Personally I’m not a fan of Alberto Puig. I just don’t think he has the track record to back up his words. He raced in gp’s for ten years from 1987 to 1997 and in 125 starts he had one win and one fastest lap. Sure, he had a career ending crash at the French gp and had to call it a day but he was always mid pack at best and has no national championships to his name. Whether Dani Pedrosa could have had a better manager/adviser is another debate, Dani was one of the best riders never to win the top class scoring at least one win every year except last year. Rossi still has what it takes in my opinion, he just needs Yamaha to give him a bike he can use for all the race and that doesn’t rip rear tyres to bits after ten laps. Given competitive machinery he can take the fight to them all, I just hope the right decisions are made before the season starts cos for the last few years they’ve got it wrong while the others have gone the right way.
I’m going to finish this now. Everyone has the no1 of their time, Hailwood as far back as I can remember, to now Regardless of who you love Rossi for me or hate ,Stoner for me they’re all the best at any one thing primarily winning,or in Stoners case whining “only joking” NOT! We all have to accept Marquez is the man of the moment but just remember all the great achievements the guys have made and all others follow. Robert’s,knee down Doohan, power slides Rossi, leg dangle, Marquez, full body off There’s probably way more magnificent things all these guys and others before them have done. But revel in what you’re seeing rather than what you’re missing!
Rossi is highly unlikely to win another title. He may still have a race win in him if the wind is blowing in the right direction but he's still the fan's favourite competitor and his star hasn't lost it's shine just yet. I suspect that MotoGP without him would mean a massive number of fans losing interest in the sport.
I don't think the sport will lose any fans when Rossi retires. anyone who stops watching moto gp just because Rossi is not racing is not a fan of racing and won't be missed
he'll still be involved with Moto GP for years to come with his VR46 team,so the yellow in the stands will probably still be there
I think it will. Not every fan in every sport is a diehard fan. They can be attracted to a sport for very different reasons. The deluded are the ones who say 'let them go, they were never REAL fans like us anyway' but when an icon leaves any sport they often take a lot of the glamour and attraction with them. All sport is (sadly in my opinion but hey ho) driven by sponsorship money nowadays. Sponsors are interested in attracting numbers, they don't particularly care how many of that number are passionate about the sport. People attending any sporting event will do so for a hundred different reasons ... being passionate about that sport is perhaps not as high up the list as many of us might think.
I can't think of any sport that has suffered due to one sportsman retiring?,there are always other sport stars equally as good if not better to take their place..it would be interesting to have a poll on here just to see how many Rossi fans will stop watching Moto GP when he retires..not many would be my guess.
Dougie, you're missing the point altogether. There's no point asking that question of bike fans. Ask it of the people who are not racing fans but were drawn to it by Rossi in the first place. Not since day one of his career ... from start to finish. Anyway, we all have our opinion and we're all right until we're proven wrong.
No you’re not wrong I think that some are eluding, that when Rossi finishes that Moto go is finished. No it wont, but it will be different because that guy is quite probably the biggest personality since Sheene, the big difference is he appeals to the whole world not any one country. He will be missed but the show will definitely go on.
I think you're spot on HT..and I've not been drinking tonight!! I guarantee if I were to show a picture of Rossi to the vast majority of non bikers or non race fans they wouldn't have a clue who he was,probably the only bike racer Joe blogs would recognize is Barry sheen as he was always in the media,how often do you see Rossi or any other racer in the papers (apart from MCN)
Yes, it's in the blood of bike fans, of course it is. A reasonable number of those who attend races are not necessarily hardened bike fans. They're there for the occasion ... the cameras ... the sponsors tripe ... a lot of it has nothing to do with racing.... and a lot of them are there because of Rossi. MotoGP will survive after Rossi has gone but a lot of 'event fans' will go with him.
unless I were to ask an Italian, as bike racing is almost as popular as football over there. Just out of curiosity I'm going to take a picture of Rossi to my work and ask my customers if they know who it is, I've got a pretty good idea what the result will be...watch this space....to make it fair I will show them a picture of him in casual clothes then a picture of him in his leathers I will report back in a few weeks with the result
I have to agree with HughJarse. Maybe not "massive" numbers but some will go, and won't be missed. It's my opinion but I believe that a large majority of the fans in South East Asia are only in it for Rossi and unless a proper asian racer steps up they will fail to connect with another rider. Also, remember a few years back when people started "booing" at anyone who finished ahead of Rossi, almost drowning out the national anthem of the rightful winner? All of them are probably not gonna stick around when there is suddenly no statistical chance for Rossi to win. And thankfully so! Good riddance! You cannot be a fan of the sport and "boo" at a rider who gave it his all, blood sweat and tears just because he finished ahead of your favourite one. That shit may fly with Football and Tennis (Google: "Serena Williams vs Naomi Osaka") but that's just not how MotoGP works, in my opinion.
Doesn’t this apply to all sportspersons, if you’re not into football you won’t know 90% of premiership players, or Jockeys or Rally drivers etc
