Get it up ye stoner! - ye bikes kack

But even he has only ridden for two teams, two very well funded teams. You could say Stoner transformed Ducati just as much as saying Rossi transformed Yamaha. Slightly playing devil's advocate there, Rossi is obviously genius, everyone in the paddock knows it. I don't think there's a rider there that does not envy (or resent) his status, and he truly deserves it. In a straight up race on random equal bikes you'd back Rossi every time.

Originally Posted by muzikill

The man you love to hate ...... just thought i would start a thread to air your views about the current reigning champ ......

Likes to mouth off doesn't he? - things not going his way all of a sudden and look at him. Thought his boot kicking incident was a taster of what he is like when the toys are out the pram broken......

Oh and well done pedrosa!

I'm sure you get upset when you've worked hard and things go tits up at the end...let him be. He's worked hard to be able to ride in the top flight so he has a right to throw his toys out the pram. I'm sure your heroes regularly throw the toys out...they may just not be so public about it...

Originally Posted by sinbad

In a straight up race on random equal bikes you'd back Rossi every time.

As Ducati and Stoner continue to work to improve matters and to drag themselves right back in to the battle for the title at close to mid season point, is there any changing of opinion around here now?

No, I still dont think that Stoner is all that he is cracked up to be. Without the bike he really isnt that good. As was prooved over the last 5 or so races. However yes he was unstoppable all weekend. Fair Play.

and cruised home 5.789 seconds clear of the field.

go stoner... go stoner

Originally Posted by Sideshow#36

No, I still dont think that Stoner is all that he is cracked up to be. Without the bike he really isnt that good. As was prooved over the last 5 or so races. However yes he was unstoppable all weekend. Fair Play.

Oh dear, that has to be in jest no? If todays race had been 5 laps longer he would have LAPPED Melandri! Just look at the difference for the timing of the last lap alone for both riders!(All that when Donington is not a track suited to the GP8 nor is the next track Assen...I know he has now won 2 years on the trot in England,but it does not actually suit the bike...hence a superb performance by him.)

Livvio Suppo was interviewed at trackside mid race and stated that some changes have been made to the bike this week, mainly software for the engine mapping and traction control. Avalalable to all of the Ducati riders at Donington. He went on to state that the difference is that Casey "es un monstruo!"

Ducati have worked long and hard to react and have done so in good time. Casey did well to stay on the fringe of the title battle whilst this took place. It is now a genuine 3 way battle,(Jorge will not quite contend to the season end.) Rossi,Pedrosa and Stoner, with the wise money definitley being placed on the Italian.

Remember where you read this first.

Sete to fill in for Melandri starting at Sacshenring following a gentleman's agreement for Marco to stand down,(he is doing neither himself or Ducati any favours at the moment.) Marco Simoncelli and not Nicky Hayden gets the Nº2 ride at Ducati next year with Dovizioso joining Dani with HRC.

Originally Posted by Sideshow#36

No, I still dont think that Stoner is all that he is cracked up to be. Without the bike he really isnt that good. As was prooved over the last 5 or so races. However yes he was unstoppable all weekend. Fair Play.

But who is? Or more specifically, how do you know who has the bike and who doesn't? If a rider wins, his bike is good, if a rider never wins his bike is bad. That's generally accepted. But - If a rider wins whilst 3 riders on near identical machinery, 2 of whom have previously won grand prix, repeatedly bring up the rear like they're in a lower class, then you have to assume the rider is the difference.

If MotoGP were F1, and 3 near identical cars were faffing around at the back, with grand prix winning drivers in 2, you would definitely question the quality of the package. Imagine the way the press would pour over the driver that was so incredibly "getting more from the car than is humanly possible" etc. I digress, but I've always found it ironic that racing drivers spend their entire early career striving to show how they are a cut above, with the sole goal of arriving in a class where that ability matters less than it will have ever done before in any of the one-make series' they may have participated in. Anyhoo.

It could be argued that Stoner never has the best bike. Melandri and co certainly don't shine a nice light on the Ducati. Average times for the 4 Ducatis will not look pretty compared with 4 Hondas or the 4 Yamahas.

He's fantastic in my opinion, and yes I know they say the bike is built for him and blah blah, but he's certainly in the top 4 riders of the moment, who must be very hard to split, and will definitely be at the sharp end come the end of the season.

Edit: Basically what El Pedro said

Originally Posted by sinbad

Lots of wisely words from Sinbad.


Edit: Basically what El Pedro said

I am indeed honoured good sir.

I am not a Stoner fan, BUT, he is learning from his master, and he learns quickly. To be fair the Ducati suits his style, and I dont think anyone else can ride it.

Donington certainly is not a Ducati circuit.