Many of our readers took a great deal of time to respond to our question about Valentino Rossi’s future in MotoGP. Can he hold off the young guns and win another title? Take a look at the first half of our reader responses to my article on October 19, 2007.
Every great sports person goes into decline eventually. Rossi has had an exceptional career, but in this season, and last year, he appears to be not as motivated as he was in the past, and sometimes seems to give in too easily which is very uncharacteristic of him. But his biggest problem is the quality of his opponents. The next few years will be dominated by Stoner, Pedrosa, and Lorenzo. It will be a pity if Rossi and Lorenzo are on different tyres next year because this removes a direct comparison between the two. It also gives Rossi something to blame if he gets beaten by his team mate. Rossi will never win another MotoGP championship.
Of course Rossi can win. And Hayden did not beat Rossi; Rossi had nothing but bad luck with his bike the entire season and Hayden happened to be in the right place.
I’ve been a Rossi fan for a while and it was such a disappointment to see him lose the Championship title. Like many of his loyal fans, it would be amazing to see Rossi win another title in 2008. However MotoGP today consists of very talented young riders(not as gifted or consistent like Rossi) but they are much hungrier to win the world championship title. It will be an interesting season to see if Casey may turn out to be like last year’s champion, Nicky, this season(9th place) and how the tire rule will affect the riders as much as they(Rossi,Pedrosa) say it did this season.
As a racer I would like to add my input and answer your question. Is Rossi done? NO…I cannot express how much meaning goes into the “NO” answer.
Why would I say this you may ask? First of all, Rossi is still motivated and hungry. This is the most important attribute to consider when answering this question. Yes, he lost the title last year however, let’s not forget all the circumstances that led to that loss. He had numerous problems which caused him to miss out on a massive amount of points. A lot of those issues were not his fault rather equipment failure such as the engine in LeMan’s in 06 which he was leading by a comfortable margin, the front tire failure, engine failure at Laguna…etc…etc…
This year Rossi performed very well. However, the package Casey Stoner had along with Casey’s amazing form was too much for not only Rossi but the entire field. If Rossi was not competitive anymore why is he in 2nd place? Why did he win his share of races this year? And why didn’t anyone else step up to challenge Casey Stoner?
Rossi will be back, anyone who races or watches racing knows that no matter what Rossi is always 100% on race day. He is human and he cannot just win without the bike/tires being good enough to allow that. Fact is, Ducati proved to have the fastest and best handling bike which is clearly evident by the top speed numbers along with the times put down. The tires were superior to Michelin. Simply put…Ducati and Bridgestone got it right this year.
Yes I am a Rossi fan but I am a “racing” fan even more. I have to give a hats off salute to Casey Stoner because he proved that he was the best rider on the best equipment this year by dominating at various circuits. Next year the teams will have data at every circuit which will help so the field will all improve.
That’s my take….Rossi will be back!
Rossi will definitely win another title. I think he wins it next year and possibly retires afterward (to drive f1). I also think the Michelin brand will rebound next year and be competitive. I’m not sure Ducati can build superior bikes two years in a row so I think Stoner will drift down to 3-5. Nicky rides to second next year and Pedros will end up 3rd. My two cents.
If there was an IROC of motorcycle racing, Rossi would still mop up on everyone in the field but I digress.
I believe Rossi’s racecraft is still superior to most. It’s no longer just a matter of if the rider can pull it off. The Ducati, Bridgestone, Stoner combination was a pefect storm of sorts. Taking nothing away from Stoner’s ability to ride a motorbike mind, but change one of the aforementioned components and the championship would have been a lot different. Hayden’s championship was also won, not just on the merits of his riding ability (consistency) but his team providing him with a bike that was fast and dependable and Michelen, tires he could slide his way to the championship with.
If the tires are right and if they sort out what they need to get the M1 in the same league as the Desmosedici next year, Rossi can still pull it off. Rossi’s ability hasn’t waned but Yamaha and Michelen were not capable of giving him the tools to win this year.
To think Valentino can not or will not win another championship would be foolish……I think he has at least one more before he retires.
