P136
CN
III IN THE PADDOCK
BY MICHAEL SCOTT
I
have seen the future. And
there are some surprises. One
of them concerns Valentino
Rossi. He is still in it.
This didn't necessarily seem
likely in the run up to racing's
resumption at Misano. The web
was rife with rumors that he was
to announce his retirement. Not
a new theme. Now aged 41, and
with a grand prix career in its
25th year, some have thought
this due—and becoming over-
due—for a couple of years now.
A couple of years ago, I
myself described him as a "bed-
blocker" hindering Yamaha from
finding and fostering new talent.
His waning results—his last win
way back in 2017 and only two
podiums last year—were pretty
marginal for a top factory rider.
I was shot down in flames, by
his ever-loyal fans, and by his
continuing (if rather spasmodic)
ability to run up front.
So, when I kept getting emails
from far and wide asking if he
really was going to retire, I held
my fire.
It did seem possible. Espe-
cially given the big scare in Aus-
tria, almost decapitated by the
flying bikes of Zarco and Mor-
bidelli. Plus, the tide of pesky
youngsters—second-year sensa-
tion Quartararo, Suzuki upstarts
Rins and Mir, and rookie winner
Binder among others—continu-
ally thwarting his ambitions of
adding one more podium to
make a round 200.
I resisted the temptation to
predict his departure. Been
wrong-footed too many times.
"Never rule out Rossi," said I.
On Thursday before Misano,
asked directly, his cackling
laughter proved the wisdom
of this caution. On Friday, he
underlined his disdain with fast-
est time. And on Sunday, though
displaced from a strong almost
race-long second, he looked
safe in third, until narrowly de-
nied by Mir's last-lap attack.
The significance was that two
of the three pesky youths ahead
of him, first-time winner Mor-
bidelli and returned injury new
boy Bagnaia, aged 25 and 23,
respectively, were his own prote-
ges. At the same time, a growing
Italian flavor in all three classes
came from more of the same—
fellows and/or graduates of the
VR46 Academy taking control.
Vale's Angels.
Spain brought its riders to the
VALE'S
ANGELS
