Well to start off with the first and most obvious that you nor Tom are able to answer: Why do Yamaha take their laundry public?
I kinda agree with you if I'm understanding you right. A bit more should have stayed in house (but not all as they are free to make their opnion on some matters, but perhaps). Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're big problem with Yamaha is that they stated publicly that their employed riders should not race eachother so aggressively? You mean like
publicly putting pressure Yamaha by giving them an ultimatum through the media? That kind of "public"? So how would you have preferred for Yamaha show they are in control, and communicate to various individual interests, individual sponsors, and perhaps race direction (unlikely) to assure that their riders were talked to and were not gonna end up in the gravel next time? Honestly Babel, if the tables were turned, considering the situation, would you have had a different take? Ok, so you're big issue is that they stated their position publicly? That's it? Or is it that you have a problem that the blame was one sided publicly?
Secondly, the first contact (I assume you talk about what happened under the bridge) was very slight and in addition Rossi performed the exact same pass successfully a few laps earlier. This time Lorenzo where in his line ( a slight inside line) not at the edge of the track where you would expect someone with an early apex to be. Full credit for Lorenzo to block the line but complaining about paint swapping when you block is a bit too much. You commit to a line and it's not always easy or possible to make major changes to that when fully committed. Not saying that was the case here but do you honestly think that Yamaha's critic was only about this one? Of course not, it was the whole fight and that rapidly changed from a very slight touch on the first incident to an all out one on one battle
First of all, nothing was illegal in their exchange (according to race direction which is subjective) and it was amazing to see them battle with much skill. Before you or anybody accuses here, the exchange was not illegal. And as far as sour grapes, I'm fairly certain (as we have already had another incident to draw from) that if the tables were turned, the other rider would have complained. So complaining should not be the question, as I already showed you a post that quotes similar complaints of riders (see Istanbul 07). The question is not whether anybody is riding within a subjective parameter, but rather was this exchange prudent according to Yamaha's interest. As I said before, the video is there. in you post you covered all your bases; you left it open by saying ""
not saying that was the case here", so is it or is it not the case here? The pass by Lorenzo at this turn (T5) was executed cleanly and textbook (this was the first moment of the series of exchanges in which you say Lorenzo "attacked" first). Look at the tape again, Lorenzo made no (zero) contact with Rossi (who had his leg out making himself as wide as possible, yet Lorenzo did not even touch his leg), and his line was correct as he came along side Rossi (who was fully aware Lorenzo had just out broke him into that turn and therefore needed to concede). So far this is a classic and non aggressive overtaking, we see hundreds of these passes executed, as they are text book. No need for you to try and assign some deficiency to Lorenzo's overtaking by saying he was not in the correct race line or space to execute this pass. But what happened at the exit of the turn? This is where Rossi refused to concede and hit Lorenzo by accelerating into him. You just described this contact as "very slight". Really? Like a slight graze? Like a slight caress of two lovers? Is this honest Babel? Or should we just stop the discussion here since we have different realities? That contact was anything but "very slight". Infact, of all the contacts they made in the following exchanges, its this one that was the most sudden and abrupt. Who attacked again?
side by side, where Lorenzo preferred to go on the outside but without being pushed wide by Rossi in that exposed situation, down to Lorenzo's major miss in the S's where he held Rossi up on the outside, drifting way off race line until Rossi were totally on the edge and to the point where he tried to push through Rossi into the turn. That was all on him and that incident was also the hard and dangerous one
You are talking about the left hand right hand turn combination here I assume. Again, watch the tape. What made this sequence aggressive was Rossi's refusal to concede the line which he was already beaten through. You say this was "all on him" meaning Lorenzo, but I disagree. This is what happened, Lorenzo comes in on the left hander on the inside (he beat Rossi to the preferred line correct) and what happens next. Rossi stays on the outside but half a bike length behind Lorenzo, as Lorenzo enters the next turn Rossi continues to accelerate and refuses to concede. That Rossi stays there does not mean Lorenzo is pushing him wide but rather Rossi stays there having to ride through the outside because he forces the issue. But the normal line for Lorenzo coming out of that left is to drift wide. This is where you say Lorenzo pushes Rossi out, but that is incorrect, as this is the normal trajectory. The reason its close is because Rossi, stays on the outside so long that the next turn is approaching. This is where some people said Rossi was pushed out to the grass, but this is not true as he never made contact with it. Rossi continues to wedge and power through the turn and Lorenzo (not Rossi) concedes space. At this point the next turn is upon the riders going right. It here that Rossi pushes Lorenzo wide, and you can see Lorenzo slightly bobble as contact is made. So no, its not like you say above. And no, I'm still not saying it was illegal. But from a racing perspective who is the aggressor here? The one who comes into the turn first or the one who on the turn sequence refuses to concede the line? Lorenzo had already executed the pass, the only reason why Rossi had to take the space close to the grass was because he refused to concede the line, and that refusal caused the contact. So its logical that the Yamaha heads felt Rossi was being too aggressive. Do you see the difference if it were riders from rival teams? That kind of racing, though not entirely clean and good faith tactics, is more acceptable between rival brands than riders under the same factory effort. Keep in mind, this is not a scrap for a title between the two, as one has been mathematically eliminated. So what is the need for such aggression in refusing to concede going into a turn where Rossi was behind the rider with the correct and preferred line?
Again, a gutsy move from Lorenzo, he had to try to keep up his winning chance and his will to win is indisputable and as I said before, good for him, but it's not Rossi taking the risk or trying to wreck a championship. That job Lorenzo does himself. It all ended with a clock clean pass by Rossi in the V trurn. Of course Rossi could just have rolled over and let Lorenzo by but that would have been the same as team order. Even an unnecessary one.
I agree they were both gutsy, but I disagree that Lorenzo was taking the risk because all the contact was initiated by counter moves executed by Rossi. How can it be Lorenzo's fault when his passes were executed without contact, but only in the sequence of that pass, by refusing to concede, did the contact happen?
I can see why Yamaha want to nurture their new investment but (following his demands) to take it public with one sided critic of Rossi was not a pretty sight and NOT reasonable.
Take both to the back room and scream to them as idiots and lobotomized morons for 20 min would be reasonable.
Where did you read Lorenzo "demanded" they take their opinion about the incident public? You are blaming Lorenzo here for something you are assuming. I read Lorenzo asked the Yamaha principals their opinion on the race, they gave it to him. Lorenzo did not say, this is what Yamaha said when he complained, his quote was what he thought about the racing. And basically Lorenzo said he thought it was a bit much though not illegal. So why are you saying he "demanded" to make it public? He voiced his own opinion, (which you disagree with, that's fine) but Yamaha making it public is on them. I agree with you saying they should have taken both riders to the back and screamed at them for jeopardizing the championship.
It was an amazing sequence but Yamaha is correct in sanctioning this behavior as they do not what their investment to get hurt. If this sequence would have happened between rival brands, it would have been much more acceptable for Yamaha.