Not only can he, He will win another title with Yamaha in 08 and then again when he switches to Kawasaki & Bridgestone for the 09 season. He will then have won with three different manufacturers
in the premier class and twice (back to back) with different manufacturers. He will then retire as one of the greatest of all time with 7 world titles in the premier class to keep him #2 right behind Agostini.
Rossi is not done. But Yamaha and Michelin better kit it up a notch or two.
The un-reliability of the M1 in 2006 (*Yamaha has been fooling around with their pneumatic-engine design) handed Hayden the championship. The added un-reliability of the Michelins this year, only made things more difficult. Futher, it was clear that the raw power of the Ducati on the straights gave the competition absolutely no chance to draft.
Stoner is excellent and has blossomed nicely, along with vastly improved Duc and Bridgestones. But it was a combination of equipment reliability, horsepower and steady riding by the Aussie that won him the championship. Can you imagine what would have transpired if Stoner and Rossi switched bikes this season?
Even with all the odds stacked against him, he is still second in the points. Genious! He is considered one of the greatest of all time, and with good reason.
Now if only Yamaha and Michelin can rise to the challenge. Only time will tell.
PS – I can only imagine the burr in Rossi’s saddle a fiery and super-talented Jorge Lorezo will add to his motivation.
I think he will win another championship, probably two or three. He would have won this year if he had been on Bridgestones. I loved seeing Nicky win in 06, but I am ready for the king to be recrowned. The doctor is the greatest rider of all time to this point. Lets give everyone the same tires in 08 and it will be the best season of GP racing ever.
Hell yah, Rossi can beat anyone with almost similar equipment, But some hurdles are too big to conquer. It’s just getting interesting. I can hardly wait for next year.
I am not a Valentino Rossi hater. His rookie season in The Big Show brought nothing but experience on the seat of a two-stroke 500cc machine. I was and am saddened that he was not the sole four-stroke 990cc champion because some luck went the way of Mister Kentucky Fried Chicken. I am part of the minority in America not being a Nicky Hayden fanboy and I would surely never have a poster of him hanging in my garage. Nicky Hayden is definitely entertaining as he rides the wheels off that Honda, but entertainment can only sell chicken – it cannot win repeat MotoGP championships.
I’m not here to talk about Hayden or the rise of a lucky Australian whose name reminds us of chronic weed smoking. Mr. Stoner reaped the benefits of the four-stroke 800cc Ducati this year as he sat upon strong motor and even better tires. It’s scary to think how poorly Caprirossi has done this year after he consistently rode better last year for the same manufacturer.
I write this to put emphasis on the new chapter in the degrading legacy of Valentino Rossi. Valentino is over the hill, past his prime, and needs to retire from motorcycle racing or continue to destroy a once-shining legacy. The history books would have been kind to him had he left motorcycle racing at the top for Ferrari or picked up rally racing. He may be young, but he is turning into another Duhamel. Give it up Mr. Rossi, it’s time to go home and enjoy what you enjoy – WLF.
You can look at other greats that were on top of their game and decided to come back to their respective sport to try to regain something that was in the past. Michael Jordan wrapped up his sixth championship with retirement and had to come back for two years of mediocre basketball because his ego was larger than the reality. Evander Holyfield must have fallen from space because he too just got knocked out recently as he tries to be the undisputed champion – dude is past his prime but he cuts down his legacy with a lawn mower every time he gets back in the ring.
Alright, I’ll give Mr. Rossi a chance to redeem himself – but the chances of that happening are looking bleak. In order for Rossi to come out on top as champion, it is imperative and a requirement that he wins two consecutive MotoGP championships. He must not just win once, but win back to back for a second year also. One more championship will do nothing, but to take it twice in a row would show that the likes of Hayden and Stoner were just flukes that got by.
So I say this to you Mr. Valentino Rossi with the Italian accent that gets all the umbrella girls: It’s time you join the ranks of Speed with Greg White and help them out in the booth with their race announcing. ABC’s television coverage of the MotoGP race at Laguna Seca was about on par with your season results. Help out the announcing crew and make us want to hear you more because surely we are tired of watching you do nothing but diminish and decay like the Italian spaghetti that Hayden will be eating for dinner tonight. Don’t drop the deuce.
