Exactly. Some people like to have a Goat cemented in their heads because it simplifies things and they don’t have to concentrate too hard though.
Rossi won on 2 stroke, 4 stroke 990 and 800’s with two manufacturers which is pretty good going, also across Michelin and Bridgestone. That’s an impressive run, but he never had to come back from injury really, arguably the leg break at Mugello he was never the same after. Marquez for me won quicker and a higher win rate, he also did Michelin and Bridgestone, is about to win on 2 manufacturers and I think will then go on to win on 850’s. Marquez gets my vote, just. Oh… and Marquez let someone re-brake his arm voluntarily to make it straight, that’s grim! But a massive massive sacrifice
Marquez is the fastest rider of the last 20 years without a doubt. He came to MotoGP and left every other rider in his dust for a number of years.
Yeah good point he shook things up very quickly on arrival in the class - have to wonder how many titles he lost as a result of Honda's demise rather than his own. His comeback this year now hes on winning machinery shows he's not lost it
Same with Kim Newcombe, he built his own bike using a Konig boat engine but was killed in a non GP race before the last round. Posthumous 2nd in the championship splitting the MV's.
Hailwood is up there after winning championships and TT's he went to cars won a European F2 championship and a George Medal for rescuing Clay Regazoni from a burning car Then back to winning TT Or somebody rarely mentioned on Forums like ours. John Surtees multiple 500 champion and F1 champion
He also did it on a bike that no one else could ride and changed the style of Motogp riding. Everyone tried to copy him including Rossi.
True, before Marquez no one was riding elbow down and saving front end crashes, now, mostly only he is but some others do and all the kids ride like that. So a bit like Barry Sheen changed things with back protectors etc, and Kenny Robert’s created the knee down style, it’s generational shifts which is probably the sign of a great.
I think MM sort of invented the airbag suit so even the haters cannot knock him for that, I guess Crutchlow helped also.
Reminds me of the old joke “Do you agree with the people who say that Ringo is the best drummer in the world?” “…Ringo isn’t even the best drummer in the Beatles”
