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Noshow

Why have Australians got such a big chip on their shoulder? And incidentally why is it that the worst ones have always lived longer in the UK than their "home" country and were descended from 10 quid tourists in the first place?

Exactly Hedgy.

Jeeez, after 35 years of watching the sport I thought you would've noticed the fickle nature of the conditions Jolly and realised the gamble tyre choice was either way. The soft front was the safe option. Cal said pre race he would gamble should conditions look iffy, and he did. It paid off, almost handsomely.

weskit

Much more recently than Biaggi and Gibernau. Throughout the 800 era in fact.

Mr Rossi's Sea-change

Nice link Bloodbubble

Pretty sure there has been some serious talking with Mr Rossi behinds the scenes and a realisation that perhaps the Italian supporters care more for Ducati than Mr Rossi. Or have the Audi/VW management had something to say about success above personality.

It must have been hard for Mr Rossi to give that interview and the responses to the questions (which I assume were submitted beforehand) were interesting & enlightening perhaps indicating a change in Mr Rossi's mindset:

"Nicky has been working in this direction since the tests" (note that it was Nicky & not Mr Rossi - the first humility shown by Mr Rossi!!) - "sometimes it's hard when I can't ride the bike as I like" (perhaps paraphrased as : "I thought I was God but I am not"???) - "This bike... ...I tried too hard to overhaul it" and "The results were good I started the race blind, using a new setup that's more 'Ducati Style'" (another way of saying "I need to ride it as a Ducati without preconceptions").

Though there is a way to go as he still asserts "You can't really improvise in the corners" ignoring the fact that that was the very thing that made Stoner supreme in riding the Ducati in comparison with Hayden et. al. in the past. Perhaps he should reflect that no one has succeeded with the Ducati by trying to ride it using the skills they have learned from 125/250 and the Japanese GP bikes.

The beauty and excitement of the Ducati is that it is unique, it is not a Honda or Yamaha. That is why people buy it and that is why it makes for exciting GP racing. Come on Mr Rossi, you have a special inate skill that transcends the also-rans and makes you special. All that is in the way of success is yourself.

It suprises me that people are amazed at Cal's performance these last two races. The pre-season testing showed him right up at the top. Obviously either the new capacity suits him or it is the natural progression after a year learning the skills of MotoGP. I would hope that it is the latter because if it is not he will soon just become an "Sometimes Alien" like Pedrosa.

The sadness is Ben Spies who should be there but is not. Against that only time will tell.

For me there are, at the moment, only two for the Championship (Lorenzo & Stoner) as it was last year but for Lorenzo's Finger. What I am looking forward to is the interlopers or those who aspire to Alien status, such as Cal, Spies, Dovizioso, Bautista and Bradl, who will make sure that Lorenzo & Stoner cannot rely on success. It would be nicer still if Mr Rossi was there as well so that he can retire next year with grace, success and fond memories instead of this year with the bitterness of failure.

DOES THAT GRASS LOOK GREENER ?

        I was thinking maybe I shouldn`t take the piss out of the yellow`s anymore,it`s not "big or clever",but then I thought                                  that gap was me thinking.  What would have happened when Stoner went to Honda,{ a bike that had never been close to winning a World Title in 800 guise },from a World Championship winning team at Ducati,and after riding it at Valencia finished dead last !    What would the yellow`s have said ?   Would they have said  Give him time to sort it out properly,he will soon be winning on it ?    Or would they have said something slightly less polite ?   Umm, now let`s switch that around a bit, VR find`s himself with nowhere left to go,{ his fault },and he find`s the Ducati to be seriously     lacking in most area`s   the yellow`s come out in force and tell the WORLD it`s all Stoner`s fault,he couldn`t set up a bleeding Lego wall. You just wait and see what happen`s when the Doctor and his team of surgeon`s get to work !      Well some little time later,{ are you taking the piss } ?  It don`t feckin work !!!!!   Guess who`s fault it is? No it`s not Stoner`s   It`s bloody Ducati`s effin fault  WOW ,who would of thunk it ?   Double Standard`s or What ?