Look at Matt Mladin, losing the last two years to Ben Spies. He is following the same mantra that Rossi has laid out, except Mladin has an excuse because he is older than Rossi. The stars are falling from the heavens of Rossi’s legacy and the dark clouds of mediocrity are moving in to obscure the glory of his racing career.
I’ve been calling for him to step down for a couple of years now. It’s time to let some of the up and coming riders sit aboard that factory Yamaha seat. The myth of Rossi being unstoppable has been dead for two years now. Say what you want to about the Kentucky Kid but he is the one that destroyed one of the greatest fabrications of invincibility in the modern sporting era.
Rossi, may need Bridgestones to do it…but he is still more then capable of winning…but having said that, Casey Stoner was unbelievable this year…poised, determined and now even more confident in his & Ducati’s ability to repeat…I really expected Pedrosa to be the heir apparent to Rossi…I also believe Nicky was just plain lucky the year prior…if he hadn’t pulled it off last season, he never would have had another chance…especially with the current & upcoming crop of talent.
Rossi is still competitive, his equipment just needs to improve.
I would dearly love to see Rossi do another title but the competition is so tuff. I don’t think that they would out ride him on like wise machines. Not yet anyway.
I have been a big fan of moto gp for many years. The way Ducati ran through out entire season and Stoner been able to piolt the thing amazingly well….. mmmm it would be hard to bet against Ducati next season! I am sure big red and yamaha working around the clock to get in to the podium for at least last 2 races. We just have to wait and see. It will be a battle between Stoner and Nicky that’s my prediction!
Valentino Rossi WILL win another title. With no disrespect to those few who have “beaten” him (i.e. Nicky Hayden and Casey Stoner), I myself would take great comfort as a champion knowing that I’ve beaten the best at their best. However, such hasn’t been the case in past two seasons of Moto GP. Any sports fan or avid competitor should understand that the best team, player, etc. doesn’t always win. This certainly doesn’t diminsish the level of skill or accomplishment achieved by the victor but rather demonstrates that sometimes outside factors contribute to the overall outcome of a battle. Fortunately, for Nicky Hayden and Casey Stoner alike, Valentino Rossi has struggled immensely in the last two Moto GP seasons. Have we seen Val at his best during his last two years with the disappointing Yamaha YZR-M1 package? Absolutely, positively not.
I’m not suggesting that he needs the Ducati-Bridgestone combination to win. However, I do believe that with at least a competitive platform with which to showcase his talent he is the MOST formidable competitor on the grid. Even the fastest rider can only do so much with a sub par platform.
I don’t personally feel that his competitors have gotten that much stronger as much as I believe that his Yamaha-tire situation has gotten that much worse.
It would be a major call to say he coul’nt…after all …he is a freak…it seems to me the problems for Valentino have been valve springs and tyres…of course it must be said Valentino was’nt making excuses for Bridgestone and Dunlop runners when Michelin were dominating, he’s now looking at things from the other side of the fence….not having access to overnight super specials really hurts.
Possibly, Remember those two years he was beaten had varying circumstances, all of which affected his otherwise perfect record. Last year he almost won, despite masses of tyre and bike problems, if he hadn’t dropped it at the final race he could well have been champion.
This year he has done considerably better than Hayden, despite the problems with tyres/bike.
No excuses and hats off to Casey Stoner, but I think on equal terms this year could have had a different result! Unless Casey can carry on with consistent wins with Rossi on better tyres, he’ll be known as the guy that beat Rossi on a bad year (much as Hayden is, or how Criville was the man that won cause Doohan was out).
Same bike, same tire and Rossi would win. He’s great. That said I love to see others figure out (different bike, different tires) how to stay in front of him.
