JT News...

Originally Posted by cartwrim

Jelster, don't know why you don't think Elias is much good? I know he has his moments of madness but he has an extraordinary amount of talent and sheer bravery!

What he lacks is consistency. To be good you should be in the top 5 week in week, I don't see that in him.

Honda are in a real hole right now. They have a factory backed team with two riders but the bike is designed around just one of them. Their satellite teams have lost the two best riders to competitors, and the other two riders are either uncompetitive or can't stay on the bike.
You can tell it winds me up can't you, being a Honda fan

[fizzwheel]

I think Honda are just running to many bikes, with to many teams and to many riders all of who want different things...

Maybe if they focused their efforts on the 1 team maybe they wouldnt be in such a bad place right now ?

Would you wanna ride in a Honda satelite squad, knowing you'd be at the back of the queue for development parts, especially with this years bike. I know I wouldnt...

Honda do indeed seem to have lots of riders who need their bikes completely tailored to their particular style / form, more so than the other teams I think.

There must be a hell of a conflict in the main garage at the moment, assuming that the RC212V was 'the same' before they started tailoring it to Pedrosa and Hayden they must have had to do a lot of work to make it rideable for each of them.

I actually think that Melandri and Elias would have been more successful so far this year than Hayden and Pedrosa if they had been in the full factory outfit (and without their respective injury woes!) I think they both have styles that are transferable to other bikes, like Rossi and Stoner both do IMO.

Did you hear that Melandri actually rode Laguna with a broken ankle? Mucho respect for that!

To get back on topic, I am a bit surprised that Honda weren't able to put JT on Melandri's old ride but maybe Yam offered him a better deal, financially or mechanically? Anyone read anything about how much he's rumoured to being paid next year?

A good point about MotoGP, what prospects have we got for the next few years?

I don't think Haslem has got what it takes.
Little Smithy is a good chance, we'll ahve to see how he does on a factory 125 next year, but he's got the chance to learn a lot and become a great rider.

Most of the BSB guys are either getting on now, or simply don't have the all out skill to go all the way.

REalistically, JT and Smith are the only real prospects we've got. So go get em boys.

Originally Posted by cartwrim

To get back on topic, I am a bit surprised that Honda weren't able to put JT on Melandri's old ride but maybe Yam offered him a better deal, financially or mechanically? Anyone read anything about how much he's rumoured to being paid next year?

I think the major factor is that the Tech 3 is going to be a "full factory backed" bike, on par with the Fiat Yamaha team, but the satellite Honda teams are not, they have to make do with hand-me-downs and "tested" parts. (tested as in Repsol have had them for 3 or 4 races)...

Playing Devil's Advocate here.....

If asked, HRC will tell you that all of the Honda RCV212 machines being run by satelite teams are "factory backed" which is completely true. Unfortunately those teams are a little way down the pecking order when the new good stuff emerges from the R and D department. To suggest that they receive anything other than good bits is frankly wrong and of no value to HRC. It is just a matter that the two Repsol Honda riders will get access to the new parts much sooner than the other team's riders.

I have still not seen anything that convinces me that Tech 3 will get any support other than what a normal satellite team would get...yes that is fully factory backed.But giving them the exact opportunity as their main team and riders? That really is never going to happen, apart from during the first few races of the new season when all will be pretty much on a par until data is looked at following those early races.

If anyone gets any hint of preferential treatment outside of the main Fiat Yamaha team in 2008 it will be Jorge Lorenzo on his Fortuna Yamaha and even that would see him lag a touch behind Rossi and his team mate.

It's been an interesting few weeks for JT, but I feel he is in a "no win" position. He won't get any wins next season because Rossi and Lorenzo are both better riders than him and are far more consistent. Even if he has a full factory bike, albeit in Tech3 guise, he won't beat Rossi or Lorenzo. He is good and the best British rider around but he isn't in the class of Rossi, Lorenzo, Pedrosa, Stoner and Melandri. So his best bet is an occasional podium in tricky circumstances, although JT's wet weather riding skills are as good as mine!!!
If he was on a full factory Yamaha on Bridgestones then he may have an edge over other Yamaha's but the Yamaha is a long way behind the Ducati and Honda. It is only Rossi's brilliance that keeps the bike near the podium and look how hard he has to work for it!
A Honda ride would be ideal but Honda blocked his move to Gressini as they wanted him to ride the 2008 Fireblade in WSB. The offer of a Honda MotoGP ride was not a full factory Repsol bike, for 2009 I think you'll find a Pedrosa/Dovizioso pairing. So his best bet would have been a customer Honda a year late (a lot can happen in a year) and that doesn't include Honda changing their mind.
The D'Antin bike which was offered has now been left behind by Ducati, a lack of funding has meant that they can't afford the new parts on offer. It can only be worse for next year!
In summary the time is right for is move to MotoGP and the Yamaha is the best ride available. But a rare podium visit is as good as it will get, unfortunately!
We'll just have to wait for Bradley Smith in 2012!

[muzikill]

It was announced today on eurosport at brands that he will indeed be running on bridgestones.

Well that certainly improves his situation and podium prospects!

He just has to worry about Stoner and Melandri on Ducatis now.

After seeing Toseland's 2 wins at Brands Hatch today I have great expectations for Motogp in 2008.

There may be 2 riders worth watching next year - Rossi & Toseland