I am now sadly decided that if he continues any longer it will just be scrapping for 4th/5th/6th, or maybe an odd podium if one of the big three (Marquez, Lorenzo and Pedrosa) either crashes or breaks down

Let's just hope he doesn't hang on too long and end up taking himself out in a big way

All he is doing is diluting his legacy and making people question if he is the greatest ever same as they did with Shumacher. Is it time for him to retire? yes probably.

I take it you missed out on the pre-show where they were talking about the 340mm discs being sensitive to over and under-heating? 

 

I did catch that but that, to me, highlights where Rossi is now behind the curve rather than ahead of it.  He is/was the Doctor, brilliant at making the best of conditions and now he is the on caught out by it.  The brake issue was the same for all the riders, baring the fact that Rossi is one of the largest riders on the grid at about 70 Kgs all togged up compared to the fly weight Spaniards and 50-60 Kgs but then he has more aero braking and weight shifting ability due to his height and weight.

 

Let us not make excuses for Rossi, who is one of the greats (ed) of all times and I have books of his exploits.  

 

No one hoped more than me he would be great back at Yamaha after his wilderness couple of years at Ducati but will he every be a contender again?  Signs are not good. 

"who is one of the grates of all times"   

"who is one of the grates of all times"   

The guy's obviously a Max Biaggi fan!  

The guy's obviously a Max Biaggi fan!

 

Apologies for the spelling mistake / word swap, and I do not even read the Grauniad. . 

I think he knows himself he's not a serious title contender anymore. Look how friendly and jokey he his with Marquez, he certainly wasn't like that with Lorenzo when he came into Moto GP in 2008. He (Rossi) was 5 years younger and OK Lorenzo was in the same team but he knew he still had championships in him. There wasn't much jokey time going on then.

Rossi been riding the new MT09 which is probably more his dap off and definitely mine.

Rossi been riding the new MT09 which is probably more his dap off and definitely mine.

More his what?

More his what?

 

Must be a colloquial expression.  More of his suit, type these days.  

 

Been a huge week for Rossi, now splitting with his Chief mechanic Jeremy Burgess after 14 years and 7 World titles.

 

Rossi says he will try and help Lorenzo to win the title today.  He has just had a good FP3 finishing third behind Maquez and Lorenzo but Rossi needs to beat Maquez and not hold up Lorenzo to get close to helping and Cal finish ahead of Maquez as well, almost impossible to imagine so it really leaves it down to Maquez saying on the bike and finish in the top 4 to get the 13 points or more he needs.

 

Dani P would probably be told to drop back if it looked like he would finish ahead of Maquez if it looked like Dani finishing forth and Maquez fifth I expect. 

 

 Come on Yamaha, end on the best note possible! 

Well, that's that then. If Vale isn't winning or at least best non-HRC next year he should retire because he's changed everything except him.

Well, that's that then. If Vale isn't winning or at least best non-HRC next year he should retire because he's changed everything except him.

Ken,

I think he alluded to that in his interview shown on Sunday. Actually, he more than alluded to it. He said he would finish next season if he was not competing for race wins.

Shame. He has been great, but time waits for no man.

I think he actually said he would see by the sixth race next season if no improvement then he might not stay on for a further two years. To sack the most successful crew cheif in history a position which doesn't require as much youth rather requires experience in favour of Vale who's position does require youth and thay unquantifiable hunger, determination and blind faith that the bike will stick when you throw it into a corner already on the edge of adhesion.This Fuzzy logic doesn't make any sense to me. Vale seams to be unaware that the only thing thats changed is the harsh passage of time has caught him up and the sun has set on his carrear he should bow out now gracefully before injuring himself and possibly other riders. On 'The edge' is no place for an old timer! but he will never be happy being an also ran.

Just went looking for a quote from Rossi about yesterday's racing. 

 

He said"   http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/198015/1/rossi_rues_lack_of_rostrum_challenge.html

 

Rossi, working with crew chief Jerry Burgess for the last time on Sunday, said: “The race was not so bad, especially after this morning where I had a lot of problems and wasn't fast enough.   “Unfortunately I didn't have the pace to fight for the podium. I was able to stay close at the beginning and try to fight but after I didn't have the speed, like more or less all the season where I am two or three tenths slower compared to the top guys.  “For this reason I couldn't challenge for the pole position, the race and the championship,” he added.   “The season was not so bad for me but we have to try more to increase our speed and our performance to fight for the podium more constantly. This is the target for 2014.”

 

Well we saw Rossi, and Bautista, keep up for about ten laps but for the remaining twenty laps Rossi was left behind by the 3 Spaniards. 

 

In the good old days Rossi would be getting better in the race not falling off the pace.  After mid distance Lorenzo even slowed down hoping Rossi, Crutchlow and Bradley could do him a favour but Cal fell off and even going slower was not slow enough for Rossi to catch up without letting Dani or Marquez past.

 

You could look at it coldly a say Rossi is taking up a seat that would be better filled by a hungrier and younger rider.

 

He does Gross about $12M, with about another $10M in sponsorship so does not want to loss all that.  Sad sad situation.