VOL. 50 ISSUE 31 AUGUST 6, 2013
>>VALENTINO ROSSI
Simultaneously Old Master and
Work In Progress, the great hero's return from the Ducati doldrums is going to plan in every respect except one: the time scale.
Outpaced by his younger
teammate and satellite rider Cal
Crutchlow as well as the Hondas, he finally found the setting
that works for him before Assen.
He won, albeit in the absence of
Pedrosa and Lorenzo. But then
got nuked by Marquez at the next
round in Germany.
He's riding with much the
same verve as ever, and has
clearly started enjoying himself
again, in spite of the trouble with
P81
the youngsters.
Laguna Seca was another
chance to show his mettle, and
brought an important third successive rostrum, albeit for third
place. "I am pleased with the
race, because I had a good
pace, and at a track where we
lose something to the Hondas, I
am top Yamaha," he said.
Clutching at straws? That's not
fair. But Rossi has had some hard
lessons from the youngsters.
He's still willing to win, but he's
had to learn to be willing to lose
too.
Rossi's seat at Yamaha next
year is quite secure. It will prob- Valentino, however, you just nevably be his last year. As ever with er know.
