Toseland a shining light
Thu Oct 29 11:39AM
I am increasingly impressed with the way James Toseland has been conducting himself in recent weeks. Right from the very first time I met him, when he was a spotty youth riding round on a tiny two-stroke at Cadwell Park, I was impressed. Young Toseland was very much the old head on young shoulders in the paddock, he knew where he wanted to end up and he knew how hard he had to work to get there.
The ultimate dream, if you could pick the one from the list that every young rider clearly has in their head when they get going on two wheels, was to be MotoGP world champion (I'd say 500 world champion because that was what the top flight class was then, but you get the point).
A fairly common wish. And for the last two years JT the man has been in with a shot at the dream of JT the youth. He was achingly close to doing what would have been the ultimate.
But for whatever reasons it didn't work out this time, that's not to say that it won't in the future though of course, whether it's down to bike, team or rider, or any combination of those elements can't be known outside of that Tech 3 set-up. And one thing's for sure, James hasn't added any fuel to the fire. He's stayed quiet and the uber professional we know he is.
The fact that Ben Spies was coming up from Superbikes may have had something to do with Yamaha's decisions to shift JT around, but still our man has kept his cool and knuckled down.
And during the two-day, post season WSB test at Portimao in Portugal, James went out there with everyone else to get some early time on the R1 vacated by the man Spies.
That in itself wasn't easy, James had flown back from the sodden Sepang race in Malaysia to take part in the test. He could have found himself a quiet corner somewhere and licked his wounds after the race but instead he jumped on a plane, copped a load of jet-lag and turned up to ride.
You know what it's like to be the new guy. All eyes were on James and he knew that they would be. He hasn't raced with a lot of the lads currently at the top of the WSB tree so there was no doubt a fair bit of interest in the returning double WSB champ and MotoGP top sixer.
James was on a bit of a lost cause at Portimao then, he had to try and get to grips on a bike that has now been branded ‘difficult' by 1987 500cc GP World Champion Wayne Gardner, he also had to try and learn the Portimao track and he had to do all of this whilst jet-lagged, in two days, on a new bike, with a new crew, on different tyres and with a host of other riders eager to take a chunk out of him early.
Yet still he kept his cool, said all the right things and set his sights on the challenges to come.
And it's that quality, that incredible ability JT has to focus, focus, focus that has made him a double world champion so far.
And it's that which will see him challenge for the crown again in 2010, giving him the chance to be the first person ever to win the WSB crown on three different makes of motorcycle.
Nice to have you back, fella.
Good to see something positive written about JT. I hope the return to WSB is a success and that one day he'll be back in MotoGP and given the chance to show doubters how wrong they were.
From sqda on Thu Oct 29 01:11PMI doubt he'll be back in MotoGP but he has a great chance of many more crowns in WSBK
From eddiegad on Thu Oct 29 01:35PMI don't think most people did doubt him,I for one certainly didn't.I just don't think it all gelled for him and at that level of racing the smallest of things make a big difference.Good luck to him and I'm sure if he gets another shot at Moto GP things could be very different.
From spchina on Thu Oct 29 01:43PMSome riders are suited toward Superbike. I believe that JT is one. Bayliss was, too. It's not that they can't ride the GP bikes. It's that they prefer the ability to move around on the bikes and Superbikes unlike GP bikes are easier to manipulate in that respect. JT should get Haga the same headaches that Spies did for the 2010 season. Best of luck to you JT.
From acemocycle on Thu Oct 29 02:05PMits a pity that carter has left it this late to say somthig good about jt, i think he has tried his best all the time he has been in moto gp, but for some unknown reason it just hasnt gelled for him, and dont anyone say its because he is not a good rider 2 world championships say different, and as i recall the first one he won for ducati tardozzi was disapointed that he had won and not his team mate so he can do it against the odds as i am sure he will when not if he goes back to moto gp
From david.gill63 on Thu Oct 29 02:52PMGood to see Toseland is getting on well with his practice on R1, His style riding is suited for WSB. Look forward to the good battles with haga next year. Shame there was a big upset in the tech 3 garage and perhaps should of stuck with his original crew cheif in the tech 3 team. Since he took colin's crew cheif, the garage got split and he was left with no help from colin, which he clearly needed. Well these things happen.... good luck to your return to WSB...
