P118
CN
III IN THE PADDOCK
BY MICHAEL SCOTT
I
t must have been 10 years
ago that everyone was ask-
ing the same question: W
hat will happen to MotoGP
when Rossi goes?
Worldwide fame seemed
already to have peaked. The
little scamp had grown up to
become a major superstar.
And he was fast approaching
his 30s, with few goals left to
conquer, seven premier world
championships in his pocket,
younger rivals coming on
stream, and a bank account
bigger than the GDP of Swazi-
land. How long could it go on?
The question was turned
upside down on the eve of the
opening round of 2016: Will
Rossi ever go?
Then came the race. Once
again, Rossi proved he is no
fading Schumacher. Fourth
place was perhaps less than
he had hoped for, but he was
only just over two seconds be-
hind winner Lorenzo, and just
one-tenth behind Dovizioso
and Marquez.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN
WHEN HE GOES?
