P136
CN
III IN THE PADDOCK
BY MICHAEL SCOTT
WHEN
ROSSI
GOES,
WHAT IT
MEANS TO MOTOGP
Race attendances
and TV figures
peaked for Rossi,
even when his results
slumped. Dorna will
be hard pressed to
absorb his absence.
I
t was hardly unexpected but
predicting what Valentino Rossi
will do next has always been
risky. In the same way that his
glittering career made MotoGP
into something special, his deci-
sion finally to retire affects every-
body and everything in racing.
The biggest effect is on the
fans. And on Dorna—flip sides
of the same coin. It is 24 years
since his first title and 12 years
since the last one, but his yellow-
clad support army has not dwin-
dled. If anything, the reverse.
None of his title successors, try
as they might, can command
anything like the grandstand
space, not even Marc Marquez.
Race attendances and TV
figures peaked for Rossi, even
when his results slumped. Dorna
will be hard pressed to absorb
his absence.
This is a problem a long time
in the making. The question has
often been raised: What happens
when Rossi goes? Now we find
out.
The impact on the riders is
also huge. It's been years since
he was the prime target—the man
everyone had to beat. But his
influence runs much deeper. His
departure destabilizes an already
uncertain rider market.
Most of all, with the 42-year-
old calling time on the same
weekend that class rookie Jorge
Martin, aged just 23, taking a
first MotoGP win, it confirms and
underlines the changing of the
guard. A new generation has
taken over.
MotoGP is, once again, a
young man's game.
The details span the paddock
and the classes.
Yamaha is now obliged to
make two replacements rather
than just the one for Vinales.
The new VR46 Ducati team is
also deprived of the boss as a
rider. This even raises questions
