Ninjette Newsbot
October 20th, 2011, 09:00 AM
Valentino Rossi returns to scene of last MotoGP victory one year ago
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Ducati Marlboro's Valentino Rossi last won a MotoGP race here at Sepang over a year ago, with little hope of repeating this weekend. (http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_1110_rossi_drought_reaches_a_year/index.html)SEPANG, MALAYSIA, OCT 20 – The Sepang International Circuit is a place where Valentino Rossi has written some of the greatest chapters in the history of his extraordinary career. It was here that he made his grand prix debut on a 125cc Aprilia in 1996. It was here that he earned his first fastest race lap on an Aprilia 250 in 1998 and his first 250cc pole in 1999. When he moved to the premier class he won on four different machines; in 2001 on the Honda NSR500 two-stroke, in 2003 on the Honda RC211V, in 2004 and ’06, Yamaha’s 990cc YZR-M1 and in 2008 and 2010, Yamaha’s 800cc YZR-M1.
It was at this tropical track outside of Kuala Lumpur that Rossi last stood on the top step of the MotoGP podium over one year ago. (The one year anniversary fell on last weekend's Australian GP.) And it is here that the longest winless drought of his career will continue, since there’s virtually no chance he’ll add a seventh premier class win to his resume.
On the eve of the penultimate round of the MotoGP World Championship, Rossi made no attempt to hide his feelings for Sepang. “I love this track,” he said and his results are the proof. Other than a fifth in 2007, Rossi has been on the podium for every race of his MotoGP career at Sepang. That includes six wins, two seconds, and a third. Riding MotoGP “is great,” he began, “because this track is the same size of the bike and in the past, especially with the Yamaha, a lot of great battles and great victories. So, we wait and see.”
Rossi’s last victory was one of two last year, and the more memorable. He’d missed four races after breaking his femur at his home grand prix in Mugello in June, but he’d been back on the trail for seven races when he got to Sepang. He’d taken the lead from Repsol Honda’s Andrea Dovizioso on the 11th of 20 laps and held off his fellow Italian to the stripe, winning his 79th premier class grand prix, and 105th GP overall, by .224 secs.
Rossi returned to Sepang in January for the first of two winter tests, but he wasn’t at full strength. Off-season surgery on his troubled right shoulder meant he couldn’t get the best out of his first extended test on the GP11. But he got enough seat time to know there was work to be done.
“In the tests, anyway, I was not very fast, so we hope to be in a better condition for the weekend,” he said.
The condition of the left pinkie he damaged in a first lap crash in the Japanese Grand Prix nearly three weeks ago hasn’t markedly improved.
“It is the same as three days ago,” he said. In Phillip Island last weekend he needed pain-killing injections and “the feeling is the same. Maybe with some more days the pain is less. So we wait and decide. Tomorrow morning I will try without nothing, if is possible, and if I have too much pain I make the same procedure as Phillip Island.”
The crash in Motegi was followed by another in Phillip Island, the double disaster robbing him of valuable championship points. Such is the nature of his season that he’s battling for fifth place in the championship, an outcome few would have predicted before the season. “Now I am seventh that is more or less my normal position during this season, but unfortunately I lost important points in the last two races with the two crashes,” he said. Rossi is tied with Marco Simoncelli with 139, while teammate Nicky Hayden has 132 and Ben Spies is well ahead with 156. “If not, maybe is possible arrive in front of (Marco) Simoncelli and (Ben) Spies, but it is not over.”
Still, the season was over for Rossi and he’s already looking to 2012. “Is a very difficult season for the results and also for the effort, because we try many ways, but unfortunately we are not able to fix our problems for to fight for the important place,” he said. “But this is the situation and we are looking forward also for next year, next year will change something. Looks like everybody expect in a positive the comeback of 1000cc, because everybody have great memories with that type of bikes. Especially better taste to ride. And I had the same when I tried the GP12 during the test. So we will have some clear information about our level at the test in Valencia after the last race. but anyway, before we have to think to find and take home some points in the last two races.”
