When he broke his leg, that shook him. Nasty break, nasty crash...The Simoncelli..you can see why it would be hard. He wont win another championship but I do think he is pretty special even though I wouldnt be a big fan.
Rossi has no hope of another MotoGP championship. Pedders, Jorge and Marquez are all faster and have been for some time. I don't think he'll go to WSBK - he's probably be more likely to move into management - just a hunch. But if he did move to Superbikes, it would be a massive shot in the arm for the series. The sort of thing that might get factories reconsidering their non-involvement. Rossi was king for years. The best thing that has happened to the sport in 30 years. But times change, people get older, new talents emerge.
Exactly that, if Rossi retires or moves away from Motogp you'll probably find much of the yellow brigade will simply switch to supporting Marquez, fans are a fickle bunch and whilst I'm not saying all Rossi fans are glory hunters I'm sure a lot jumped on the bandwagon because he was simply the best at the time. You'll get a large portion of them supporting MM and pretending they've followed him since the beginning
Can't you be a fan of more than one rider? I'm a huge Rossi fan, and I enjoy watching Marquez race. When Rossi ends his career I'll probably be wanting him to win, for the spectacle more than anything else. Surely this is due to a love of the sport rather than fickle loyalty switching? I don't owe anything to Rossi, I just like to watch him race. So switching your support to another rider seems normal to me. I won't stop liking bikes because Rossi stops racing...
I suggest some of you read that article. hes at a huge weight disadvantage apparently. moto 2 is combined bike and rider weight moto 3 is combined bike and rider weight moto gp is minimal bike weight + rider weight on top. he cant compete with MM and DP on equal terms. even CC is very light hes getting older and slower but his fastest lap was faster than pedrosas and up there with them other 2. he seems to struggle at the start with weight. will he win another championship. probably not the way things stand. if the regs changed hed be up there
I'm not saying that at all, I'm simply saying that 'Some fans' are fickle, and they are. Not all Rossi fans should take hump with that comment as it's not generalising them. 'Some fans' will have only supported Rossi because that's all they'd of been fed from various news outlets from around the world, I know this from friends of mine who know nothing about Motorbikes or have any intention of watching the racing, however whenever they've been to my house on a Sunday and I've got the box on guess who they're looking out for and expecting to win? Yep, Rossi. They have no idea how good Lorenzo is, how good Stoner is and so on, they only know one guy and at which point they'd say if they supported anybody it would be him. These are the same type of people who support Usain Bolt in Atheletics, they're not Jamaican or have any knowledge on Atheletics, but they cling to whos winning now. It'll be the same with Marquez and those exact type of fans will simply switch when Rossi goes. And so my point is not all Rossi fans will leave Motogp, many will just switch riders. There will be life after Rossi, just like there was after Agostini and so on.
if he wants to put back into the sport why is he got the begging bowl out? Hasn't he got enough money?
Yep your right, and maybe Stoner will support a team too, eh?! FFS why can't some people just get past it and believe he's a decent bloke and has been world class for near on 20 years. No one in the paddock ever says a bad word about him, nor the media, not the fans. When someone does moan it's about a hard racing pass. Which is why sponsors will flock to chuck wedge his way. And I for one think that's excellent.
