I'm Obsessed with MotoGP

[sand_man]

MotoGP: Online petition fuels Valentino Rossi debate - CNN.com

(CNN)After the most controversial race in recent MotoGP history in Malaysia this weekend, talk of the clash between Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez in Malaysia has barely subsided.

In fact, a campaign is underway to force a rethink by MotoGP Race Direction, and reverse their decision to banish Rossi to the back of the grid for the season's decisive final race next month.


By Tuesday, 350,000 people had signed a petition online to quash the nine-time world champion's penalty for dangerous riding.

The Movistar Yamaha rider was sanctioned by Race Direction after appearing to kick out at Marquez who subsequently lost control and crashed out of the race at the Sepang International Circuit.

The petition, entitled "Remove the penalty from Valentino Rossi and bring back integrity to the Championship" has been logged on change.org by Rossi fan Nicholas Davis from the UK.

The petition, which has also been translated into Italian and Indonesian, underlines the strength of feeling from fans, many of whom feel that Rossi was unfairly treated.

Immediately after the race, the hashtag #SepangClash started trending on social media with supporters of both Rossi and Marquez expressing passionate opinions.

As well as accusing the MotoGP administrators of wrongly punishing Rossi, the petition takes them to task for failing to sanction Jorge Lorenzo for overtaking on a yellow flag -- a rules infringement that could have harmed the Spaniard's title prospects if officials had spotted it.

"You have just condoned dirty racing tactics by punishing Valentino Rossi for pursuing the championship whilst being harassed and sabotaged by Marc Marquez," the petition reads. "At the same time you have allowed Jorge Lorenzo to overtake on a yellow flag, without penalty."


"Justifying your decision by stating that there is no rule to deal with the actions of Marc Marquez is as absurd as saying there is no rule to prevent riders shooting at other riders with guns. Would you allow that because it didn't break an existing rule?"

However, the petition is unlikely to achieve its aim, particularly when even Movistar Yamaha managing director Lin Jarvis was unwilling to justify Rossi's on track behavior.

"I am not defending his actions," Jarvis said after Sunday's race. "This is why he received the penalty as it was judged that this was not a move within the rules of racing."

Jarvis believes Marquez was responding to Rossi's criticism of the rider.

[motion]

Beautifully written. Thanks for that.

Originally Posted by peteremsley

interesting perspective:
The Sepang incident - MotoGP - Motor Sport Magazine

[motion]

I can't stop LMAO on this! Brilliant!

[/QUOTE]

[sand_man]

Originally Posted by peteremsley

interesting perspective:
The Sepang incident - MotoGP - Motor Sport Magazine

Good one, Peter.

[motion]

Even Hitler has had his say, LOL.

[javadog]

It's interesting to follow along with what various riders have said, a few days on. I thought Josh Brooks' comments were funny.

JR

[sand_man]

Originally Posted by javadog

It's interesting to follow along with what various riders have said, a few days on. I thought Josh Brooks' comments were funny.

JR

You have a source?

[javadog]

What Are The Other MotoGP Riders Saying About Rossi vs. Marquez?: The Rossi vs. Marquez controversy boils over into the MotoGP paddock.


Comments from Josh Brooks, long-time Aussie racer, current BSBK champion, former OZ SBK champ:

"MM was riding like a dick to block VR. VR gave him looks of warning & MM didn't accept. You try ride on outside & catch, it's what happens."

“VR’s race was already penalized by having to deal with MM. Points should be left. Race Direction shouldn’t be deciding the championship.”

“Yes VR intentionally ran wide to make a statement…but MM had more options than the one he chose to take.”

“MM could’ve turned back & got up the inside but he stayed outside & continued to push on VR, then fell onto him, that dragged VR’s leg off.”

“I think we need to focus on the real crime here. Why was VR a gentleman for so long? He should have grassed him a lot earlier.”

[javadog]

Listen to Kevin Schwantz's comments starting about 4:40 in this radio show:

http://www.pitpassmoto.com/podcast/Kevin_Schwantz_10-27-15.mp3

[sand_man]

Good stuff! Interesting to hear and read these comments.

[javadog]

Listen to Kevin now...

JR

[motion]

Yeah, I'm with Kevin 100% on this. BTW, Kevin Schwantz is a real man's racer. That guy is badass.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by motion

Yeah, I'm with Kevin 100% on this. BTW, Kevin Schwantz is a real man's racer. That guy is badass.

Agreed. He's an old school racer and is not afraid to speak his mind, politics be damned.

If you've been around racing as long as I have, you get to know a bunch of racers. The serious ones started at age 3 or 4 on a bike and that was all they knew. They grew up riding and racing anything on two wheels and they paid their dues. It's not a gentleman's sport. It's tough and it's not like car racing, at all. The guys I know grew up racing whatever races they could find, three or four days (or nights) a week and home was a sleeping bag in the back of a worn-out panel van. The prize money bought gas and hamburgers to get them to the next race. If they did well enough...

What people that have never raced don't understand is that a race is somewhat like a chess match at 100mph. You have the track, you have your preferred line, but that means jack **** when there are other riders near you. Watch any flat track or speedway race. Yeah, they all have a certain line they'd prefer to take (might be more than one good line through a corner) but they don't get to take that line if someone is already there. They deal with it. They get in each others way. They bump each other. Just another night, at another race.

If you think the speeds are a factor, after a few years, running 100mph might feel like you're parked, if the top end of a straight means 200mph. It's all relative and these guys are so good, they don't need much of their attention on staying upright. You might have sensory overload coming off of a corner at 100mph, they might be scanning the stands for good looking women, or reaching over to smack another rider on the ass, or hit their kill switch.

What we think and what they think are two vastly different things.

JR

[nostatic]

There's going fast (time trial) and there's race craft. Two very different things.

I watched the race again this morning (insomnia is good for something). I have to say that upon further review it really looks like MM is 97% at fault. Yes, VR stood up and pushed him wide, but there was still plenty of track before the edge and MM leaned into VR to make the initial contact.

Hopefully the field will part like the Red Sea and let VR chase Lorenzo. Though odds are high that MM might look to initiate some more contact...

[sand_man]

On another note, MotoGP taught me a new word: "penultimate"

pe·nul·ti·mate
pəˈnəltəmət/
adjective
last but one in a series of things; second to the last.
"the penultimate chapter of the book"
synonyms: next-to-last, second-to-last, second-last
"the penultimate movie on my top-ten list is an animated feature"

I kept hearing our two British announcers using this word at Sepang (the penultimate race this year). Honestly, I had never heard it before!

[sand_man]

On a rider's statistical record, can they earn pole position (fastest qualifying time) even if they're starting from back, going into the actual race? In other words, say Rossi qualifies fastest, would he be given credit for having achieved the pole?

[motion]

Originally Posted by sand_man

On a rider's statistical record, can they earn pole position (fastest qualifying time) even if they're starting from back, going into the actual race? In other words, say Rossi qualifies fastest, would he be given credit for having achieved the pole?

I don't think there would be any credit. His qualifying spot would be empty on the grid.

[sand_man]

Originally Posted by motion

I don't think there would be any credit. His qualifying spot would be empty on the grid.

Got it.

[dlockhart]

CE training VR

[javadog]

I need to attend his school one of these years...

JR