Do you think that there are actually people out there that think Rossi would have had a hard time winning the title on a 2006 RC211 or the 2007 Ducati/Bridgestone package? Maybe one day when he again is given an oppurtunity to ride a machine that doesn’t have multiple mechanical failures, including tires that chunk, go off after 7 laps, or are just generally a second a lap off the pace. The man is god but even he can’t make up for all of that. Anybody think his teammate doesn’t know how to ride a motorcycle? Where does he finish in comparison?
As we all now by now (see 2008 results & 2007 race wins), Hayden did not really beat Rossi. Hayden is just ‘another’ great rider, but certainly not a threat for Rossi. Things are different in the case of Stoner, as he seems to able to blend Ducati/Bstone/800cc/electronics in a perfect (and mature!) manner. Stoner is, at the moment, the equivalent of Rossi of 2002 (phenomenal talent, new rules, best bike, best tyres). Rossi + Bridgestone (a fact according to www.eurosport.com) + a good Yamaha (?) might give him another championship, provided he will be able to switch to the new tyres in time. So, yes he can.
Probably not, though not for a lack of talent but instead a combination of circumstances stacked against him. I am just done looking at the the qualifying session for the Malaysian MotoGP and it is clear from this and other practice sessions that the Yamaha is down on power (a good 10 km/hr in top speed or so), they have a lot of catching up to do but not improbable. Secondly there is the tire situation, this can change whether Rossi remains on Michelin or switches to Bridgestone but he will not enjoy the advantage he previously had with respect to tires . Important to note is that at least some of his previous successes have to be attributed to the favoritism that was afforded to Rossi by Michelin. When Rossi won on his Michelin shot bike, there was no mentioned of the fact that he (and selected other rides) had specially prepared tires shipped overnight (Saturday night before the race) from the Michelin factory. However, thirdly and certainly most importantly is the Casey Stoner factor – still not convinced, then look at the Catalunya race of this year.
Yes, I can’t quite understand the title myself, but that’s that. First of all lets agree on the fundementals. You can’t win in Motogp on talent alone. At least not anymore. Equipment are becoming an essential part of a winning equation. That said, talent is abundant these days. It seems that anyone is capable of winning on a given Sunday (or Saturday Assen, Doha). Who can say that Hayden, Pedrosa, Stoner, Hopkins, Capirossi, Vermeulen, Melandri (next year on top Ducati machinery), can’t be motogp race winners, and follow a championship race? As far as the whole issue with the tires, I have to say two things. The tire manufacturers must keep in mind that this is not a tire championship, but one of manufacturers and riders. Period. Tires are a part of a machinery that is almost solely dependent on technology. It has very little to do with rider development. A rider wants a tire with maximum grip, duration, and carcass strength according to the race, and there is where rider involvement ends. World Superbikes, have solved this problem, Formula 1, and WRC have done the same. They have resolved this issue. Control tires are the way to go in championships where too much is at stake. Bridgestone did a great job. The whole racing world ackowledged that. Isn’t it enough for the B guys? In return, they say that it’s a heavy burden to have to produce tires for the whole Motogp field (they’ll add Rossi though!). The second thing that I want to say is that Yamaha can’t win a Motogp championship with a Superbike anymore. That’s what the R1/M1 is.They did for two years on Rossi talent, but great athletes raise the level of competition. The rest of the competitive field is made up of V4 engines that have inherent rotational advantages (more centralized mass, more compact, less width- Hopkins was reaching lean angles of 60degrees). The Yamaha is stuck in superbike land. Worst of all though, is the lost time. Yamaha should have been building a V4 by now. If not by the first signs of the big gap of performance, at least by the incident in Sachsenring where Rossi dropped the bike trying to pass a Kawasaki. By the end of the season, I mean now, they could be testing in the races and be better prepared for a title chase next year. I touched many subjects, and its just my opinion. The Ducati is nearly unbeatable. It will take a “Ducati” to beat a Ducati next year. Honda could, Suzuki doesn’t have the resources, Kawasaki the riders, and Yamaha the bike. One thing is certain, that the Ducati will be stronger next year. Maybe Rossi can mount a challenge. Where does this leave us?Rossi to Honda in 2009.
With better tires and a motor that won’t blow up, he will win another title. I hope he can win and retire on top.
