you could say he's been in that position for years! he might be more competitive on the Yam next year, if not then he may...but he's still getting the cash rolling in no matter where he finishes on track - and there's nearly always a "Rossi" angle to every motogp story....
I think he will retire at the end of next season and fair play to him. What a wonderful career and what a wonderful rider. I feel very lucky to of witnessed his rise and of those around him. Special people come along in our life times. The trick is to recognise, appreciate and enjoy.
Said this to the other half the other day - I would like to see him go out on a high note though, so maybe a good championship next year for him....
I may get slated for this but is it not possible he's just not quite as good as some of the others now? I'm certainly not decrying him - his achievements speak for themselves. - but he's now at a stage where a rostrum would be seen as a good result, and his chance at any title would be remote. Why not hang up the leathers now while still near his best rather than slipping down the result sheets as one or two others seem to be? I understand his desire to compete but I personally think I'd find it depressing if I had been a world champion before but was now struggling and scratching round for a podium. I doubt that he would be unable to find a job in one aspect of MotoGP or another! This is of course, just my opinion. I know he has a massive fan base and I expect to be roundly critizised!
if the regs were a level playing field re combined rider bike weight as pere moto2 and moto3. we would see for sure if he can compete with the best. rossi is alot bigger than the rest of the front runners and now the bikes year on year have crept to over 160kg its hurting his results apparently being some 15kg heavier than pedrosa and Mm and 8 more than lorenzo. I imagine when your on the limit like these are it can only hurt performance. I thimk years ago I heard F1 commentators saying every extra Kg of weight was 0.01 slower per lap. surely its got to hurt more on a bike as they dont have the braking and conering forces a car can generate...??? also 1kg extra on a car means less than a bike as a percentage. ... years ago he probably was more hungry for it. but the bikes were also 130odd kg when maybe it didnt make so much difference. I wonder how well he go on the honda if he was accustomed to it. that bikes incredible. he was always faster than pedrosa 8 times out of 10 in my ill infofmed soon to be slated opinion
I dont think that any of the medium weight riders have a hope of coming in the top three until they make a minimum bike and rider weight . I would like it to be about 230 kgs . 160 kgs for the bike and 70 kg for the rider. Pedrosa is rumoured to weigh 47 kgs ,Daniel Pedrosa | Moto | Moto GP Rider - Yahoo! Eurosport UK, and Rossi is 67kgs Crutchlow is nearer 69kgs . So theres a 20 + kgs advantage for pedrosa and 10 ish for mark marquez who is 59 kgs. At top level racing this has to be addressed .
Have you noticed how both Cal and Rossi are looking incredibly lean this year? Seems more so that previous years. And look how Stoner went, pretty much skeletal by the end But its not the only high level series there is no combined min weight rider/bike, look at DD racing, 53hp and min 155kg bike and thats as close to GP you get ;-)
im fairly sure that these guys will be on one form of gear or another to control their weight..certain of it.
That's why you should go and see Motogp next year. It may be the last opportunity to see the best racer of the last 15 years and the best racer of that next 10 years on track together at the same time.
And yet Redding is doing so well in MOTO 2 and Rossi beat Biaggi who was also a midget. What about the ability of a heavier rider to move their weight about and the advantages that brings, especially in braking.
