Rossi's contract is dictating everything

deez · 10-14-2003, 4:56 AM

stegen · 10-14-2003, 5:09 AM

damn, thats LONG!

Bigtoe · 10-14-2003, 7:45 AM

That was some awesome reading. I think there is a ton of sh*t that has to be sorted out. I will wait to hear about it when it is all final. GO HAYDEN!!

Heavy-Dee · 10-14-2003, 8:35 AM

Quote Kawasaki: In way over their green heads, they are inexperienced at prototype racing. Like Roberts, Garry McCoy, a winner even on inferior equipment with the Red Bull Yamaha team, can not cope with this. Andrew Pitt probably secretly misses the thrill of running at the front on his old GSX-R 600 in World Supersport. Alex Hofmann turned down a D’Antin Ducati ride for this? No, I believe he already had a binding contract to Kawasaki…a really binding contract. His story about not feeling up to the challenge and pressures of riding a potential winning machine surprises me. Kawasaki say they have an “unlimited budget,” but joke that they have spent “twice that.” It’s nice that they still have a sense of humor. A highly motivated Eric Bostrom might be what they need. McCoy and Pitt seem unlikely to stay.

Interesting. Personally, I would like to see Eric do one more year in AMA to prove that he can win/dominate on equal equipment.

Baketech · 10-14-2003, 9:03 AM

Good link...

Clipped from the Noyes article
Quote Honda bosses have revealed their team strategy for 2004. They will supply six factory bikes which will all begin with equal potential. Once the championship battle in 2004 takes shape, Honda will give the priority to whatever rider and team is running at the front.

This language (more, perhaps, than the repression of joy) angered Rossi, who believes that he, now a three times 500/MotoGP champion, should have automatic priority just as Mick Doohan did over his long reign and as Freddie Spencer and Wayne Gardner did in previous times (although Eddie Lawson managed to beat the works HRC team on a Kanemoto Honda in 1989).

I think this is the most telling issue in the whole Rossi/Honda riff. Its not about joy or number plates....but rather the notion that he will not have the better bike out of the gate.

If his success is due to his gift, and not the bike..... then why would he care? On the contrary, I think he would welcome the challenge, because he would be confident that he would be the one winning the factory support anyway.

firebladetoronto · 10-14-2003, 11:51 AM

********** NEWS FLASH **********

Rossi signed with Kawasaki....he wanted a real challenge!!!!

luvtolean · 10-14-2003, 12:05 PM

Like I said yesterday, Nicky and Barros...

Tank69 · 10-14-2003, 12:15 PM

Very interesting to say the least. Can't wait to see the 'shakedown' at the end of the year.

roadrunner954 · 10-14-2003, 12:27 PM

Free, free at last! of the tyranny of being forced to ride the fastest motorcycle in the world by Honda for a piddling 5 million bucks.

deez · 10-14-2003, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Baketech : If his success is due to his gift, and not the bike..... then why would he care? On the contrary, I think he would welcome the challenge, because he would be confident that he would be the one winning the factory support anyway.

Um, because he has won back, to back, to back, championships for them, and dominated doing so. He's earned the #1 bike hands down. I can understand this, and running the #46 plate. But the repression of joy and having to get up at 7am, um he's kind of being a bitch with that stuff. You are getting paid millions a year, I think you can get up early and chill out on the theatrics.

Baketech · 10-14-2003, 12:40 PM

I think that's all just youthful posturing...and the real issue is that he would not have immediate machine supremacy.....it would be a bit of a slap in the face from his perspective.

Having worked for Japanese engineering companies, I can attest to the 'repression of joy' thing....
I don't think they do it on purpose, it is a cultural gap imho....

asiliat · 10-14-2003, 12:41 PM

With drama like that, why would anyone watch Nascar??

Great read, fanx for the link.

fl-929 · 10-14-2003, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Baketech : I think that's all just youthful posturing...and the real issue is that he would not have immediate machine supremacy.....it would be a bit of a slap in the face from his perspective.

Exactly, he's put them on top year after year. In Rossi's eyes, he shouldn't have to earn the right to have the top bike (if they go to a six factory bike program with the points leader getting the latest parts).

He worked with Honda for years and the Japanese never seem to smile at anything so I don't think joy is much of an issue

dB · 10-14-2003, 12:59 PM

This part cracked me up...

Ducati is too small a factory to battle the likes of Honda. Even with Marlboro money they are very vulnerable to bike sales, but they are really a house of lunatics in spite of Federico Minoli’s suave marketing image and talk, and, like the nutcases and madmen before them, they race for the same reason that wolves howl at the moon. Since they don’t know what they are trying to do is impossible, they just might do it. The Vodafone link via Ferrari is a longshot, but Ducati still have a very remote chance of signing Rossi.

h8mondays · 10-14-2003, 1:09 PM

Next season is going to be interesting as all hell..

deez · 10-14-2003, 1:15 PM

fl-929 made a good point regarding the Japanese. They can be some of the most demanding and defensive people on the planet. And they have very short memories. CE won championships for them, and they barely lifted a finger to keep him. They'll pay Rossi what he wants but won't give into his other demands. They are very stubborn. Some of the smaller companies (Duck/Aprilia) and a few of the other Japanese factories wouldn't give 2 sh1ts about the other stuff if their bike was on the podium ever race and won the mfr's championship.

Purpdust · 10-14-2003, 6:55 PM

Pitt ona GSX-R 600 I only remember him on a ZX-6R, did he use to be on a Suzi?

ccwilli3 · 10-14-2003, 7:26 PM

Quote:

Purpdust : Pitt ona GSX-R 600 I only remember him on a ZX-6R, did he use to be on a Suzi?

thats what I was thinking...

Maybe dennis is confused??

CBRVFR · 10-15-2003, 12:52 AM

Quote:

ccwilli3 : Maybe dennis is confused??

Of course he's confused. You would be too with such a contradictory name.

NoYes.

stegen · 10-15-2003, 12:54 AM

Quote:

booth23 : You are getting paid millions a year, I think you can get up early and chill out on the theatrics.

true, but if you can get more and be happier, wouldnt you switch?

robert929 · 10-15-2003, 1:43 AM

I know I'm new, but Pitt did ride a zx-6. *Unless you count the recent merger/partnership between suzuki and kaw as a premonition 2yrs early he rode for kawasaki.