NICKY HAYDEN # 1

In Motogp, the machine isn't of the utmost importance as in F1. The best bike on the track, cannot win without the development and skill of the rider.

 

Nicky did a great race, and Rossi tried, but did nothing extraordinay at that race. However I think everyone here is understimating Dani Pedrosa.

Pedrosa and Stoner are the two rookies in Moto GP this year and both are in the fight for the WC. Pedrosa race amaizingly considering he is a tiny guy (5.1 and 112 pounds), at a very hard track, and at his first time at Laguna Seca. He made the fastest race laps, he garabed the 2nd place in the WC this weekend and not that far from Nicky at the end.

Pedrosa started bad and lost some positions fighting the first laps with his personal demon, Melandri, and that cost him the race. Then he pushed Stoner until he made a mistake. If he had started right and kept his position, Hayden would had trouble to win the race.

In th US you guys do not follow the whole Moto GP event. All the other Moto GP events run 3 series, Moto GP, the 250cc WC and the 125cc WC, being quite probably the 125cc series the most entertaining and tight with more passes of them all.

I do not know about written press and online over the US reagrding Moto GP, but I think you guys over there miss a lot of the background of this racers.

If you compare the experience of Nicky Hayden with the guys that follow him in the WC, he might not be doing so good as some might think. But if he wants a WC this might be the one. I think next year won't be this easy, Stoner and Pedrosa would have by then the experince that they lacked at the beggining of this year.

And, yes, I know, I am biassed towards Pedrosa, he is a Spaniard

- Julio.

 

With a bad bike the best rider can't win. With a good bike a great rider can. Nickyis a good rider on a great bike, not a great rider on a good bike. See how much better Casey Stoner is performing compared to Nicky 4 years ago. Not trying to say Casey is the next big thing, just putting Nicky Hayden's performance into perspective.

 

Casey is about on par with Nicky's rookie year. Hayden has played a big part in the development of this bike, and it is paying off. Up until now, he was always second-fiddle at Repsol, and it showed.

Don't get me wrong, if God rode a motorcycle, his name would be Rossi. I think Nicky is on the edge of greatness though. Not great, but pretty close.



Biaggi had to deal with Rossi being on a superior bike, when he was at Yamaha. The Yamaha the Rossi won the championship on, was totally different than the one Biaggi rode.

 

Agree on the Yamaha, it was completely reconfigured for Rossi. I was fortunate enough to be at Phillip Island for the factory test day when Rossi first switched to Yamaha. Difference with casey and Nicky is casey is on a satellite team, Nicky is and always was on the factory team. Nicky didn't get better than 3rd in his first two years on the factory bike and never took pole. Casey already has a pole and second place under his belt and almost as many points as Nicky took a full season to garner, at just over the season halfway point.
As I posted previously, Nicky is a good rider IMO, just not a great one, which is what being a champion is about. More than happy to eat my words in two or three seasons time when he demonstrated an ability to dominate against experienced competition on equal or close to equal equipment.

 

Agreed again Stephen.......... Some figures to digest:


Haydens Career in MotoGP:

Placings in his rookie season after 11 Rounds:

7th,7th,DNF,12th,12th,9th,11th,8th,5th,6th,9th 74pts

2003 16 Starts, 2 x 3rd, 130pts 5th place in title race.
2004 14 Starts, 2 x 3rd, 117 pts, 8th place in title race
2005 17 Starts, 1 win, 2x 2nd, 3x 3rd, 206pts 3rd in title race.
2006 11 Starts, 2 x wins, 3x 2nd placing, 4 x 3rd placing, 194pts 1st in title race.

Stoners Career in MotoGP:

Placings after 11 Rounds:

6th,5th,2nd,5th,4th,DNF,DNF4th,4th,DNS,DNF 91pts.

Pedrosa's Career in MotoGP:

2nd,6th,14th,1st,3rd,4th,DNF,3rd,1st,4th,2nd 160pts

Obvious to me where the talent lies........... i've always maintained that if Casey can remove the mistakes from his game, he'll be a future World Champion. As for Dani, it's just a matter of when not if, possibly even this year given some good results for him and some luck with other riders failing.

 

See, you guys are looking at this in black and white, and not reality. The reality is; Stoner and Pedrosa are much more experienced as rookies than was Hayden. They've been on these tracks before, Hayden hadn't. Big difference racing your entire life on the hack tracks of the US vs the European FIM tracks.

Similar to why Hayden has been so dominant at Laguna. Familiarity.

 

ALL:

I apologize for my post on page one, it didn't come out like I meant it to.

He referred to 'american sports priorities', made a comment about nascar and JPM, and I kinda went in another direction there, I apologize.

Nicky Hayden is a helluva rider, in all honesty I have not seen him race in a couple of years.

 

Nicky has had plenty of testing and years of experience on these tracks so needs no excuses. Nicky went from 190hp 169kg superbike to 220hp 145kg MotoGP. Stoner and Pedrosa come from 120hp 90kg two strokes. They, in effect need to relearn every track they've been to, moreover change their styles completely. You can't ride a MotoGP like a 250GP, they are completely different animals requiring completely different riding styles.

 

Sorry, missed your post originally. I was only using Stoner as an example as i know him. You cannot take away from Pedrosa's efforts and results. It's great to see some new talent infiltrating MotoGP again.

 

Just ask Troy Bayliss what a difference Superbikes and GPbikes can be. More champions come up from the 125 and 250's than any superbike series. Familiarity with the tracks is paramount. Nicky never saw these tracks, in race conditions, until he came here.

 

I'm just glad he overcame that boneheaded error by his teammate which might've ruined his chances.

 

I hope this is not a spoiler title. I have not watched the last MotoGP race yet. I know Rossi is in the lead in points going in.

 

Congrats to NH.

The pressure will be on NH next year to prove that this year wasn't a freak occurence; if Rossi beats him next year then NH's championship will be considered a fluke. I know where I'd put my money next year.

Damn the Ducatis are coming good......

 

We'll see about that Miura........ they all start even next year with the 800cc's.

Look, i worship Rossi but to win the title not only takes wins, but also reliability, and Yamaha let Valentino down this year.

Take nothing away from Nicky, even though i don't like the kid, he rode sensibly all year, kept his nose clean and got the prize. To ride that well after the abortion of Estoril takes great mental strength, no doubt. As was mentioned earlier in this thread, if he didn't take the title this year with the best team and biggest budget, he would have had to hand his head in shame.

Mark my words though, he won't be in this situation next year, thats for sure.