"In another race they would have tried to overtake but not in this one, We are Spaniards and it was right that the title remain in Spain".
That sentence from Jorge Lorenzo after the race in Valencia is really all you need to know.
A shameful day for MotoGP. A sad day for a segment of Spanish sport and yet another opportunity to keep his trap shut missed by Jorge Lorenzo.
The now three time champion (who announced his happiness at having joined the ranks of 3 timers like Ayrton Senna.....?) claimed the only reason Rossi was ever leading was because of his own bad luck. Presumably like when he blamed his fogging helmet for his poor riding in the rain at Silverstone.
Whatever.
Few liked this man before, despite his enormous talent. Even less will like him in the future, not after he tried to get his teammate banned after Malaysia... except maybe for Max Biaggi.
Marquez. If this is the future of the sport then perhaps it's time to tune out.
He once again rode to protect Lorenzo's rear. Check out the time sheets sometimes, look how his lap time dropped after Pedrosa tried to attack. In that brief moment Marquez, who had been content to sit staring at Lorenzo rear for 28 laps, suddenly looked like the rider who gave Rossi no quarter in Malaysia.
But in the final analysis, it is Rossi who needs to look at himself in the mirror. Marquez has acted in pathetic, petty, bitchy way but Valentino is pushing 40, he should have know better than to stir the pot and fall into Marquez' trap.
That most other riders offered Rossi little resistance as he sliced though the field today speaks volumes on how many were calling bullshit of Marquez's behavior in Phillip Island and Malaysia. Everyone was obviously onto the Spaniard.
Rossi may come out of this season as the "People's Champion" but how he thought it a good idea to continue to pound on it leading into the final race where he knew his only chance was a an honest race by Marquez, more of a mystery.
A self fulfilling prophecy.
MotoGP is the big loser despite the enormous interest in today's race. There will forever be an asterisk next to Lorenzo's third title, mud on Marquez, regret for Rossi and a question for all fans:
How amazing would the season finale had been as a straight fight?
It's a soap opera the likes of which has never been seen before and it will come to a head this week end in Valencia, the final race of the season.
You probably read about the Moto GP drama in the past week or so but unless you are a rabid fan, you might have missed some of the crazy nuances of this epic confrontation so, let Axis help:
The Players:
Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez, Jorge Lorenzo
Valentino Rossi isprobably the most successful racer of the current century. Only the legendary Giacomo Agostini has more championships, 15 won in an era where riders competed in multiple classes in the same years.
Rossi has grown from 17 year old brat 125cc. Champion in '97 to elder statesman of MotoGP, leading the championship in 2015 aged 36.
2015 has been an incredible year for Rossi, after a disastrous two seasons at Ducati and a return to a Yamaha dominated by Jorge Lorenzo, the Italian rider has had an incredible season that has seen him lead his rivals going into the last race of what has been arguably the best MotoGP season of the last 20 years.
...but it's not that simple.
Marc Marquez is the most exciting rider since, well, since Valentino Rossi. Marquez's idol as an up and coming rider was Valentino, whose career Marc shadowed through the junior classes. His dream is to best Rossi's 9 championships. That was the trajectory after two consecutive MotoGP championship onboard the Repsol sponsored Honda.
Unfortunately, 2015 would not be good year for Marquez, the Spanish rider came up against his idol first in Argentina...
and then in Assen...
What happened in Assen? Rossi, 20 seasons of racing and many similar moves under his belt, knew Marquez would try on the final corner and put himself in a position where Marquez could do nothing but bump him. In essence he played the youngster for a sucker, humiliated him and got the win.
This is the root of the current saga.
Marquez has been resentful ever since, his riding in 2015 has been inconsistent, his championship hopes evaporated. The Spaniard has been plotting his revenge: Rossi would not win his 10th championship, Marquez would do whatever he could to help fellow Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo catch and beat "the Doctor".
Last month at Phillip Island, Marquez put his plan into action. He let Lorenzo go and started slowing Rossi and Ducati's Andrea Iannone. Lap charts showed Marquez riding consistently 1 second a lap slower than his usual pace when in front of Rossi and Iannone, only to speed up when behind.
On the final lap, he was able to pass both Iannone and Lorenzo with ease. The reason why he did not let Lorenzo win? A number of past GP riders have said it was not to give away the game.
Rossi, saw all of this coming and launched the accusation on the eve of the Malaysian race. "Marquez will deliberately try to help Lorenzo". Headlines across the planet.
In retrospect not the best move for Rossi because it only helped to provoke Marquez and make Spanish media bristle.
