MotoGP 2012

[Bender]

You forget the history of Simoncelli's riding that year. Fell off while leading at Jerez, fell off on lap one at Estoril .... journalists were writing pieces about their concerns for his lack of restraint and his need to learn how to finish races. Not the screaming Spanish tabloids but the more reasoned media.

Collided with Pedrosa at Le Mans, with the accident breaking Pedrosa's collarbone. He later reflected on his riding style. He was asked to meet with race direction before his next race at Catalonia, regarding his riding style which was causing concerns among a number of riders and officials.

So what I am saying, nay, reporting, is that there were concerns about Simoncelli's riding style and judgement before his accident - this from David Emmett's Motomatters website: it is his riding which has endeared him to the fans. The boy is fast, utterly fearless and willing to fight for every inch of the track. Simoncelli stands aside for no man, which means that at any time, at any track, he can pull the most astonishing moves to try and either defend his position or snatch a place from out of the blue. The fans love it.

The riders, not so much. That impetuousness, seizing the first hint of a gap as soon as it opens, and opening it by force if necessary, has not made him very popular with the remainder of the MotoGP field. Simoncelli, they say, is a wildcard, a rider who is so unpredictable that they don't feel comfortable racing in close proximity with him. The kind of fairing-bashing action that leaves tire marks all over leathers may make Simoncelli a favorite with the fans, but having to deal with it at 300 km/h while manhandling a MotoGP bike around is not an enjoyable experience.

If you want to read Emmett's summary of Simoncelli in 2011, read here, well worth a look.

Simoncelli's accident happened five months later. I don't think it's too long a bow to draw to say the events are interlinked.

[Crasherfromwayback]

. I don't think it's too long a bow to draw to say the events are interlinked.

Obviously the more often you crash the more likely you are to get hurt to a certain extent. BUT...Simo's fatal acc could've happened to anyone. Tomizawa anyone? Craig Jones?

[pritch]

lol. I'm thinking MM may be the next Stoner bike wise at least.

Or perhaps the next Biaggi?

Biaggi used to enjoy taking other riders' front wheels out, or inviting them to leave the track. The "fight" between him and Rossi is well known but I was unaware of an incident where Hayden had Biaggi bailed up against the side of a motorhome with his fist in Biaggi's face giving him the "come to Jesus" talk...

Biaggi had chopped Hayden's front wheel out - in practice.

It's not too hard to imagine MM in a similar predicament based on his performances this year.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Or perhaps the next Biaggi?

It's not too hard to imagine MM in a similar predicament based on his performances this year.

Nah. I think he's way better already. But yeah...wouldn't be at all surprised to see him eat a few knuckle sandwiches next year if he doesn't clean his act up a bit.

[pritch]

Rossi said the same thing about Simoncelli. Look how that turned out.

It wasn't Rossi, it was the Spanish riders who criticised Simoncelli. Basically it was the Spanish Vs the Italians.
Stoner didn't need to be involved but sided with the Spanish.

When Hector Barbera joined their cause the Spanish case lost most of whatever credibility it had.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Stoner didn't need to be involved but sided with the Spanish.

.

I don't recall Stoner ever being critical of Simo.

[Shaun]

Nah. I think he's way better already. But yeah...wouldn't be at all surprised to see him eat a few knuckle sandwiches next year if he doesn't clean his act up a bit.

CC would be only rider there that would bring it back to those basics I reckon if if

[Bender]

It wasn't Rossi, it was the Spanish riders who criticised Simoncelli. Basically it was the Spanish Vs the Italians.
Stoner didn't need to be involved but sided with the Spanish.

When Hector Barbera joined their cause the Spanish case lost most of whatever credibility it had.

I've got a DVD interview where Rossi comments that Simoncelli's riding is "crazy" (rolling his eyes). He was also called in for a please explain by Honda, who were less than impressed that he took out Pedrosa and ruined whatever chance the Dwarf had of a championship win that year. Race organisers too. That's not a Spanish conspiracy, that's genuine concern - as much for Marco himself as anything. Nobody wanted that to happen.

Look, I bloody hate it when people get hurt. Makes me feel sick when riders get badly hurt or killed. In all other respects its a great sport - it sure pushes my buttons. I'd far rather Simoncelli was still there giving it stick because he was an exciting rider and a very likeable personality (unfortunately a rare commodity).

Its just that what happened had an awful air of inevitability about it through that 2011 season.

Lorenzo managed to get his shit together and look where he is now. It would have been fantastic to have MS there too.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Lorenzo managed to get his shit together and look where he is now. It would have been fantastic to have MS there too.

And the simple fact is Lorenzo could've easily ended up like Simo, as could've Stoner or any one of the young hungry youngsters that crashed a lot. But as fate would have it...

[puddytat]

I see a big difference in style between MM & Marco.....Marco seemed to "wing it & wish" often when trying it on,whereas MM seems to be almost millimeter exact. Yep i know he's fucked it up once or twice,but like with the last race his reactions were amazing & the slightest of gaps was enough for him to react & slip through.
Dunno what all yuor problems are with MM....is it the lack of hair? At the press interviews he's always smiling & polite with no hint of arrogance like that Biaggi tosser. His fellow racers seem to think he's O.K & he seems to have learnt from his mistakes.
I predict he'll finsh in front of Rossi in the first race of 2013. Rossi is fair enoughly playing mind games already , but is that becuse that he might be afraid that MM will steal his thunder?

[roogazza]

Audi money finally making changes ?

http://www.motomatters.com/news/2012...ier_ciaba.html

[Mental Trousers]

Audi money finally making changes ?

http://www.motomatters.com/news/2012...ier_ciaba.html

Excellent changes. Good to see Audi recognize that racing motorbikes is completely different to racing cars and have put people in charge that have the necessary experience in bikes.

The downside is we've probably seen the creativeness and innovation that went into the monocoque chassis gone now. Roll out the transverse four twin beams with forks clones. However, the upside Ducati back fighting for the championship instead of filling the back of the prototypes field, outweighs the downside.

[denill]

Audi money finally making changes ?

http://www.motomatters.com/news/2012...ier_ciaba.html

That's good news Gaz. I was secretly worried that Audi may have decided to pull the pin on MotoGP. It must have been considered and Germans are not noted for their sentimentality.

[roogazza]

That's good news Gaz. I was secretly worried that Audi may have decided to pull the pin on MotoGP. It must have been considered and Germans are not noted for their sentimentality.

It is good news, I was hoping (being a one eyed Vale fan) that it would have been done two years ago ! lol.

On the other subject of MM being aggressive and MS the same. MS was one Rossis best mates. If anything was said (and we know things get twisted?) he was probably saying nothing worse than us saying Drew's handsome or Crasher is a maniac. Just throwaway lines.( could be true of course ? )

[Crasherfromwayback]

Crasher is a maniac. )

Why thank you!