FireDave

Just got back from Laguna. In the corkscrew, Rossi used Stoner as a berm. Rossi won, that's about all you can say. All you Rossi fans, would you be saying the same thing if Stoner, Hayden, or anyone else had won in the same fashion as Rossi? Be honest . . . you'd be screaming bloody murder.

Rossi ran a dangerous race. Two of his passes on Stoner were terrible. He got past Stoner, but again, that's the best thing you can say about it. Twice he came close, so close as to be lucky it didn't happen, close to taking them both out of the race.

Twice, before Stoner went down, Rossi ran wide in turn one, as Stoner was going around him to pass. Very close to putting Stoner into the wall. Once again, had Stoner (or anyone else) done that to Rossi . . . .would Rossi fans be saying "Great Race"? I don't think so.

I haven't watched any post-race comments from Stoner, but if he was complaining about how Rossi was riding, then I'd have to agree.

In the Rainey curve, at the bottom of the corkscrew, Stoner was scraping a peg . . .that's why he got out of shape there for three or four laps.

I think Rossi's 'style' at Laguna was because Dani was out. He had nothing to lose if he caused both Stoner and he to crash because Dani wasn't earning any points either way.

Stay tuned for possible sanctions against Rossi for the manner in which he ran the race.

Robusto

lame commentators and way too long of ad breaks

GixxerPete

That's how you have to race to stay ahead of someone with a way faster bike... keep em behind you. Rossi knew if Stoner got out ahead, he'd just spool up the turbo, punch the NOS button and be gone, so he did what he had to to stay in front.

Don't hold your breath on any sanctions... the only really shitty pass was the one in the corkscrew where Rossi went in the dirt, and that was obviously unintentional.

theJrod

What do you base your opinion on?

John Hopkins and Chaz Davies sat in on the commentary (for motogp.com) and BOTH of them said the passes were clean and fair. I'll take their word (and everywhere else I've read from REAL racers, i.e. WERA/AMA guys) over some hack who just watched the race from the corkscrew.

This is classic Rossi racing. It's super fun to watch, and I'm happy this race was aired on CBS for the whole country to see. Should gain a few fans to the sport.

If you want questionable passes, look for farther then Elias a few years back. Even the questionable passes he made never saw any type of sanctions. I'm not even sure where you got that idea.

Stoner is known for his "little bitch" comments when things don't go his way, so the post-race interviews are no surprise.

Tdawg

some of those passes are common in 125/250/WSB
Stoner must have forgotten or is used to big leads with no challenge

Stoner and Rossi fan, sure wished he didn't drop his bike in the gravel and took it to the end of the race. (and didn't whine like a 1000cc new bike kid that got beat by a 5 year old bike)

Either way this race (Laguna of all places) will bring fans and the drama created will be a positive for Dorna. Sanctions would erase that

as read elsewhere; Casey faith in T/C showed when he went full to off throttle where rossi was more modulated and likely less T/C

Burgess had a funny comment about the racing that happened between Rainey, Schwantz, Doohan, etc...

I guess if you're faster in the straights, the slower bike in front of you should get the blue flag even when fighting for position.

No sanctions on the Sete incident, there won't be any here

eurospeed

(quote) Stoner and Rossi fan, sure wished he didn't drop his bike in the gravel and took it to the end of the race.

richardlpalmer

That was nothing but good racing. Even the corkscrew pass was clean. Notice where Stoner is (rumble strips), Rossi's just a bit more inside through a bit of gravel. Not so uncommon, just not common to see in MotoGP and not so common to see in that particular turn...

Very very exciting race!

FireDave

I won't hold my breath. But it will be looked at, closely, whether Rossi crossed the line. The track announcers were talking about the Rossi-rough-rider issue before the riders got to the podium.

You're a Rossi fan, and you acknowldeged one bad pass. Now . . . imagine you're neutral, or a Stoner fan: Now count how many bad passes were made by Rossi, count the number of times Rossi dangerously blocked Stoner, as in the run-wides at turn one, to keep Stoner behind him.

A defensive line is one thing. Actively blocking another rider who's got 10 mph on you at 170 or so . . . . that's another matter.

The most important issue, for Dorna, is the obvious tactic, Rossi's obvious pre-race plan to ride in a nascar "rubbin's racin' " style, to stuff turns, to try to beat on Stoner, to get in his head.

