#printed press

It was decisive:

• Sete's skill and cunning in closing the line when he saw Rossi pushing hard.

• Capirossi's bike catching fire in the warm-up. Loris had to start with the second bike and less precise settings.

• The precious time Biaggi lost trying to overtake Bailyss.

• Melandri's crash, which broke up the race by cutting off the link with the two leaders.

• Biaggi's incredible fastest lap, unbeaten despite the crash.

• Hayden's strong performance, his best race in MotoGP. Sachsenring is very similar to the tight American tracks where the Repsol Honda rider has raced to date.

Motorcycles that explode on the track

Colin Edwards had a monumental scare in the first free practice session when his Aprilia Cube burst into flames with him on it. Loris Capirossi's Ducati also went up in flames during Sunday's warm-up.

In both cases, the fuel tanks were made of carbon fiber, and given that MotoGP bikes (remember Aoki's in Assen, when his engine exploded) catch fire with some frequency, measures can be taken.

One would be a more thorough study of the safety offered by carbon fiber, and another would be requiring track marshals to wear special suits.

Colin Edwards' incident was truly spectacular.

The Texan rider was using one of the new chassis, of which each rider had only one, and during braking, the fuel tank cap popped off, fuel spilled into the exhaust, and immediately ignited the engine.

"I can say that I now know a track I'd never been on before much better, but I've also discovered that a barbecue can be terrible if you're on the wrong side..."

Colin didn't lose his sense of humor and referred to the burns he suffered on his forearm and chest.

"I saw some drops splashing on my visor and thought it was starting to rain. It also crossed my mind that maybe it was coolant from a motorcycle in front of me. But at one point, I felt a cold sensation on my neck and immediately afterward, intense heat... fire!"

Colin jumped off the moving motorcycle at almost 200 km/h.

"Jumping off the bike was the only thing I could do. I admit it was my first experience of this kind, and I hope it doesn't happen again: I confess... I was scared!"

Anti-Ducati exhausts turn anti-Rossi.

We all remember Doohan and his technical strategies to throw off his rivals. When everyone else was using Big Bang engines, halfway through the season he would switch to the Screamer engine. This created the question: was Doohan winning, or was the Screamer winning? Well, the same could be said for Sunday's race: did Sete win, or did the exhausts on his RC 211 V win?

When Rossi tested this new exhaust system after the Catalan Grand Prix, he declared that he wouldn't use them in races because, according to him, "they were too noisy." The truth is, they gave his bike too harsh a feel; besides, the Doctor must have thought to himself that he didn't need any innovations to keep winning... The three new silencers on Sete's bike are more open than the current two; they have a larger diameter and less sound-dampening material. This results in more power, faster exhaust gas expulsion, a higher rev limit, and... more noise! ​​It also causes stronger engine braking when the throttle is closed, a characteristic that riders find difficult to get used to. On the other hand, it also increases fuel consumption, since more exhaust gases require more fuel to be pumped into the cylinders. The truth is, Rossi won't be entirely sure from now on: did Sete beat him, or did the new exhausts? If the Doctor thinks it's the latter, you can bet he'll be using the new exhausts in Brno...

Sachsenring, a karting track

The small Sachsenring circuit is one of the slowest in the championship and possibly the smallest and most twisty.

At 3,508 meters long, just 8 meters short of the minimum required for homologation, with 13 left-hand and 6 right-hand corners, the Saxon track, located 100 km from Dresden in the former East Germany, is visually striking and spectacular.

Its significant elevation changes, flowing corners, and proximity to the spectators make Sachsenring a very special circuit.

Races were held here in the 1920s, and between 1961 and 1972 it hosted the German Grand Prix races. But in 1990, its international homologation was no longer accepted, and a major renovation was undertaken after eleven months of work.

The result is a practically new circuit, where the facilities are rather basic. Working at the Sachsenring is quite inconvenient for everyone, as the paddock is divided by the track itself, and to access the hospitality area, you have to cross it through a tunnel.

There aren't enough pit boxes for everyone, and many 250cc teams and all of the 125cc teams don't have space in the pit lane, so they have to work in their own trucks located far from the track. It's surprising to see a team like Norick Abe's (Yamaha) working under a makeshift tent, and since the Japanese rider had to go out on the track, he had to cross the paddock. In the 125cc class, the teams would crowd into the pit lane during practice sessions because there wasn't enough space or pit boxes for them.

