Topic: Ducati Happy with Hayden!

[Rocking-M]

fastest in the rain on the second day of testing, seems the boy aint skeered neither. 


http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/71810

[bwaller]

Thanks for that Rocking-M, I've been waiting to hear anything.

[xtalon]

Nice find Rocking-M.  Thanks!

I had read that Hayden returned to the garage on Tuesday and both sides of the garage were applauding.

I hope he rams it down Honda's throat next year!

--xTalon

[ieism]

I'm pretty a much a Rossi fan, like the rest of the world but....
I like what Hayden's been doing so far, he's a cool dude.
I can't figure out why Repsol/Honda are such a fan of Pedrosa either. It will be interesting to see if Andrea Dovizioso will be faster then Dani next year.
I bet he is.
For Hayden to beat Stoner would be almost impossible, but i'm convident he will do much much better than Melandri.

The new Ducati looks really great. A next step in chassis design. 2 years from now everybody will have carbon fiber frames.

[xtalon]

I'm pretty a much a Rossi fan, like the rest of the world but....
I like what Hayden's been doing so far, he's a cool dude.
I can't figure out why Repsol/Honda are such a fan of Pedrosa either. It will be interesting to see if Andrea Dovizioso will be faster then Dani next year.
I bet he is.
For Hayden to beat Stoner would be almost impossible, but i'm convident he will do much much better than Melandri.

The new Ducati looks really great. A next step in chassis design. 2 years from now everybody will have carbon fiber frames.

Well, Honda thought they had the next Rossi w/ Pedrosa, since they were stupid enough to let Rossi slip away.  Honda make great bikes, but they are way too arrogant for their own good.  Honda's racing philosophy is that it is more bike than rider... and maybe that is the case 98% of the time, but maybe not during the career of the GOAT Rossi.

I hope Dovi kicks Pe-doh-sa's ass next year, but the biggest thing he will have against him, which was the same thing Hayden had against him and that is REPSOL honda.  When Pe-Doh-sa can look at everyone else's telemetry and no one can look at his, that is a big problem.

Think Hayden will have that problem next year at Ducati?  Take a look at this picture and decide for yourself...   Must be nice have an actual human for a teammate again.

http://www.roadracerx.com/slideshows/2008_1027_Hayden/Slide.html?photo=5

Ieism, I have to disagree w/ you on the carbon fiber frames trickling down to production bikes.  The costs will keep that from happening in the near term, but long term as technologies advance and become easier and cheaper to produce, there is always a chance.  They probably said the same thing about aluminium frames back in the 70's.   

--xTalon

[DollarBill]

I really hope that Nicky does well.  There is a nice slide show of Nicky's test day at Valencia here: http://nickyhayden.com/index.cfm/p/photos_valencia_test_oct_08

That bike looks killer in stars and stripes.

[tsflstb]

I think the "frame" on that Ducati is really just a couple of plates to hold the steering head and swingarm to the engine.  There's not much material there, but maybe they'll get the right amout of flex out of carbon fiber.

Nicky looks happy, and I'm sure he's taking small steps learning a new bike, electronics, tires, team and crew.  I think he already went as fast as Melandri did at Valencia.

HRC is in shambles.  It was clear when Pedrosa whined and got his Bridgestones in the middle of a racing season.  It seems to be every man for himself over there with Puig in the mix.  I'm not sure why he has so much stroke with Honda, but it's pretty unhealthy.  He's like Pedrosa's overbearing father at a little league game.

[xtalon]

Puig.....  I'm not sure why he has so much stroke with Honda, but it's pretty unhealthy.  He's like Pedrosa's overbearing father at a little league game.

I'm not sure where, but I thought I read somewhere that Puig also has an office/position at Repsol, so I think the 'stoke' as you call it, is more a combination of Puig and Repsol.  I think Puig steers Repsol as well as Pedrosa, so that is a lot of influence for one man.  I hate to even use the term man when referring to Puig.   

I think next year should be a make or break year for Pedrosa.  Meaning I think he needs to win the World Championship or be gone, but with (Spanish) Repsol as your main sponsor, I doubt that will happen.... unless of course, they go after Lorenzo.  Another Spaniard with a lot of talent, but with 10x the class!   

--xTalon