Cycle News

VOL. 52 ISSUE 41 OCTOBER 13, 2015 P121 you have to beat is your team- mate. Clichés become clichés because they are all too true. Never more so than in MotoGP 2015. Here we have two riders on two basically identical bikes and definitely identical tires. There are no excuses, and no blurred edges. When you do see differ- ences, these are entirely down to the riders, and their individual riding styles. To their individual- ity, if you like, and the contrasts between them. The stopwatches reveal many similarities. The visuals show many differences. Motorcycle racing is a very personal motor- sport, in that the rider's body weight is a major part of the overall dynamic equation. These two riders show that personality differences cut even deeper than that. Lorenzo is a remarkable rider. Few in racing's history have operated with such surgical precision. Everything he does is considered. You can tell that from the way he talks, and even more from the way he rides. It is as if he has switched the bike onto autopilot; with software containing just two programs. For the first couple of laps, it's simply Flat Out. Thereafter, it de- faults to Maintain The Gap. This is achieved with almost inhuman accuracy. His six wins this year have all come the same way—leading from first lap to last, winning from the front. In fact, more than half his MotoGP race wins have been achieved that way—20 out of 39. By contrast, in Rossi's entire career, only two of his 112 wins in all classes have been start-to- finish. That's entertainment. Earlier this season former rac- ing hero Randy Mamola opined that Lorenzo's weakness was that "he has only one knife." But boy that knife is very, very sharp. But it is not a colorful way to win races, and Lorenzo is not a colorful character. Not in public, anyway. The contrasts with Rossi run through every aspect, from per- sonality to use of the twist-grip. Valentino is articulate and quick-witted in conversation, and knows exactly how to exert a powerful and natural charm. This plays well with the fans, and forms the basis of a massively successful commercial empire. Makes you wonder just how much is calculated, but Rossi never lets that show. He's the same on a motor- cycle. Of course the veteran of 20 years of campaigning is also accurate, or can be, reeling off precision laps to order. At pres- ent, as he freely admits, these laps are not quite as fast as Lorenzo's. This particular knife is not as sharp. But Rossi has more than the one knife. He has a great selec- tion, from short-bladed paring and stabbing dirks to a great curving cutlass; from stilettos to swords. In this way, he is able to adapt to changing circumstances, to tailor his skill to current require- ments. He can ride with his heart as much as his head. And while Lorenzo's body language speaks of tight control, Rossi's exudes passion and enjoyment. The personality differences, and the rivalry, led to an all too public enmity when they were teammates before Rossi's misad- venture with Ducati. This year, an atmosphere of cordiality prevails. Then again, they haven't actually clashed on the track all season. That could change things. There were four races left, and a titanic battle ahead. Look- ing at it logically, Lorenzo is the more favored. Faster, anyway. Looking at it with passion and enjoyment, then Rossi has the upper hand. Motorcycle racing is not a very logical pastime. People do it be- cause they love it, not because it is a necessary step towards any relevant or important conclusion. Rossi for champion then. Unless, after almost a full season of the other thing, logic finally prevails. CN

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