It was the very unsporting activity of blocking him rather than just going off and winning the race. He had that particular race sewn up for pace but instead chose (for whatever childish, unprofessional reason) to hang back and simply try to either make lots beat Rossi or knock him off. Genuinely hero to zero in one race IMO.
Don't agree. Rossi had made a powerful enemy in MM by gobbing off about him before the race. Remember that bit? VR should have kept his trap shut at the press conference beforehand. And lets be honest, we love a bit of argy bargy in sport don't we? Remember Cantona at Crystal Palace. Gold!
Completely agree with you that Rossi made a massive tactical error by opening his mouth at that time and in that way but what was he to do? MM had already lost any hope of winning the championship that year as he'd DNF'd too often, so instead took it upon himself to do whatever he could to ensure Valentino wasn't going to get the title either. All of the last races saw MM doing this sh*t, certainly at least from Phillip Island onwards. He simply had to say something as the sport's decision makers weren't intervening, as has often been the case with MM unless the situation has been so serious they simply have to. Rossi outsmarted MM too many times that year and caused MM's lack of tactical forward thinking to be exposed resulting in several crashes for MM when he invariably became of the loser of that year's skirmishes with Rossi. IMO the downfall of Rossi became MM's number 1 priority. The fact that the ruling body, and most of the viewers around the world, decided against Rossi for the cause of the crash posted in this thread earlier put Rossi in a lose-lose situation and to this day I am still convinced that it was MM's fault alone. To ride in GPs with the sole aim of destroying another rider's championship battle, when the rider in question has no hope of winning that title, is a low-life move IMO and one that MM was only too willing to play for at the last three races of that season. MM clearly has the greatest bike control skills of anyone we have ever seen, he took Stoner's new techniques and has refined and improved upon them over and over, but that still doesn't change the fact that he can be a rat. He demonstrated the same traits in Moto3 and in Moto2 so it was hardly a surprise for those that have been following him since he arrived on the world stage. That he's been allowed to get away with it in MotoGP, and against a championship decider that he is not in, has surprised many though. Many will find it hard to forgive MM for the above, me included, he is still brilliant of course and I respect his riding and racing skills immensely, but I just don't respect the guy's vindictive and unsporting nature when he's lost. And yes, his performance in Valencia's Moto2 race was stunning!
I do remember that, and like many though WTF was he doing. So that justifies unsporting and dangerous behaviour on track then? Erm...not sure
In my ideal world, Marquex would ride as he normally does and be pipped every race by another, so he doesn't win the title. I'd hate to not seen him out there, I just prefer others to win now.
Didn't Rossi have a stab at MM's front brake and make him fall off? Isn't that what Rossi got shafted for? MM got under VR's skin and he snatched the bait. How many times has VR been a wee bit ungentlemanly with his fellow racers?? Stoner, Gibenau, Biaggi et al. What goes round comes round....
No, he didn't, it was clear from all the later footage he didn't. Anyway, you'll never agree, we will never agree, been argued about hundreds of times. Marquez interview I saw this morning he said he's going out to win in style, so could be interesting to see if he does now he's off the front of the grid and others have his pace. Should be another great race
I think Rossi’s problem with MM is that he knows the kid will take his so called Goat title. Five championships already and only twenty four years old. Hopefully he will change manufactures in a couple of years time. I’d love to see him on the KTM.
Agree 100% ducktor, people only think of sepang but MM was pulling that shit for 4 races in 2015, he's a cheating prick and I'll never be convinced other wise. (PS, I'm not a Rossi fan either, But like to see fair play)
No, watched several camera angles, and MM bike knocks VR leg of peg which catches MM brake lever, I don't believe he had any intention of knocking him off.
Oh no, not you again..... If you really narrow your eyes when watching it again, you'll see what you want to see. You see. See.
I think riders are only seen as truly great if they do ride something other than a top notch factory team. If MM wins a world title on a KTM etc.... Well then?
He got shafted for kicking out at MM yes but the truth is MM rode straight into Rossi, the stewards came to an incorrect decision, didn't review the situation carefully enough, incorrectly penalised Rossi, and way too severely considering a championship was at stake too. A classic tuck up IMO at the same level as the F1 stewards/bosses made against Senna during the Senna vs Prost championship battles. You are quite right that Rossi went in hard on Stoner, Gibernau, Biaggi, etc but iirc they were all racing moves on the racing line and fighting for the win, I've followed Rossi since his debut in the 125cc GP class and don't ever recall him playing cat and mouse with the sole intention of screwing someone's race when he could have just disappeared into distance, and that is exactly what MM was doing and for Dick Dastardly reasons alone. He even looks like him, dead ringer in fact.
So you disagree with the Stewards because you've seen a couple of video's on TV/Internet, while the Stewards have reviewed every available angle, had access to both teams data, 1st hand witness and protagonists statements plus have history and a relationship with both of them. But you go on believing what your personal prejudices are leading you to believe, me I don't give a fuck either way, both are flawed genius's, and have earned the right to do whatever the fuck they want on the track and are big enough to suffer the consequences of their own actions, it was years ago FFS, let it go.
Yes that's about the size of it. It's just a discussion and an opinion and you don't have to agree with it eh? We're all just here talking b*llox after all. MM's save yesterday...
Well done Dovi but what an anticlimax of a race compared to Phillip Island eh, was hoping for a proper ding dong but then I always do