From martyn9258 on Thu Oct 29 03:22PMthe man is a credit to the sport, and a top top ambassador for a british sportsman, i wish him as do all his fan the very very best of luck i W.S.B and look foward to cheering him and the other brit on !!!!
From scaney on Thu Oct 29 06:20PMJT's a douce. Always some excuse, goin behind his teammates back, no results, guy backed into two WSBK championships. No excused for the Brit in the coming season, he'll be on a bike that just won half, yes half, of the races this past year, 11 poles, and pretty ring. Did I mention a cahmpionship. I bet Crutchlow kicks his @#$%. Ok, 2 championship is cool, but...
From bbradshaw909 on Fri Oct 30 02:24AMI think JT actually became a bit of whinger, always going to get on the podium and always miles away. I think he didn't realise that MotoGP is the big school and not every star at Junior School goes on to get all A's at the big school.
MFrom polywkas on Fri Oct 30 07:58AMThank god a few people haven't jumped on the 'let's praise Tose' bandwagon. Ok, he's done well in WSB in the past but his time in MotoGP has highlighted a few negative points, mainly that he is a whinger who when he can't get things his own way creates a bad air and tensions within the team and that he cannot properly setup or communicate with his technicians. Before anyone has a pop let me elaborate! For a start he has been handed the same machinery as the FIAT boys and Colin with the same tyres this year yet cannot get anywhere near (although Colin has consistently chalenged around the top 8 to 6 all year). Last year his best results suggested a possible move up the grid but he's gone backwards. He complained that he couldn't communicate effectively with his crew from 08 so whinged and got given Gary Reynders (Edwards crew chief), net result was him still going backwards, Colin not whinging and still scoring highly. Why? He cannot set up a bike properly. It's known that the 'Supers' are easier to manipulate compared to prototypes and that is why very few who have come thru the WSB/WSS system successfully graduate to GPs and why the majority of MotoGP runners (especially those at the front) are ex 125/250 boys. This year and last all he has done is complain and that doesn't sit well in the GP paddock and probably why he'll NEVER be back at that level. Young Brits should take note and work at all costs at going thru the GP system rather than take the easy money in 600/1000s, get big headed and think they are world beaters a la Tose & Byrne. Despite what he may have said in the past even Foggy would not have done it in GPs as according to the man himself, he rode around all his set up problems rather than cure them, a definite sign of a poor technical ability. This is why James could well go on to beat the 4 WSB record, he's still got comaparble youth on his side, easily the best bike and team for next year and they'll be able to do ALL the technical work for him whilst he plays his piano!!!!!
From garethmccarroll on Fri Oct 30 11:30AMi would say that motogp is more suited to the 250 riders coming through now especially with the 800.s.corner speed ect and already knowing the tracks.dont doubt that jt is a stand up guy but not able to cut it in motogp.
From douglas.farquharson on Fri Oct 30 02:50PMHere's to J.T. giving Ducati headaches!
From gsxr3572004 on Fri Oct 30 05:06PMComment 11, Its easy to criticise JT for what happened in the team and you make some good points. The reason that the best riders come up though the 125/250 ranks into MotoGP is because it is a logical progression of types of bikes, set up teams and so on. Moto GP and WSBK is like F1 and WRC, you can't say that one set of drivers/riders are better than the other, they just have different skill sets. Name any Moto GP rider thats really set WSBK alight, Biaggi had a go and has done worse than he did in Moto GP, Edwards is the closest to doing really well in both but has really done a mirroe of Biaggi. Moto Gp bikes are like F1 cars, very light, set up is a much finer line, you need to be smooth and accurate and lighter yourself. WSBK bikes are much heavier and more manuverable but you need to be able to handle the raw power of them, similar to F1 v WRC. Toseland is more suited to WSBK as he has been schooled in that way. I think Spies will show the same trates, he is to big and very heavy for Moto GP, I hope he proves me wrong but I doubt it!! Watch JT go next season in WSBK. Will you still knock him if he win his 3rd WSBK title on a 3rd different bike, never been done before even by my idle Foggy!! The only man that I can see with the exeptional talent to cross most boundries is The legend that is 'Valentino Rossi, he has proved that he could live in F1, WRC, Moto GP and I think he would win WSBK but why would he go there when he's chasing all time records in MotoGP.