Photo Gallery: Valentino Rossi returns to scene of last MotoGP victory one year ago - Sport Rider Magazine (http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_1110_rossi_drought_reaches_a_year/index.html)
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http://image.sportrider.com/f/news/146_1110_rossi_drought_reaches_a_year/35455060+ppromo_large/146_1011_+rossi-struggles-in-sepang+.jpg
Ducati Marlboro's Valentino Rossi last won a MotoGP race here at Sepang over a year ago, with little hope of repeating this weekend. (http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_1110_rossi_drought_reaches_a_year/index.html)SEPANG, MALAYSIA, OCT 20 – The Sepang International Circuit is a place where Valentino Rossi has written some of the greatest chapters in the history of his extraordinary career. It was here that he made his grand prix debut on a 125cc Aprilia in 1996. It was here that he earned his first fastest race lap on an Aprilia 250 in 1998 and his first 250cc pole in 1999. When he moved to the premier class he won on four different machines; in 2001 on the Honda NSR500 two-stroke, in 2003 on the Honda RC211V, in 2004 and ’06, Yamaha’s 990cc YZR-M1 and in 2008 and 2010, Yamaha’s 800cc YZR-M1.
It was at this tropical track outside of Kuala Lumpur that Rossi last stood on the top step of the MotoGP podium over one year ago. (The one year anniversary fell on last weekend's Australian GP.) And it is here that the longest winless drought of his career will continue, since there’s virtually no chance he’ll add a seventh premier class win to his resume.
On the eve of the penultimate round of the MotoGP World Championship, Rossi made no attempt to hide his feelings for Sepang. “I love this track,” he said and his results are the proof. Other than a fifth in 2007, Rossi has been on the podium for every race of his MotoGP career at Sepang. That includes six wins, two seconds, and a third. Riding MotoGP “is great,” he began, “because this track is the same size of the bike and in the past, especially with the Yamaha, a lot of great battles and great victories. So, we wait and see.”
Rossi’s last victory was one of two last year, and the more memorable. He’d missed four races after breaking his femur at his home grand prix in Mugello in June, but he’d been back on the trail for seven races when he got to Sepang. He’d taken the lead from Repsol Honda’s Andrea Dovizioso on the 11th of 20 laps and held off his fellow Italian to the stripe, winning his 79th premier class grand prix, and 105th GP overall, by .224 secs.
Rossi returned to Sepang in January for the first of two winter tests, but he wasn’t at full strength. Off-season surgery on his troubled right shoulder meant he couldn’t get the best out of his first extended test on the GP11. But he got enough seat time to know there was work to be done.
“In the tests, anyway, I was not very fast, so we hope to be in a better condition for the weekend,” he said.
The condition of the left pinkie he damaged in a first lap crash in the Japanese Grand Prix nearly three weeks ago hasn’t markedly improved.
“It is the same as three days ago,” he said. In Phillip Island last weekend he needed pain-killing injections and “the feeling is the same. Maybe with some more days the pain is less. So we wait and decide. Tomorrow morning I will try without nothing, if is possible, and if I have too much pain I make the same procedure as Phillip Island.”
The crash in Motegi was followed by another in Phillip Island, the double disaster robbing him of valuable championship points. Such is the nature of his season that he’s battling for fifth place in the championship, an outcome few would have predicted before the season. “Now I am seventh that is more or less my normal position during this season, but unfortunately I lost important points in the last two races with the two crashes,” he said. Rossi is tied with Marco Simoncelli with 139, while teammate Nicky Hayden has 132 and Ben Spies is well ahead with 156. “If not, maybe is possible arrive in front of (Marco) Simoncelli and (Ben) Spies, but it is not over.”
Still, the season was over for Rossi and he’s already looking to 2012. “Is a very difficult season for the results and also for the effort, because we try many ways, but unfortunately we are not able to fix our problems for to fight for the important place,” he said. “But this is the situation and we are looking forward also for next year, next year will change something. Looks like everybody expect in a positive the comeback of 1000cc, because everybody have great memories with that type of bikes. Especially better taste to ride. And I had the same when I tried the GP12 during the test. So we will have some clear information about our level at the test in Valencia after the last race. but anyway, before we have to think to find and take home some points in the last two races.”
Photo Gallery: Valentino Rossi returns to scene of last MotoGP victory one year ago - Sport Rider Magazine (http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_1110_rossi_drought_reaches_a_year/index.html)
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