Sete's Column: Valentino and me....

Hello friends of Solo Moto.

As you can imagine, I'm super happy with this new victory, which I want to dedicate in a special way to my family.

They supported me completely during the bad times, and that's why now, when things are going well, I want to thank them for their help during those difficult moments, and especially my sister Cristina. It's the first time I've won without her here, and I want to give her and her husband Alvaro the trophy they gave me.

In this Grand Prix, I worked all weekend thinking about the race. In practice, I did 12-lap sessions to fine-tune the bike, and I didn't want a repeat of what happened in Great Britain, where at one point I didn't have the necessary feeling to be with the leaders. I sacrificed a fast lap to find a good rhythm, which is what decides the race.

My bike was running really well, and so was Valentino's. I think we were on the same level, and we both had the same tires.

Having beaten a rider like Valentino four times makes you a bigger deal, but he's still a great rider whom I admire just as much as before I beat him.

You can't lose respect for him, or Max, or anyone here.

On the other hand, Valentino is admirable for his desire to win races. Even as the championship leader, he doesn't let up and fights for the win until the very end.

Valentino Rossi hates losing, and he's lost four times this year, but he's the world champion, and I'm not. We respect each other a lot, we enjoy riding, we love our jobs, and we also like to enjoy life and have a drink out. We have a good time. We've barely had time to talk, but he told me he wanted to win at any cost, however... today I won!

In their own words...

Valentino Rossi: I'm a little disappointed with the final result of the race. At the beginning, I tried to break away from the other riders, but it wasn't possible. Sete followed me, and we rode very close together for ten laps. The race was decided on the last lap, when I had planned my attack. I made a good overtake, but then I don't understand why I needed to come in to close the line. I thought Sete would try to overtake me on the inside of the corner, and that was my mistake. I closed the line and touched the brake, losing a bit of control of the bike. I needed too long to open the throttle again. Other times this season, I've had bad luck with the weather or the regulations, but this time it was my own fault.

Nicky Hayden: "It was a lot of fun. I needed a race like this. On the last lap I was a bit conservative and Capirossi overtook me. In the morning warm-up I felt comfortable riding with Valentino and Max. I learn a lot at every circuit where this happens."

Max Biaggi: "My back, leg, and hand hurt... My whole body aches. I'm very disappointed, although I can't go back. I had a discreet start, but in the first two corners I was a bit hesitant and many riders passed me. Then I was forced to make up a lot of positions and I had to push hard. I saw that I was going very fast, overtaking several rivals. When I got to Bayliss, he made me lose a little time, and when I finally passed him, I crashed. It happened so fast that I don't know how it happened. The responsibility for a crash always lies with the rider, but at that point the front suspension had been giving me problems all weekend."

1. What do you think of the press?

Jorge Martínez ‘Aspar’: You can't lump all the press together. I would like the press to always be very clear and, most importantly, when they give their opinion on someone or something, not to do so from only one perspective, but taking into account, or at least having been informed about, both.

Luis d'Antín: If I have to be 100% honest, I admit that answering is incredibly difficult. I think there are professional people who do their job well, just as there are also other people who are very unprofessional and do their job quite poorly. There are people who aren't responsible when making opinions that reach thousands of people. I think a good journalist has to have a sense of responsibility. In general, I have good friends in the press, but we never talk about the press... and that's why we remain good friends.

Gibo Badioli, manager of Valentino Rossi: The press is fundamental to our work and to our sport. It's absolutely essential that journalists closely follow everything that happens in the World Championship, because without the media, our sport wouldn't have the media impact it's currently enjoying. That said, I only hope that journalists think a little more about the current state of the sport than about creating pointless controversies, sometimes using phrases that riders are capable of saying when they're heated, just to sell more newspapers or magazines. I dislike this, but in any case, I have a good opinion of the press.

Carlos Checa: I understand that you are part of this work, and it's clear that the press makes it possible for what we do here to reach the general public. Obviously, some do it better than others, just like among us riders. But I consider it extremely important and necessary that it's here.

