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549
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2/16/2015
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Edited Date/Time
4/23/2015 11:31pm
Just a civil discussion on a issue I am seeking to understand. KRT has been a premier Racing Team in the GP paddock for many years now, top 5 team in prestige, respect and work ethic without a doubt. I'm just confused on the gamble thrust upon them in their quest for a MX1 manufacturers Championship which has eluded them since their beginning. KRT separated from a potential champion when Paulin left and Frossard always was 2nd in line in the MX1 ranks of possibilities.There was a opportunity to bring a former AMA with no experience in the GP and fill out the team with a former World Champion who has has struggled in his recent forays into the GPs.The upcoming future hopeful Arnaud left to ride in the AMA and the Dylan could be a prime candidate to follow after his MX2 situation ends. What does KRT have as far as fielding a competent team next season with it's 2 MX1 riders gone and no one groomed or experienced in MX1 to step in? Can a team build a future with a new stable of riders coming in every year and a continuous process of "rebuilding"? Would a option of adding a 3rd rider who can step in during injury and is not only bonding with the team but also has the experience of being in the presence of 2 talents to glean knowledge from plus track time experience against the competitors he will be facing next season. Confusing.
I also think Paulin would love to get out of his contract with Honda right now...but can't of course.
They will struggle to find two good riders for sure, but I can still understand they took a chance on RV2 and I'm glad they did as a fan. Maybe Simpson could go there, or Frossard again. Bobryshev?
For the following years KRT has 2 very good riders coming up. Tixier and Ferrandis are not used to the 450cc bikes but it won't take long for them to adjust.
If you were the team manager .. who would you have picked for this season ? Wouldn't you jump at the chance to hire RV, even if that ment letting go of Paulin ? I would not hesitate. Paulin had his chance and he threw it away year after year. I would've taken the gamble and would've gone with RV, just like KRT has.
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Because KRT... sorry, Kawasaki and Monster.. got tired of waiting. They don't have time to wait for a future possibility to get fast enough to beat Cairoli. They want a world championship and they want it asap.
besides... let's say they snatch Tim Gajser away from Gariboldi Honda and groom him and coddle him. Maybe, just maybe, he is in 2 or 3 years time fast enough to beat Cairoli. People will say that Gajser won against Cairoli because Cairoli is getting to old, because Cairoli is over his top.
Monster wants to win the world championship now, while Cairoli is still in his prime. They want to defeat him as soon as possible. They don't want to wait. They decided to take the gamble. I would've done the same. I thought Cairoli still was the big favorit to win it, but (unlike you) i really thought Villo had a chance. I however thought he would be leading after round 3 and i thought Cairoli would start his hunt in Arco di Trento. When i saw that Villo was only 4th after round 3 i knew it was going to be difficult for him.
I have a lot of respect for RV. I have a lot of respect for what he is doing this year. But it looks like it is impossible to come over to Europe and win the world championship in your first year. If Villopoto can't, noone else in America can. Villo really should try again next year.
Besides... this season isn't over yet. There still are several rounds where i see Villopoto winning both moto's. He is allready a full GP behind so it will be difficult, but it ain't over untill the final blocked flag in Glen Helen.
Poaching another team's talent is another possibility, albeit a potentially expensive one. To be honest, with the Villopoto signing I'm unsure if Monster Energy is going to be patient during the development of a young rider. Although at this point, I don't think they have any choice. RV, in their eyes, was their only chance. After what occurred at Arco di Trento, the championship is no longer realistically obtainable.
With some further training and development, I do believe Tixier can do well for KRT and please Monster. Unfortunately, it depends on certain people in certain places patiently waiting and constantly biting their tongues.
Dylan like most of the fast up and coming kids from FRANCE has his eyes set on the AMA.
with the odd exception, Roczen being the main one, most of the riders that have come from good rides in europe to the US have been french,
As for the second ride a Kawasaki, Rattray got it because RV demanded for it. Generally, not a wild guess, as Rattray knew the scene from last year and his first stint in the GP's. On the other hand, it was obvious last year that Tyla was far off pace and that he wouldn't be able to pick it up again. Better was that Rattray would've been a kind of coach to RV, but you can't expect from a man to retire because his friend comes over to ride the series.
As for Tixier, I don't see him beat Cairoli on a regular base, certainly not for the title. Don't get me wrong, he's a very good rider, but I don't see that happen. Ferrandis leaves to the US after this season (if he keeps his words he said last year). Maybe Febvre when he leaves Yamaha, but I don't think Rinaldi wants to lose his ace in the hole.
He went 8 - 8 in Thailand, which is around where I predicted he would be regularly, but then he got ill and didn't train much before Argentina. And now of course he comes off worse in a first lap crash in the qualifier with Desalle. He'd posted the 13th fastest lap in timed qualifying and was in a group of seven riders (including Cairoli, RV & Febvre) who all posted 1.42's.
I can actually feel they overlooked a lot of good riders just to get RV's friend a ride, and there is a big chance they will pay a high price because of it. Maybe they should have hired a practise mechanic for RV that could have served as company as well. Like some friend of his from USA?
Better choices would have been Xavier Boog, Shaun Simpson, Steven Frossard.
I'm not superimpressed with Dylan Ferrandis on the 250f. Maybe he has huge potential on the bigger bikes but in that case I can't see it. Tixier has a better riding position and looks more in control. Ferrandis to me looks like he is struggling and about to crash all the time.
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I'm sure the change is huge and mentally tough but it must have been even worse for young riders from South Africa, New Zealand and Russia who came here pretty much all alone at a much younger age (15-16yo) and without any money.
True. I don't really see him as world champion material
would have taken the RV deal but without the tag along with Tyla
Well... i don't think that was on option. It was or RV with Tyla, or no RV at all.
What would you have picked ? RV with Tyla or another duo ? If you pick option 2, which duo ?
I would have done the same. I would've gone with RV and Tyla. Maybe a young 3rd rider as well, but god only knows how much they have to pay RV. Maybe there is no money left for a 3rd rider.
Steven Frossard is a wild horse with an edge for disaster, but his speed can't be denied.
All he needed was someone like Claudio De Carli to bring out the best of him, but unfortunally he never had any: Rinaldi was a very good manager back in his days, but today the team seem to have lost the plot, and Frossard was their biggest remorse, i'm afraid
I still think he'd be a good choice, not for the championship maybe, but for some regular podium battle, with someone really supporting him mental wise.
As for the future, if i had any money, i'd bet on Febvre
As for Febvre, that boy has future world champ written all over him IMO. The improvement he makes each year is unbelievable, 5 years ago he was riding supermoto, now he looks like a solid top 5 guy just 4 races into his debut 450 GP season. If he can keep up this level of improvement in the coming seasons there's a chance he could leapfrog Desalle, Paulin etc. to be the next guy after Cairoli. Although Herlings will of course be in the mix then
Some that are running under the radar at the moment but are signed
Golovkin, Russia
Herbreteau, France ( Tixier's replacement)
Graulus, Bel
Watson, GBR
Just some random thoughts: Zach returning , Smothering Anstie with cash & KRT kisses, Smooching Guillod and opening a Swiss bank account in his name. Make KRT take Russian lessons and promise Brylyakov anything.Get Conrad Mewes signed to a 100 year contract with all the bells and whistles.
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