The Foggy team's time in WSB and 2007
Well, we're coming to the end of the FP1 WSB project after four years in WSB and one test year in 2002.
A couple of podiums, a lot of lower finishes, crashes, and mechanicals. Lots of noise from Foggy (amusingly, Neil Hodgson was asked again at the weekend whether he'd ride for Foggy in 2007, and he said he'd "rather eat my own faeces". This was over the tannoy at AMA).
So on the surface of it it's been a futile exercise. Troy Corser, Chris Walker, Garry McCoy, Steve Martin, James Haydon and Craig Jones have ridden the thing and we know there's racewinning talent in there. A lot of money has been spent with a couple of third places, when the field was rather thinner than now.
But... consider this alternate point of view:Foggy comes in for a lot of criticism both for opening his mouth and his team's dismal showings. The former of those is valid.But... The bike was and always has been a dud, way before it got to a racetrack and Foggy's guys got their hands on it. Petronas came in with a lot of money and thought they'd pull one over on Ducati and Honda and the rest by building a triple instead of a twin or a four and get an advantage, and of course like anyone taking on the big boys they fail completely. The big boys are smarter than that these days (Ducati didn't used to be a big boy, but they got big early on in WSB, that's another story).
Not the team itself's fault but the manufacturer behind it.Foggy's team (as opposed to manufacturer) - well maybe they could be an asset with a decent bike. They're cleary able to promote themselves, raise money, etc, why not carry on with an established bike? Davide Tardozzi's a former rider, so's Massimo Meregalli (Yamaha Italia), Klaus Klaffenboch and many more. Riders running teams is a great thing to do. How about Marco Borciani's good little Sterilgarda Berik squad this year with Ruben Xaus doing the riding? (incidentally, the second seat there for next year is an interesting opportunity for someone)
I'd like to see a Foggy team next year. Get some Ducatis, keep Steve Martin, someone else and add something to the championship instead of being an expensive makeweight.
A couple of podiums, a lot of lower finishes, crashes, and mechanicals. Lots of noise from Foggy (amusingly, Neil Hodgson was asked again at the weekend whether he'd ride for Foggy in 2007, and he said he'd "rather eat my own faeces". This was over the tannoy at AMA).
So on the surface of it it's been a futile exercise. Troy Corser, Chris Walker, Garry McCoy, Steve Martin, James Haydon and Craig Jones have ridden the thing and we know there's racewinning talent in there. A lot of money has been spent with a couple of third places, when the field was rather thinner than now.
But... consider this alternate point of view:Foggy comes in for a lot of criticism both for opening his mouth and his team's dismal showings. The former of those is valid.But... The bike was and always has been a dud, way before it got to a racetrack and Foggy's guys got their hands on it. Petronas came in with a lot of money and thought they'd pull one over on Ducati and Honda and the rest by building a triple instead of a twin or a four and get an advantage, and of course like anyone taking on the big boys they fail completely. The big boys are smarter than that these days (Ducati didn't used to be a big boy, but they got big early on in WSB, that's another story).
Not the team itself's fault but the manufacturer behind it.Foggy's team (as opposed to manufacturer) - well maybe they could be an asset with a decent bike. They're cleary able to promote themselves, raise money, etc, why not carry on with an established bike? Davide Tardozzi's a former rider, so's Massimo Meregalli (Yamaha Italia), Klaus Klaffenboch and many more. Riders running teams is a great thing to do. How about Marco Borciani's good little Sterilgarda Berik squad this year with Ruben Xaus doing the riding? (incidentally, the second seat there for next year is an interesting opportunity for someone)
I'd like to see a Foggy team next year. Get some Ducatis, keep Steve Martin, someone else and add something to the championship instead of being an expensive makeweight.
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