Come race day, Valentino's predictions come true, Marquez after letting Lorenzo go in the lead does everything he can to stay ahead of Rossi. At this point Marquez is not in contention for the championship any longer so his manic riding has only one goal.
The insane battle between Rossi and Marquez culminated with a frustrated Rossi leading the Honda rider wide, Marquez responding by leaning into him with his helmet and body before falling.
Rossi was penalized, three points taken away and condemned to start the title deciding race this week end from the back of the grid.
These pieces of film have been subjected to Zapruder level of scrutiny in the past weeks. Most commentary has not been kind to Marquez. It's obvious from overhead shots Rossi did not kick him as claimed and that Marquez leaning in was the reason for the fall.
It has not stopped much of the Spanish media from losing the plot or Repsol from issuing statements about quitting MotoGP sponsorship if Rossi was not punished and Honda claiming it had proof Rossi kicked Marquez' front brake lever causing the fall (even though there was a brake guard in place!).
But possibly worst of all, Jorge Lorenzo first gave his teammate the thumbs down on the podium and later asked for stiffer punishment. Very convenient.
The internet has not been kind to Lorenzo and Marquez, the Spanish duo becoming the subject of many unpublishable homoerotic memes. Rossi has never been a saint but Marquez and Lorenzo probably lost the respect of a large number of fans.
If Lorenzo wins the championship, and it's hard to to imagine how he will not, the biggest loser will be MotoGP. By issuing the penalty they did, a fantastic season has been destroyed.
Unless Valentino pulls off a miracle... pass the popcorn.
Valentino Rossi had led from the start of the Dutch TT at Assen this past but lost the lead to Marc Marquez with with eight laps to go.
The Doctor go it back with three laps remaining but everyone knew Marquez would have a go at him: it happened in the last quarter mile of the race.
Marquez made a lunge on the inside of the chicane, Valentino turned in on him but then bailed cutting across the gravel, possibly avoiding a collision and winning the race.
Moto GP, has regulations regarding track limits but like many other series, the enforcement of that regulation is open to subjective interpretation.
Moto GP decided to let the results stand, Honda, no surprise, protested.
After the race, Rossi said he was bumped, video shows there was no contact. Marquez said he would have won had Valentino not cut the corner, video and logic would seem to be against him.
The only thing that's certain is Valentino cut across the gravel, a riding feat one might argue worthy of the win in and of itself but certainly, beyond track limits.
The Honda and Ducati riders were scrapping for fourth in a race which was dominated by Jorge Lorenzo from championship leader Valentino Rossi. Third place went to Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso.
Strange seeing Honda off the podium and Marquez off balance and down in the points. You almost have to wonder if Honda's F1 effort might in some way be weighing on their Moto GP development this season.
Of his game or not, Marquez did put on a hell of a show with "Crazy Joe" Iannone. Marc eventually built enough of a gap and finished fourth.
Marc Marquez could not break the record with an eleventh consecutive win this year.
Marquez, said it's a weight off his back. Maybe but I think all sportsmen are lying when they say they don't know or care about records.
It's not impossible the weight of expectations finally got to Marquez at Brno and if that's the case, it only makes him more likable, nobody likes a robot.
Giacomo Agostini is probably happy, his record (of consecutive wins) is equalled but not broken.
After the race, attended by almost 140000 spectators, it was always a pleasure to see Rossi, who was racing with tendon exposing road rash on his pinky because of a practice crash, smile and be happy even with third. "...and it was great to beat Marquez... finally...for once".
Marc Marquez was just a 15 year old boy when Valentino Rossi made his epic dirt track pass on Casey Stoner plunging down Laguna Seca's Corkscrew turn in 2008.
He never forgot it and, when he got the chance to race against Rossi fro the first time at the California track, gave medicine back to the Doctor. For his part, Valentino looks like he took it with his usual good humor. Marquez won the race over Stefan Bradl and Rossi.
Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia saw the final race of the 2012 MotoGP season and conditions were as nasty as you could possibly concoct for motorcycle racing, damp tarmac.
Conditions in the race were so tricky some riders actually just quit and newly crowned MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo was one of the many caught out by the conditions, crashing from the lead as he was lapping riders. Dani Pedrosa won that race helped by a correct setup and tire choice, the misfortunes of others and some great riding.
None of this phased Marc Marquez. The 19 year old spaniard rode his Repsol Suter Honda from DFL, 33rd on the grid to victory in the Moto 2 race. He passed 20 riders in the first five corners on his way to winning the 2012 Moto2 title...and all without safety cars!
I'm not going to far out on a limb saying we will see this guy a MotoGP champion in the next few years if he gets the right ride.
