It's almost funny how having a spectacularly gifted rider in the team can sometimes create more problems than it solves. It looks like the presence of Casey Stoner in the Ducati stables is generating certain dilemmas and makes the imagination run wild.
Now, it was only natural that a rider as talented as Stoner would start obtaining great results despite having spent almost an entire year off a MotoGP bike. Likewise, having the Aussie on a completely new motorcycle than what he was used to, with a different electronic package and tires, did not seem like an impediment to him.
Stoner showed Ducati how it's done at Sepang, despite being a newcomer on a bike that was new to him. If anything, Stoner simply demonstrated that his riding style was more of an innate talent than the result of prolonged, strenuous training.
He somehow left the impression that he could do the same thing on any bike, but it's the mojo of the Stoner-Ducati combination that made things look in a certain way. Basically, Stoner showed the grid that when ridden correspondingly, even the 2015 Desmosedici can be a force to be reckoned with and even in a battle with Yamaha and Honda.
While we're, of course, deep in supposition land, we can believe that Dovizioso and Iannone were not exactly thrilled to see Ducati's new test rider smoking everyone on the track, even for one of the three days of the IRTA test.
On the one hand, Ducati has all the reasons to be happy seeing that their bikes can be in the lead. This is yet another confirmation that the direction set by Gigi Dall'Igna when he redesigned the Desmosedici is the right one and has even better perspectives.
Even more, watching Stoner being so fast aboard Bologna machinery is an indication that the bikes may need better riders, and that the current duo might not be up to the task. The task being, of course, being able to ride the GP machines to their full potential.
The same fellow adds that his supposition seems to be confirmed, at least to a degree, by Ducati's decision to not have Stoner riding in the final IRTA test in Qatar, but a few days later. A move designed to avoid impacting the morale of the two factory riders? Maybe, but only Dall'Igna knows for sure...
Now, each team and each rider are only making vague statements, each of them stating how much they enjoy being together and looking forward to working again in the future. This is all they can do, because this is how things roll...until they start rolling in a different way.
It doesn't take a PR specialist to understand that these declarations cannot be taken for granted fully. Each of the teams' bosses has to deliver results to the factory, and these results are obtained pairing competitive machines with competitive riders, hoping that the two will get along well.
We've seen seemingly inexplicable moves on the grid, with Rossi joining Ducati being probably one of the first that comes to mind. One of the latest rumors generated by Casey Stoner's latest appearances is that Ducati is contemplating having Lorenzo aboard a Desmosedici in 2017. Or Pedrosa.
Again, such rumors surface regardless of how many times the Spaniard said that his dream was to be able to reach the end of his career in Iwata's livery. Apparently, Yamaha was not too happy to see Lorenzo turning against Rossi at the end of the previous season; if anything, a public display of lacking sportsmanship, leaving the podium and all, does not look well for anyone involved.
Yamaha team principal Lin Jarvis has repeatedly said that his primary focus is on racing and the competitiveness of Movistar Yamaha as a whole. He also skillfully avoided anything that would offer any hint as to how Yamaha top brass felt about the way the 2015 season ended.
This, apparently, leaves a lot of room for speculation, and even if the new season has not even begun, we're positive that the teams are already estimating their options and chances.
As we said earlier, Ducati may feel that they need a better man aboard the Desmosedici, and there is nothing in the world to stop them from dreaming and trying their best to have one of the aliens in the team.
With MM93 and VR46, things are as good as set, as it's almost impossible to conceive Marquez leaving Honda or Rossi ditching Yamaha, especially after he was so close to winning the 2015 title. Pedrosa and Lorenzo are different cases, though.
Despite having spent an enormous amount of time with Honda, Pedrosa is still missing a MotoGP world title, and time is running out for him. A very competitive Ducati could look like a good bet, especially since the gloomy, fruitless days seem to be a thing of the past. After a life devoted to Honda, Pedrosa could stand a chance and become more successful aboard a Borgo Panigale bike.
On the other hand, Lorenzo might find the Desmosedici as a suitable weapon to prove his superiority over the rest of the grid. Why would he choose to switch teams, some might ask. Well, aside the constantly improving bike, Lorenzo would no longer have to pretend everything is okay, being freed from his "obligations as a teammate" for Rossi.
It may sound like a small thing to you, but for two guys who can't really stand each other, not having to pretend means a lot.
Now, Stoner just might play a key role in bringing an alien over at Ducati, and that is if he still refuses to become a factory pilot himself. Which, if you ask us, is not 100% impossible, irrespective of how much he says he's not interested.
Back to the aliens, Ducati's bike could be so much more alluring if Stoner keeps riding it and obtains better results, showing that the current Desmosedici is nothing like the machine riders struggled with until a couple of years ago.
We'll just have to wait and see how much of these suppositions turn out to be true. And in the meantime, it looks like Vinales might also have some "alien genes" in his DNA, too...