Rossi has quite a few years left given a competitive machine. Assuming this, absolutely he can win another MotoGP title! If Yamaha steps up with a faster motor and either he gets Bridgestone or Michelin becomes competitive again, then we will have Rossi up front once more and a heck of a lot more interesting MotoGP to watch. As the situation exists now, the “Casey Stoner MotoGP Show” is very predictable and sadly, boring. I would like to see the racers actually race competitively without distractions of excuses for poor tires or hearing Stoner bitching about Rossi and Pedrosa complaints regarding tires. Let’s get some competition back in MotoGP! Can you remember when multiple racers or even a few were actually fighting for the lead?
Yes….probably.
I think Rossi is the greatest GP motorcycle racer of his time, and I’m sure he has the most ‘natural’ talent by far on the grid. In my book, he’s the 2nd greatest racer (all disciplines) of all time, behind Ayrton Senna and in front of Joey Dunlop.
Whether he wins or not will depend on a few factors.
MotoGP has become a lot like Formula 1 recently, especially in 2007 with the 800s. Talent and balls won’t guarantee wins nowadays. A lot depends on the bike.
Electronics are playing a bigger part these days. Many people say Stoner won because of tyres, but I think Ducati, in conjunction with Magnetti Marelli (spelling?) made the Bridgestones work for him with some clever programming (No disrespect to Casey, I think he rode brilliantly). Stoner used a ‘screamer’ type engine which hasn’t been successful in the past because traction control systems weren’t as advanced as they are today. Previously, big-bang type engines were the favorite. (I’m no engineer, but I think the difference between ‘screamer’ and ‘big-bang’ types are the firing-order).
If Yamaha build a better bike with good power delivery, top-end speed, and Rossi gets competitive tyres, I sure he’ll win again. His motivation must be at an all-time high after losing 2 years in a row, but maybe some off-the-track issues like the tax probe will affect him a bit.
On a side note, MotoGP viewership has dropped quite a bit this year, especially in Italy. I find this strange especially when Ducati, an Italian manufacturer, won both rider and constructor championships. Rossi may really be bigger than MotoGP, and this doesn’t bode well for the future of the sport when he moves on. I also think Dorna and the FIM made a mistake lowering the displacement to 800. I’ve got nothing against the displacement itself, but think of poor Team KR. After years of suffering, sweat, blood and tears, they finally make a good chassis and get a competitive engine in 2006 and they actually get to fight it out in front with the manufacturers. Then the rules change in 2007 and they have to start from scratch again.
Just my 2 cents. Cheerz!
P.S…. Dear editor, since you’re American, I’m sure you’re familiar with the IRL (Indycars). Their racing has been great these past few years, especially compared to F1. The points in F1 may seem close to a casual observer, but the racing itself has sucked. (The spy saga was better, I think). For me, the current IRL system works:- standard chassis from either Dallara or Panoz, single engine supplier (Honda) and spec-tyres.
Do you think something like this can work for Grand Prix motorcycles? Eg: Get some 3rd party specialist manufactures to make the frame, maybe 3 or 4 different types with teams being able to change anytime throughout the season. Ohlins or Showa to provide suspension and damping components, Marelli or Keihin to provide EFI/electronics and a single tyre and wheel manufacturer as well. The manufacturer’s job will be to design engines and and bodywork for whatever chasis/suspension/electronic combination they choose. It may not be as simple as I say and maybe some fine-tuning will be required, but I think cost’s will come down and the racing will be closer, …… but what do I know?…. I’m an Idiot, after all.
Lets face it, Michelin has let Rossi down two years in a row. Last year with numerous tire failures like the freak front tire failure he and no one else experienced. And this year Michelin just can’t hang with the Bridgestones. Put Rossi on Bridgestones and he can win again. He has the skill, he has the desire, he just needs the right bike and tires.
I think it’s safe to say that the Ducatis were the bikes to beat this season. If Rossi had saddled up one of them..?
Please. I am a big fan of Hayden, but Rossi is clearly still the best rider out there and is probably as hungry for another title as ever. If Yamaha and Michelin get their problems sorted out he will dominate again.