It worked . . . . .Rossi's new style. Now imagine 18 other riders doing the same thing to gain or keep a lead. I don't think it will be tolerated and it can't go on.

Hypnotiq

Sanctions? Are you fucking kidding me?

This is racing, not knitting. Nothing Rossi did deserves sanctions. Some of you guys amaze me.

Of course I wanted Rossi to win but I would have prefered to see a battle to the finish line. Too bad Stoner had to go too hot into the last corner and drop his bike.

richardlpalmer

It's funny, if you listen to the announcers (Euro) they don't even mention it as anything wrong. In fact at the end of the race they were applauding how letter perfect the race was (John Hopkins in particular -- who has a very credible opinion). Vale was as "big" as possible wherever he didn't have the advantage, forcing Casey to have to go outside. That's perfect racing!

Hair raising? Sure thing. Exciting? Absolutely! Incorrect/In error? No way!

I think some of you have gotten to use to MotoGP being so perfectly run that you've forgotten what racing is all about. Watch any 125cc, 250cc, WSB, BSB, AMA, etc. race and you'll a race FULL of this kind of stuff. And for that matter, go back to when there were several top racers at the top (500cc) and you'll see racing that would make your hair stand on end compared to this...

FireDave

What do I base my opinion on? I was there. I heard hundreds of people say things like "Holy Shit! What's he doing out there?" I've had people come to me after and offer apologies for making stuffed passes like that.

And I don't agree that it was 'classic' Rossi racing. It has become, in the last 15 races or so, his MO to race more desperately to catch or stay in front. He wasn't riding this way three years ago, was he? He's always been spectacular, but I don't recall him putting another rider at risk the way he did on Sunday.

I'm sure Rossi apologized to Stoner . . . .as he polished his trophy.

Some hack in the corkscrew? Now I'm laughing. And of which Racers are you speaking? I haven't heard anybody but Rossi fans saying it was a clean race, and at least some of his fans are willing to admit he fucked with Stoner once or twice.

Opinions are mixed, naturally. But this race stands out, many people are talking about the way Rossi conducted himself. And that includes many people with lots of race experience who say Rossi went too far. And the talk includes people who were there to see it first hand, to hear it directly from those in the pits.

We'll see what happens before Brno.


One thing that concerns me . . . . .it was fun to watch . . . .especially if you're the typical clueless American/Nascar type. I hope CBS doesn't have enough clout start demanding more of this shit. I've seen enough races to know that this was as messy a race as I've seen in a long time.

At least Stoner's comments were warranted. What do you call Rossi's comments last year about Michelin?

Hypnotiq

Yes, hundreds of fans who have likely never turned a wheel on a race track is definately a valid source for verifying whether Rossi's moves need to be sanctioned. Who are all these racers that have said he has gone too far? Ive yet to read one article, one interview, or one press conference that shows a racer (other than Stoner) say he went too far).

3 years ago? You need a reminder of the races against Biaggi and Sete.

Go back and look at races in other series and the old days of GP. Close, tight racing was part of it as well as trading paint. All the new guys coming to GP lately have become a bunch of little pansies. I remember how upset Jorge got when Toseland bumped into him @ Qatar. What a bunch of princesses.

Rossi setup the front end of that bike so he could go in deep and hold a tight line. Rossi isn't a rookie. He knows how to race. Casey got beat, plain and simple.

Before Brno, hopefully Casey will learn how to develop some race craft.

eurospeed

i was there too and only heard fan cheering back and forth when stoner or rossi would pass each other.

SiCC

wasnt even rossi's fault when stoner went off at leguna. btw, luv how rossi made the push then wheelied home.

Buckwheat

Rossi never touched or even brushed Stoner. Not even while passing in the dirt through the corkscrew. It's moves like this which earn the title GOAT and cause mere mortals to lose their heads when racing against "The Dr"

E36M3K6GSXR

I was just about to mention that race.

Buckwheat

Bumping is another matter in my book. I hate it and I don't care if you're Senna, Schumacher, any Nascar driver or not (just to name a few 4 wheeled *#$$@!'s).

What made that display so typically Rossi was the clean passing, unreal control and unbelievable tenacity.

