Make no mistake: A bloke putting his arse on the line every weekend at 38 to win another title is obsessed.
I wouldn't say obsessed, but rather advantaged; Rossi simply recognizes the organizers will go to great lengths to prop him up. Rossi’s career was essentially over in 2012, but it was given a lifeline by the CEO of MotoGP. From henceforth it was a 'partnership' in the classic sense (before that it was more like nepotism, Carmelo's favorite son). He is racing at 38 because he has never been subject to the wear and tear of other competitors, quite the opposite, his trajectory through the last 15 years have been fairly smooth, providing him longevity whilst others had to battle. Any bump in the road has been quickly smoothed over by Dorna. You want these Bridgestones? Well let's coerce the manufacturer to provide these tires, we don't want you to quit. Cannot handle this Ducati, no problem let's coerce Yamaha to take you back, we don't want you to quit. Don't like these Michelins, no worries, Michelin don't need coercion, but let's have a ........ vote to make it appear legit; we don't want you to quit.
Rossi has been artificially propped up for most of his MotoGP career, this has preserved him unlike any others, thanks to massive advantages. Can you imagine the wear and tear to risk life and limp to beat a guy while you're on inferior tires? The mental focus by others, the bad guys, must be exhausting. Rossi was fresh as a daisy, tooking the track knowing his tires were superior from 2001-2006, then again in 08-09. MotoGP's tire dynamic revolved around Rossi and this has preserved him physically and mentally. Can you imagine how much confidence and preservation that afforded him? No, no you can't. It's no coincidence that Rossi started suffering injuries and never again winning titles when he didn’t have such an advantage, starting in 2010. Rossi's true career trajectory would have looked more like it's been since 2010. Rossi will likely sign another 2 years taking him to 40. That doesn't seem odd to you? Of course not. No explanation needed.
Yes - MM is clearly very special, but if he was so unbeatable, he wouldn't be trailing VR and JL at that point in the season by so many points.
Wait wait, what kind of logic are you employing here? You accept that Rossi is 'thee ultimate special one'; but he hasn't won jack .... even with advantages! Where would Rossi be if Michelin hadn't provided him SNS, Bridgestones development in 08-09, Carmelo's sport agent services in 2012, Race Direction's rejection of black flag in 15, and Michelin's reenstated #70 tire in 17? Don't you find it interesting that Rossi has never been on the losing end of any significant Dorna decisions ever in his career? Yet you try to use some odd logic to question why Marc is not as special as we think?
To be fair, Marc enjoyed a classic Rossi style advantage when he joined MotoGP when Dorna eliminated the Rookie Rule. Marc jumped on the best machine at the time, and given Bridgestones' characteristics, was able to barely win the season, but I doubt he would have won the title if Lorenzo had not been injured.
The 'problem' Dorna recognize immediately was that Rossi wouldn't ever stand a chance again if Bridgestone continued to provide the championship tires! Certainly it would be Lorenzo and Marquez domination of the race wins. When you become the sport agent for Rossi, this tire reality was something of a investment hazard. Carmelo knows a thing or two about the value of investment, and his investment in Rossi was bleak under Bridgestone, not good after he bailed out out Roosi from Ducati. There was a good likelihood that Rossi might not ever win again. Bridgestone became the sacrificial lamb. Enter Michelin, and miraculously Rossi has become increasingly competitive.
The problem VR now has is that MM has learnt how to manage a season FROM VR. He no longer is the 'win or bin' rider. Rather, he is managing races better than anyone out there (see his wins at the Sachsenring this year, last year, and his win at Brno in the wet).
He learned this from VR? Because Rossi won the people's title in 2015, right? You don't think this was a lesson he learned from his own analysis of the 'actual' 2015 champion, a guy named Jorge Lorenzo?
I do agree that Dorna now have a new problem, but Carmelo has a great track record of solving these "problems." They add something mid season, or 11th hour to the rule book. Remember when Dorna eliminated the warning points system? They had originally instituted it to control Marquez, never dreaming it would be detrimental to Rossi.
Very sad. I thought MM made him pay at Valencia (which I don't begrudge him either).
Oh yeah, Marc refused to pass Lorenzo and purposefully blocked Pedrosa at Valencia 2015 (sarcasm). I read somebody here recently say something to the effect, in reference to Marquez, that they had never seen somebody so clearly dominate the elite field of riders in a race. I beg to differ, take a look back at the Valencia race in 2013. Lorenzo played with the entire field like a cat does with a mouse. I bring this up since you're convinced Marc could have easily passed Lorenzo at Valencia, a track that Jorge had mastered on the M1 Bridgestone shod package. I'm sure you've heard the old adage, it's one thing to catch a rider, it's entirely another to pass him. If you think either Marc or Pedrosa were going to easily pass Lorenzo, revisit Valencia 2013.
And for ..... and giggles, I'll add the following, since you have always come on here saying i subscribe to conspiracy regarding Rossi's career. You don't find it hypocritical that above you admit to believing in the great conspiracy by Marquez to help Lorenzo/against Rossi at Valencia 2015. Meanwhile, your evidence is simply a figment of Uccio's imagination, while in my case there is real evidence Rossi was the beneficiary of SNS tires, Bridgestone stating they didn’t want to service more riders, power politics, race direction decisions refusal to black flag, and Carmelo acting as Rossi's sport agent.
If you live in a glass house don't throw rocks.