And if he had lost a title bid.It would have been this year?
At his skill level,the Honda would have challenged for the title this year with Rossi on it!
If Yamaha doesn’t get their act together?We will see “Vale” on a Duc too!We probably anyway?
Rossi is not done,he still wins races.The Michelins are mostly to blame-not to take anything away from Casey Stoner.What can you say?,he was brilliant this year.In the last race at P.I. everyone on french rubbers cooked them off.Hayden appeared to be making a “silent protest”,by “cooking them off”.Surely he knew what he was doing?Perhaps he was told to do so for telemetry sake?After all the Michelins are designed for the Honda.
And he was able to chase for a few laps?
Rossi lost to Hayden and Stoner thanks to Yamaha and Michelin – period.
The only way to prove Rossi is still the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time – Colin Edwards reference) is to do something like NASCAR’s IROC. Gulp…gag..retch! Where all riders are on similar bikes, tires and spec’s. Ain’t gonna happen. Just to remind the readers though, last season when Rossi lost by less than 10 points to Nicky Hayden, Hayden had only won 2 of 17 races. Yes Hayden was consistent, but due to Rossi’s 3 DNF’s, Rossi loss the title. This year, Stoner dominated and won the majority of the races to boot. Was it the Ducati and the Bridgstones, or was it simply Casey Stoner? Its all speculation, but Stoner is the new Champion.
If he stays in GP, then yes, when… that is the question.
I think he still has the talent but not the drive. He was on top for a long time. I think the money and life that goes with it has changed his priorities in life. And there’s nothing wrong with that. He should have switched to cars.
My you posed a silly question. Of course he can win a championship. 28 yo is meaningless. Rossi has two problems- power and grip. The new motor helped but Rossi believes that Yamaha has played it too conservative with the motor. He and Jeremy believe that there is more power to be found. 2008 should be a big jump compared to today’s motor. So- tires become the issue. Michelin failed all their teams this year and Bridgestone stepped up big during the same time line. Rossi will get his wish and race on the Bridgestones because he’s the most powerful man in MotoGP. What will be interesting to me is if he can perform on them. They have grip, no doubt. But will Michelin even the field next year? I think so. These engineers don’t get paid handsome sums of money to bring losers to the track. Michelin will overcome and Rossi will be fine next year. Can he win another championship on a Yamaha is the real question? Maybe not. Jumping to Ducati in 2009 would make him a National hero. But does Ducati have the funds to compete for Rossi? They are pretty small fries compared to Yamaha and Honda. It would be exciting to watch Rossi race for Ducati, however. If he does it for the glory instead of the money Ducati may be able to woo him for 2009 and then what? Stoner or Marco will be assigned to……..
In the end, Rossi has championships left in him. Whether it’s with Yamaha or not remains to be seen.
It would be a big mistake to think Rossi is too old to win anymore. Case in point Troy Bayless. Troy was older than Rossi when he won his first world title and he is not done yet. The question is if Vali is motivated to win not if he is too old to beat the younger riders. One has to but look at his record to see he is easily the greatest the sport has known. If Yamaha gives him a competitive bike,which they have not, and if he has some competitive tires, which he has not had, Rossi can out run anyone on the planet. It is truly amazing what he has done with the Yamaha. No one else has even come close. Ducati would love to have him. I think it would be a different story if he and Casey were on equal machines. That is not to take anything away from Casey but I think you might find he wouldn’t have 9 wins this year.
Rossi will eventually win another championship. However the question you should be asking is, will Nicky Hayden win another one?
yes he still has a lot left , look where he stands this year on the tires he is on.
What a silly question. Given a competitive bike and tires there is still no better rider out there (although Stoner is damned good). Anyone who watched the races can easily see that. It might not happen in 2008 with Yamaha, but you can be sure that he will land with competitive equipment in 2009. Bank on it.
Rossi has more talent and natural ability than anyone, Stoner is not all that. Rossi doesn’t even work out that hard compared to others. I like to see him on a Honda or Ducati then question if he can clinch a title. The M1 with Michelins just is not a good package.
