I've developed a begrudging respect for Pedrosa. Last year he rode hurt for a good portion of the season and this year he seems to be the only one able to take it to Lorenzo. Despite crashing heavily many times throughout his career he doesn't just ride around and collect points, but rather is willing to push over the edge in order to win.
And according to Greg White, his race face is worth at least a few tenths per lap.
I agree. It was very clear in the previous race, that he was willing to push that bike to the very ragged edge, to try to win. He was riding the wheels off the bike today, when he fell. You have to respect his drive and willingness to push the envelope. So....yes, I feel a growing respect for the little Bot. I still get a kick out of stinky Puig crapping himself in pitlane though....
Stoner is someone I had tremendous respect for, previously, but lately, I'm not so sure about him. I get the feeling he's not giving it his 100+ % that he clearly used to give. I think the Ducati relationship has seriously soured, which really is a great shame.
Anyway, it's crystal clear that barring a major injury, Lolly has this thing wrapped up. The M1 is so clearly the top package right now. It's uncanny how stable the bike is, while also being so agile. I've never seen this before last year, when this started to become really evident.
You have to wonder if Suzuki would not be better off switching to the I4 package like Yamaha. They have strong expertise with this format, and it ties in with their street bikes, and the V4 has simply not worked for them at all. They must be considering it, surely?