Carlo Fiorani, HRC team manager: The press is curious, sometimes annoying, occasionally entertaining, and sometimes very important. It's also very varied; there's a bit of everything.

Davide Brivio, Yamaha MotoGP team manager: Obviously, the press is important because it reports on what our riders do. I think journalists have a great privilege, which is being able to write their opinions and have everyone read them. If our riders are famous, it's thanks to the press, which reports on what they do on the track.

Alexandre Barros: The press is necessary. The press and the drivers need each other. There's no such thing as the driver being more important or vice versa.

Pablo Nieto: They can't live without us, and we can't live without them.

Alberto Puig: It's very difficult to generalize. It's like everything else. There are people you like more and people you like less. I've been in racing for quite some time, and there are some you can become closer to than others, regardless of the quality of their work. But this is something very personal, and sometimes it's very difficult to separate the personal from the professional. In my case, I have more of an affinity with the people I respect professionally.

Rubén Xaus: Journalists are a bit out of shape. They come here, go to the teams' catering, and know how to live well when they're not working. When they're resting, they live too well.

Fonsi Nieto: There's a bit of everything. I'm the one who can least judge because I'm the one who's been most celebrated and also the one who's been most criticized. But, well, the press is the same here as in every sport. The press can lift you up and tear you down. Everyone has their job; ours is to ride, and theirs is to report what happens. It's not always how we'd like it to be, but they say what they think.

Dani Pedrosa: Honestly, I don't have a strong opinion on the matter. I don't follow it much and I only read the occasional article. Basically, I think you all just do your job, and everyone does it as best they can.

Sete Gibernau: I think journalists have a lot of influence over people. Fans trust what the press says quite a bit. Like in every aspect of life, there are press outlets you get along with better and press outlets you get along with worse. For me, as with everyone, the most important thing in our dealings is mutual respect. If they treat me well, I treat them well.

2. Do you think the journalists who cover the World Championship know enough about motorcycles to be able to judge what happens in a Grand Prix?

Jorge Martínez ‘Aspar’: There are World Championship journalists who have been covering this championship for many years, so obviously there are many highly qualified journalists who can give their opinions, both on riders and on technical matters. But in any case, you can't put them all on the same level.

Luis d'Antín: There are some journalists who have been here a long time and therefore know the World Championship very well and know about motorcycles. But there are others who have also been here a long time and know much less about motorcycles than they think.

Gibo Badioli: I think so, that in general they are well prepared. Obviously, I'm more familiar with the Italian and Spanish press, and somewhat with the English press, although I naturally know the Italians more intimately. Most of them have been in this business for many years; they're very competent professionals. In general, I think they have the necessary and sufficient preparation to do this job.

Carlos Checa: The truth is, I don't know. It's difficult to say whether the press is qualified or not; in principle, I think they are. Could they be more qualified? Obviously; everyone can be better qualified.

Carlo Fiorani: It depends. Few journalists understand motorcycles from a technical point of view; however, from a sporting perspective, yes, they do understand. 99% of those here are passionate about motorcycles. In short, the sporting aspect is OK; the technical aspect, not so much.

Davide Brivio, manager of the Yamaha MotoGP team: There are some who, in my opinion, understand motorcycles, they're motorcyclists, and they understand what happens on the track. There are also others who are here by chance.

Alexandre Barros: ...I'd say 10%, yes. There are many who... you read things that are terrible. Because understanding is one thing, and wanting to explain why things happen without having a clue is another. Things are written that have nothing to do with reality. Very few journalists are informed enough to explain. If you don't have the information, the normal thing is not to give an opinion, right? I'm not saying these opinions are false, but they lack a basis.

Pablo Nieto: It's complicated to answer. There are many journalists who can't even imagine what this world is really like. Names? I'm never going to name names... while I'm still active.

Alberto Puig: This is something you'd have to ask the journalists.

Rubén Xaus: I think they do know. It's not easy to reach all the Spanish drivers because there are so many, and they can't always be in every pit box. They prioritize some over others depending on the result, but that's logical. People are fairly well informed. The problem newspaper journalists have is that they don't have enough space to provide fans with accurate and perfect information. What we should ask of the newspaper, especially at this time of year, is that they dedicate more pages to motorsports, even more so now that there are no football, basketball, or other sports leagues.

