[ducatirdr]

That was a great race. Rossi again shows the world who is boss.



Hayden showed the world he really belongs at the show. The race for 3rd place was the most exciting racing. Actually the best racing I've seen in a long time. Great to see him at the interview after the race.

 

[nokneedragin]

Rossi was unbelievable in that race. Told my girlfriend that it would be impossible for a racer (even as great as Rossi) to make up the 7 seconds he needed to secure the win. He made me a liar again. He had to be running qualifing times to do it.

Great to see Nicky on a legit podium. He rode a great race. Watch out for next season. He will know the tracks better, and be more comfy in the GP circus.

Who knows where Rossi will wind up. I don't think Honda wants to lose him, but it sounds like they want a multi year contract, and Rossi doesn't sign those (from what I've read).

 

[SmokeU]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.



GOOO NICKY!!!!

 

[38500]

Yes, Rossi was amazing! He had only something like 3.5 seconds on Capirossi on lap 16 of 27 and he was making up about .4-.5 seconds a lap. The commentators said it could not be done. I thought it could not be done, and I bet everyone else felt the same. Then Rossi turns on the afterburners! What does he have? an extra cylinder to be fired up when he needs it? Self-adjusting tires that do not decay towards the end of races? He was just destroying the opposition. Capirossi's rear tire was all over the place because of how hard he was going, and he was still taking almost a second per lap. At this point the only way we could have a fair GP *is* to put Rossi either on Yamaha, Kawasaki or Proton. Then it might be more even, although I would not bet against him. If he stays with Honda, we might as well give him the 2004 championship right now.

What happened to Biaggi, BTW?

 

[kman45]

What say you MOrons?, how many of you were screaming at the TV and jumping up and down as much as I was? My dogs had to run to the other end of the house I was whoopin it up so much! Not only was that just some incredible racing, but having Nicky in the middle of it all made it over the top. Thought I was gonna burst an artery when he took the lead (yeah, knew it wouldn't last, but WTF!).



Rossi is so far above everybody else how can you just not be amazed by him. If he simply rides at that level for 4 more years, will people finally catch up to him?



kman

 

[zrx]

Rossi is far above everybody else in Moto GP. Wonder if it’s all due to his current ride, could he win on the Aprilia, Kawasaki or Proton or is it a combination of rider team and Honda V5. Guess we will not know until next year. I was not able to watch the greats of Eddie Lawson or Kenny Roberts and the like but did they win this easily and consistently?

 

[36755]

Racing was not on television back during the days of Roberts, Lawson, Spencer, etc... But nobody in recent times rides a motorcycle like Rossi. If he shows up at a race, then everybody else is racing for second place.

 

[417]

There were other times when riders were a cut above the rest. The years when Agostini was racing without having to compete with Hailwood resulted in demolition jobs like this 1968 - 1972. Everyone else was racing for second. Was that the MV or was that Ago? A bit of both I suspect because he showed what he could do changing to Yamaha winning two further world titles (350 and 500) and winning the Daytona 200 in 1974 and by then he had a long career behind him so wasn't exactly young. Phil Read won on the MV too to show that the bike was good in its time. By 1976 it was outpaced by the 2 strokes and was retired.



As for other riders Spencer did a wonderful job the year he won the 250 and 500 titles. I saw the Silverstone races on TV, it was pissing with rain and he won by miles in both races if I remember rightly.



Since then there were the years Doohan was streaking away from the field once Schwantz had retired.



Rossi is special though, 5 world titles by the time he is 24. There is no question the Honda helps Rossi like the MV helped Ago way back. To be on the best bike of the time helps for sure.



Nicky is coming on though and at current rate of progression he may not be far behind next year.

 

[jmeyn]

Rossi, Gibernau and Biaggi are 1st, 2cd and 3rd this year whether they live or die. Contrast two of them:



Rossi: Not only makes up a seven second gap, but runs 4 track record laps in a row (15-18). 5 seconds ahead and he's STILL lapping in the 31s!!!



Biaggi: Stays near the 2cd group till rookie Hayden slips by him ( rather easily I thought ) for good. Then retreats to 17th place and just toodles around. I suppose his tires were off, but it seems like a Biaggi pattern ("I wasn't really trying").

 

[gt750]

I have been watching G.P. since 1987. Then I believe was the heyday, as there was only one ultimate series. No, nobody was super dominant. There were four riders who were capable of winning. The best years were around 1989 or so when you had Wayne Rainey, K. Schwantz, Eddie Lawson, Kevin Magee, Wayne Gardner, Christen Sarron, and a few others who were capable of winning or at least challenging the big guns.

It seemed that the boring times happened when we lost Rainey to injury, and K.Schwantz retired. It left a big gap. That was when the up and coming riders, and a few old timers went to World Superbike or they stayed in the States, etc.. Did you know that M. Duhamel raced G.P's for a year? Didn't do well so he came back to the States. If you wanna see races like the one on Sunday, watch the 89 or early 90's G.P.'s. When Lawson was on a Marlboro Yamaha, and Kenny Roberts was running the Lucky Strike Yamaha team, with Schwantz on the Pepsi Suzuki.

 

[12er]

Well I wasnt jumping up and down (Sundays I dont get out of bed till after the race) but I was definitely loud and sitting straight up. Mighty fine race!

 

[13630]

No doubt, my opinion of Nicky has been changed by his success this year. I am a doubter no longer. He is the real deal.