At the end of last season Ducati pulled off an astonishing coup. They brought Superbike rider Troy Bayliss into MotoGP for the last race of the year, and he won. In the off season, they were equally bold and signed the exciting young Australian Casey "crash and burn" Stoner into their team. His first season in grown-up MotoGP had been pretty mixed. One podium, some promising rides, but a lot, a real lot of throwing it off the track crashes. Honda were maybe not able to bring out his best. We are only 3 races into the new season, and already "Advance Australia Fair" has rung out, with Casey on the top step of the podium. Twice.
Something is working very well indeed for Ducati. Their "old boy" Loris Capirossi, rode a fabulous race today to take the third step on the podium. The adjective "dominant" is being used about Ducati's performance. OK, it's very early in the season to start making predictions about the whole year and the championship, but when a small, independent manufacturer can pull out the stops in this way and produce the goods for Stoner and Capirossi to win and take 3rd, and to have resources enough to supply a completely privateer outfit, d'Antin, with the equipment to get Alex Barros, yes, THAT Barros, up to a fourth place finish, you have to admit there's a bit of a wow factor.
Honda have more bikes in the field than anyone else. Yamaha have become used to being top dogs by dint of having the bike meister, Rossi, and the tactics and technical guru, Burgess, at their disposal and yet this weekend, both these big big guns were embarrassed by the comparative minnows, Ducati.
Could it be, perhaps, that by being top dogs in racing for such a long time now, Honda and Yamaha have lost the plot a wee bit? Ducati have very obviously kept their eye sternly on the reason for going racing on a Sunday. Win, and we sell bikes next week.
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8 comments:
Ah, buying Grand Prix bikes for no good reason.
I once came within a whisper of buying an Aprilla 250. Basically it was a de-tuned Grand Prix bike that had been tweaked enough to meet road standards.
Biaggi had just won his (fifth?) world title on one and it was just so pretty.
Fortunately for my health I didn't have a bike licence and after looking into how hard it was to get one the mood had passed.
No author is shown in the title. I assume it was by Lev or another of our compatriots. Who wrote this piece?
Sorry about that - my bad.
It was mimi wot wrote it
Well good work mimi. So many Aussie references that I thought it must be made in Australia. We'll have to give you honorary citizenship soon Mim. You even know the title of our national dirge and I think that's enough to qualify as one of the Southern mob.
Your certificate is in the mail. I'll try and get it to you before Saturday so you too can have that World Championship glow. The glow causes a mischievious Ponting-like grin but in the right light it can be quite attractive.
Nest: I'd be thrilled and will frame certificate and hang where all can see! Then I can describe myself as Welsh-born, raised England, lives Scotland and an honorary Australian. That'll confuse the natives.
Oh, and Mimitig and Mimitag are the same - just depends on ebren's typing!
Sorry - I'll sort it.
Ebren: thanks, but don't worry! I think all will know if some other mimi comes along to spoil my party, so tag, tig, que sera sera. I'm more worried over where to hang my framed "Honorary Australian" certificate!
mimi.i should post here my comments about Bianchi, the brand was made famous because Fausto Coppi
the campionissimo was riding Bianchi's bike.
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