Fonsi Nieto: Some people know, but others don't. There are people who know a lot, a whole lot, and others who know absolutely nothing, but I can't name names. It's about fifty-fifty.

Dani Pedrosa: Let's say fifty-fifty.

Sete Gibernau: That's hard to say because this is a sport with many factors involved. The press has to do its job, and it's often difficult for them to know or understand enough about motorcycles to judge the technical aspects. In that sense, some people will know more than others, but the important thing is that everyone does their job to the best of their ability.

3. Does what the press writes about you affect you?

Jorge Martínez ‘Aspar’: It matters to me, a lot. There's no doubt about it. It matters to me and it affects me. Obviously, I think that if I'm still in this world of racing, it's because I'm passionate about it and I enjoy it, so everything that's said about me or my team influences me, and I might like it or dislike it, but it definitely affects me.

Luis d'Antín: It affects me from a commercial point of view, since this, besides being a sport, is also a business. It's important that the press writes about me and writes about my interests in a positive light. I have to try to ensure that what's written is good or, failing that, at least truthful. From a personal point of view, I prefer not to comment on the work of the press; my opinion would probably be too harsh.

Gibo Badioli: Beyond a few specific incidents, I think the press, as far as we're concerned, is doing a good job, so I can't complain about anything.

Carlos Checa: If I said otherwise, I'd be lying. But the truth is, I also want to stay out of it, because you can't be aware of everything that's written, everything that's said, everything that's opined. Letting yourself be swayed by what's said about you isn't good, for better or for worse. In any case, I have to thank the press in general, because when things haven't gone well for me, I've been respected, I haven't been hammered too hard. But there's this general tendency: if you do well, you're a phenomenon, and if you do badly, you're...

Carlo Fiorani, HRC team manager: Yes, I'm very interested. Yes, if something negative is written, I get angry... The answer is sincere, isn't it?

Davide Brivio, Yamaha MotoGP team manager: Yes, I'm interested, and it affects me from the moment the public reads the press. They find out what we do through the press, so I'm interested in knowing what's written about us, whether the message is positive or negative. That's why it's important to keep an eye on it. For me, dealing with journalists is a bit like a game. A journalist's job is to uncover as much as possible, to tell their readers as much as possible. We, as a team and as a factory, try to let them know what interests us. From there, this game is created. If a journalist discovers something we don't want them to know, they've done their job well; I respect that. If we manage to keep something important secret for a long time, then we're the ones who have done our job well.

Alexandre Barros: I'll be honest: it used to bother me, but now I don't read the press. For me, a journalist has to give readers what's really happening in the sport they cover, not just say "my opinion is...". An opinion is just that, an opinion, but the right thing to do, the fair thing, is to inform. And for that, you have to be a little more informed, although I'm perfectly aware that you have little time and you have to talk to a lot of people, and sometimes there isn't enough time, I understand.

Pablo Nieto: Absolutely not. Not at all.

Alberto Puig: Saying that you're not affected by the things they say about you that you don't like isn't entirely true. Nobody likes being spoken about badly, but there comes a point when you get used to the system. At first, you get more upset, but as time goes on, almost everything rolls off your back and you become less bothered by it all. You end up doing your own thing regardless of what they say.

Rubén Xaus: It's clear that criticism always affects you. The truth hurts, and if it doesn't, it doesn't affect you at all, but it's always good. It's also good to read good things, things that move you. It's good to have a good feeling between the rider and the press.

Fonsi Nieto: There was a time when it did matter to me, but I don't even read it anymore. It's been like this for a year or so. I focus on racing, and they can write whatever they want.

Dani Pedrosa: Of course, I care about what's written about me, but depending on the comments, I give them importance or not. If they're things that don't interest me, I don't worry about them. I don't want to hear anything that I see as potentially harmful.

Sete Gibernau: Yes, logically. It affects me whenever I've been disrespected. I can thank God that it has only happened in isolated instances, because I don't lose respect for anyone, and when it has happened to me, it has hurt.

4. Do you think journalists make a living from the riders?

Jorge Martínez ‘Aspar’: I think it's a chain reaction. If the current World Championship coverage, especially on television, didn't exist, there wouldn't be the same level of interest from sponsors. Therefore, it's absurd to ask which came first.

