Latest twist for Rossi's title quest

[mike69]

HERO 2 ZERO.
I was hoping that Rossi would get his 10th championship until his outburst at the pre race press conference in Sepang. I think that Rossi could see his points advantage going into the final two races could be insufficient for the title and created a diversion by claiming Marques held him up in PI. Rossi could then blame someone else for losing the championship or if he still won it could boast that he won over all the odds. Unfortunately for him unlike Biaggi and Gibernau Marques reacted positively and undoubtably tried to keep Rossi back amongst the following pack at Sepang. I think at Valencia under normal circumstances Marques would have challenged for the lead but why help Rossi after his accusations.
Well done Marc you did exactly what I would have done shown up Rossi as a bully and the victory sign on the podium said it all !
Perhaps you have taught Rossi a harsh lesson.

I would say that if the Spanish are booing Spanish riders in Spain, then they probably didnt race fairly.

Theres an unwritten rule between sportsmen, you should always try your hardest

. It's like a Football team deliberately losing so another team can win the title, just because they don't like a certain team.

Clearly Rossi's outburst didnt work in the way he expected, rather than Marc listening and doing his own race he decides to spend the race messing with Rossi. Obviously Rossi made the wrong choice but I'm sure we'd all lash out if similar was happening to us. It then also went against him in the final race as clearly Marc didnt want to overtake Lorenzo so Rossi wouldnt win the title.

I think video shows who the riders respect: https://www.facebook.com/devino.class/v ... nref=story" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So when Lorenzo slowed the race to a walking pace at Valencia 2013 and Rossi still couldn't catch up but managed to keep everyone behind him. He didn't care who won the championship as long as it wasn't his "team" mate on the same bike as his. So is that the unwritten rule you refer to.

[mike69]

https://youtu.be/4asCK8yamb0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MellowYellow]

I think video shows who the riders respect: https://www.facebook.com/devino.class/v ... nref=story" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"

Lovely, no better praise than from your rivals / colleagues.

[DynaMight]

So when Lorenzo slowed the race to a walking pace at Valencia 2013 and Rossi still couldn't catch up but managed to keep everyone behind him. He didn't care who won the championship as long as it wasn't his "team" mate on the same bike as his. So is that the unwritten rule you refer to.

I remember Lorenzo slowing the pace in 2013 to try to put riders between him and Marquez so that he had a chance to win the title, I dont remember Rossi's involvement? (Probably not a lot on the Ducati!)

What Lorenzo tried in 2013 was fine in my eyes, the title was between him and Marquez. Thats what he had to do to win the title. Say for instance another rider, who didnt have a chance of the championship, was in the lead and was slowing down the group to allow riders to catch up so that the other rider could win... that would be poor, very poor.

It's true not everyone loves Rossi, in a sport like motor racing, I dont think you can win multiple championships and be friends with everyone, especially your main rivals due to the nature of the sport e.g. overtaking, dicing, chances of crashes but the video I linked shows that pretty much 90% of the field respect him & even riding through pit lane, most of the mechanics from other teams were clapping him through, not to mention the 100,000+ fans chanting his name, even though a Spanish rider had just won a world championship.

At his age, he's not the fastest rider anymore, almost like the underdog now. For pure speed on their day, I'd probably go Marquez, Lorenzo, Dani then Rossi but hasnt stopped him being 2nd the last two seasons and probably being more popular than ever.

[mike69]

Rossi was on a Yamaha in 2013 and created a "freight train" behind him at Valencia.


I'm not a blinkered fan of any rider but I do admire them all in what they do best and that is on the track and not playing stupid mind games. Seems Rossi met his match. Everyone was acclaiming PI race as the race of the decade until Rossi waved lap times in front of the press which prove nothing as we all know when riders overtake each other it slows their lap times. Of course the press had a field day and his fans believe every word their idol utters. On more than one occasion Rossi was in second position at PI and Marques fourth why didn't he challenge Lorenzo then? The reason was on the day he wasn't fast enough. Rossi is everyones friend until they consistently beat him.
We have to remember that sportsmen at the top of their game have attributes, apart from their obvious skill, we keyboard warriors can only dream of. Some of those attributes personally I wouldn't probably like. To get where they are they have to be ruthless, selfish and egotistic just to mention a few I hope I don't possess.
Marques hasn't accepted the criticism but has offered his hand in "friendship" lets hope Rossi is man enough to accept it and put an end to the polemics and move on.

[Dailaughing]

I think this could be the most balanced article I have seen on this topic:

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/race/ ... -valencia/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

To me Rossi saying he regrets what he said a couple of weeks ago about Marquez and "I regret that I went wide and didn't follow my normal line" suggests that he knows he made mistakes. So why can't his fans admit it?