It doesnt matter how hungry Rossi is now, he'll never be as hungry as he was then... Marquez is no more talented, crazy, committed, call him what you will than Rossi was...Its too early to say that Marquez is in the same league as him yet...just being mentioned in the same breath is praise enough. At Rossi's age he has quite literally done it all, and a couple of times at that...but in terms of motogp he's an old timer..dont forget, Mazquez et al would have been primary school children when Rossi started winning World Championships...try to put that into context and what that means. Also he's had a couple of big accidents, and to my mind was never quite the same again..rather like Schwantz and Doohan in their days...The loss of Marco must have been a colossal blow for Valentino...the sense of responsibility, then the fear that it could so easily have been him...You mature with age, and become aware of your own frailty.. The move to Ducati robbed him of his momentum...it was the dream, but no one knew how terrible the bike was, and Rossi wasnt prepared to ride it like Stoner and wasted two years as a development rider...that is the only shadow on his career. It also wasnt the same bike that Stoner rode...everyone forgets that..Ducati came out of the gate first when the new rules were introduced, but by the end of that season the Japanese had caught up...i doubt whether Stoner would have had quite so easy without the move to Honda..undeniable though his talent is... So is this the twilight of Rossi's career? In my view, yes. But what a career. And he is still able to mix it up at the front, thrill and delight us with his talent..he's just more sensible these days. No one, but no one, even Ago, has done more to promote the sport in a positive light, has provided so much thrilling entertainment, been as charming, controversial, down to earth and just downright fkn breath taking to watch as Rossi...the sheer bravery and cheek of some his moves down the years...and he has broken the very best who challenged him....we're just all surprised to find another talent which seemingly has his potential so soon...i thought it wouldnt be in my lifetime...but im thrilled that it is. Just like the fans back in Ago's day, we've all been priviliedged as racing fans to have witnessed his career and been a tiny part of it. I expect Rossi to continue to be an ambassador for the sport. He is well aware of his place in history, his legacy and what the sport has done for him, and what he has done for the sport, in a way no other rider has before him. So sadly, it's nearly time to hang up his leathers on the most illustrious career. A career that has literally had all the drama, tradegy, excitement and glory one could imagine. Is he the greatest of all time?? Yes.
Personally I'd be more concerned about Dani, than Valentino. To me that Honda has been dragging dani the dwarf beyond, his capabilities for a number of years, his time is undoubtedly up at HRC. is it the end, well yes... If Casey returns, he's still the best outside the kids at the front, and you gotta say Marquez is a talent, but also has to be one of the luckiest riders I've seen. I'm astounded at how many times the bike has stepped out on him and he's got away with it, just a liberty other riders don't seem to get away with. No doubt the moto2 moto3 style is the future! But to me not a particular fan of any rider! Rossi is the show! I never seem to get excited about Lorenzo making a pass at all? and often find myself willing Valentino to get up for a scrap, since the initial bash between Marquez and Lorenzo early in the season it does feel a little bit like after you sir! Too much like a precession at times. id be worried for moto gp when Rossi goes it isn't about just the top step sometimes, it's the pantomime, and flamboyant nature of Rossi that makes him such a draw, entertainment wise that just ain't coming from the other guys. look how bored we all got when Casey started clearing off on a Honda every second Sunday I practically forgot when races were even on and didn't really care! Perhaps I'd identify more with the front three if they were (normal sized guys) had a bit more about them than just a race wins and complaints about chatter and feel? Yawn. ok the show must go on as they say and no doubt in Spain it will, Italy will probably close the curtains, and us Brits will stay interested in fast bikes and nearly men? i hope the guy goes on for 2-3yrs if he's still the best of the rest and the bike comes back to him, and rule changes maybe level the playing field again then who knows? If he did go to wsbk an undoubted climb down, you probably find the crowds and interest would rival the gp series? You could only imagine the road bikes he'd shift! Bit like the go!!!!! Scheme bikes that were everywhere at one point. As with anything in life he should keep going till it just isn't enjoyable anymore and if fourth is really that bad then why are rest bothering to turn up?
Rossi pulls the punters in to both the tracks on the the day and the TV audiences. Dorna know that when he retires will have a huge job to stop sponsors and TV companies leaving. I suspect their main reason for buying the WSBK brand was so they could have some say on when or if he goes to race superbikes instead and share in the proceeds.
Never a truer word spoken. I thought the downward spiral commenced when the rules changed to stop magic tyres being flown in over night.
You might think he is a decent bloke, but as Andy says, the tax man didn't and I don't, for the same reason. You have to wonder if he was lucky to get caught when he did. These days Italy is actually doing the right thing and banging people up for it. Dolce and Gabbana being the latest two. Or have you and all his fans got the blinkers on and the fingers in the ears on this still
I thought the taxman though he was wonderful as he paid them 35 million. I cant google a single reference to any tax spokesman refering to him as awful or otherwise
I doubt Australia's taxman thinks a lot of Stoner since he has just spent a year living in Switzerland to avoid paying tax in his homeland.:tongue:
