Portugal GP *SPOILER!*

[deano]

Am I the only one who thinks that if not for his 3 DNF's Rossi would have the title in the bag by now? The only reason this seasons championship is this close is because of Rossi's misfortune. Now Nicky has had some, and at the worst possible time, and as much as I would like to see Nicky bring the title to North America, I think we all know who the best RIDER is. The final race should be fantastic, may the best RIDER win.

 

[GAPS]

I'm really enjoying this post, good stuff all around..... I almost feel bad for Pedrosa, clearly he made a bad mistake and regrets that. The youngster was having a damn good first season and to go out like this has got to be tough. Especially with all the kind words that have been directed at him...... the heat of battle and the red mist got him, he wanted to show Nicky a wheel and overcooked it, easy to do when you're young, dumb and full of ....... As for Nicky, he can still get it done though I doubt he will, Rossi IS a better rider after all.

 

[Randy]

Am I the only one who thinks that if not for his 3 DNF's Rossi would have the title in the bag by now? The only reason this seasons championship is this close is because of Rossi's misfortune. Now Nicky has had some, and at the worst possible time, and as much as I would like to see Nicky bring the title to North America, I think we all know who the best RIDER is. The final race should be fantastic, may the best RIDER win.

No one can answer your point about the Rossi DNFs and having the championship in the bag. Too many if's.

If he hasn't qualified so badly at the first race, he wouldn't have been starting in the 3rd row and wouldn't have been taken out by Elias.

If his crew would have seen that it was his front tire that was chunked in China and they replaced it, then he might have gotten more points.

If Rossi hadn't crashed during practice in Assen, maybe he would have finished better.

If Rossi wouldn't have been pushing so hard at Laguna rather than just getting out with whatever points he could get, he wouldn't have overcooked and chunked his tire which resulted in him (as reported) slowing down which hurt the motor which caused the DNF.

There are a ton of IFs associated with every rider in the field. You gotta remember that the championship doesn't always go to the best rider - it's the rider who had the best package for the entire season.

I'm really enjoying this post, good stuff all around..... I almost feel bad for Pedrosa, clearly he made a bad mistake and regrets that. The youngster was having a damn good first season and to go out like this has got to be tough. Especially with all the kind words that have been directed at him...... the heat of battle and the red mist got him, he wanted to show Nicky a wheel and overcooked it, easy to do when you're young, dumb and full of ....... As for Nicky, he can still get it done though I doubt he will, Rossi IS a better rider after all.

Don't forget that Dani is a 3-time World Champion (2 times on 250s and once on 125). Perhaps a rookie to MotoGP, but, not a rookie.

 

[deano]

No one can answer your point about the Rossi DNFs and having the championship in the bag. Too many if's.

If he hasn't qualified so badly at the first race, he wouldn't have been starting in the 3rd row and wouldn't have been taken out by Elias.

If his crew would have seen that it was his front tire that was chunked in China and they replaced it, then he might have gotten more points.

If Rossi hadn't crashed during practice in Assen, maybe he would have finished better.

If Rossi wouldn't have been pushing so hard at Laguna rather than just getting out with whatever points he could get, he wouldn't have overcooked and chunked his tire which resulted in him (as reported) slowing down which hurt the motor which caused the DNF.

There are a ton of IFs associated with every rider in the field. You gotta remember that the championship doesn't always go to the best rider - it's the rider who had the best package for the entire season.

So Randy what your saying is (IF) Nicky would have got off to a better start and was leading the race

He would'nt have been downed by Pedrosa?

And as far as Rossi pushing to hard at Laguna Seca, is that not what great racing is all about, winning? Or settling for points. Can't help it if the ole Yam won't hold up!! ha ha.

You can tell by the way Rossi dusted it up with Elias (who had nothing to lose) late in the race that winning was/is more important than the title, he could have settled for second but fought to the end risking handing the title back to Nicky.

I do agree with you that racing is a team effort and you need the complete package to win.

Who do you guys thing would be in the lead if everyone rode a Hon%#?

May the best RIDER win, may the best manufacturer win the manufacturer's title.

 

[Thug]

Randy! your in denial mate let it go...breathe in....breathe out....

 

[Randy]

Randy! your in denial mate let it go...breathe in....breathe out....

I am? In denial of what? That Rossi is the best rider in the pack (and arguably of all time as his results will show)? There's no denying that. There's also no denying that Dani ****** up any chance Nicky had at that point of winning the title.

 

[GAPS]

There's also no denying that Dani ****** up any chance Nicky had at that point of winning the title.

Uhh, no, not really. Hell, not even close.

 

[Randy]

There's also no denying that Dani ****** up any chance Nicky had at that point of winning the title.
Uhh, no, not really. Hell, not even close.

Not even close? At that point, Rossi 1st, Nicky 3rd. If it stays that way and Nicky goes into the last round with a 12 point lead. Nicky crashes as a result of Dani taking him out.

 

[TestPilot]

Let's separate some points, here.

Firstly, Pedrosa's mistake was the dumbest move I have seen in motor racing of all kinds, ever. My opinion, yours may vary.

Secondly, who knows what the outcome would have been going into the last round with Hayden having a 12 or even 10 point lead. But it would have been a great race to watch, with Rossi having effectively to win, and Hayden finish lower than 4th. As it stands now, I can't see Hayden challenging Rossi for the title. Rossi will have no trouble shadowing Hayden if he just wants to win the title. He doesn't even need to beat him.

Thirdly, Pedrosa will have very little sanction against him. He is the next big thing at Honda as they try to challenge whoever it is that Rossi is riding for (obviously currently Yamaha). (And, in my view, that is the way it is right now - Rossi vs The Rest).

Fourth, this was possibly Hayden's one chance at winning the title. If you examine his racing record against others in the field he does not stack up as a potential champion (again, my opinion, yours may vary). He is not really a race winner, but he got to leading the championship by intelligent and consistent riding (both attributes that Pedrosa has NOT shown).

To support my 4th point, here is a comparison between Hayden and his team mate - Dummy Pedrosa:

In Europe, and worldwide (excluding the US), Pedrosa is making bigger headlines than Nicky.

This year they have each won two races;

Pedrosa has 4 pole positions to Haydens 1;

Pedrosa has 4 race fastest laps to Haydens 2;

Pedrosa is in his first year of Moto GP (after dominating the 250 class for 2 years - 15 wins from 32 starts) for 2 wins, Hayden is in his 3rd (or 4th - not sure) season for 3 wins;

Pedrosa has led 40 laps this year to Haydens 29.

In MotoGP before Portugal: Hayden - 63 starts, 3 wins (5%), 4 poles (6%), 4 fastest laps (6%), 19 podiums (30%); Pedrosa - 15 starts, 2 wins (13%), 4 poles (27%), 4 fastest laps (27%), 8 podiums (61%).

Yes, much as I don't like it either, Pedrosa is attracting more attention than Nicky, and also has a better chance of winning the title in the future.

 

[650cent]

MotoGPnews knows how to make fun of MiniP (Pedrosa) here:

https://www.motogpnews.com/home.php?pageid=726

Good insights also

Bill

 

[wallypiper]

There's also no denying that Dani ****** up any chance Nicky had at that point of winning the title.

Uhh, no, not really. Hell, not even close.

Not even close? At that point, Rossi 1st, Nicky 3rd. If it stays that way and Nicky goes into the last round with a 12 point lead. Nicky crashes as a result of Dani taking him out.

I'm confused by your statement. If the race had ended with Rossi first and Nicky 3rd, they would have gone to the final race with Nicky leading the championship by 3 points and we would have been treated to a head to head battle for the chamionship in the last race. As long as they were both in the top 4, whoever was first would be chamion.

If Nicky had finished second to Rossi, the point lead would have been 7 and Nicky could have won by finishing second to Rossi again at the last race.

Its still not over. Rossi could end up in a gravel trap at the final round or stuck in the back somewhere with mechanical problems.

But we have been cheated out of a great head to head final race of the year. Pedrosa says he wasn't trying to pass. Who knows what was really in his head? Regardless, he made a bad mistake and screwed us all out of the chance to see that.

 

[GAPS]

There's also no denying that Dani ****** up any chance Nicky had at that point of winning the title.

Uhh, no, not really. Hell, not even close.

Not even close? At that point, Rossi 1st, Nicky 3rd. If it stays that way and Nicky goes into the last round with a 12 point lead. Nicky crashes as a result of Dani taking him out.

Randy, Im not sure what you are saying ......'Dani ****** up any chance 'at that point' of Nicky winning the title'.........Nicky still has a shot, it is not the situation he deserves to be in but all is not lost. I think it will take a small miracle to beat Rossi at this point but Nicky aint out yet.

 

[JimE]

I think it will take a small miracle to beat Rossi at this point but Nicky aint out yet.

Who knows what will happen in the last race? How careful do you think Dani will be if he gets a chance to pass Rossi? Or how carefully will he slam the door if Rossi tries to pass him?

If I'm Valentino, I give Pedrosa a VERY wide berth...

 

[Randy]

There's also no denying that Dani ****** up any chance Nicky had at that point of winning the title.

Uhh, no, not really. Hell, not even close.

Not even close? At that point, Rossi 1st, Nicky 3rd. If it stays that way and Nicky goes into the last round with a 12 point lead. Nicky crashes as a result of Dani taking him out.

Randy, Im not sure what you are saying ......'Dani ****** up any chance 'at that point' of Nicky winning the title'.........Nicky still has a shot, it is not the situation he deserves to be in but all is not lost. I think it will take a small miracle to beat Rossi at this point but Nicky aint out yet.

I didn't say he eliminated any chance he had, I just said that he ****** up any chance he had. Not sure how else to say it. Nicky's chances prior to lap 5 in Portugal - good to fair. Nicky's chances after tumbling into the gravel trap on lap 5 in Portugal - poor.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Nicky can win the championship without winning the race, but then he'll have to put more riders between himself and Rossi. (not an easy thing to do) His best chance comes from winning the race and hoping the rest works out. Seems like? others have been told to "lift their game"? Would that they'd have shown some of that brilliance previously in the season. The scenes of Tony Elias accelerating by the leaders (while they're sitting-up, braking for a turn) and then "backing" his Fortuna Honda in, sideways, -- is the stuff of legend. Reminded me of KR Sr on the 4-cyl Yamaha flat-tracker at the Indy Twin-Mile. And speaking of KR, Junior showed he still can race....!

Just a week + to the finale....The stage is set -- the actors are in place: (Puck-ish) Vale; Nicky (the noble hero-to-be); Mini-Dani (the spoiler --but, in reality, big H's hope for the future); the gang of pretenders (Tony, Junior, Colin, et al) all poised to gain something.... Willy The Shake couldn't have written it better....

 

[Randy]

Nicky can win the championship without winning the race, but then he'll have to put more riders between himself and Rossi. (not an easy thing to do) His best chance comes from winning the race and hoping the rest works out. Seems like? others have been told to "lift their game"? Would that they'd have shown some of that brilliance previously in the season. The scenes of Tony Elias accelerating by the leaders (while they're sitting-up, braking for a turn) and then "backing" his Fortuna Honda in, sideways, -- is the stuff of legend. Reminded me of KR Sr on the 4-cyl Yamaha flat-tracker at the Indy Twin-Mile. And speaking of KR, Junior showed he still can race....!Just a week + to the finale....The stage is set -- the actors are in place: (Puck-ish) Vale; Nicky (the noble hero-to-be); Mini-Dani (the spoiler --but, in reality, big H's hope for the future); the gang of pretenders (Tony, Junior, Colin, et al) all poised to gain something.... Willy The Shake couldn't have written it better....

Well said. I'm a Rossi fan. I'm a Hayden fan. I'm an Edwards fan. I'm an Elias fan. I'm a Roberts fan. Get the idea? I'm just racing fan. I'm pulling for Hayden because of the whole underdog thing. Don't you sometimes root for the guy that is 1 shot behind Tiger Woods?

In the end, as he will go down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest motorcycle world champions, perhaps it is fitting that Valentino Rossi has a pretty good chance to become the ONLY 990cc MotoGP Champion....ever.