Moto GP Spoiler.

[merv]

I'm all for Nationalistic and flags and Rossi is cool for doing that. Just wish we could see the Kiwi flag more often.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Lawson left his last GP not looking back, saying, what was it ?
"They'll forget me in a week" !! (we didn't).
The media attacked him too and lots of others, Sheene, Kosinski, Spencer ! All different in their own ways, look at the current crop.
Comes with the territory sadly. Gaz.

Barry Sheene was someone who very actively courted the media, and they loved him for it.

Kocinski has/had actual mental health problems. Not too many attacks on him in or by the media I've seen.

Stuff I've read about Freddie over the years suggests he is a deeply shy, very conservative Southern boy, very religious, and kept himself to himself. He also happened to be demon fast, and a master of pushing the front. the only negative publicity i can recall is when he stopped winning, retired and came back. Basically his wrist tendons packed up IIRC.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I'm all for Nationalistic and flags and Rossi is cool for doing that. Just wish we could see the Kiwi flag more often.

....on occasions when it isnt acutely embarrassing to be a kiwi. thugby matches, hakas and shit.

[merv]

Yeah trouble with the haka is it happens beforehand with no guarantee of a win, whereas the show of flags after a win at least has value in my view.

Freddie Spencer was the last double champion wasn't he in 250/500. I presume its still possible to ride both classes but no-one does these days or are they not allowed to?

[Big Dave]

You couldn't have them riding in two classes now.

The sponsors, agencies and stylists would have fits.

[Big Dave]

Love the Haka. Usually means a win coming up.
(No I'm kidding - I know where the cups are.)

And seriously - I think the Haka is mint. Game on.

[Oscar]

Yeah trouble with the haka is it happens beforehand with no guarantee of a win, whereas the show of flags after a win at least has value in my view.

Freddie Spencer was the last double champion wasn't he in 250/500. I presume its still possible to ride both classes but no-one does these days or are they not allowed to?

Against the rules.

[Viscount Montgomery]

The old inverse Hopoate trick. I bet them GP boys don't shower together after the race.

Sad for Rossi..

[merv]

Against the rules.

Its hard to tell reading these http://www.fim-live.com/fileadmin/al...ING_GP_Eng.pdf whether its against the rules or not.

I see they are very discriminatory age-wise though I see.

[wharfy]

Its hard to tell reading these http://www.fim-live.com/fileadmin/al...ING_GP_Eng.pdf whether its against the rules or not.

I see they are very discriminatory though age-wise though I see.

Bugger ! another career path blocked

[roogazza]

Barry Sheene was someone who very actively courted the media, and they loved him for it.
Kocinski has/had actual mental health problems. Not too many attacks on him in or by the media I've seen.
Stuff I've read about Freddie over the years suggests he is a deeply shy, very conservative Southern boy, very religious, and kept himself to himself. He also happened to be demon fast, and a master of pushing the front. the only negative publicity i can recall is when he stopped winning, retired and came back. Basically his wrist tendons packed up IIRC.

They've all had crap written about them at some stage, be it Sheene falling sick witha mistery illness, Kocinski with his incessant hand cleaning or Spencer with his arm pump. It was the media I was getting at, not the great riders. G.

[Rcktfsh]

Yeah trouble with the haka is it happens beforehand with no guarantee of a win, whereas the show of flags after a win at least has value in my view.

Freddie Spencer was the last double champion wasn't he in 250/500. I presume its still possible to ride both classes but no-one does these days or are they not allowed to?

Pretty rare to win double championships, heres the list.

Seasons Rider Titles
1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 Giacomo Agostini 10 (5 x 500 cc, 5 x 350 cc)
1958, 1959, 1960 John Surtees 6 (3 x 500 cc, 3 x 350 cc)
1956, 1959, 1960 Carlo Ubbiali 6 (3 x 250 cc, 3 x 125 cc)
1962, 1963 Jim Redman 4 (2 x 350 cc, 2 x 250 cc)
1966, 1967 Mike Hailwood 4 (2 x 350 cc, 2 x 250 cc)
1978, 1979 Kork Ballington 4 (2 x 350 cc, 2 x 250 cc)
1951 Geoff Duke 2 (1 x 500 cc, 1 x 350 cc)
1953 Werner Haas 2 (1 x 250 cc, 1 x 125 cc)
1961 Gary Hocking 2 (1 x 500 cc, 1 x 350 cc)
1963 Hugh Anderson 2 (1 x 125 cc, 1 x 50 cc)
1968 Phil Read 2 (1 x 250 cc, 1 x 125 cc)
1972 Ángel Nieto 2 (1 x 125 cc, 1 x 50 cc)
1976 Walter Villa 2 (1 x 350 cc, 1 x 250 cc)
1981 Anton Mang 2(1 x 350 cc, 1 x 250 cc)
1985 Freddie Spencer 2 (1 x 500 cc, 1 x 250 cc)
1988 Jorge Martínez 2 (1 x 125 cc, 1 x 80 cc)

[Oscar]

Pretty rare to win double championships, heres the list.

Seasons Rider Titles
1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 Giacomo Agostini 10 (5 x 500 cc, 5 x 350 cc)
1958, 1959, 1960 John Surtees 6 (3 x 500 cc, 3 x 350 cc)
1956, 1959, 1960 Carlo Ubbiali 6 (3 x 250 cc, 3 x 125 cc)
1962, 1963 Jim Redman 4 (2 x 350 cc, 2 x 250 cc)
1966, 1967 Mike Hailwood 4 (2 x 350 cc, 2 x 250 cc)
1978, 1979 Kork Ballington 4 (2 x 350 cc, 2 x 250 cc)
1951 Geoff Duke 2 (1 x 500 cc, 1 x 350 cc)
1953 Werner Haas 2 (1 x 250 cc, 1 x 125 cc)
1961 Gary Hocking 2 (1 x 500 cc, 1 x 350 cc)
1963 Hugh Anderson 2 (1 x 125 cc, 1 x 50 cc)
1968 Phil Read 2 (1 x 250 cc, 1 x 125 cc)
1972 Ángel Nieto 2 (1 x 125 cc, 1 x 50 cc)
1976 Walter Villa 2 (1 x 350 cc, 1 x 250 cc)
1981 Anton Mang 2(1 x 350 cc, 1 x 250 cc)
1985 Freddie Spencer 2 (1 x 500 cc, 1 x 250 cc)
1988 Jorge Martínez 2 (1 x 125 cc, 1 x 80 cc)

John Surtees went one better - the only man to win the premier class on 2 and 4 wheels...

[merv]

Yeah I wasn't thinking of the small classes hence my comment on Spencer being the last double at 250/500 level, but Oscar can you make sense of that regulations document because you said firmly double is against the rules now? I couldn't see that, I could only see that if you are too old as in above 50 for example you're out of MotoGP and lower ages for the smaller classes.

[Oscar]

Yeah I wasn't thinking of the small classes hence my comment on Spencer being the last double at 250/500 level, but Oscar can you make sense of that regulations document because you said firmly double is against the rules now? I couldn't see that, I could only see that if you are too old as in above 50 for example you're out of MotoGP and lower ages for the smaller classes.

I read the whole thing, and apart from the language all being in the singular, there is no specific rule. It may be an agreement between IRTA and the FIM.

My info. came from Mike Webb, who is the Technical Director.