Three more:
Not good enough!

three more:

better than you ;)

Three more:
See you jimmy!

Cracker - Melandri 250cc Champ & MotoGP winner is over 3 seconds off Pedrosa today. Davies in his first race on a MotoGP bike, new tyres, new team blah blah was doing the same lap times at seca as the top five. RLH finished 9th also in the same race. Not good enough? Where are you looking???? Westy has had SO many chances its a joke & usually screwed itup one way or another. Granted he is fast in the wet but he has attitude. Melandri is on a similar bike to Casey, full factory not a Dantin disaster & look where he is..... nowhere. Ok so he may improve but with his experience he should be doing much much more. He only beat Guintoli by 1 tenth in Estoril.

If its screw ups you guys are looking for, look no further than the lovely RDP how he keeps getting a ride is beyond me personally I think Mr 'if I can crash it at the first corner I might just make it back in time for breakfast' De Puniet keeps getting a ride Westy need not worry yet. Can anyone explain how De Puniet hasnt been sacked so far. He must be embarrassed look at Jorge only 3 races in to his first year of Motogp when was the last time De Puniet was actually on the podium?

well, if rider telling you "I just don't know what is with the bike in general, I can't fit on it" he means "I've no idea what way should I behave on this machine" so maybe it's general statement about motogp machine or maybe just Kawasaki and Ducati bikes are hard to find out, to discover the performance. Chaz wasn't confident last year with GP7 too so It's hard to say clear West and Melandri are poor, it's not fair. For example Honda and now Yamaha have huge development resources and they have already all data to make progres while rest (Duc too) are still in experiment stage.

I like Westy, he needs a well-developed bike to have a chance for results, with this eg. Lorenzo or Toseland have easy job, they have 'done' machine. Kawasaki just need different riders whos naturally fells motogp bike behaves.
For me Rossi, even not challenging the title, is the most intelligent or black&white with developing bikes on the paddock motogp, he has real influence doing it. West is strong but switched from well-known 600 SSP to unkown Motogp machine can be crazy, sometimes it can be crazy jigsaw to a fresh rider.

I'm glad West finally got the chance at a factory ride. Even if it doesn't work out at least he'll have had the shot.

I've got to wonder how well he gets on with his crew, and what the communication is like.

Still, there are better riders out there. Maybe not for the money Kaw is willing to pay, tho.

Full marks to Hopkins on his result, I hope he can build on it. As the season progresses it looks like Hopper made the right choice in leaving Suzuki.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Hayden alongside Hopper next season. That ought to ruffle Hoppers' feathers given the rivalry he feels with Hayden. Especially since Nicky would almost certainly command a higher salary.

'West is strong but switched from well-known 600 SSP to unkown Motogp machine'

I think not:
Westy rode the 600SS a grand Total of 3 times!? - Two of those he won