As an ex-racer who knows Nicky and was lucky enough to mix it up with him back in the dirt track days, I have always cheered for him and I wish him the best. Having said that, Gardner makes a good point. But it is not exactly that simple.
The best rider is the best development rider. Clearly this is Rossi. He left Honda and the team has floundered because he was no longer there to give the feedback to develop the engine and chassis that put them at the top. Now that he is at Yamaha and the M1 has been built from scratch with his feedback, it is now the gold standard and Lorenzo looks like a golden boy. Wait until Rossi is gone a while and the old data is no longer enough. Lorenzo won't look so golden.
Stoner looked brilliant in 08 on the Ducati, but people seem to have forgotten he was the only front runner on Bridgestones that year. Stoner gets credit (rightfully so) but Bridgestone won that championship. Now that everyone else has them, he doesn't look so special.
Nicky is a great rider and very hard working and very consistent. He has repeatedly allowed himself to be put in a team dynamic position where he is perceived as the number 2 rider. In this situation the bike is not built for you, but for your team mate. This limits what changes can be made to the bike to adjustments, etc. that the team can make at the track, versus what the factory can do at the design level. His team mates riding styles have been different enough to give him fits developing the set up that works for him and he doesn't ride beyond what the bike will comfortably do. This puts him where he now is in the current hierarchy.
His last success (honda) came on a bike that was principally developed by Rossi, which probably indicates they have similar styles. That Rossi will be his team mate again in 2011 is most likely very good news for Nicky's future. If Nicky has a 2+ year deal and rides with Rossi on the 990s in 2012-13, they could both do very well. That is a long way off and time will tell but I'm still rooting for Nicky! If not Nicky, then go Spies! May he be the first to beat Lorenzo on the same bike...
Lastly, Gardner has little room to talk as his championship tally is exactly the same as Nicky's. Many more race wins and on fussy 2 strokes to boot, but still bad form to criticize a current rider from your retirement armchair.
Posted: 16/08/2010 at 02:57
