Johnny Rea HRC Test Rider

[Skub]

Not the job for avoiding further injury,I'd have thought?

https://www.crash.net/wsbk/news/1086420 ... rbike-role

[weeksy]

Not the job for a bloke who's miles of the pace either ? I'd want my test rider a bit closer to the sharp end myself, especially on a bike that isn't exactly on the pace either.

[Tricky]

Not the job for a bloke who's miles of the pace either ? I'd want my test rider a bit closer to the sharp end myself, especially on a bike that isn't exactly on the pace either.

- He has masses and masses of experience, is still fast, and he still really ain't that far off , certainly plenty sharp enough to be able to consistently and accurately test stuff at race pace- go on then, who would you have as your test rider instead of him?

[weeksy]

Not the job for a bloke who's miles of the pace either ? I'd want my test rider a bit closer to the sharp end myself, especially on a bike that isn't exactly on the pace either.

- He has masses and masses of experience, is still fast, and he still really ain't that far off , certainly plenty sharp enough to be able to consistently and accurately test stuff at race pace- go on then, who would you have as your test rider instead of him?

Dunno mate, but you see it all the time don't you where the test rider comes in and gets destroyed on the times they get to ride. Because lets be honest, if they were good and fast enough, they'd still be racing the bikes instead. That's the tricky bit.

Me, i'd arguably rather have someone young and fast like they seem to do in F1. But arguably if they're young and fast then they're probably racing something anyway. Weridly though when i see kids in F1 rides come in, they do amazingly well.

[Tricky]

Not the job for a bloke who's miles of the pace either ? I'd want my test rider a bit closer to the sharp end myself, especially on a bike that isn't exactly on the pace either.

- He has masses and masses of experience, is still fast, and he still really ain't that far off , certainly plenty sharp enough to be able to consistently and accurately test stuff at race pace- go on then, who would you have as your test rider instead of him?

Dunno mate, but you see it all the time don't you where the test rider comes in and gets destroyed on the times they get to ride. Because lets be honest, if they were good and fast enough, they'd still be racing the bikes instead. That's the tricky bit.

Me, i'd arguably rather have someone young and fast like they seem to do in F1. But arguably if they're young and fast then they're probably racing something anyway. Weridly though when i see kids in F1 rides come in, they do amazingly well.

Yeah, agree, margins are small at the top levels, but Jonny ain't a total slow-coach just yet and I'm struggling to think of who might be better suited to that job
IMO F1 isn't a good comparison - WSB is a completely different scenario to F1 in terms of technology, and the role of the rider/driver, test or otherwise .

[Skub]

I think there's a cut off point in a rider's career and while JR may be past his prime,he's still faster than a test rider who has probably only wildcarded for testing reasons. Nothing lasts forever,but I doubt he's too slow to be of use,yet.

He's a 6 time world champion and as Tricky says there's a wealth of experience to be mined. Would anyone turn down the offer of Rossi as a test rider even when he was 40?