but what the hell happened to #46? what sort of start and what kind of crash was that? be nice to know what the datalogger says for that corner. conspiracy theory anyone?
a whole season full of what ifs…what if edwards hadn’t fallen off at Assen and given 5 more points to Hayden, what if Rossi hadn’t blown up at Laguna and given all those points to Hayden, what if Pedrosa hadn’t tried that Estoril move? what if Rossi;s bike had been competitive from the start, what if Hayden had a decent clutch all season… on ad infinitum…
Rossi congratulating Hayden on the slo down lap made the season for me, what an emotional ending. you’re never quite sure if Rossi’s unduly arrogant or not, but his post race statement and slo down lap handshake illustrate why he is a total hero.
All those ‘what ifs’ prove Hayden only won on luck. Terrible stuff for Valentino, Find it difficult to believe nerves could affect him that much, must be another reason for it. As soon as he fell and couldn’t get back into the rhythm of 1min 33’s i knew it was over. Ah well thats how racing goes…
Bit overshadowed, but fantastic racing by Bayliss, Just thought F**k it I’ll show these MotoGp boys how its done LOL truly put Gibernau to shame, and he was the first to beat Gibernau’s lap record…on Gibernau’s OWN machine LOL, insult to injury
Can’t wait for next season, Valentino’s gonna be mega hungry for it.
exactly how do you join the premier series on the last race when the title’s still undecided, and beat everyone from the start line? oldest man out there too. hope for us duffers yet
but i still don’t understand valentino, he fought all season and didn’t turn up for the last race- it was the only time he held the points lead all year! maybe it was someone else under that AGV and the REAL Rossi was chained up in the back of the Repsol garage?!
TOO WEIRD
either way, well done kentucky kid, even if you only won 2 races all season (one gifted, the other inevitable)
LUCK? He lifted the 06 championship because he scored more points than any other rider.
That’s the sum of efforts of rider, factory and team.
After the last round (where despite being skittled by Danny) Nicky had been looking good and had tyres to run the whole race. I think everyone assumed he was beaten. Instead he came out at Valencia determined to win. For once he got a start (elbows anyone?) and put his head down.
This was the first time #46 has ever had a last round show-down. With the wieght of the M/C world’s media on him, it’s not that hard to think he was feeling the pressure.
As for the crash, I think it was a case of seeing Nicky getting away, realising how difficult it is to pass around there, and pushing a bit too hard. In other words - a simple mistake.
Anyone who watched quali on Saturday would have seen a similar mistake, saved only by his brilliance.
As usual, it appears that any rider who can actually give Rossi a challenge, becomes some kind of hate figure. (With the possible exeption of Loris - who never has a bike to go the course of a full season.) Fact is, without the likes of Max, Sete and this year Nicky you wouldn’t HAVE a race
We all know Rossi will be hunt for future titles; why do so many begrudge (a very modest and likeable) Nicky H his glory year?
As a side note: If Haslem had won BSB this year in similar style (Most of the year with good solid results but few wins) would we be reading all this “lucky” / “so and so lost it” crap on the tinternet?
fantastic race and I’m so glad that Hayden won. I was quite emotional myself at the end esp when first Pedrosa and then Rossi gave clearly heart felt congrats. Wish I’d taken THOSE pictures hehe
Hayden deserved that championship. Honda have been changing his bike left right and centre, and he’s fought it and the pack every corner every mile of the season. Total commitment and focus and that’s without mentioning being torpedo’ed by his team-mate.
Rossi made a fantastic effort to catch up and make it as close as it was, but for me it was 69 all the way.
And Bayliss? OH MY GOD how did he do that? Never again can people look so far down their noses at the guys riding in the Superbike series.
it would have not been hayden,if cappirossi had not missed 4 races and still recovering for 2,rossi had was it 2 or 3 none finishes,and some bad finishes,malandri was out injured for a while.
so i think with the honda that every rider says is the easiest bike to ride fast haydon would have been 4th in the championship.
but good luck to him he did his job and stayed upright apart from 1 race.
but still only finished 5 points in front off rossi and yamaha could have asked edwards and checa to slow peole down or let rossi pass,it would have been alot closer.
but as rossi says he has won so he is the best ?
next year pedrosa or rossi,capirossi, i think one of these 3 will be champion
In my opinion the biggest factor in the whole series was Toni Elias. He knocked Rossi off at round 1 and then beat him into 2nd in Portugal. Had Rossi beat him or not been knocked off then we all know who the champ would of been. Hayden rode a good consistent year but i can’t help thinking he is the worst champion we have had since i can remember. I just don’t understand how he’s gotten so lucky but well done to him all the same. He’s the man around Laguna.
Anyway i think lil Pedrosa is the most likely champ next year. I think this might actually really dent Rossi. Looked like either he had the wrong front tyre, a duffer of a front or just a badly setup bike. I said to my Dad 2 corners before he crashed that the front looked very unsettled. I think had i not met B off here who now has me obsessed with front ends i wouldn’t of noticed that!!!
I don’t think anybody begrudge’s Nicky anything. He’s a nice enough fella, but nobody can deny he got very very lucky this year.
I don’t think Rossi is arrogant…When you’re pretty much the most talented motorcycle racer the world has seen, what’s the point in hiding it?
Schmacher and Rossi must share a similar DNA…That winning mentality and belief in yourself.
Rossi will win next year because this will make him fierce and determined.
Think about all the stuff he’s had to think about this year whilst trying to compete in a world championship…Ferrari, a badly perfroming bike…He is human.
That said, I actually wanted to see a new champion this year…Nicky Hayden? Well he’s been consistent if nothing special.
Dani Pedrosa will be champion soon enough…Not next year.
I think you said everything already about the series.
I was really impressed by Troy Bayliss: he did only 1 race in the season and won it without worrying about who was behind him as he was one (or two) notch faster. Many other MotoGP riders after an entire year (or more) did not make it to the podium, not even once.
To be honest I think it meant more to Hayden than Rossi. You could tell Hayden was ecstatic after winning it. I doubt if Rossi won he would have reacted in the same way, after all, hes won it 7 times already.
I’m surprised Ducati were brave enough to sign Crashey Stoner, hes got a lot of potential but he needs to keep it upright. Reckon its between Rossi, Pedrosa, Elias, Capirossi, and Mr consistent himself next year.
The result is a sum of the combined efforts… Every dog has it’s day and yesterday was Hayden’s day… I was in the fortunate position to have been “ringside” so to speak with Camel Yamaha - imagine the tension in Yamaha Hospitality watching the race… you do hear so much that goes unreported in the press and it really is relevant stuff to the whole picture
If it had been Rossi’s season he would have won it as usual with rounds to spare… As for Bayliss watching him in qualifying & free practice and then the race he really had it spot on in my mind I knew him or Capirossi would be 1st, they were just smooth throughout, Hayden was chattering and sliding just keeping up with Bayliss & Capirossi who just seemed so fluid, smooth and composed.
As for Casey Graveller… he can really turn up the wick when he has to… just needs to learn when to back off a smidge… when he’s on form he’s like a dog with 2 dicks. Once he learns when discretion is the better part of valour he will do well I am sure
