3718 replies to this topic

[Chubby_Deuce]

Edit: Just noticed your comment on him possibly having access to a Kalex chassis. I assume that is with a 600cc engine? Wonder what the testing rules are in regards to displacement. Looking at the rulebook for familiarization:

 

 

It's entirely possible. I don't know that the Dunlops have changed construction since the Honda went out so I'd assume that the chassis has the same overall feel post-Triumph redesign.

 

I don't have any details unfortunately, just a snippet from a conversation.

[PlayboyRacer]

Also, remember in the best Rossi years there was no nemesis for him, so... Only when Pedrosa/Stoner/Lorenzo got into the top class, Rossi got true competition at good enough level.

I quite enjoyed the Rossi v Biaggi years. I know alot of people that did.

Motorsport has never just been about machines. It's as much about humans, personalities, characters and sub plots. The best rivalries have always had a combination of all this.

MotoGP will certainly go on without Rossi. But, Marquez aside, the new generation do seem rather bland and "cookie cutter". Of course that could change.

[NixxxoN]

I quite enjoyed the Rossi v Biaggi years. I know alot of people that did.

Motorsport has never just been about machines. It's as much about humans, personalities, characters and sub plots. The best rivalries have always had a combination of all this.

MotoGP will certainly go on without Rossi. But, Marquez aside, the new generation do seem rather bland and "cookie cutter". Of course that could change.

Marquez reminds me of Doohan a bit. He was the dominant rider back then and when he had to retire due to his big injury, the field seemed rather bland... And then two years later Rossi appeared.

New big stars will appear in the future when some day Marquez retires (although this is still far away because he is only 27)

[dissident]

I quite enjoyed the Rossi v Biaggi years. I know alot of people that did.

Motorsport has never just been about machines. It's as much about humans, personalities, characters and sub plots. The best rivalries have always had a combination of all this.

MotoGP will certainly go on without Rossi. But, Marquez aside, the new generation do seem rather bland and "cookie cutter". Of course that could change.

 

"Che cazzo fai, idiota" 

 

But personnal clashes aside, Biaggi was never much of a rival to Rossi really... Rossi was confortably faster. 

[PlayboyRacer]

"Che cazzo fai, idiota"

But personnal clashes aside, Biaggi was never much of a rival to Rossi really... Rossi was confortably faster.

I'm certainly in the minority. I rate Biaggi a bit higher than most do.

He caught Rossi in his absolute pomp. And even when the new generation rocked up (Stoner, Lorenzo), Rossi counter punched and took back to back titles. If he'd stayed at Yamaha and not chased fairytales at Ducati, who knows. I'd imagine Stoner and Lorenzo would have won less than they did.

Rossi imo didn't have a true equal till Marquez came along. But that's not unique, he was a generational talent after all.

[NixxxoN]

I'm certainly in the minority. I rate Biaggi a bit higher than most do.

He caught Rossi in his absolute pomp. And even when the new generation rocked up (Stoner, Lorenzo), Rossi counter punched and took back to back titles. If he'd stayed at Yamaha and not chased fairytales at Ducati, who knows. I'd imagine Stoner and Lorenzo would have won less than they did.

Rossi imo didn't have a true equal till Marquez came along. But that's not unique, he was a generational talent after all.

Biaggi was good but I think a step behind Rossi. Biaggi complained that the Yamaha was not as good as the Honda. But then he switched to Honda, and it was the same story.

They were from different generations though... Biaggi was getting old when Rossi was still young and approaching his peak.

[LucaP]

Of course, if we judge by today's standards, that's because Biaggi spent too many years in 250cc. He might have peaked there.
But then again, he happened to peak sandwiched between Doohan and Rossi.
He could have won in 99 and 2000 with all the respect for Criville and K Roberts, but couldn't.

[Risil]

I don't think the stats can do the Rossi/Biaggi rivalry justice. It had started before they'd even sat on the same grid together. In retrospect, Max Biaggi never had a better chance at winning a 500cc championship than in his debut year in 1998. There'd just been some major technical changes owing to the introduction of unleaded fuel and Biaggi was quick on the Honda right away.

 

There were a few potential stars from that period who either left too soon, or never kicked on to be fast every weekend. Think about Darryl Beattie, Doug Chandler, John Kocinski, Norick Abe and Anthony Gobert. There's a huge amount of talent for less than 10 top-class wins between them. For various reasons: injury, bad luck, focus elsewhere, personal demons. And of course Doohan + HRC was a machine, in the Marquez + HRC mould. I think Carl Fogarty could've done a decent job in GPs too. We'll never know.

[LucaP]

I'd add Barros and Checa to the list

[NixxxoN]

Plus Gibernau, who managed to have the edge on Biaggi in the same Honda, but was not good enough either (to seriously challenge Rossi)

[Risil]

Bike advantage or not, Sete gave Rossi a run for his money in 2004. That was a great year.

Big shame that injuries effectively ended Gibernau's career before we found out if he had a second wind in him.

Was never that excited about Checa or Barros (Checa was an excellent and graceful rider of WSBK Ducatis though). But everyone has their favourite near-champions, don't they? The riders whose records don't speak for themselves.

[Nova]

Bike advantage or not, Sete gave Rossi a run for his money in 2004. That was a great year.

Big shame that injuries effectively ended Gibernau's career before we found out if he had a second wind in him.

Was never that excited about Checa or Barros (Checa was an excellent and graceful rider of WSBK Ducatis though). But everyone has their favourite near-champions, don't they? The riders whose records don't speak for themselves.

 

Not near, but future.

 

Daijiro Kato

[messy]

Kato in the 250s was one of the most impressive things I’ve ever seen. Just crushingly dominant. Then the following year, on a fairly tame satellite Yamaha he put in a couple of stunning rides (Jerez, Brno).....we’ll never know for sure but I feel 2003-05 if Gibernau could run Rossi reasonably close, Kato would have been even stronger. Obviously we’ll never know for sure.

Edited by messy, 28 November 2020 - 22:54.

[Dolph]

The motorcycle racing 2020 season provides a last gem from Brazilian SBK championship. Another classic celebrating too early moment:

 

https://twitter.com/...3430337537?s=20

[highdownforce]

The motorcycle racing 2020 season provides a last gem from Brazilian SBK championship. Another classic celebrating too early moment:

 

https://twitter.com/...3430337537?s=20

I'll release the throttle on this short straight, I'll be ok!

[Risil]

Oh no. Also, is that Goiania? MotoGP raced there in the 1980s.

[highdownforce]

Oh no. Also, is that Goiania? MotoGP raced there in the 1980s.

Yes, it is Goiana.
It has been renamed to "Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna".

 

MotoGP raced there in 87, 88 and 89.

Edited by highdownforce, 23 December 2020 - 18:04.

[LucaP]

Was it designed by the same person who did Curitiba? They almost look the same

[messy]

It’s your typical ‘make the longest track you can from the smallest amount of land’ layout innit, but very similar yeah.