Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1522712
Could we see a resumption of open hostility? Here's hoping. And maybe a return to another Rossi specialty—a wall down the middle of the pit, which sep- arated him from Lorenzo, along with a refusal to share data. Meanwhile, there is the rest of the season to deal with, and still a real chance that Marc might be the one to depose Ba- gnaia, despite having last year's bike. There's no question that he'll be an even bigger threat on the same machinery. VOLUME 61 ISSUE 24 JUNE 18, 2024 P143 mate? Angry? Scared? Thwart- ed? Undermined? Inspired? Robbed of support? Even more, how about his mentor? Valentino must be apoplectic. Pecco is Rossi's favorite, the rider he has ushered through Moto2 at the head of the hand- picked troops personally trained at his famous ranch. The objec - tive is to wrest control of racing back from the Spanish Armada. Marc, on the other hand, is Rossi's long-standing bête noire— not just the rider who arrived to take over the premier class, not just the one to challenge his tally of nine titles, but much more. It came to a head in 2015 with Valentino's extraordinary attack at the Malaysian GP. First, he accused Marquez of some sort of conspiracy, to help his compatriot, Jorge Lorenzo. (By beating Lorenzo at the previ - ous race?) Then, the mid-race kickboxing, when he abandoned his own race tactics to interrupt Marc's progress, eventually tip - ping him off. The aftermath, aside from bodyguards in the paddock and partisan Rossi fans attacking Marquez away from the track, was a backrow start for Rossi in the final round where Marquez and teammate Dani Pedrosa made darned sure to escort Lorenzo across the line in first place. Vale was fourth and lost his chance of what would have been his final title by just five points. All very tasty, even for neu - trals, for whom when Marc crashes, it shows indomitable spirit; but when Pecco falls, it is because he's unreliable. But the prejudice doesn't all go the way of Marc. Error-prone or not, Pecco is as intelligent a rider and tactician as his new teammate, and there are those who have already put him on a pedestal, judging him as po - tentially one of the truly great champions. Now, he has the chance to prove it. STOP THE PRESS: To spice things up, the latest news is Maverick Vinales has jumped ship from Aprilia to KTM, hoping to become the first in GP history to win on four different makes. And there's more. He will be joined there from Ducati by Bastianini. After a stable spell, riders tending to stay put, Marquez's Honda-to-Ducati started some - thing big. The latest switch, after Martin to Aprilia, makes MotoGP minestrone. Stir the pot and you can't predict what your spoon will pick up next. The racing fans are agog to see who Aprilia can entice to their improved machine. Fol - lowing on a whim, an Italian rider perhaps? Such as Fabio Di Giannantonio. And who will Pramac hire alongside rookie Fermin Aldeguer? Stir the pot and make up your own answer. CN WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT THEIR LEAD RIDER TO BE COMFORTABLE WHEN HE COULD BE EDGY? A RACING TEAM IS A FIGHTING FORCE, NOT A BED OF ROSES.