I agree except that this is for a team which is looking for an immediate showing, not for the long term. The talking heads made a point that if a seat opened up today, CB may be the best ass to put in it, to keep the team, sponsors and Dorna all happy. Personally, I think (hope) that CB would surprise some people and get some decent results. I don't really see him on the podium.
Quattro was not doing so hot in Moto2 either, and here he is MotoGP Champion. Casey Stoner also didn't set the world on fire in the lower ranks, so Boobs may actually be the right rider
He came on so strong end of 2020 and then knee probs last year but since his bike cartwheeled over Rossi and Mav’s heads at RedBull Ring, he hasn’t been the same. Rossi wasn’t either imho.
Except that with very few exceptions, nobody seems to have a shelf life longer than 2 years or so. Give them 1 year to learn the ropes... 2nd year they better be on fire or they're out. Seems to be the new thinking in MotoGP. JL99 and MM93 set those standards. I think the factories are just looking for a couple years of sizzle. There have been so many guys just hanging on, mailing it in lately...
What I really meant, but failed to convey, is that I think teams have recognized that a lot of these guys start mailing the check in every weekend if they don't make an immediate impact. I wonder if the teams are starting to look at riders as 2-3 year projects, rather than long term investments. In that sense, I don't think Cam is too old.
And at least 2 of them probably shouldn’t had a ride to start with, the third one is debatable but writing was on the walk before the season started.
Feels like a bit of a stretch. If they want an immediate showing they probably wouldn't select a rookie, instead they'd hunt for a proven rider as almost every MotoGP rider contract expires this year. And if they went for a rookie, one has to assume that rookie would be an Italian to keep their Italian title sponsor (that demanded an Italian rider) happy.
Fabio and Stoner are anomalies. Take a look at the top 3-5 in the championship for the last decade. Beyond Stoner and Fabio, all of those guys produced in Moto2/250cc. Bagnaia, Miller, Zarco, Mir, Morbidelli, Rins, Dovizioso, Pol Espargaro, Vinales, Marc Marquez, Rossi, Pedrosa, Lorenzo, Iannone, Bautista; all of those guys had credible resumes when they got the MotoGP call.
Thats an interesting take considering 17 of the 19 non-rookie riders in the class today have been in MotoGP for more than two years. The only guys that haven't are Bastianini and Martin, and neither of them are getting kicked out of the class any time soon.
Every Moto2 champion: Elias - Spent years in GP before returning to Moto2; won the title and went to WSBK. Bradl - 5 years (full time) Marc Marquez - 10+ years Pol Espargaro - 9+ years Tito Rabat - 5 years Zarco - 6+ years Morbidelli - 5+ years Bagnaia - 4+ years Alex Marquez - 3+ years Bastianini - 2+ years Gardner - Rookie So only Toni Elias...