VOL. 51 ISSUE 11 MARCH 18, 2014 P141
Valentino Rossi vs. Dani
Pedrosa, 2006-2013
(Pedrosa's rookie year to
the present):
Rossi: 27 wins, 66 po-
diums, 19 pole positions,
and two world titles
Pedrosa: 25 wins, 84
podiums, 26 pole posi-
tions, and zero world
titles
Adjusted numbers,
dropping any races in
which either rider was
absent due to injury:
Rossi: 25 wins, 61 po-
diums, 19 poles, and
two world titles
Pedrosa: 24 wins,
81 podiums, 26 poles,
and zero world titles
Note: Pedrosa has
spent all eight sea-
sons on works Hon-
das while Rossi has
spent six on works
Yamahas and two on
works Ducatis.
Rossi's case be-
comes even less
compelling when we
consider his record
versus Lorenzo and
Stoner.
Valentino Rossi vs.
Jorge Lorenzo,
2008-2013:
Rossi: 18 wins, 48
podiums, 10 poles,
and two titles
Lorenzo: 31 wins, 74
podiums, 29 poles,
and two titles
Adjusted Head-to-
Head Numbers:
Rossi: 18 wins, 46
podiums, 10 poles,
and two titles
Lorenzo: 28 wins, 70
podiums, 26 poles,
and two titles
Note: Lorenzo
has been on works
Yamahas his entire
MotoGP career, while
Rossi has spent
four of those years
on works Yamahas
and two on works
Ducatis.
Valentino Rossi vs.
Casey Stoner,
2006-2012 (rookie
year through Stoner's
retirement):
Rossi: 26 wins, 60
podiums, 19 poles,
and two titles
Stoner: 38 wins, 69
podiums, 39 poles,
and two titles
Adjusted Head-to-
Head Numbers:
Rossi: 23 wins, 56
podiums, 17 poles, and
two titles
Stoner: 38 wins, 67
podiums, 39 poles,
and two titles.
Note: Stoner spent
one of those seasons
on a satellite Honda,
four on works Duca-
tis, and two on works
Hondas, while Rossi
spent five on works
Yamahas and two on
works Ducatis.
Rossi defenders may
point out that these
numbers have been
distorted by his disas-
NO
There is no arguing that Rossi raised the bar when
he burst onto the 500GP/MotoGP scene. And as
it turned out, the old dogs never did learn his new
tricks. Rossi fattened up his numbers while taking
it to that particular era of rider, but the post-Rossi
generation has proven significantly more trouble-
some.
A select few heralded up-and-comers who en-
tered MotoGP gunning for Rossi have proven sur-
prisingly successful in supplanting, or, at least,
matching Rossi. There's now a substantial track
record of head-to-head competition with which to
compare the icon and the men who have proven
to be his primary challengers for the better part of
decade: Dani Pedrosa, Jorge Lorenzo, and Casey
Stoner.
Pedrosa was HRC's hand-selected 'Rossi beat-
er' after Valentino left them in his wake. While the
Spaniard has not fully lived up to that billing and
still seeks a first-career MotoGP World Champion-
ship, Rossi and Pedrosa's head-to-head numbers
are more comparable than you might first guess.