Melandri: Dani needs to win first - EXCLUSIVE.
Fri 22 Jun, 09:04 AM
By Peter McLaren
After graduating to the premier-class as the reigning 250cc world champion in 2003, Melandri endured two difficult seasons with Yamaha before striking instant success at Gresini Honda - with whom Marco won two races on his way to second in the world championship.
The Italian continued that momentum in 2006, claiming two wins from the first six races - but his title hopes ended when he was injured in a first turn accident at Catalunya, which also hospitalised Sete Gibernau and Loris Capirossi. Melandri, like Capirossi, bravely rode on to try and keep his championship hopes alive but, despite returning to the podium just two rounds later and taking victory in Australia, was forced to settle for fourth in the points, one digit behind Capirossi.
Melandri was rumoured to be on Ducati's shopping list to partner Loris this season, but was ultimately re-signed by the satellite Gresini team. It was thought that - having been Honda's most successful rider in 2005, then winning more races than any other Honda rider in 2006 - the 24-year-old might receive extra factory support, near that of official Repsol riders Pedrosa and world champion Nicky Hayden.
However, whilst Ducati, Yamaha and Suzuki have all taken at least one victory in the new 800cc era, defending champion's Honda are yet to put a rider on the top step of the podium. In an effort to reverse its fortunes, Melandri believes HRC has been forced to focus all its development on the factory team - and, more precisely, Pedrosa.
"Since I first rode the 800 I've asked for many things to be changed, but they are working too much with Dani. They have no time. They have to win one race with Dani first, then maybe they can work with us," Melandri told Crash.net.
"I don't know how different Dani's bike is, but it looks very fast and for sure [Honda] are working with him. For us, we still have the same engine as we had at the beginning of the season. I think, during the first year with the 800, you should develop the bike with the factory race-by-race."
So what exactly are Melandri's problems? The Italian finished second in the rain at Le Mans but is yet to better fifth position in the dry. Speed charts indicate that the new V4 Honda, with the exception of Pedrosa, lacks top speed - but that isn't the whole story…
"For sure we are missing some top speed but the biggest problem now is power delivery and engine braking. That's very difficult. Honda is working a lot, mainly with Dani," he reiterated.
"The power delivery is very aggressive. When we use the throttle, the first part is very lazy, then when you open a little bit more the power all comes in at once - which means you always lose grip through the corners," explained Marco, gesturing a slide. "That means you can't open the throttle, and the later you open the throttle the slower your speed at the end of a straight. Catalunya was the worst for my bike because it has long corners and is so fast."
In terms of machine development, Melandri's only change so far this season has been a new chassis, but it was far from a breakthrough.
"I did two races with two different bikes, but I wasn't sure if the new one was working any better," he said. "I'll be using it from Donington though because I'll have two bikes like that, so I'll have no chance to go back."
One technical change for 2007 that Melandri has no concerns about is the switch from Michelin to Bridgestone tyres.
"I'm pretty happy with that because, if you look at the satellite Hondas, only us, with Bridgestone, have had podiums - all the others with Michelin have had such bad races," said Marco, referring to the fortunes of Honda LCR and Konica Minolta Honda. "So I'm pretty happy with this choice and want to stay with them in the future, but I want to try and be fast in the dry as well."
Nevertheless, Melandri fears it will be impossible for him to win in the dry this year.
"I don't think so," he confessed. "I'm ready to win in the dry if I had the right feeling with the bike. I try to go to every race with confidence, and try to be positive, but it's not easy. All the time we have so many problems, actually the same problems since the start of the year."
Despite those ongoing problems, Melandri remains fourth in the MotoGP World Championship standings - one place behind the top Honda of Pedrosa - and has already caught the attention of rival teams planning for 2008.
"I don't want to think about that now because we have four races in a row and I want to try to do the best I can, but it's a very good motivation to know that some other factories would like to take me," he admitted. "That's good."
Pedrosa's last MotoGP victory came from pole at Donington Park one year ago, but the British weather could play into the hands of Melandri.
"I'm looking forward to this weekend," declared Marco. "I think this kind of track will be better for me and my bike and maybe the [bad] weather will help as well."
Free practice at Donington Park takes place on Friday.
Melandri: Dani needs to win first - EXCLUSIVE.
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