I didn't see this as a win at all costs throw caution to the wind ride from Rossi at all. What did happen was he made an uncharacteristic error then panicked and threw a sure win away. On the last 2 laps if anyone looked close to crashing it was Vinales. He made one mistake he was lucky to get away with and on the last lap looked loose as a goose but managed to hold it together. What I saw was Vinales going win at all costs knowing a Rossi victory prior to Mugello on the #70 tire would swing the momentum strongly in Rossi's favor for the championship. All Vinales managed was to delay the shift for a fortnight, Rossi will win Mugello at a canter and then its most definitely championship on for the rest of the season. The crash appears bad but I think the opposite, at this stage of his career Rossi has proven a nervous front runner, chasing Vinales down especially in the latter stages if it turns out that way will help Rossi get to his holy 10th grail.
No surprise for me watching the race knowing Rossi was on his favored #70 tire he looked to be in complete control and biding his time until the last laps. Check both passes on Zarco and Vinales, at the same part of the track where Miller and Marquez went down, Rossi is benefitting from the extra stability and dives deep on the brakes as is his trademark. To set up those moves at such a high speed corner means Rossi is brimming with confidence now, his apparent Yamaha set-up travails a thing of the past with the stiff construction, no surprise there as its what he wanted since day 1 of testing way back at Valencia.
For mine both Vinales and Zarco did not appear as comfortable on the new spec tire as they were previously, at the time in the race where both would usually pull away they both appeared tentative and unwilling to push. Then there was Marquez on the supposed good for Honda more stable 70 tire looking as bad as he has pretty much has in his whole time in motogp, throwing it down the road countless times. He may now be rethinking his comments on the tire change vote. Might have made a tactical error. From what he says, they all outright rejected #70 back in Valencia due to some sort of mis-match between carcass and rubber. Rossi was the only rider who favored it. For those questioning tire conspiracy theories, just consider after being outright rejected by all riders bar one, Michelin rather than simply shelve it instead went away and actually continued to develop the #70 tire, rather than continue to develop the tire the majority of the riders preferred. Strange, why bother? Could have been developing the #06 tire, instead they appear to have come up with rubber which overheats and doesn't suit that construction. Again, very strange development practice. Until we see, according to Marquez, that they have come up with a rubber which actually makes the #70 work, it all makes sence. It looks to me like this was a priority, and the instigator of yet another rider vote, yes its that man Capirossi again.
Honestly the safety director or whatever the hell he is pisses me off no end with his ........, we had 2 riders loosing the front yet again at a very fast dangerous section of track and it was a miracle Miller was not seriously injured, where the .... is safety man Capirossi reviewing both suitability of the front tire and the uneven runoff that sent Miller flying into the air? No concern of Capi no doubt he will be looking forward to Mugello. And no surprise Lorenzo, two weeks after finding form at Jerez, suddenly forgot how to ride once again at the same circuit he demolished the field just 12 months ago, by coincidence just before a tire change. Its mid season no tire should be taken away. I noticed for the race Miller went for the soft front, the tire which supposedly doesn't suit the Honda, no doubt just hoping for some confidence the front will stick or at least give some warning before it lets go. Which by the way was the whole purpose of the original softer carcass tire they just happened to have taken away. Add a new construction by all means but taking away tires certain riders favor and are more comfortable on only increases the risk and likelihood of crashing, it doesn't benefit safety Capi, who by the way should be sacked for incompetence.