From djh184 on Fri Oct 30 06:58PMThe racing results over a number of years prove that a top class WSBK rider can only be a second class MotoGP rider. Toseland was no exception - moreover, but did not even manage to better the achievement of Bayliss, Edwards etc and at least climb at the top of this second class - he wasted a good MotoGP bike for two years. Hopefully, Ben Spies will prove to be the exception to this rule. It would be unfair to keep Spies in the WSBK series just to give Toseland another opportunity. There is a lot of British talent out but it is not represented by Toseland, who is lucky not to race Spies in the same series on the same bike.
From g426748 on Fri Oct 30 07:47PMWe should only draw comparisons with his team mat, Colin Edwards! He too came from WSBK and they both had the same machinery this year: I think the results speak for themselves.
I think JT is a talented WSBK rider but overall is not as good a rider as Colin Edwards or Troy Bayliss.
I look forward to seeing him race against Haga and Crutchlow next year.
From bagnallsuk2004 on Fri Oct 30 09:00PMYou guys are missing the point!! I love MotoGP especially the talent of Rossi, I watch it more than WSBK because where I live we don't get WSBK live but do get MotoGP live!! However you care to look at it though, NO rider in modern times (Last 30 years) has crossed over either way and won the other class, so how can you say that one class and therefore its riders are better than the other. Only Rossi and possibly Stoner because of the dukes power and speed and his riding style could have a good chance of winning WSBK. Spies will struggle because of his size and weight compared to the other riders in MotoGP as Toseland did only Spies is even bigger and heavier. Its like riding a Steeplechase horse compared to a flat thoroughbred horse, they are different animals requiring different skill sets as in F1 and WRC. Both sets of riders are as good as each other but they are brought up through different ranks and with different riding styles and skills required and NO-ONE single Hailwood has switched and won !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From djh184 on Fri Oct 30 10:03PMdjh, i can't say if i'd knock him or not if he wins WSB next year. All depends on the level of opposition riders/bikes etc and if he wins thru merit or by turn of events!! Also, you seem to have forgotten that Mick Doohan came from Supers to GP and he didn't do too bad. But again he was an exceptional talent who if it weren't for a few serious smashes could have been a 6/7/8 time GP champ!!!
From garethmccarroll on Sat Oct 31 10:42AMHow typicaly English!!!! (Toseland a shining light)get real...he was not good enough plain and simple...
From kae.jenkins on Sun Nov 01 08:22AMToseland not quite good enough on the Bridgestone tyres, the electronics corner speed and tyres were not for his abilities (Neither Vermuleans, Hayden, Dovi(?)) I think that had he hit GP on a 990 with Michelins he would have shone...,life is a @#$% but being in the top 10 riders in the world we can hardly call him 2nd class, try going anywhere near as fast boys.... and throw the 'easy' to ride 800 into the gravel cos your not going fast enough to get any heat in the tyres!!!
From alastair.loomes on Sun Nov 01 09:02AMToseland is good, but not right up there with the best, I suspect. Would just like to point out that he probably didn't go to the tests because he is so focused, but because he had to!
From paganuspaul on Sun Nov 01 10:19AMFor me Toseland was treated very badly by Yamaha, Spies came along, and Rossi was getting itchy with Lorenzos pressure, so Yamaha dumped on JT to get Spies early, look back on a lot of the MotoGp riders in place today, nearly ALL were given a better shot at the formula, my puzzlement is why they hung onto Edwards, who after all these years has only just begun to understand the bike, so who is being lined up to replace him? someone younger than JT from the 250's? Many of the WSBK riders who have made the jump, have ended up back in lower formulas, The good news is that when Rossi retires, Moto Gp will struggle to maintain their audience, as the racing is not as cut, and thrust as some of the lower series...
