CN
III IN THE PADDOCK
P116
BY MICHAEL SCOTT
A
s always, Valentino Rossi
had the final word after
the season-ending cha-
rade at Valencia. The race, he
said, had been "embarrassing."
That actually meant more than
he intended. He was summing
up what he saw as a Spanish
conspiracy to ensure Lorenzo's
victory: a pretend race by Marc
Marquez and a stitch-up for
Valentino.
"Embarrassing" also served
to describe the whole melodra-
ma, and the behavior of Rossi
himself, among others. After a
classic season, it was a shame-
faced climax. And made more so
as riders, officials and Marquez's
HRC team kept on putting their
foot in it.
Embarrassing. And unneces-
sary.
If only an instant decision had
been made during the Malaysian
race so much could have been
avoided.
Back in 2011, at Le Mans, the
late Marco Simoncelli knocked
Dani Pedrosa flying. He was
NOBODY IS INNOCENT
