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Exactly this. I understand the worry and maybe a bit of panic but in no way have they even looked at the actual panic button. Like you say, anyone who has actually watched Prado ride, knows he's NOT comfortable at the moment. Kawi signed him for multiple years. I'm sure they will allow A 2X MXGP champ some time to adjust.
Yeah, I'm sounding like a broken record, but I was at Red Bud when he gave Tomac the business on a 250. Being down on power wasn't an issue then, nevermind he was 17. I just want to see him get a start and run up front and its going to break this mental block he has going. He's too damn good to have just lost his skills at 24yrs old
Prado’s closest MXGP competitors are also familiar with the tracks, also have lots of track time and also have works bikes tailored them them specifically.
You do come out with some shit.
Next..
To be fair Hunter, also on a 250, beat both Prado and Tomac in one of those motos.
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I don’t remember Hunter struggling much of the start of the outdoors last year? He was 2nd most rounds and won a moto at thunder valley (3rd round).
He switched bike to the new, midd season. Reason he dropped back according to himself.
Hunter was incredible that day! Those were the two riders I was most impressed with that day, Prado and Huntah. You sure Hunter beat Prado in a moto?
In Race 2:
Come out with some shit? I was more or less defending the guy when I started posting about him lol. He seems like he might be similar to Justin Cooper in that he needs to start up front to get a result. How many times in MXGP did he get a lousy start and ride up through the pack especially when the field was full of the best guys? I believe that he will get his act together eventually but at the moment can you even in your wildest dreams picture him racing with let alone beating Jett or Eli. I'm having a hard time with that right about now
USA looked pretty darned good on Saturday and then we fell to pieces on Sunday that weekend. Thank god we got a mulligan and got it right the second time around!
Most people know about Prado`s capabilities, we only need to turn back time to last autumn, where he beat many of the top riders. The biggest change from then is the bike... From steel to alloy frame which he`s never ridden. I think it`s mostly about settings. Could also be his shoulder but he said it was ok in an interview earlier.
Other riders from MXGP get the same result in the US as in Europe or better. But they haven`t changed the bike/brand. I`m not pushing the button yet, but it`s strange to see Prado close to Paturel and Guillod on the result lists.
Great starter, great rider, and, although still young, as well as a four time world champion, he is no better than the ninth/tenth fastest guy in the sport.
In no particular order, unless someone insists, we have: The Bullet, Gajser, Renaux, Coenen, Febvre, Jett, Chase, Eli and Kenny
He has between now and Budds Creek to get on the podium IMO. Sooner is better, but he wouldn't want to go into 2026 without showing championship form. If he didn't, it would be a helluva expectations burden to carry until next season starts.
Interesting that the experts seem to be split. On the AC and JB podcast they seemed to put the entire blame on Prado. AC said the team is essentially perfect and will do whatever you want.
JT and BT (Townley) seemed to put a majority of the blame on Kawasaki. I will say they had more relevant anecdotes to support their position. JT has seen Prado more than anyone in the US. I'd take his position the most serious.
when the camera was following him last week it honestly looked like a mid 20's privateer riding around, not a factory multi-time champ.
something is clearly wrong, it's not like dude forgot how to ride fast.
There are riders you can pick out by their style, no matter what they are wearimg and what they are riding, Prado is one of those guys, he looks like a pig on stilts on the Kawasaki/
Only guy who looks worse on the Kawasaki was Seewer.
Nobody has got on the green bike and gone better on it, either side of the Atlantic, in the last 5 years, maybe even longer.
There is something more then just problem with bike,that's all is looking strange,because some year ago lot riders from mxgp came to us for some raunds like Clement Dessele who rodeo almost stock bike,far from prototype in europe,and did pretty good without any extra risk,same for Cairoly,veteran who did better then Prado...it all for me is looking strange...I understand bike problem,but not like bike is that bad
Reminiscent of Thomas Covington. SX killed his confidence, never was able to get it back, including outdoors.
Pit Row
Covington's downfall is depressing looking back on it. Poor guy. Especially since he had a stellar amateur career.
I would also say that JT and BT are probably less biased in their opinion as well having no ties to the team or Kawasaki. AC was on Kawi his whole life and only just left the team, so whilst he does have experience of working with them, I don’t think he’d say anything bad about them publicly
Saturday was arguably worse than Sunday. Tomac was 10th fastest in practice and then DNF’d the qualifying race and Plessinger was 10th in the MX2 qualifying race. Just a terrible weekend all around
To be fair, when he had two working arms, AC never had a problem with either starts or speed on the Kawi 450. It's a shame the way his health took a turn when he got on the 450, he would have been a serious challenger for titles indoors and out. Granted, it's been a few years and maybe the competition has taken a step forward (Honda on their starts for instance).
Seewer finished 4th in points on the Kawi for the ‘24 championship. He’s currently 10th in the points on the Ducati. Febvre’s looked great on the new bike. Down in points last year due to missing a couple races due to an injury but great starts and fighting for wins otherwise.
As someone has said, AC is biased. Bro has been on Kawasaki literally since he started walking.
Let's be honest, Kawi overpaid him for the results he was getting on the 450. I love AC and am happy for him, but that's just facts. I haven't heard him say one bad thing about the team/bike..
He did , 240 Points adrift of Herlings in 3rd, and he would have been 5th had Febvre not missed rounds. If he had been within 40 points of 3rd, i'd have said that was OK , but he was bloody awful all year and looked it.
He hated the bike, and they couldnt fix it. Not sure if he was allowed to use the same suspension as Febvre (Evans and Watson were not) .
And Febvre has been nowhere near as good on the Kawasaki as he has was on the Yamaha.
Since 2020, Febvre himself said everytime he's been asked for (not on press releases) that the KXF suits him a lot better than the YZF.
He did hate the bike, but it was how it turned that he didn’t like. He looked better on it than he does on the Ducati IMO and there is no argument to be made that Febvre isn’t incredibly fast on the bike.
So are Jett and tomac
I dunno, Watson and Evans looked pretty uncomfortable. Wait a minute...I see a trend 😆
I disagree on that statement about Febvre on a Kawi, Febvre never captured magic on his Yamaha again after hitting his head in 2016 on a Yamaha. You had less then 1.5 years of peak Febvre on a Yamaha.
The Kawasaki resurrected his career, and he’s arguably never looked better. Anderson in 2022 as well was arguably the best version of his career in SX and was by far the best version of himself in MX. Guys have made the kawi work.
Seewer did look like shit on a Kawi, but has looked worse on the Duc this year though.
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