Moto GP Boring - Rossi

[MadKaw]

Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi has slammed MotoGP as "boring" and called for a change to the sport.

"Now is the worst moment in MotoGP since I joined in 2000," Rossi told BBC Sport on Tuesday.

"It is the most boring moment. Races are quite bad and it is very difficult to stay awake."

Spaniards Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa have dominated this year's championship, winning 12 out of the 16 races so far between them.

Advertisement Defending champion Casey Stoner, who is retiring at the age of 27 next month, is the only other rider to win this season and seven-time MotoGP champion Rossi believes the sport needs to change.

He said: "You look at Moto3, the races are very exciting, Moto2 is fantastic and then MotoGP is boring. So they have to change the product."

Rossi, 33, hopes he can get back to winning ways next season with Yamaha.

He won four world championships with Yamaha before leaving for Ducati at the end of 2010, but has not won in the last 37 races.

"This is not the time in my career to be struggling every weekend like this," said Rossi, who has managed just three podium finishes in his two seasons for Ducati with his last win in Malaysia in 2010.

"It will be difficult but I think that I have the potential to win some races next year. It is a great pity for me at Ducati.

"It was a dream, it was a great and important bet to try and win for Ducati but unfortunately we have no way. It has been two very difficult seasons.

"We try lots of things but we were never able to fix the problems. We had some good races and a few good results but not what everyone expects. We lose the bet."

Rossi will be second rider in his Yamaha team next season, as he partners Lorenzo, who is on course to win his second championship this season.

"I am at a certain age and I don't know how many years I will continue in MotoGP, so I have to race with the best bike that I can," said Rossi.

"Fortunately during my career I have won more or less everything so I need to enjoy it to have the right motivation.

"I need to arrive at the circuit every weekend with the chance to fight for the victory. It will be difficult but that is why I change teams."

Rossi won the 125cc championship in 1997 and the 250cc championship in 1999 before moving up to MotoGP where he was world champion seven times between 2001 and 2009



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorsport/ ... z2AAybfUWM

[robracer]

Bet he still cant win with Yamaha

[red_dave]

I must agree... It is boring.

The Tipping comp is a tell-tale sign - the people who top score, pick the pole position and 4th and 5th placed riders - the rest you may as well just pre-fill at the start of the season.

Filling up the grid with CRT bikes was never going to be the answer and realistically, only 4 or 5 bikes have a chance of competing at the top.

However, my interest has been kept because of the efforts of riders like Dovisioso and Cruchlow who are on second string bikes but still leaning on Lorenzo, Ped-bot and Stoner...

[Naked Twin]

Didn't Stoner say something similar and get shit canned by the media for talking down the series. Funny he is now complaining about it being boring. Wasn't boring when he was handing everyone their arses or was it?

[Gosling1]

I have said this before - and I will say this again.

MotoHonda is about to dissapear up its own arse.

There will be 1 motorcyle World Championship within 5 years, and it will be proddie-based Superbikes.

The rot set in a few years ago when all the other manufacturers started leaving GP.

[laidback]

I have said this before - and I will say this again.

MotoHonda is about to dissapear up its own arse.

There will be 1 motorcyle World Championship within 5 years, and it will be proddie-based Superbikes.

The rot set in a few years ago when all the other manufacturers started leaving GP.

I'm afraid your right Gos. I love the concept of prototypes but the cost has brought us what we have today (and F1 too) but do these really bring more development that the WSBK.

Look at V8s in Au...they have to spice a race meeting up with a band to get decent crowds.

[Naked Twin]

Problem with WSBk is it is filled with has beens and wannabes. Whilst admittedly very good many can't cut the mustard in the premier class.

The issue with motogp it is being run by the teams and only 3 at that. They need to start again and issue licences like they do in V8's where each licence has a value and with each licence comes an equal vote, then they need someone who has no vested interest and simply wants to see it succeed, like V8's. They didn't need a band to get 200,000+ to Bathurst.

Alternatively they need to take up the F1 style where it is run by a dictator and you can piss off if you don't like it, where the head honcho changes the rules to create a series that is watched the world over.

Moto 2 is only interesting as it is based on the Nascar version of racing, everyone with the same engine and little between the teams (apart from money) no inspiration or innovation. If that is what is needed to make Motogp interesting then I think it has missed the point, it is meant to be pushing the boundaries of technology.

But what would I know I just watch it

[StuMiller]

One can relate more to the SBK more so than the Motogp, similar to the V8 Supercars and F1.

Besides, at least you can take your bike into the track with the supers.....

[captain slow]

every bike on the grid should crt bikes factory engines and private frame builders

[Gosling1]

.....Problem with WSBk is it is filled with has beens and wannabes. Whilst admittedly very good many can't cut the mustard in the premier class.....

the Premier class ?? bollocks, there are only 3 or 4 riders in that class who can actually win a race. Its hardly premier and 4 good riders does not make a *class*. The supposed *premier* class has had to fill grid spots with wannabe bikes ! How is that *premier* ?

At least in WSB it is tight, there are plenty of manufacturers interested and there are 2 races to watch, not 1 boring procession. There is SFA difference in the riding abilities at the pointy end of either WSB or those 3 or 4 riders in MotoGP. The decision by riders to move to WSB has a whole lot more to do with actually enjoying their racing.

I have watched MotoGP since SBS started broadcasting events back in 1985. It had a golden era for about 20-odd years with 2 incredibly dominant riders during this period - and had been going downhill now for about the last 3 or 4 years.

[Naked Twin]

Gosling, since the late 80s motogp has been dominated by a few who can/ could ride. That's what sets them apart, being able to ride the most sophisticated bikes to the limit.That is what makes is the premier class, any sport has the half dozen that will or can win. In motogp the rules are stopping 6 or 8 being at the front. Current rules are that you can only have two factory bikes and two satellite bikes, yes if Honda was allowed to run a team of 6 they would kill the field but this is why there is only 3 or 4 who can win (well actually only 3)

However you can't honestly say that WSBK isn't the retirement junket for ex motogp riders. It is dominated with those who were good in motogp but not great, who are still riding well into their late 30s and beyond and still being competitive. It has been awhile since one has dominated in motogp in their late 30s, you have to go back to the 70s with the like of Ago, Phil Read and Mike Hailwood for those who dominated and to be fair that what is in the day of when they rode in different classes on the same day!

I could be wrong but Mick Doohan I believe is the oldest in the last 30 years to have won a Motogp championship at 32

WSBK has a had an indifferent past with manufacturers dropping support on and off since its inception in 1988. Since that date lets look at some of the champions, Carl Fogarty ( he basically only won on the back of Ducati and came back 10 years later after his first win to almost do it again), Colin Edwards, Troy Bayliss, Neil Hodgson, James Toseland, Troy Corser, Ben Spies. I have left out a few I am sure but none went onto do well in MotoGp despite opportunites. Now the reverse, Mad Max, Carlos Checca, James Toseland, Troy Corser have all dominated WSBK since returning from MotoGP but none did so in motogp.

The facts don't lie, Peter Goddard, one of the most respected riders in Australia was asked (almost out of retirement) to help develop and ultimately race the return of Aprilla at the young age of 35, Binelli then picked him up 2 years later for the same function and no he didn't get younger.

I love WSBK as I do any racing but it isn't the same standard as MotoGP