[troy safari carpente]

Originally Posted by Flood

1. The most important thing is that Zanol will get better. Fingers crossed, good thoughts and F5 slow claps heading his way.

+1000

2. Buying Coma or Despres is a no go, and I don't think HRC even really tried. They have career long commitments and deep personal connections with their handlers and mechanics. They won't leave big O at the end of their career to fix a new program that might take 3-4 years to produce a Dakar winner. They have a better chance of winning another title in '13 and/or '14 and then retire.

Kaching! Ironclad It would stupify me if Marc or Cyril left the Mattighoffen family... maybe for an OBSCENE amount of money... but even then... I wonder. Rallyraid isn't MotoGP/F1...

3. HRC has a strategic problem now. If you look at the Rally Maroc stage listings, Sam and Felipe were the fast guys who could build up pressure and render quick assistance when necessary. Pizzolito and JC were way back most of the time, bringing up the rear.

Helder is a semi-alien, but without great backup, he's back to where he was on his Yamaha.

Three for three from the f5's own inhouse powerhouse flood! Spot on... and part of the reason I wonder how HRC's thought processes are regarding (any possible) replacement... realistically for it to be any sort of contribution to the effort (more than just filling up the saddle space) it needs to be a rider capable of playing a viable "backstop" to Helder... not trundling along 40 minutes to an hour back down the field.

Originally Posted by rmhrc628

Economics always comes into it. Long term anyway. If I were HRC given how late it is in the game, I'd throw a bait to coma - see he if bites. LOTS to lose not much to gain. Give him $5m january money. Then come February HRC will have a dakar win or mondo experience.

You should stop burning that Motul engine oil in the incense burner at home rmhrc628... There is not a snowflakes chance in hell, that at this late stage, any rational thinking homo sapien would even consider the ludicrous notion of offering an already contracted, professional, long term, multiple rally and title winning rider ANY sort of financial sum (no matter how big it was) to lure them away from KTM to HRC with only weeks to the event starts. Coma has a CONTRACT ffs! What are you smoking?

Even if HRC did think about recruiting one of the Mattighoffen aliens... it's sure as hell not going to happen for 2013... and not at the 11th hour for the biggest race on the calender...

Or are you just pulling our leg...?

Btw does ANYONE actually know wtf happened to Sam and zanol ?

Troy I would still like to hear your answers though. :)

As far as the exact circumstances/details surrounding Sam and Zanols testing accidents in California... it has been made crystal clear (to those in the loop) THAT public announcement is for the HONDA HRC Rally management to make... what details they subsequently release, and when that will be... only they know.