From slickegos on Sun Nov 01 11:05AMNO ONE DOES ANYTHING IN TECH 3 JAMES DID HIS BEST AS DID THE JAMES THAT WENT BEFORE HIM AND THE NEIL THAT WENT BEFORE THAT. SPIES IS A FOOL TO GO THERE . HE COULD HAVE STAYED IN WSK ANOTHER YEAR.
From edgemick on Sun Nov 01 02:26PMso in essence all gareth mccarroll is saying is that it is the bike not the rider that makes the difference ? hasn't the the untouchable one 46 always said he didn't get enough credit from the big H when he had to ride around problems on rcv211. As for foggy we'll never know, I dont seem to remember him doing too badly on his odd ride on a 500 do you remember the Cagiva or the privateer harris yam or were you too busy with your cuddly toys then.
From clichamin on Sun Nov 01 08:06PMspies only looked so good cos nori choked again and the others just too inconsistent
From clichamin on Sun Nov 01 08:10PMclichamin, yes I do remember Foggys rides in GPs. Also, I wasn't saying that the rider is not a huge factor but Tose just isn't good enough for GP level and never will be. Maybe if he'd come thru the 125/250s and learnt more of the circuits, bike set up etc.... then it could have been a different story. This seems to be the tendency when it comes to guys coming from the production bike classes. I have nothing but respect for JT and what he has accomplished in the past either. Whether it be his first WSB title when his team-mate (Laconi) was handed every opportunity and blew it or on the Honda when he was with a team without the backing of a full in-house works programme such as Ducati at the time. But he just isn't good enough and when found wanting this year thru his teddy out the cot!!!!
From garethmccarroll on Mon Nov 02 03:22PMJT may be a very good rider, but he's is not good enought, when at the top echelon of his sport.
From neil.wallace57 on Mon Nov 02 04:24PMWhat a lot of you miss is that there is a big difference in riding styles, teams and factory bikes in Moto GP and no-one except Doohan (who went to Factory Honda Team), has switched from WSBK to GP or vice versa and won the other title. So you can't say that Toseland wasn't good enough, at least he had the guts to switch after winning to WSBK Championchip twice. Rossi could probably do it purely because his talent is head and shoulders above everyone else. Look at his results in Schumis F1 car or his results in WRC cars. He can ride/drive anything. Spies won't beat Edwards either and only Rossi, Stoner or Lorenzo will win GP next year. WSBK has more guys in with a chance of winning the world title.
From djh184 on Tue Nov 03 10:47PMdjh, apart from the opening 4 to 6 rounds of 08 (I believe) Toseland was given the spec Pneumatic valve 4 stroke M1 as the FIAT Yam boys and Edwards. OK, he had to make do with Michelin rubber for the whole of 08 but this year he had had the same package as the 'factory' team. He also got given his hand picked engineer (Gary Reynders) after demanding he be switched from Colins garage. Yamaha basically bent over backwards for him (as did Tech 3) and he couldn't get near Colins rear wheel. This suggests either he cannot set the machine up correctly, a lack of talent or a bit of both! Ok, WSB has a more open field that GPs but none of those guys will be or could be GP front runners. Spies may take time but I for one believe that next year will be for learning and if he gets strong top 10s if not top 5 positions and consistancy then he'll be on the factory bike in 2011. Only reason Edwards is staying is to mentor the young man before he himself gets replaced the follwoing year and he's been a top 6 rider the last few years. It's cut-throat at the top and so it should be.
From garethmccarroll on Wed Nov 04 01:20PMJT never got a chance because he is not a yank, Edwards is a talented rider and has 2 WSB titles but what did edwards do with identical machinery to rossi in 2007? should edwards be able to stay for 6+ years, What about John Hopkins He's won 0 world titles at anything but still gets to stay 6 years its all about politics & money
From wobbs1137 on Tue Nov 10 11:27PM
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