FIM GP: Riders with bad season (so far)

[Schummy]

We have talk here about who is doing a good job this yerar, but the other side of the coin brings some puzzling examples: riders who inexplicably are not doing *anything* worth of mention although they have speed/experience.

Here is my list:

125cc: "Where" is Azuma? He is a race winner, and he was a title contender. Sabbatani is another minor version. Although Derbi is currently a disaster, Alzamore is deeply sunk in the ranks.

250cc: I admit Porto is disappointing me. He seems to have talent, but somehow this year (in a semi work team) it is not working. Matsudo is not a big start but one would expect some results from time to time.

MotoGP: An obvious case is Ukawa, he has not done anything this season. He is a very good rider, but he seems to have bad luck this year (and another bad crash in Donington). Jacque is good but if he goes on not having good results, he risk ending being an "also-run". I could say the same about Checa, but he is awakening lately.

Another question is a difficult issue: who is not doing as rookie as well as required for a star. This is a possibly unfair thing for some riders, but thinking about future megastar (in MotoGP) I think we can wonder about it. Melandri: we know he is great, but... is he doing enough to be considered "a good season"? Same for Hayden (but we don't know if he is so great, although he is yet massively inexperienced). Bayliss... he is doing a good job but... taking in account his age, is he a future MotoGP contender?

I repeat again, I consider all these drivers in the last paragraph great drivers, I am just tring to wonder if we can foresee their future as possible MotoGO champion.

In short my favourite underperformers are: Azuma, Alzamora, Ukawa and, partially, Porto.

[f1manoz]

125s: Certainly Azuma, but his team-mate Kallio hasn't set the world on fire so far. Most of us were tipping him for wins this season As for Alzamora, I really don't think it's his fault. The Derbi is just pitiful, as are Gilera and Jorge Lorenzo.

250s: Porto can't really be blamed, the Honda just isn't up to the task, but also he hasn't been on the same pace as Rolfo. Matsudo struggling isn't much of a surprise.

MotoGP: Checa was a name I thought would have been penned in as having a bad season, same with Olivier Jacque and Alex Barros. Ukawa was there or there abouts earlier on in the season but in the past few races has begun to struggle.

[Blue]

Barros... I was so disappointed by him. He should have stayed with RCV. I thought he could beat rossi.

[x_dt]

125cc:
Alzamora has been a major disappointment - the Derbi is not good but Lorenzo has shown on occasion (1 top 6 finish, 1 front row start IIRC). You wouldn't have expected pre-season that after 8 races Alzamora would have not so much as scored a point as yet. Gabor Talmasci - given he's with the champion team one would have expected more from him.
Also whats happened to Mirko Giansanti? He looked strong in Suzuka.

MotoGP:
Carlos Checa - having not won on a Yamaha perhaps he needs a change of scenery.
Tohru Ukawa - in particular as he has a works bike.
Garry McCoy - yes the Kawasaki is bad but he's been shown up on more than one occasion by Pitt and Hofmann.

[429CJ]

Both Azuma and Kallio have had major handling problems with their bikes, maybe changing tyre supplier from Dunlop to Bridgestone was not a good desicion.

[ChrisUSA]

Hayden - the most over-hyped rookie in MotoGP
Ukawa - he was only great last year when he had by far the best bike.
Barros - a great rider but he is injured and the Yamaha is no RCV.
Bayliss - doing very well. so is the Desmo. give it time.
Edwards - Edwards is doing a terrific job with a bike that is not competitive.
McCoy - the bike is garbage for an average rider. For McCoy it is doubly worse because it in no way matches his style of riding. I like his attitude though - screw everyone, i'm having fun!

[Gerrit]

Chris, I very much doubt whether McCoy is having fun. The ZX-RR is a pile of scrap- most disappointing to all Kawasaki's fans but in line with what Kawasaki produced for WSB. With WCM using old ROC-Yamahas now, I strongly suspect McCoy would gladly switch back to WCM- and he would clobber the Kaws on one too.