London - Valentino Rossi’s injury-enforced absence will take the gloss off this year’s MotoGP championship no matter who wins it, the Italian showman’s rivals say.
Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo, Rossi’s Yamaha teammate and favorite for the title, said winning without the sport’s champion and most flamboyant rider made it less of an achievement.
“It’s a pity for everyone that Valentino is not here. Winning a world championship is always a great feeling, but without Valentino it maybe loses a little bit of its value,” Lorenzo said ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Rossi, a nine-times champion in all categories, is expected to be out for between four and five months after breaking his leg in practice for his home Italian Grand Prix at Mugello on June 5.
“I want to be world champion with Valentino on the track,” said Lorenzo.
“If I could put all the legends in the history of the motorcycle with me on the track, I would for sure.”
Nicky Hayden, the American Ducati rider who beat Rossi to the title in 2006 on a Honda, agreed that an asterisk might have to appear in the MotoGP history books against this year’s winner.
“I try not to get caught up in ifs and buts, good or bad in racing or in life, but it’s true,” said Hayden, 28, who beat Rossi by just five points after a season that went down to the wire.
“Whoever wins will feel a little bit less because the guy who has won so many [titles and races] wasn’t out there. But that’s how it goes. He made a mistake.”
Even if Rossi, 31, returns quicker than expected, his title hopes have evaporated. Lorenzo, who was already leading Rossi in the championship standings before the accident, has a 25-point advantage over compatriot Dani Pedrosa with 14 races remaining, including Sunday’s. (Alan Baldwin)
Reuters
Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com
Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo, Rossi’s Yamaha teammate and favorite for the title, said winning without the sport’s champion and most flamboyant rider made it less of an achievement.
“It’s a pity for everyone that Valentino is not here. Winning a world championship is always a great feeling, but without Valentino it maybe loses a little bit of its value,” Lorenzo said ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Rossi, a nine-times champion in all categories, is expected to be out for between four and five months after breaking his leg in practice for his home Italian Grand Prix at Mugello on June 5.
“I want to be world champion with Valentino on the track,” said Lorenzo.
“If I could put all the legends in the history of the motorcycle with me on the track, I would for sure.”
Nicky Hayden, the American Ducati rider who beat Rossi to the title in 2006 on a Honda, agreed that an asterisk might have to appear in the MotoGP history books against this year’s winner.
“I try not to get caught up in ifs and buts, good or bad in racing or in life, but it’s true,” said Hayden, 28, who beat Rossi by just five points after a season that went down to the wire.
“Whoever wins will feel a little bit less because the guy who has won so many [titles and races] wasn’t out there. But that’s how it goes. He made a mistake.”
Even if Rossi, 31, returns quicker than expected, his title hopes have evaporated. Lorenzo, who was already leading Rossi in the championship standings before the accident, has a 25-point advantage over compatriot Dani Pedrosa with 14 races remaining, including Sunday’s. (Alan Baldwin)
Reuters
Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com