Now that he’s “Washed up” in MotoGP, an old gentleman. so to speak, how about a “New” challenge? How about shuffling over to BMW and the other old men and riding the K1000RS 190/190 in WSB 2009? Wouldn’t that be a feather in his cap? If anybody could win on a BMW, it would be him!!!!!!
Yes he will….. once he dumps the piano company.
Far from it.He has shown that even on an inferior bike (I4 vs V4), unpredictable tires, he can win races, which he has this year. My feeling is that Rossi is mad and that it does not bode well for the competitors next year if Yamaha improves (I’m sure they will) and get better tires, ie, Bridgestones. Ducati/Bridestone has done great this year…it helps to have the BEST Traction Control system out there. MotoGP is slowly becoming F1 in terms of electronics and becoming easier to ride the bikes…it is still the riders but increasingly more and more of the bikes rely on electronics to make it go faster and win. JMO.
Not with the current environment at Yamaha. Rossi has been publicly lambasting Yamaha and Michelin for the lack of preparedness and responsiveness to the Juggernaut of Ducati/Casey Stoner/Bridgestone. Now with the up and coming talent of Lorenzo as his teammate things may get even muddier at Yamaha. His contract is up next year and he may well do another leap to a competitor, most assume it will be Ducati. Rossi is without question the best rider (perhaps ever) but without his longtime crew chief and a willing team working together to bow to his wishes he is vulnerable.
Will Valentino Rossi win another MotoGP title? Perhaps. Can he win another title? Yes he can. He’s got the talent, the knowledge, and the balls to ride to whatever level of performance needed to win. Yamaha has the capabilities to build a motorcycle for him to ride to both a personal championship and a manufacturers title.
The new riders coming up from the 250 ranks are hungry and aggressive, ready to upset the momentum of the older riders, if you can call 28 older. And Ducati’s newfound power has set all the other manufacturers on edge.
The next season is going to be better than the last. And that’s only good for we fanatics.
I believe he can if he has a competitive bike. It’s obvious Ducati had the speed and handling this year. Last year Rossi had several bike failures, etc. that cost him the championship. I really enjoy your Motorcycle daily website. Keep up the good work.
Valentino has shown to the world that he can win championships even with an inferior bike (the two that he win with Yamaha), but despite this he can’t do miracles. With a great pilot such Stoner over the incredible superior Ducati (forza Italia !!!!…, sorry), the pair was too much for Valentino. If Yamaha can make an engine reliable and powerful enough, and the tires does not play such an important role as this year, Valentino surely can win more championships, because I think he is still the strongest driver. Look at this: all the other Yamaha drivers seems to be rookies compared to Valentino with basicaly the same bike.
In a word, yes! Rossi has shown, even in the face of inferior tires (who
would know better than he) as well as an under-powered Yamaha, that he can
contend for wins. So, on the Yamaha, it might be questionable, but put
Rossi on a competitive bike with tires that he can manage, Rossi will win more titles.
I’m a big Rossi fan, that being declared I feel as long as he is on Michelins it’s a no go for another title. One real weakness that seems to be recurring is Rossi’s inability to gain the hole shot. Never really gaining the early lead in a race, but this may be related to the bike, and tire combination he’s saddled on. Rossi seems to fall back in the begining of a race, then having to battle like a demon to get back to the front. Also Yamaha just cannot develop a truly superior bike. I think they(Yamaha) have relied heavily on Rossi’s aging guile and talent. During the last two seasons when Rossi has won a race, it has been very entertaining, but he’s doing it the hardest way. From another angle, Rossi must be getting ground down in the massive tax battle with Italian government. It has been sobering to watch him this season. It’s been a lesson in life that everyone has a time. I think he’s done as the MotoGP champion, but he’ll always be the “The Doctor”. I’ll continue to hope I am wrong, and he will be number one.
I fully believe that the “Dr.” will win another title or two. He has the talent and team to back him. I will go one further and say he will be a champion in another form of motor-sports when he retires from motorcycles. Great website. Keep up the good work guys.