Luis d'Antín: As I said before, this is not only a sport, but also a business. If there weren't something capable of getting a lot of people to sit in front of the television, buy magazines and newspapers, or listen to the radio, there wouldn't be a business. I often think that some journalists have a rather flawed understanding of the business.

Gibo Badioli: I think that a rider who is already a star, who has already achieved success, helps the press sell more, but in any case, we shouldn't forget that that same rider first needed the press's help to achieve success. Therefore, it's a fairly balanced relationship; although it goes through different phases, it always ends up reaching a point of equilibrium. Both need each other.

Carlos Checa: Neither one nor the other. The sport of motorcycling is what's important. It's a great spectacle, people like to watch it, this creates a great fan base, it generates more press coverage, etc. In this sport, the most important thing is the public.

Carlo Fiorani, HRC team manager: Everyone makes a living.

Davide Brivio, Yamaha MotoGP team manager: A journalist who writes about motorcycling certainly makes a living from what the riders do on the track... Well, let's say everyone does their job. The riders try to win races, and the journalists simply report what they do.

Alexandre Barros: No. The world of motorcycling, which also includes the press, is a whole.

Pablo Nieto: Yes, but the same goes for us and them.

Alberto Puig: They should make a living from their work. Good results for the drivers are good for everyone: journalists, teams, sponsors... I imagine a journalist can shine more or work more comfortably after a good result for a Spaniard than after a disaster. I don't think any journalist, after a bad result, would say: "Great, tomorrow we're going to write a terrible report about a disastrous result." That would be a logical approach; if someone doesn't think that way, they're crazy.

Rubén Xaus: No, I don't think it's like that. The only thing is that the more drivers there are, the more pages you can fill. Everything is proportional.

Fonsi Nieto: No, just like we don't depend on the press. Nobody here lives off anyone else. When a Spanish rider does well, we all do well. That's good for the press too.

Dani Pedrosa: And we depend on the public, and the public on us. It's all part of the same system. We also depend on journalists because they're the ones who publicize what we do.

Sete Gibernau: No, we simply need each other. You can make good friends with journalists just as you can with riders.

5.Were your answers sincere or politically correct?

Jorge Martínez ‘Aspar’: I said what I think, although I repeat that, in the world of journalism, you can't judge everyone equally.

Luis d'Antín: My answers were politically correct, although what I didn't do was lie.

Gibo Badioli: I said what I rationally think is fair. Honestly, that's what I think.

Carlos Checa: Oh? No, they were honest.

Carlo Fiorani, HRC team manager: Absolutely honest, just look at the answers.

Davide Brivio, Yamaha MotoGP team manager: Yes, yes, I said what I thought.

Alexandre Barros: More honest than they were?

Pablo Nieto: Politically correct because words have a lot of power.

Alberto Puig: You'll have to judge that because you know me, but I think I answered what I think.

Rubén Xaus: They were honest. I'm a very honest guy and I say what I think.

Fonsi Nieto: You don't have to ask me that. Ask yourself.

Dani Pedrosa: Honest and correct.

Sete Gibernau: Honestly, I tell you that they have been politically correct.

Where do we start? With the opponent?

"No, there's always that. Every year there's a rival to beat. Although this year is tougher, I admit."

So why did you agree to share Rossi's adventure...

"Yes, it's the first time in 25 years of World Championship racing that one of my riders has changed teams. It's never happened to me before: not with Mamola, Haslam, Spencer, Gardner, and Doohan. They ended where they started. Rossi, on the other hand, wanted to change. And I with him. Crazy? The results say no. We only started in January (the contract with Honda expired in December 2003 and it wasn't possible to start before that, ed.) and we won three of the first five races. And to think, many people swore we wouldn't be able to make Yamaha competitive in such a short time."

Yes, no one expected it. In such a short time...

"That's the meaning of this challenge. That all of us and Yamaha want to win. And we've had some problems. Not major ones, especially some setup difficulties, like at Le Mans and Jerez, but we were good at understanding what wasn't working and finding a solution. Then in Welkom we didn't know where to start and we wasted the entire first day of testing trying to figure out what we needed to do. Then in the race, Rossi took care of it. But Barcelona was also tough, due to the Honda's greater speed, which negated some of our bike's advantages."

