How good is Valentino?

Last season Valentino Rossi leaves Honda and joins Yamaha,
because he "needs a new challenge".Although I suspect a couple of $million might have had some influence on the decision.
Honda sticks to the letter of the contract and will not let Rossi ride the Yamaha untill the New year.
So not much development time.
First qualifying session this season, Valentino calmly goes out and puts the new bike on provisional pole.......
IMHO the bloke is right up there with the greats. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Can't agree more the man is able to take a bike that was not competative at the end of last season and sort it out in 3 months the man is a star. You don't find many racers that would move to an uncompetative team to do that.

NEWS FLASH... and then to go on and win the first race of the season. Apparently the first person in 500/MotoGP history to win two consecutive races on two different brands of bike.

...but while we are at it, lets also give some credit to the team who put the bike under him... the (mostly) Australian team lead by Jeremy Burgess... the same guys who put a bike under world Champions Mick Doohan, Wayne Gardner and Alex Criville. OK... I am a patriotic Aussie, so I just had to get that one in /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

According to the telecast Rossi insisted the bike be like a Honda and they even changed the firing order to suit. The guy is just incredible. Regards

Notice how far back the next Yamaha finished. Rossi is truely one of the all time great riders. I doubt his bike is fully the equal of the Hondas this soon. He simply showed just how good he really is.

Kevin

Kevin

Valentino is the greatest but let's not forget his arch nemesis Max Biaggi.
These guys will be pushing each other to further greatness
for years to come. It takes some big cahonas to ride that fast and to make passes like they do. Simply astonishing every time I see them race.
VVVAAARRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM. OH, YEAH
Steve

Rossi tested a Ferrari Formula 1 car yesterday and was only 3 sec. behind Michael Schumacher's times after only 20 laps in an F1 car. Rossi is truely a great talent.

Check: http://www.crash.net/uk/en/news_view.asp?cid=6&nid=90023 .

Kevin

Hi all,

Watched the bike GPs on TV on Sunday at Welkom in the Free State, close to home and in all three classes, 125, 250 and 500 it was nail biting stuff right to end. Rossi, first time out out on the Yammie was in a league of his own - mind you, Biaggi was right there waiting to pick him off.

Wondering if old Bernie Ecclestone was watching and wondering how he could put the same dog fights into his four wheeler F1 league!

Andre 40

[ QUOTE ]


Wondering if old Bernie Ecclestone was watching and wondering how he could put the same dog fights into his four wheeler F1 league!
Andre 40

[/ QUOTE ]
Bernie could try making Schumacher drive using only one hand, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


Wondering if old Bernie Ecclestone was watching and wondering how he could put the same dog fights into his four wheeler F1 league!
Andre 40

[/ QUOTE ]
Bernie could try making Schumacher drive using only one hand, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

We, the wife and I, have been following Valeo's career since he raced pocked bikes. Rossi grew up in front of us, so to speak.

My wife Danielle is usually a very quiet and reserved person but if you wanna see her get loud, have her watch Valentino on TV when Max is dogging him. She gets so loud the cats run away.

Bernie will make make $$$ if Rossi joins F1. Schumacher take note. Ferrari is courting Rossi and first time out he gets close. Very close. I'd be a tad worried if I was you, Michael.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Rossi recently did have a drive of a Ferrari F1 car at Ferrari's test facility. Schuey loaned Valentino his helmet for the drive.
Rossi's best lap was only three seconds slower than Schuey's best. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Ah, but if you take a look back a couple of years ago Biaggi did a test with Ferrari and the headlines (and times) were exactly the same, it`s all PR, Rossi has no interest in F1, he`s a rally man at heart.
The last thing we need is Bernie getting his hands on bike racing talent again, remember he tried that a while back with bike GPs in the UK, and put the entry ticket prices up to near F1 levels and we all stopped going, that was good for UK bike racing wasn`t it Bernie? you soon dropped that contract. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif