Today November 14th, 2021 was the last MotoGP race of Valentino Rossi a.k.a. VR46!

[p6x]

Today was the last MotoGP race of Valentino Rossi....

I don't know how it fits with the V11LeMans forum, but I am certain all of us have at least heard the name.... VR46 will continue racing on four wheels now....

You have to click the link to watch the content on YouTube due to the copyright owner stipulations!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz8BgSSAh3I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-o-YQgeTIE

 

[fotoguzzi]

Viva Rossi, GOAT!

[Twin AH]

It was an epic race............... Vali put on a respectable show and the Ducati squad did the same.

Cant wait for the next season with Ducati running 8 Desmos on the grid.

 

Ciao

[p6x]

Will MotoGP be the ever the same without VR46?

This is the question Dorna is wondering about...

Interestingly, Marc Marquez was the only "adversary" missing at the celebration. In the press conference on Thursday, VR46 avoided to bring back 2015, stating he enjoyed all the "enemies" and fights he had had along the way.

However, yesterday, after the race, he brought back 2015 as one of the saddest moment of his career, having lost the championship on no fault of his own. He stopped short before saying anything else.

 

[LowRyter]

Rossi  was ripped off in 2015.  Dorna allowed Marquez to screw up Rossi's contention for the championship.  One of the biggest screw jobs in sports IMO.

[KINDOY2]

It wont be the same for me..I'll watch and Hope Pecco continues to do well,  and wish Luca luck...but not much interested in the rest at this point. Its pretty obvious what Marquez and his brother are imo...Valle has too much class to go there.

[LowRyter]

I like the racing and competition in MotoGP.  I'll continue to watch it.   

The last year(s), no Americans, Rossi hasn't done better since I saw him run 2nd in Austin, I know few of the newer riders, despite that, I still watch it.

[motortouring]

I am also a big fan of VR46, although he put a lot of energy in his image and PR which gave him advantages in many cases. He is one of the greatest in the line of Mike Hailwood and Agostini. I saw him win in Assen and also consolidate when he was actually hindered by a shoulder injury. Fighting with Gibernau, Pedrosa, Lorenzo(very refined style), Stoner(very skilled rider), Haiden. And finally brought somewhat out of balance by Marguez in a way that had at some point an analogy with a style of riding he(VR) felt sympathy for with Simioni.

I gained respect for the exceptional skills of Marguez, though. His slides with knee, elbow and hip down are the highest level. This talent makes it possible to take risks that were never acceptable because it would not be profitable for the championship. But this season Marguez is not as effective as other years. Probably also because of the supremacy of Ducati, although this Quartoraro on a Yamaha ended up as 1st of the season. Also exceptional tactical strong rider. I think the MotoGP is more like a Moto3 nowadays, the competition does not have one hero, but a lot of them that are very close to eachother.

[p6x]

On 11/15/2021 at 12:13 PM, LowRyter said:

Rossi  was ripped off in 2015.  Dorna allowed Marquez to screw up Rossi's contention for the championship.  One of the biggest screw jobs in sports IMO.

Only Marc Marquez knows what he did in 2015.

Although I do not want to open (again) that can of worms, my rationale explanation was that he (Marc Marquez), was not thrilled for Valentino to win another Championship; I think Marc's ultimate objective is to supersedes some of Valentino's records.

We will always wonder what would have happened if Rossi had not been ultimately penalized. Would he have won 2015, to make it 10?

[p6x]

On 11/15/2021 at 8:13 PM, KINDOY2 said:

It wont be the same for me..I'll watch and Hope Pecco continues to do well,  and wish Luca luck...but not much interested in the rest at this point. Its pretty obvious what Marquez and his brother are imo...Valle has too much class to go there.

That is what I feel too.

It is a relief that VR46 has finally stopped, I am now going to let MotoGP go and switch to World Superbikes.

[p6x]

On 11/15/2021 at 9:23 PM, LowRyter said:

I like the racing and competition in MotoGP.  I'll continue to watch it.   

The last year(s), no Americans, Rossi hasn't done better since I saw him run 2nd in Austin, I know few of the newer riders, despite that, I still watch it.

For me, I need to be able to root for some of the riders. I personally am not able to identify with any of the younger generations the way I was able to with the older guys. Probably because I am an old fart myself.

In WSBK, I like the little bravado that is happening between Jonathan Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu. I am a big fan of the way TR is riding. There is a race this week-end, the last one, and I recommend that you watch it.

[p6x]

17 hours ago, motortouring said:

I am also a big fan of VR46, although he put a lot of energy in his image and PR which gave him advantages in many cases. He is one of the greatest in the line of Mike Hailwood and Agostini. I saw him win in Assen and also consolidate when he was actually hindered by a shoulder injury. Fighting with Gibernau, Pedrosa, Lorenzo(very refined style), Stoner(very skilled rider), Haiden. And finally brought somewhat out of balance by Marguez in a way that had at some point an analogy with a style of riding he(VR) felt sympathy for with Simioni.

I gained respect for the exceptional skills of Marguez, though. His slides with knee, elbow and hip down are the highest level. This talent makes it possible to take risks that were never acceptable because it would not be profitable for the championship. But this season Marguez is not as effective as other years. Probably also because of the supremacy of Ducati, although this Quartoraro on a Yamaha ended up as 1st of the season. Also exceptional tactical strong rider. I think the MotoGP is more like a Moto3 nowadays, the competition does not have one hero, but a lot of them that are very close to eachother.

Agreed. I condone everything you say. VR46 really did a lot of PR work for the sport. There will always be a before him, and after him.

It is going to be tough for Dorna to keep the interest alive. Future will tell!

Undeniably Marquez, pre 2020 injury, had/has something no other rider have. Some of the saves he managed, his riding style wrestling the front to his will, just out of this world. If it was not for his 2020 injury, I am not entirely convinced he would not have been able to challenge the Ducati, even this year. Now, with yet another vision problem, it is going to tougher.

2021 started as a very open Championship, until Quartararo seized it. Francesco Bagnaia seems to now have mastered the Ducati, and next year should be interesting. When you look at the raw power difference between the Ducati and the Yamaha, and the difference between Fabio Quartararo's result and the other Yamaha riders, if I was Ducati, I would put Fabio Quartararo on a GP23.

[LowRyter]

WSBK is OK.  We don't get great TV coverage, it's hit or miss.  There also isn't great competition among riders or brands. 

I keep up with MotoAmerica stuff a little more since the Ducati team is fielded down the road about an hour from me.   And it looks like the Daytona 200 is going to be open for additional entries including 900cc+ Vtwins against the 600s.  

[motortouring]

By the way, in the background of many MotoGP world championship was a guy called Jeremy Burgess. An Australian engineer that has an track record that goes back to Randy Mamola, Freddie Spencer, Wayne Gardner, Michael Doohan and finally Rossi. He prepared winning machines/riders with Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha and Ducati. 

Never forget the engineer in the background 😀

 

[motortouring]

On 11/18/2021 at 5:41 PM, p6x said:

For me, I need to be able to root for some of the riders. I personally am not able to identify with any of the younger generations the way I was able to with the older guys. Probably because I am an old fart myself.

In WSBK, I like the little bravado that is happening between Jonathan Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu. I am a big fan of the way TR is riding. There is a race this week-end, the last one, and I recommend that you watch it.

About identifying, I completely understand your point. There are a lot of talents now. First I though Rins on the Suzuki (isn't it) was quite impressive since I think his bike is not the best of the top, Marguez his Honda is even worse and Quartoraro, on Yamaha, had an amazing season as the only one being able to seriously compete with the Ducs. I think with his bike and riding style he saves the tyres for the last part of the race. He could often make-up in the second half. Those things make a rider. But also Brett Binder on the last wet laps of Austrian GP bringing a victory for KTM in their home country was sensational. Rossi was not really part of this season and still it has been one of the most exciting ones to me. Really fun to watch.