Moto GP's Version Of The Tail Wagging The Dog
Two of the wost kept secrets were made official this weekend.
Doviziozo will replace Niky Hayden at HRC. HRS has been a divided team since Padrosa joined. That was obvious from early 2006 and has been illustrated time and again. From the race at Estoril where the little emporer almost ended Hayden's bid to be champion.

Toby Moody a Eurosport announcer wrote the following in his column:

Pedrosa's body language as he rose to his feet in the gravel trap was
disgraceful. Barely looking over to see if Nicky was injured, he just
flicked his hands in the direction of the incident as if brushing a
wasp away. Not an apology at all. It looked just so wrong that maybe
it was some malicious plan all along... I sincerely hope not.

To the latest instance of Dani demanding Bridgestone tires now or he would not finish the season.  Writes Dennis Noyes:

In an unprecedented display of unilateral brinksmanship, Alberto Puig, who, in addition to other duties in the employment of both Honda and Dorna, is Pedrosa’s manager, tried to organize a protest among Michelin riders, encouraging them to pull their machines from the race at the Grand Prix of the Czech Republic.

In 2005 the head of HRC, Suguru Kanazawa said:
"Dani Pedrosa is the only current rider that seems capable of beating Valentino Rossi."

Although it was denied by Honda (because it was the PC thin to do) the 2007 bike was designed for Padrosa. Honda claimed it was a compact bije designed for compact riders. 2006 champion Niky Hayden is 5ft 6in while Padrosa is 5ft 1in. Nicky's first reaction to sitting on the bike:
"I thought I was getting punked. I thought, is this a joke or something?"

Nicky really revealed hw bad things have become in the HRC camp when he commented that the only chage with Dani getting the Bridgestone tires was that now the dividing wall would be physical.
Honda bet the farm on Padrosa and stayed committed to that decision even at the expense of their reining world champion. I find it difficult to believe that a tem that openly states that it is the bike and not the rider (witness Rossi's departure) would allow a single manager/rider combination have such sway over their race organization.
Posted: 9/18/2008 8:59:02 AM
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