OK Marquez managed the race for Lorenzo but wouldn't you have if Rossi had treated you like that? Having said that that's not what I saw when I watched it as Marquez seemed to be on the limit to me.

[billinom8s]

The only time Marquez seemed to wake up is when DP passed him.

[Dailaughing]

You didn't see the many sideways corners he took then? Back wheel out the way he does right on the limit.

[billinom8s]

You didn't see the many sideways corners he took then? Back wheel out the way he does right on the limit.

Yep I did, same as I saw my instructor doing them (along with wheelies ) when I went to the Chris Walker race school. He was bored too.

MM could make that wheel step out at any time. 255 bhp + 1 wheel = try not to slide

[mike69]

I think this could be the most balanced article I have seen on this topic:

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/race/ ... -valencia/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

To me Rossi saying he regrets what he said a couple of weeks ago about Marquez and "I regret that I went wide and didn't follow my normal line" suggests that he knows he made mistakes. So why can't his fans admit it?

OK Marquez managed the race for Lorenzo but wouldn't you have if Rossi had treated you like that? Having said that that's not what I saw when I watched it as Marquez seemed to be on the limit to me.

Thank you for finding that its almost exactly my thoughts and from someone who knows Rossi personally. Except I prefer not to refer to myself as a "fan" as that is an abbreviation of fanatical.
Sadly you will probably get thumbs down from the Rossi fanatics always assuming they bother to read it. Theres none so blind as those that will not see as they say.
Anyway I think I've "ruffled enough feathers" on this subject I read the word GUN in a couple of posts I'd better keep my head down and if they think they will get a pat on the back from Rossi for booing he has been reported as saying "they are not MY fans" so think again before making fools of yourselves.

[billinom8s]

I read that article, I prefer supporter to fan.

When it comes down to it, it's a situation that we have no say or control over and we can't travel back in time and have a word.

What it does show is how much, like it or not, people feel about the situation, sport and characters involved.

Roll on next season.

[badgerKDD]

Personally I think its a shame because its totally overshadowed what Danny Kent achieved, the whole of the back sport pages in MCN devoted to Rossi/ Marquez/ Lorenzo, apart from one double spread on Danny, mostly a large photo at that.

So CONGRATULATIONS DANNY KENT!!

On the other subject, Rossi messed up, no doubt about it. But I have to say that Marquez does have to hold his hand up and admit to his part in the whole fiasco. When Marq cut Rossi up on the last corner at Assen, that could have easily landed Rossi on his arse, but Vale opened the throttle, was very lucky to not hit deep gravel and took the podium place instead of Marq. Did Marq sit back and say ok it didn't work and yes it was a very harsh, risky move. No he threw his toys out of the pram and shouted not fair! Then after Rossi's poorly timed press conference claiming Marq was helping the Jorge, did he try and race his own race in Sepang. No he deliberately hounded Rossi until Rossi cracked and pushed him wide, at which point, as best I can see from the footage, Marq lost the front and during his slide he collided with Rossi. That was the point when Rossi's leg went in the air, I genuinely don't believe Rossi KICKED OUT at Marq as Honda claim.
On the final race, taking nothing away from Jorge ( who I think actually could have won the title without all this anyway) I'm sorry but Marquez claiming he didn't have the tyre grip to find his 'planned last lap overtake' yet seemed to have no problem taking back the place from Dani , who Marq claims ran wide?? Bull ..she..ite! Even the commentators ( MotoGP online not BT ) couldn't hide their surprise as he stuck it up the inside of Dani in a hard move. That's not what I'd expect if his tyres were shot and he was nursing them all the way.

Rossi certainly wasn't blameless but neither is Marquez. And yes I'm a Rossi fan, not in the pedantic 'fanatic' sense, but in the sense everyone uses the word ' a supporter 'or fan. But I think it needs to remembered that this sort of thing has always reared its head between battling world champions, Sheene and Kenny , Schwantz offering money to anyone who slept with his rivals girlfriend and Foggy hated everyone! But I don't remember anyone that had no chance of winning that years title getting involved to the level Marq has this year. That is why people are supporting Rossi to the level they are, its not baseless obsessive blind following, its looking at the situation as a whole and thinking, 'Hang on, something don't add up'.

[Dailaughing]

You say that and then Rossi sabotages Lorenzo's bike;-)

http://dlvr.it/CkFty6

[badgerKDD]

Yeah, maybe one of Rossi's mechanics 'borrowed' the keys to Jorge's lock up last night ;) ..............

[tomr6]

Fantastic season by Rossi. On the best bike in the paddock and almost as fast as his team mate. Not bad for an old man