Rossi, Ducati, and what winning means this year.

**onearmedbandit** · 16th March 2011, 14:04

Following on from CFWB's Qatar thread.

Rossi has indisputably been 'the' name in MotoGP for the past 10yrs, taking his first win in 2001 in the premier class on the 500, followed up in 2002, 3, 4 and 5 with further championships. 2006 saw him take 2nd, and 2007 3rd. 2008 and 9 saw him return to the top of the table, then 2010 he finished 3rd.

He has a huge fan base, but also has a lot of detractors as well, some arguing luck, some dirty tactics, and some the opportunities he has been given. And last year (I believe it was) he really ruffled some feathers by attacking Stoner by saying that he needed to ride the Ducati harder. Now we see Rossi himself on the Ducati, and the first official times from Qatar have shown him to be 1.3 seconds off the pace of Stoner on the Honda, and behind another Ducati mounted rider.

So, what do you think this will mean for Rossi if he fails to perform on the Duke this year? Stoner has won a championship on it. Will it validate the claims of 'luck', 'opportunity' etc or will it mean that Rossi is starting to fall off his perch (inevitable)?

No one denies he is a great rider. No one could ever say he's the best rider of all time. But would this signal that he wasn't as good as we thought he was, or that his time has come? Or that Ducati can't get the bike to suit Rossi? Or is he just hiding his hand?

**onearmedbandit** · 16th March 2011, 14:08

Whoops, 2nd option in the poll was supposed to be 'skill, determination, bit of luck but is past his prime'.

**Crasherfromwayback** · 16th March 2011, 14:34

Without doubt one OF the best we've ever seen. Certainly gotta be one of the smartest racers of all time too. A fantastic showman, and incredibly good for the sport of motorcycle racing. All adds up to a legend. My argument has more been though...that he's not the fastest racer I've ever seen. And I'll always stand by that!

Still think he's a closet fudge packer though...

**Sensei** · 16th March 2011, 16:24

Still has his shoulder injury which isn't fully sorted & Geoff hasn't & want sort the bike out till it is .... He'll give it a bloody good effort , Will be a great season of racing I feel

**AllanB** · 16th March 2011, 16:44

Greatest rider yet. Period.

Early days yet for Ducati/Rossi and once Ducati build him a decent bike

he'll be at the front.

Actually I hope his ride is just edgy enough to give the competition some real excitement - I loved it when he first rode that slightly underperforming Yamaha at 11/10's - darn good TV.

**Motu** · 16th March 2011, 17:41

He still has a sore shoulder and says he can't push it until it's healed....but seems to think it will last a race distance,just not days of testing.I guess you could call that hiding his hand.The fact that riders who were good one year and not another,or have worse results with a change of bike,points to bike issues rather than rider issues...or at least with them coming to grips with changes.

With 10 years at the top I'd like to think Rossi could still show us his old domination,I don't really care,this has been the best 10 years ever for motorcycle racing,and we have Rossi to thank for that.

**Shaun** · 16th March 2011, 17:51

Originally Posted by AllanB

Greatest rider yet. Period.

Early days yet for Ducati/Rossi and once Ducati build him a decent bike

he'll be at the front.

Actually I hope his ride is just edgy enough to give the competition some real excitement - I loved it when he first rode that slightly underperforming Yamaha at 11/10's - darn good TV.

He is the modern day GOD on bikes! " Greatest rider ever" Not sure if I agree

Freedie Spencer was the first rider I saw consistintally and accurately sliding the front wheel

Then there's Mr Lawson thrown in there

And then Comes DOOHAN

**MIXONE** · 16th March 2011, 18:20

Rossi is the best I have seen and I have been watching racing for 50 years.I just wish he'd switched to the big red years ago.

Chur post 1234.

**pritch** · 16th March 2011, 19:49

Agostini still holds one record and has a genuine claim to be "The Greatest". Rossi now holds most other records. As always, however, comparisons between different eras are invidious.

The Ducati is currently a problem, Rossi and Burgess will almost certainly sort it but the question is when. And the clock is ticking.

Stoner has just been quoted as saying something similar:

"The Ducati is competitive - he explained - at the start of last year it was me making the mistakes in the early race laps, but by season's end it was a winning bike. They (the current Ducati riders, ed.) only have to get used to it. They are making comments now, but they really don't know the bike yet. Rossi will get there. It might take him a little bit of time, but he will get there."

**Matt Bleck** · 16th March 2011, 20:03

i think you'd be a fool to judge him by the results of the last two test's

**gatch** · 16th March 2011, 20:11

Rossi deserves what he has been given as he is the genuine article, he's fast as fuck. I think perhaps he is not giving 100% yet with the shoulder injury etc.

Can never be the greatest racer ever though. Has openly said he has no interest in riding competitively on IOM. That makes him a really fast blouse

**wharfy** · 17th March 2011, 13:54

No one could ever say he's the best rider of all time.

I could

- It would be hard to convince fans of Agostini or Hailwood or Roberts though.

Hailwood's detractors used to say he had an advantage because his family were rich (I think his dad owned a garage ? hardly rich by todays standards) Ago's that he was to good looking

Winning a championship is bloody difficult AND requires a great TEAM. Rossi and his team were so tight that when he jumped ship they (mostly all) went with him (twice !!).
That gives you some measure of the man.
Every rider in motoGP is fuckin good - Just throwing a leg over a motoGP bike must take huge balls - never mind wringing its neck !! The ones that win multiple championships are GREAT. Stoner and Lorenzo have time to prove themselves, but not much. If Lorenzo wins back to back he will be on the road to greatness, it will be interesting if ether of them can get 4 or more 1st division titles or if either of them give up and go back to the second division (as Rossi called WSBK) - Like Max

This season should be awesome - I might have to subscribe to the motoGP video feeds again

This is a most excellent thread !

**codgyoleracer** · 17th March 2011, 14:03

Originally Posted by Crasherfromwayback

Without doubt one OF the best we've ever seen. Certainly gotta be one of the smartest racers of all time too. A fantastic showman, and incredibly good for the sport of motorcycle racing. All adds up to a legend. My argument has more been though...that he's not the fastest racer I've ever seen. And I'll always stand by that!

Still think he's a closet fudge packer though...

Ole VR does whats needed & not much else, IMO he is real good at knowing where he or his bike is weak & is able to minimise his risks in those areas real quickly.
Have seen flashes of " fastest ever" though from him. Best i recall is the time he had to make up 10sec penalty at PI....... Un Friggen believable that was.