I'm happy to donate to ADV, but I'm a Rossi fan so i don't want to put the jinx on. I just have a hunch that he'll be so desperate to win on the Yami and prove that "it was the bike all along!" that he'll bin it. Damn... it's gonna be a LOOOONG winter!
I wouldn't say he'll be so anxious to win the first race but come the end of his Yamaha contract might be a different story, then you can put him on Suicide Watch
So, I was off by a factor of 2 on the R.C. 30 and the 45. The new one is still damn high. I don't see where the NR750 fits in here at all . Oval piston bragging rights, with no one else intrested. The Desmosedici, is the closest bike to compare to Honda's offering. And looks to be comparative bargain.
Lorenzo, Pedrosa, Rossi, Marquez all on very capable machinery, and with Crutchlow, Bradl and a few others likely to mix it in the sharp end at least a few times, this could actually turn out to be interesting. And I'll eat my hat, when Jorge & Pedro disappear into the distance after 5 laps at Qatar...
you might want to pick out your favorite BBQ sauce to liven up the taste of that hat. Hopefully its some good racing.
This is Rossi you are talking about. The guy who did not throw his helmet at the wall when Ducati couldn't give him a bike he wanted. He has proven time and time again, he has great emotional restraint, holding off a pass till the very end (Catalunya 09) He ain't a noob He aint gonna bin it. I predict a win within two or so races.
You obviously don't remember that race very well. <object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fcU17zRMBEA?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fcU17zRMBEA?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object> Rose colored shades are nice. I promise, when Jesus, ..errr..., I mean Vale wins again, he won't jump in a lake, he will walk on it. Just funnin'.
^ that wonderboy sure has a loooooot of pressure to perform, taking Casey´s vacated seat and all... dunno, but maybe it would have actually been better (for him) to have to spend a year in a satellite team first? Now the expectations are just through the roof, and if he doesn´t podium more or less straight away, I guess it´ll be some sort of failure in the press at least. If he´s smart, he won´t read that crap, though....
Marquez has never seemed anything other than serene. I don't believe he even understands what pressure is. Look at the way he blasted his way to the front of the race, not once, but twice this season. That takes a lot of things, but most of all, it takes calmness and focus, an ability not to get distracted by anything other than the task at hand. Marquez has that in spades.
Yes, I forgot to add, that he seems to handle pressure very well. The rides to victory from the back were truly remarkable (and he already did it on 125 class). His jump to MotoGP will be the most demanding of class switches, but he surely has a good bike & team around him.
Wouldn't it be a stunner if Marquez took the championship, or just seriously challenged the top 2 for it? (ok, maybe that was a bit much ) I bet he will win a race, maybe more than one, before the season's over...
I see him winning at least 2 races in 2013, and making life very uncomfortable for Lorenzo and Pedrosa in 2014.
Krop, Any thoughts/speculation concerning Val being back on a Yamaha and his ability to contend up front?
I think he'll be able to win a race or two, but I believe that having to race Stoner on a Honda has forced Lorenzo and Pedrosa to really improve their game. Lorenzo and Pedrosa have had two more years to mature and improve their focus, as witnessed by Pedrosa's standout season. They are now at their peak, and beating them regularly enough to be champion is a massive task. I see him getting 3 or 4 wins. But I also see him finishing behind Pedrosa and Lorenzo in the championship, and with Marquez snapping at his heels.