"..you had to play until the last lap, so you had to have the sensitivity, the intuition, to make the right move—and the brilliance to invent something.."
IN AN exclusive interview with roadracerx.com, reigning MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi has said he thinks MotoGP is becoming less exciting and more like Formula One.
The Doctor points the finger at the technology-driven 800cc MotoGP bikes, pinpointing 'Bridgestone, and the electronics’ as they key factors leading to the less dramatic racing we see in today's MotoGP.
"These factors have transformed bikes and the way that they’re ridden," Rossi told roadracerx.com. "Before, the bikes slid a lot, especially in the final laps, and then we had to go slower in the corners. Right there are two factors that bring the riders together and improve the show. Removing those elements, our races become more and more boring, so we’ve lost that advantage, in terms of the show, that we had over Formula 1."
Rossi also points out a lack of overtaking in today's MotoGP races, claiming machine set-up for consistently fast lap times is more important than sticking in daring overtaking manoeuvres, which, let's face it, are the most entertaining parts of any motorcycle race.
"Before (MotoGP), you could see more passes in just one 500 race than in an entire season of F1!" said Rossi. "Now, unfortunately, wins are constructed. The races are less and less about strategy, and more and more about setup. Before, you could get to the end of the race with two or even more riders contending, so you could strategize and make your moves.
"If there was no possibility of pulling away, you had to play until the last lap, so you had to have the sensitivity, the intuition, to make the right move—and the brilliance to invent something. Now, above all, you have to think about getting the bike set up to have a good race pace and try to go faster than the others."
Despite his obvious love of the hard-riding 500cc days, Rossi still rates his overtaking move on Casey Stoner, down the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca in 2008, as one of his finest. When asked if it topped his stunning Phillip Island performance in 2003 - the one where Rossi was given a 10-second penalty and still won the race, he said:
"Let’s say that the pass at Laguna Seca in 2008 was better, because the conditions were completely different: that race was really difficult to win ... Laguna, if you think about the difficulty: that pass was the most difficult, and above all the most important."
"I’ll say that Welkom 2004 and Laguna Seca 2008 are the best races of my career."
Check back later today for 2010 MotoGP updates and don't forget, as if you could, the season opener at Qatar on Sunday.
