Colin Edwards: Honda untouchable on acceleration

Colin Edwards reckons this year’s factory Honda RC212V machine’s unrivalled asset is its engine acceleration, aided by a new seamless shift gearbox.

Honda has won five out of the opening six races in 2011 with Australian Casey Stoner in superb form having dominated the last three races at Le Mans, Catalunya and Silverstone.

Speaking during a special teleconference with the Indianapolis circuit last week to mark his brilliant third place in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone earlier this month, the Texan said: “The biggest problem we have with the Honda is that initial touch of the throttle to shifting up through second, third and fourth gear. I can’t touch them. I can’t stay with them. It doesn’t matter if I’m behind (Marco) Simoncelli or Stoner or (Dani) Pedrosa, I can’t get anywhere close to them. It seems like they’re pulling bike lengths that you’re always trying to make up at the end of the straightaway on the brakes, and that becomes difficult after about two laps.

“The Ducati, on the other hand, I don’t really see a massive strength compared to our bike. Top speed, it seems like I can pass Valentino (Rossi) or Nicky (Hayden), if I want to, on a straight if I’m right behind them.”

Edwards also assessed the performance of Ducati’s GP11, with Rossi so far failing to make any major impact for the Bologna factory.

He’s been on the podium just once in Le Mans but had to rely on the controversial incident involving Simoncelli and Pedrosa to grab third and double World Superbike champion Edwards said: “Probably a weakness of the Ducati seems to be entry. Hard braking and getting the thing in comfortably seems to be one of their biggest issues. I know they’re playing around with different chassis or whatever now. But the Honda definitely looks like it has an advantage, I would say, 100 per cent.”

Edwards said too it was clear that the Ducati clearly hasn’t been able to completely cure its rear stability issues, which Rossi has frequently complained about during 2011.

Edwards added: “From the time of touching the throttle, the Ducati look at times that it can almost like hiccup. It has a little hiccup. I don’t know if it’s the engine or electronics. Everything will look smooth, and then the next thing you know, it will get a little huh-huh, like a little twitch. And guys got the feet off the footpegs, and that’s not very confidence-inspiring when it didn’t do that the lap before. But mainly it looks like entry for me. Whenever I’m behind those guys, it looks like entry is the biggest thing that they’re fighting confidence on.”