Only small problems. And the big ones?

"I'd say the lack of data. We started from scratch with no references. Because the work done by the Yamaha riders previously was of no use to us. With Honda, it was different because we knew the bike well, which has practically remained unchanged for three years. Gibernau is now taking advantage of much of the work Rossi did for Honda. Furthermore, after a year of experience, he knows his bike better and can set it up quickly. We need more time, and when things go well, we manage to get things right just in time for the race."

Are you navigating by sight?

"We learn something every day. Of course, in the first tests, the progress was clear, while now we're making slower progress. But it's also true that we're closer to the Honda, in qualifying and in the wet. But every race remains an open challenge."

Last year, you knew exactly where you were and what the others' level was.

"Of course, if you test in the dry and it rains on race day, or vice versa, as has already happened this year, it's a big problem. In our situation, we have to make the most of every moment of practice and qualifying to gather even the smallest fragment of information."

Well, that way you rediscover the challenge. It's more exciting...

"Oh, sure. When you get the results we've achieved, it's more exciting. But what if we finish fifth or sixth...?"

Rossi called this team a dream team. Do you think so too?

"A dream team?... (Burgess laughs heartily). We know each other well. We've worked together for a long time. We have the same goals. Everyone here wants to win. It doesn't matter how tough it is. It is for everyone, for Valentino and for us. But I didn't come all this way from Australia for nothing..."

You have a perfect understanding with Valentino.

"I immediately understand what he wants and I know how to fix the problems with his bike. We're happy, and every race is getting better. And to think everyone thought we were crazy for switching to Yamaha."

Can you win the title this year?

"Let's just say we're giving it our all, even if this is really a learning year..."

Did Gibernau surprise you?

"No, I expected it. But where are the others? What happened to Biaggi, Edwards, and Barros?"

Is the Honda RCV 211V, which you know well, better than the Yamaha M1?

"The Honda definitely has advantages: top speed, an excellent engine, and three years of development behind it. Yamaha started developing the new engine with Rossi in January. But we're very competitive, and five wins in the first nine races prove it."

Gibernau says the Yamaha has more traction than the Honda.

"The Yamaha has more traction but less power. But I don't think he'd switch, unless he wanted to give us twenty or so horsepower. But then, afterward, he wouldn't be able to pass us on the straight. Since our engine is less powerful, we have to focus primarily on traction and braking. The Yamaha is more agile and corners faster, but if we want a setup that allows us to be strong under braking, we have to sacrifice some of this agility. A bike that's very stable on the straight is sometimes penalized when cornering, especially the fast ones. That's why we always have to carefully calibrate the M1's setup. The Honda, on the other hand, loses what it loses in the corners, it makes up on the straight, thanks to the engine."

Aren't you afraid of getting lost in the adjustments? Why is it true that the Yamaha has more than the Honda?

"Yes, he has more, but we don't use them all. It's important to understand what you need. For example, if I give you five or six tires to try, after a while you have to identify at least the ones that really aren't right for you. And you discard them right away. The same thing happens with Valentino. I know what he needs for his riding style. So I only focus on the necessary adjustments."

What kind of bike does Rossi prefer?

"One that allows him to pass the others...Jokes aside, we have to work carefully with the setup to be able to brake hard, without losing ground in the corners. Sure, if we had 10-12 km/h more speed... but it's not that easy. Luckily, Rossi is the one who gets on the bike."

Yeah, at least he is a certainty.

Juan Martinez

Yesterday Rossi, today Gibernau. Juan Martinez, Gibernau's bike technical director, grew up in the court of the champion from Pesaro. And above all, in the school of Jeremy Burgess. "The number one," as the Spaniard still maintains today. "The most rational, perhaps the only one capable of directly achieving the result he wants. With him, two plus two always makes four." Juan isn't ashamed to show such deference to his direct rival, the master he remembers fondly, even though it's him he faces today in the challenge between his team and the factory Yamaha squad. Until two years ago, Martinez was Valentino Rossi's suspension director, a champion in his field whom the Pesaro native surely misses. Juan has made a career: desired, almost forced, by Gibernau in 2003, he has become his trusted technician, the man entrusted with the task of putting him in a position to face Valentino Rossi.

