MOTOGP » Stoner's night dream, Rossi's nightmare

Duke @ ee: My comment was a mock-up. I just wanted to see who would actually believe such a comment would be stated for real.

Rossi is never going to be World Champion again. He is past his best, his frustrating 2006 and outright awful 2007 years have clipped the psychological edge he had over his rivals. He also has nothing more to prove, it's natural his motivation is suffering. However, that doesn't mean he wasn't truly great or that he is not one of the sports legends. It's just a sad fact of life that one cannot be winning everyone else forever. All great athletes have their good years and one day they just fade away. The only real question is how gracefully they manage to do it.

Rob W, I agree that the lack of Bridgestone track info will be a handicap on some tracks but I'm not sure it will be a terminal issue for the championship though it will make it that much more challenging. I feel his exceptional talent and ability to adapt his riding style on a lap by lap basis to consistently extract that 1 - 2% over the absolute limit as happened at Qatar will keep him in the hunt, however what will make his task that much harder is the converse situation that you have at Casey/Ducati where the tyre, Bike and Rider are simply irresistable on virtually every track.
Jack M, I think you're wrong about Rossi as he will win races and will compete this year. Stay tuned.

I don't think Rossi is past it at all.

He and his team have work to do that's for sure but I think he'll still finish in the top three for the season.

Pushing the limit in the chasing extra hp may become an engineering issue that puts limits on reliability of the M1's drive train.

Do I think he will win the Championship? Not likely at this point but still possible.

After all we have 16 rounds to go.

Stoner and Ducati have shown they still what their title and from the looks of things it'll take one hell of a fight to get it back off them.

17 rounds to go

I was looking at the really nice pictures at the Qatar motogp website, and I noticed the completely shot tire of VR. Quite interesting is the picture on page 2, even with Pedrosa behind Rossi, quite some time before the end of the race, that shows the shoulder completely worn out. Stoners B'Stone inversly looks like new (at least on the pictures)...

(3w.)motogp.com/en/motogp/motogp_photo_gallery.htm?menu=photo_gallery

The rendering of the pictures is completely different from normal daylight pictures. In big its quite striking...I like it!

That picture says it all...

Isn't it Kees?

For anyone interested, so you don't have to look further... Again, the pictures are nice; stunning...One of them with Stoner's elbow almost hitting the curbs...

images.motogp.com/en/motogp/popup_1000/popup_1000_212076.htm?lang=en
images.motogp.com/en/motogp/popup_1000/popup_1000_212078.htm?lang=en
images.motogp.com/en/motogp/popup_1000/popup_1000_212114.htm?lang=en

just put them in the adress bar, and enjoy

Sounds like their still having issues tuning the Yamaha to the stones.... "that" I really do not understand? why given the preseason testing. If it continues beyond Jerez its probably going to be slippery slope for team yellow and BS. I wonder how hard it would be politically for rossi to switch back to Michelin now

Switch back?Who's going to want him now?

Jeez Marty do you never give up? Trying to disguise your digs at Rossi as intelligent conversation is laughable...it's obvoius to all you 'don't understand' the first thing about the technical side of motogp. I for one find your constant jibes completely tiresome. .. Get a life boy...