Of course he can. But it will take a year like he used to have. No mechanical failures, no tire issues, no DNF’s and finishing high in the points at each race, with at least a close to equal bike.. For that matter so can Nicky. It appears that the landscape has changed. I think that no longer will you be able to mail in your performances, like it seemed to be in the past. The field is too deep and too talented for that to go on.
Yeah Rossi can win with a simple switch to Bridgestone. Assuming the big M fail to improve their product. He’s old school, able to adapt and overide the bike in the same manner as Lawson and Rainey of the past. More then capable of making up for the slightly inferior package Yamaha is now struggling with.
Yes! Put Rossi on a Ducati and watch the sparks fly!!!! Remember he still got second both years he hasn’t won.
Hard to say, isn’t it? Do we really know how good Stoner is? We know he hasn’t put a foot wrong this year but if Rossi had his package (Ducati/Bridgestone) where would Rossi be? Or for that matter where would Pedrosa be if he was on Ducati? My two cents worth is that Rossi is good for at least one more title. He has said that Yamaha has to step up for ’08 and if not he has other options he can pursue. I think it would be great if he was to move to Ducati and win a title riding for them. A legend like Rossi on an Italian bike winning a MotoGP title would make for a very exciting season.
This must be a slow news day. Of coarse he can. Will he? That depends on Yamaha and Michelin at this point. In 2006 Rossi lost the world championship because of having significantly more DNFs then Nicky Hayden. Hayden won because he was more consistent not fastest. In 2007 Rossi had the second most race wins and was the only real threat to Stoner despite riding a bike which was considered by most to be no better than the third or forth fastest brand on the grid shod with the consensus second best tires. Motorcycle racing may be 70% rider and 30% machine, but even the best rider can’t win a championship if his best competitors have clearly superior motorcycles and tires. If Yamaha gives him a bike that is at least close to his best competitors and he has equal tires, the smart money will be on Rossi.
Sure he can if he will leave Yamaha and Michelin absolutely hopples combo behind NOW.
If not – he’s done. Very simple. He can’t endlessly beat alone all this designers and
engineers, teams without bike and tires. He is better when any other rider
just give him a bike and tires. Michelin have took his title already last
year also this year how many changes he will give to this guys.
Life will pass, there has been enough time to prove
their products. Clear fact is whot Michelin is
mile behind Bridgestone. And also Yamaha
has been mile behind others.
Sure no one is faster on more
less equal bikes when Rossi but if he
will lose on 08 – it’s over probably but even
Stefan Everts had three bad years and he still
rise and shine so life is longer when few seasons.
It would be very sad if this kind of rider will
disappear like this thanks to non unreliable
parters who just doesn’t try enough.
Would be nice to see him in Ducati.
Whole Italy will go out of control with all road race
fanatics if such a move will happened :)))
Rossi’s chance of winning another title depends on Yamaha and Michelin sorting out the performance of their equipment. I’ve heard some people claim he’s “lost his edge” or “quit trying” etc. That’s just talking silly. We’re talking about a guy who, in 2004, left THE dominant factory for an inferior one and handily won the championship (pretty sure he had to try harder to win than on the Honda though!). The era of the 800 ultimately handicaps a rider like Rossi ( i.e. superior skill on one of the worst bikes in the pits after KR and Tech 3 of course). The 800’s generally need to be on the same line around the track, have dramatically shorter braking distances compared to the 990’s and don’t have enough power to square off a corner when the setting and/or tires aren’t at their best. There just isn’t much room for Rossi to overcome technical short comings anymore. I certainly hope he does win again because alot of people seem to have forgotten the unreal accomplishments Rossi has made over the years…and they need a reminder.
I am Rossi’s fan, is not in my list for him to be a world champion again, but for sure Hopkins will not fins a world championship again, at least in this life.
Put Valentino on an equal bike …then see who can beat him….not many I’ll venture.
Hell yes. What a stupid question.
Absolutely!
We’ll post the rest of the responses in Part 2 of this article later this week. Thank you to all of the readers who took the time to respond.