Stoner showed Ducati how it's done at Sepang, despite being a newcomer on a bike that was new to him. If anything, Stoner simply demonstrated that his riding style was more of an innate talent than the result of prolonged, strenuous training.
He somehow left the impression that he could do the same thing on any bike, but it's the mojo of the Stoner-Ducati combination that made things look in a certain way. Basically, Stoner showed the grid that when ridden correspondingly, even the 2015 Desmosedici can be a force to be reckoned with and even in a battle with Yamaha and Honda.
Embarrassing the other riders?
Gregory Hellinx of gp-inside.com was not afraid to say that Stoner is embarrassing the factory riders with his first results as a test rider. Again, we're talking about a guy who has not thrown a leg over a MotoGP bike for around one year, and when he did, he proved that it can be fast as hell.While we're, of course, deep in supposition land, we can believe that Dovizioso and Iannone were not exactly thrilled to see Ducati's new test rider smoking everyone on the track, even for one of the three days of the IRTA test.
On the one hand, Ducati has all the reasons to be happy seeing that their bikes can be in the lead. This is yet another confirmation that the direction set by Gigi Dall'Igna when he redesigned the Desmosedici is the right one and has even better perspectives.
Even more, watching Stoner being so fast aboard Bologna machinery is an indication that the bikes may need better riders, and that the current duo might not be up to the task. The task being, of course, being able to ride the GP machines to their full potential.
The same fellow adds that his supposition seems to be confirmed, at least to a degree, by Ducati's decision to not have Stoner riding in the final IRTA test in Qatar, but a few days later. A move designed to avoid impacting the morale of the two factory riders? Maybe, but only Dall'Igna knows for sure...
Is Ducati trying their hand at luring an alien to the team?
Things are murky ahead of a season that looks like one of the most intriguing we've had for decades, and this only causes the rumor mill to run faster. At the end of 2016, the contracts of many MotoGP riders will expire, and this includes those of the "aliens."Now, each team and each rider are only making vague statements, each of them stating how much they enjoy being together and looking forward to working again in the future. This is all they can do, because this is how things roll...until they start rolling in a different way.
It doesn't take a PR specialist to understand that these declarations cannot be taken for granted fully. Each of the teams' bosses has to deliver results to the factory, and these results are obtained pairing competitive machines with competitive riders, hoping that the two will get along well.
We've seen seemingly inexplicable moves on the grid, with Rossi joining Ducati being probably one of the first that comes to mind. One of the latest rumors generated by Casey Stoner's latest appearances is that Ducati is contemplating having Lorenzo aboard a Desmosedici in 2017. Or Pedrosa.
Again, such rumors surface regardless of how many times the Spaniard said that his dream was to be able to reach the end of his career in Iwata's livery. Apparently, Yamaha was not too happy to see Lorenzo turning against Rossi at the end of the previous season; if anything, a public display of lacking sportsmanship, leaving the podium and all, does not look well for anyone involved.
Yamaha team principal Lin Jarvis has repeatedly said that his primary focus is on racing and the competitiveness of Movistar Yamaha as a whole. He also skillfully avoided anything that would offer any hint as to how Yamaha top brass felt about the way the 2015 season ended.
This, apparently, leaves a lot of room for speculation, and even if the new season has not even begun, we're positive that the teams are already estimating their options and chances.
As we said earlier, Ducati may feel that they need a better man aboard the Desmosedici, and there is nothing in the world to stop them from dreaming and trying their best to have one of the aliens in the team.
With MM93 and VR46, things are as good as set, as it's almost impossible to conceive Marquez leaving Honda or Rossi ditching Yamaha, especially after he was so close to winning the 2015 title. Pedrosa and Lorenzo are different cases, though.
Despite having spent an enormous amount of time with Honda, Pedrosa is still missing a MotoGP world title, and time is running out for him. A very competitive Ducati could look like a good bet, especially since the gloomy, fruitless days seem to be a thing of the past. After a life devoted to Honda, Pedrosa could stand a chance and become more successful aboard a Borgo Panigale bike.
On the other hand, Lorenzo might find the Desmosedici as a suitable weapon to prove his superiority over the rest of the grid. Why would he choose to switch teams, some might ask. Well, aside the constantly improving bike, Lorenzo would no longer have to pretend everything is okay, being freed from his "obligations as a teammate" for Rossi.
It may sound like a small thing to you, but for two guys who can't really stand each other, not having to pretend means a lot.
Now, Stoner just might play a key role in bringing an alien over at Ducati, and that is if he still refuses to become a factory pilot himself. Which, if you ask us, is not 100% impossible, irrespective of how much he says he's not interested.
Back to the aliens, Ducati's bike could be so much more alluring if Stoner keeps riding it and obtains better results, showing that the current Desmosedici is nothing like the machine riders struggled with until a couple of years ago.
We'll just have to wait and see how much of these suppositions turn out to be true. And in the meantime, it looks like Vinales might also have some "alien genes" in his DNA, too...
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