12-01-2012 at 10:31:13 AM
so from what i hear Stewart rode practice on Dunlop but then raced on Pirelli ?.
anyone heard any news on this - seems odd to be changing tires from practice to race (i know riders change type of tyre but not brand between practice)..
but i heard that there may have been some of that go on in the Aussie MX last year...
Is this the reason Stewart looked half assed at best at A1.
you would think that they would have sorted everything out with tyres etc before turning up at A1
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12-01-2012 at 09:37:53 AM
Saw it on Matthes' site... word is that all their testing took place on the East Coast and they wanted to see how the Dunlop stacked up on the West Coast track. Apparently he only rode the final qualifying session on the tyre, when he set his fast lap.
More from the guys at Racer X is here...
http://www.racerxonline.com/2012/01/10/stewart-on-dunlops-at-anaheim
I would be shocked if he switched tyres now that the season has started and it would be a huge blow for Pirelli. They reckon he's testing in California with Pirelli this week getting it sorted anyway, so I think he'll stay with them.
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12-01-2012 at 09:46:11 AM
yeah the way stewart was talking in the preseason, there was going to be testing and pirelli was going to do what ever he wanted -
bit bizzar that they wouldnt test on west coast with their hard pack??
ah well hopefully they sort out soon, hopefully it works out to Pirelli's favor because its a huge loss for them - in what would seem to not really be their fault. (he seemed happy on them at home)
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13-01-2012 at 07:49:24 AM
It's big new, alot of people will say "so what he used another tyre". But for him to confirm to run Pirelli's and to mix and match tyre brands in public is a pretty big statement against his sponsors. Sure you could put it done to R&D but as we read Dunlop aren't to happy about their 'Works Tyre' being looked over by Pirelli. You would have to think James would have a few of those lying around in his garage that Pirelli could cut up and copy. I know a couple of Australian MX teams that have & probably still do run different tyres to what their sponsor is.
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13-01-2012 at 08:29:40 PM
Yeh its pretty crazy for him to do that having probably the biggest spotlight on him out of anyone else in the world, as if someones not going to notice. I guess thats the biggest drawback for both Stewart and JGR being located on the east coast but you would think they would have sorted this situation out before A1, after all half the races are on the west coast.
I know for sure of someone winning a title in the last few years who rode the whole season using a tyre that was a different brand to which tyre sponsor they had, also I think Reardon was switching between tyre manufacturers in SX a few years ago when he was with Honda until the manufacturer picked up on it and demanded him to use there tyre.