What Makes a Motorcycle Road Racing Champion?

The recent brouhaha over the Valentino/Sete "incident" started me pondering the answer to the question...What Makes a Motorcycle Road Racing Champion? Clearly, there are lots of extremely talented folks competing as we speak, who have the opportunity to become champion...but who won't be. And many more who competed in the past...but who weren't champions as well.

Now this is the important part...before you answer. If we remove all the other variables save the person himself...no "better bike, better tires, better track knowledge, etc.", what is it within a person that allows them to rise above the rest?

As an example, when I was actively racing, my mentor (who was very good and very successful...and a champion) saved me months of trial and error by coaching me because he saw potential in my abilities. Brian was as nice a bloke as you'd want to meet off the track. But come 30 minutes or so before posted grid time, he would start mentally preparing himself to win...and there was no doubt (at least in my mind) that barring some unforseen variable...he would do just that. He was so focused...and so "in the zone" or "in a flow state", that I just stayed away from him until he returned after the cool down lap. I remember him telling me once, that when he staked out a portion of the track, that "became" his real estate, and no one was going to take it from him. He wasn't reckless...but he meant it!

OK... your turn...

In my mind, it takes natural talent, the ability to understand the mechanics of what's involved, strategy, mental fortitude and a hunger to win (A dose of good luck doesn't hurt either. )
If you look at Rossi, has all those skills, but he's also been conditioned since day one; moreover, Rossi has enough natural talent and an inate understanding that he's able to analytically breakdown his performance to make it better.
That's one of his most important faculties; he understands his bike and his talent allows him to ride around one or two lesser problems while working on two or three major problems.

LMFAO!!!

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dave &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
LMFAO!!!</TD></TR></TABLE>

"Sete, having forfited a successful career in motorcycle racing, makes inroads into dramatic acting."

That is priceless. Maybe he was hoping for Val to give him a hug. Looks like Rossi saw it for what is was.

I can't belive that video is real.

Is Sete crying? Or is he in pain? Or both?

Thanks I needed that laugh at his point in my day. That was awesome especially the smurk from Rossi.............that is priceless!

Rossi is like " Ok enough.. let go upstairs!"

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 998R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> He wasn't reckless...but he meant it!

OK... your turn...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ok, with the understanding that were not talking about skill, eye hand coordination, physical conditioning, advanced ability at bike set-up etc....... my input is simple, and it applies to any successful motor racer.

You mention he wasn't reckless, but I think successful racers operate at a level that approaches recklessness ....... kind of a controlled recklessness.

You've heard the term 'red mist', and I think these guys operate on a razors edge approaching this loss of control. It consists of a level of intense aggression that is directed at only one thing: getting by the guy in front.

*Gulp* ....... man, am I going to get in trouble for this. I would wager that this is part of the reason why females don't get to the top of world class racing ...... this kind of aggression is generally not part of thier personality. There are exceptions, sure. But it's so much more prevalant in the male of the species that there are just too many in the talent pool for females to get a chance.

(asking myself why, oh why did you say that? )

What's the announcers name for MotoGP? The older guy ......

He was talking about Rossi once when he had the championship wrapped up and the question as to whether or not Rossi would back off a bit during the race.

Rossi's laps times only got faster, because as the announcer put it "He's a racer. A special breed (and there are many others) that live to get by the guy in front at whatever cost.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jbraslins &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I can't belive that video is real.

Is Sete crying? Or is he in pain? Or both?

</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think Sete is already formulating his excuse for Rossi taking the championship again.

I'm inerested in qualifying now, With rossi about getting pitched off in FP2 today it's gonna get good.

Another thing to consider is that at the highest level in any racing organization you have very well funded, if not factory supported riders who KNOW that if/when they wad up a bike, they are not the one paying the bill.

That fact alone keeps many of us at the back of the grid when the checkered flag flies. I have to keep my riding in check, even though I would like to be more aggressive, but I know if I make a mistake and bin it, no one but me is going to pay to put it back together!! Food-for-thought.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Rossi came up through a National pocketbike series in Italy (he was champion), raced small bikes his whole life, jumped to the 125 GP class, then the 250 GP class - he is very comfortable with racing close. He is a very aggressive passer - he doesn't know any other way. I'm not even sure we'd be discussing that pass if it happened in a 125 race.......and we sure wouldn't be if it were 2 guys racing for 10th place (back further in the pack those types of passes happen almost every lap).

Rossi won the European championship 125cc when he was 16.. the next year he got an Aprilia RS125 sponsored by his favorite beer N-Azzuro everything else is history.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Giannis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Rossi won the European championship 125cc when he was 16.. the next year he got an Aprilia RS125 sponsored by his favorite beer N-Azzuro everything else is history.</TD></TR></TABLE>

No again.........I'll quote directly:

"The son of former racer Graziano Rossi, Valentino contested his first bike race at the age of 12 when he switched from Karts to Minimotos. He quickly progressed through the Italian domestic scene, collecting a 125cc Italian Sports Production title along the way, before being crowned 125cc Italian Champion in 1995 and taking third in the 125cc European Championship in the same year."

Hey Mr. Know-It-All, I thought you were leaving?

no i ll stay and piss the crap out of you...

Once you been right... you win a

Hardly..........I'll just wait and watch for another of your tearful "should I stay or should I go" threads.

Your nitpicking and anal retentiveness can't be helped - you sir, are a fountain of misinformation.

But this is just feeding you the attention you crave, so take your ball and go home now before the big kids come back and be mean to you.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dave &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

LMFAO!!!</TD></TR></TABLE>

Me too. I was kind of pissed that I had to work today. When I saw that vid clip and realized what it was, I burst out laughing til my eyes teared up.
Thanks for making my day!!!!!

Grow up with a golden motorcycle between your legs and having rich parents who will get anything you want also helps.