[Closed] The Goat !

He doesn't have to beat Lorenzo now, so it's looking like a maybe.

3 races to go, leading the series - it's his to lose really.

I don't know, couple of years on the big red career wrecker and everyone was ready to write him off, or maybe it's because of his old age - IMHO it's not the years that mean MotoGP riders retire earlier than most other sports, it's the injuries and Rossi's only really had 1 major injury.

Anyway, the pressure is on, but who the hell thinks Rossi, The GOAT, The Doctor is going to crumble? Nah, he could crash, his bike might give up, anything that's Motor Sport, but he's not going to choke.

Just watched Japan.
Philip Island & Sepang next, both Rossi tracks.
I think he's going to do it!

When things are going pear shaped, that's when Rossi really shines.

I couldn't believe the slo-mo pics of his and Lorenzo's tyres. That must have felt really dodgy.

Meanwhile Pedrosa is back on form with a vengeance.

And how about Lorenzo's nearly off into the gravel. He must have been a hairsbreadth away from binning it and losing his run at the championship. Great rider, and he's still in with a chance. Just needs a dnf from Rossi...

But I hope Rossi wins it this year.

The year he narrowly lost to Hayden it all slipped away at Valencia. He rode like a nervous child and got stuffed.

Valencia isn't one of his best tracks but he scrapped through to second last year. Before that it was 4th, 10th and DNF...

I hope he does it but Valencia is his least favourite track.I'll never forget him losing the title to Haydon at that circuit.

Yeah one of the best seasons for some time

Youth and talent is no match for age and [s]treachery[/s] experience

The year he narrowly lost to Hayden it all slipped away at Valencia. He rode like a nervous child

It didn't help that Bayliss turned up after a year in WSBK and stuffed everyone that weekend showing what could be done when he got his own way.....i believe he arrived in Valencia with the forks from his Superbike and demanded they fit them to the GP bike, initially the crew chief refused, Bayliss started to walk and the boss relented....the rest as they say is history, he'd proved his point....he'd always wanted his WSBK front end in that Duc but was never allowed.

The media circus that weekend was ridiculous, as much as Rossi tries to stay strong mentally (and usually achieves it) he was not expecting that....i seem to recall both Ducatis disappearing into the distance that weekend and making the rest of the field look silly....Rossi was expecting a straight fight at the front with Hayden and himself.
That would be my only reservation this year, Dani is back winning races, Marquez is always a threat and there's no guarantee one or both won't screw things up for Rossi and Lorenzo in the title fight....if it was just a case of Rossi cruising round behind Lorenzo to finish 2nd each race then I'd stake my house on it but the two mischievous Honda riders are going to play significant parts I feel!

deviant - Member
...That would be my only reservation this year, Dani is back winning races, Marquez is always a threat and there's no guarantee one or both won't screw things up for Rossi and Lorenzo in the title fight....if it was just a case of Rossi cruising round behind Lorenzo to finish 2nd each race then I'd stake my house on it but the two mischievous Honda riders are going to play significant parts I feel!

But if Marquez and Pedrosa manage to lead the Yamaha riders, then Rossi can afford to cruise even further behind Lorenzo because there's not such a big points gap in the lesser placing.

Basically Rossi just has to stay on his bike and shadow Lorenzo to win. His only problem will be a dnf or a series of Lorenzo wins with Rossi in minor placings eg Marquez and Pedrosa between him and Lorenzo.

epicyclo - Member

deviant - Member
...That would be my only reservation this year, Dani is back winning races, Marquez is always a threat and there's no guarantee one or both won't screw things up for Rossi and Lorenzo in the title fight....if it was just a case of Rossi cruising round behind Lorenzo to finish 2nd each race then I'd stake my house on it but the two mischievous Honda riders are going to play significant parts I feel!

But if Marquez and Pedrosa manage to lead the Yamaha riders, then Rossi can afford to cruise even further behind Lorenzo because there's not such a big points gap in the lesser placing.

Basically Rossi just has to stay on his bike and shadow Lorenzo to win. His only problem will be a dnf or a series of Lorenzo wins with Rossi in minor placings eg Marquez and Pedrosa between him and Lorenzo.

Agreed this can only help Rossi, they can't win the championship but the gap in points between a 3rd and 4th finish and a 1st and second is smaller so if JL beats VR but they're down the standings is erodes VR lead less.

In Stoner's book he states that Rossi was screwed over with the tyres at Valencia in 2006 - someone somewhere made sure that he didn't win that year (of course that punt off by Elias early-season and the breakdown later didn't help!).
Not usually one for conspiracy theories myself but Stoner is hardly VR's biggest fan so I doubt he'd want to make it up 😆

LS - Member
...Not usually one for conspiracy theories myself but Stoner is hardly VR's biggest fan so I doubt he'd want to make it up

Part of Stoner's unpopularity in some quarters is that he is a plain speaker. A PR man's nightmare.

If he says that. I'd believe him.

Rossi is quoted as saying that there are too many permutations to think about if X finishes here. He just needs to continue what he has been doing and get the most out of each race. I can see him beating Lorenzo at Philip Island and losing to him at Velencia. At Sepang I think it is too hard to call and reckon the Hondas may romp away with it.

epicyclo - Member

LS - Member
...Not usually one for conspiracy theories myself but Stoner is hardly VR's biggest fan so I doubt he'd want to make it up

Part of Stoner's unpopularity in some quarters is that he is a plain speaker. A PR man's nightmare.

If he says that. I'd believe him.

Only part is right, Stoner the Moaner has very many and varied flaws in his personality which make him unpopular. 😉

I'm a lifelong Rossi fan, but its still so close that I'm properly nervous! Dani or Marc could easily throw a spanner in the works.

Also, I dislike Lorenzo, so I don't want him to win.

I personally think and hope experience will. prevail, Marc however is not only very quick, he can be dangerous he isn't bothered about challenging anyone anywhere ,Pedrosa has found form and Jorge is Jorge !,both Mardy and fast !..

Rossi is the master of headgames ,ask Gibernau,& yes Bayliss smoked em all I was there ,awesome !..

Can we use the motogp 2015 thread rather than this one? Please. We know there'll be spoilers in that one.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/moto-gp-2015/page/7

Ta 🙂

I prefer this one. It's edgier.

Thanks for spoiler...