Ciao998

lol..............People turn the cheek when it comes to Rossi. Rossi IS MotoGP, sad really. If you deny that you're a complete and utter idiot!! haha.


Stoner does need to learn some racecraft. You all are so critical of a guy who is still practically a kid. Remember he has a long ways, and time to go.

Yes Rossi blocked, slowed Stoner, DID WHAT HE HAD TO DO!!!!! get over it!!!!

The only foolish thing Rossi did was his corkscrew maneuver, but I don't think he was trying to be reckless. It's about time someone stepped up and raced WITH the Duc instead of being whiney little bitches, and bitchin about Ducati and how fast they are.

It's the other teams jobs to catch up to Ducati, not Ducati or anyone elses job to slow them down. Bitch about the other teams lackluster performance,not about a team going out and spankin the others. Besides, Ducati was the only manufacturer who opposed the 800cc bikes. The whole reason their bike is so good now.

richardlpalmer

Hey, the Ducati looked great. Casey likes the bike moving around under him (kind of like Hayden in his earlier years) so I wasn't even too concerned about how out of sorts he looked in and out of the corners. My only thought was he was eating his tires up and that would cost him in the end.

I think Casey rode a fantastic race and would have seriously contended for the lead at the end.

The miracle to me is that he didn't just run away from it. From the look of things after Qualifying that's just what I expected. So to see him get the holeshot and be leading the race with Rossi in 3rd by the second corner made me assume he'd just gap everyone.

But that didn't happen. And each time he regained the lead he still didn't pull away. As the race unfolded that way, lap after lap, I grew even more impressed with Vale's game. This is also a track that Vale has never won at and Stoner had so I was even more impressed (but not too much -- he's alway run strong, just hasn't won).

So all in all I think it was an awesome race and I wouldn't have been surprised one bit if Stoner would have won. I would have expected him to bin it before Rossi though -- the smoothness which Rossi was riding was very inspiring...

watskooo

You cannot be serious. There's absolutely no chance at seeing any sanctions, and having seen the race more than once, the only questionable pass was the dirt tracking one in the corkscrew. And how often do people attempt passes like that one that don't work? Fairly often.

Rossi's supposed to pull over and let Stoner go by in turn 1? I wouldn't count on it. Rossi was set up to be able to pass Stoner by out-braking him, and that's what he did. Passing people on the brakes looks a little different than motoring by them on the straights, but after you watch enough racing you get used to it.

It was an amazing race to watch, I can't believe there are people so invested in only cheering for their rider they couldn't appreciate the show. Until Stoner lost it, I was still expecting him to win, I really didn't think Rossi would be able to stay in front of him.

Motophotog

Just heard back from the head of local KIRO of CBS, basically said thanks for the email and he was happy to broadcast MotoGP. Its nice to hear back from someone who probably gets 1,000 emails a day

Motophotog

Yep, it worked. Now go watch some World SuperStock, or BSB, or WSBK. You'll see what "aggressive" riding is.

theJrod

Oh? I didn't realize you were a racer. Since you are a racer, you know that racing is completely different than trackdays. A move that deserves an apology at a trackday happens probably once every 4 seconds in a race. But you know that, since you're an expert racer. All those people around you were probably racers too, right? I'm sure they know more than Hopkins, Davies, et al who have clearly stated that the passes were clean and fair.


Uh, did you just start watching MotoGP? Like everybody else in the thread has said, go rent a few tapes from years past.


Try reading. Start with my post, where I mentioned Hopkins and Davies. Two guys who have actually raced against Rossi and Stoner. But I'm sure you know more than they do.


I'll save you the wait..... Nothing will happen.

GixxerPete

What, at a track day?

This is MotoGP, not a track day or club race. "Hundreds of people" don't know WTF they're talking about, as they aren't professional racers let alone FIM officials, so their opinions mean jack and shit.

3 years ago he wasn't racing against someone with a way faster bike that rides itself via electronics. If he didn't get in front and stay in front, Stoner would have just checked out again. It's called "racecraft" look it up some time. It's something Stoner is unfamiliar with as he's used to runaway victories.

I'm sure he didn't. If anything, Stoner should apologize for being a whiny little bitch and not shaking Rossi's hand after the race. That was unprofessional and just made him look like a little baby.