Biaggi blasts Honda
Raging Roman Max Biaggi has launched an astonishing attack on Honda, just ten days before he carries their hopes into the season-opening South African MotoGP. The 32-year old Italian, tipped to mount a strong challenge to arch-rival Valentino Rossi's world title, was dismissive of his chances.
"I would like to be able to say: 'Everything is marvellous, everything is fantastic,' but that's not exactly how I feel at the moment."
Biaggi is angry that his Camel Honda team have made changes to the bike so close to the start of the season, two months after similar changes were made to the factory Hondas.
"They [Honda] gave us new parts just three weeks before the start of the season. If they had been good, fine, but they created many more problems! It's not acceptable to discover these problems just ahead of the start of the Championship, unacceptable for a rider who is trying to win! I am crestfallen, truly crestfallen."
"They gave these advances to the factory team more than two months ago. Their riders [Alex Barros and Nicky Hayden] have had all that time to make them work properly. They clearly have a big advantage over satellite teams like mine that have only been given the parts right before the start of the season."
"It's not a single problem, but three! Vibrations, power transfer and lifting under acceleration. At the limit I could put up with one of those but all three, you can imagine!"
"When you have one, two, three problems, how can you put hope to put yourself at the front? Where will I be after two or three races? [size=18px]The Yamaha is much better[/size]." 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O
The fiery Biaggi, a 4-times 250cc champion, has yet to win a title at full MotoGP level, and was expected to dominate the 2004 season with Rossi still getting to grips with his Yamaha M-1. However, he believes that Honda's complacency is robbing him of his best chance of championship glory.
"When you explain the problem to Fiorani [Honda's sporting director] he tells you that everybody receives the same treatment, and that it's to do with the bike settings... [raises his eyes to heaven] he tries to hide what is impossible to miss.
"The satellite riders all have difficulties, which leaves two. In my view, two factory riders will not be enough to overcome Rossi. But when will the realise it? Honda need to wake up!"