Knowing your opponent is the first rule to beating him. So what are the differences between Rossi and Gibernau?

"They're less different than you might think. They have many things in common, starting with the commitment they put in. They both work hard to achieve their goal, and they're quite similar in terms of setting up the bike."

Rossi like Gibernau? Same riding style? Same settings?

"It’s not exactly like that. They follow different paths to find themselves at the same point, though. I think it depends on how they ride. They're quite similar. They both move a lot on the bike, and they move to adapt to the bike. They approach corners in the same way, although Sete tends to edge a little more (he follows a sharp trajectory, a bit like the apex of a corner, ed.), while Valentino prefers to round out the corners. But they both understand the importance of corner entry. Because the speed with which you exit, the ability to accelerate earlier or later, depends precisely on how you approach it. It seems trivial, but not all riders understand it, or not all are able to put it into practice."

It would be nice to swap bikes and see what happens...Jokes aside, was it difficult for you to leave Rossi?

"I have a great relationship with Valentino and I have enormous respect for him. I left him only because I had this important professional opportunity. If I were to do what I was doing, as a suspension technician, I would have stayed with him."

And how do you get along with Gibernau?

"I have a good relationship with him. He's very committed to his work, he works hard, and he's also nice. We have a good understanding, and that makes my job easier."

What's missing from winning the title?

"Sete has grown on all levels. And he's calm because he knows he's giving his best. Even more than last year. He's more confident in his choices, also because he has a year more experience. His limit is having to work with what he has available, in technical terms. While Rossi had the space and the means to ask for modifications with the Honda, to build a bike to his own needs, Sete is instead working on someone else's bike, even if that "other" is called Rossi."

But isn't the private Honda equal, if not superior, to the Yamaha?

"The Honda is superior in speed. But the straight where you can exploit this advantage, over the course of a 1:40 lap, averages about 6-7 seconds. The Yamaha, on the other hand, has more traction exiting corners and therefore accelerates sooner. The reality is that we are a private team and Rossi's is a factory team. To make a difference, to find that little bit extra, we have to work as best we can with what we have."

But this year's Honda is faster than the 2003 one.

"The Yamaha too, for that matter. But the RCV has changed a bit since last year, so we can't use all the benchmarks and parameters from 2003. We still need experience to be able to compare it with last year's setup. Sure, we know it better now but the bike is under more stress because it pulls harder on the track; you just have to look at the times, which have dropped significantly. The underlying problems, in choosing the settings, are more or less the same, but the scale has changed. So yesterday's solutions are no longer valid today."

Would you go back to the 2003 bike?

"No, because with that bike we weren't doing the times we do today anyway."

How are you feeling about this season, ultimately?

"It's a fantastic challenge that I'm very passionate about. We're a satellite team against a factory team. They have one of the best drivers in history and one of the strongest teams of all time. Yet, we're there, competing with them."

For a young 31-year-old, that's already a win.

In favor of Sete Gibernau

-Mental strength and determination

-Work ethic

-Physical condition

-Only Honda rider who can challenge Rossi

-Unbeatable in difficult conditions

-Fast in practice

In favor of Valentino Rossi

-Experience fighting for the title

-His determination to beat Honda

-His ability to learn from mistakes

-The team's experience

-Unwavering support from Yamaha

-Clear Yamaha number one rider

Fury

Just three races ago, many of us thought Rossi was going through a rough patch. After failing at the Jerez and Le Mans circuits (failing means finishing fourth), many thought he was in the midst of a crisis. Some said he emptied himself at Welkom to win his first Grand Prix with the Yamaha. That effort had been so titanic that it had left him with a depleted battery.

The disappointments at two circuits theoretically suited to him, Jerez and France, seemed to confirm this theory. Sete Gibernau's victories at these tracks with his Honda fueled the rumors of a slump. Especially considering that the championship was heading to the tracks theoretically least suited to his M1.

What happened in Italy and Barcelona is already known to everyone. An unleashed Rossi shattered all predictions. With an unforgettable performance, born from his unstoppable will to prove he is still number one, he compensated for his bike's shortcomings and deficiencies with a superb display of talent. On the circuits, Honda won a Yamaha in the same way that Rossi had won Gibernau.

Clash of titans

Predicting what will happen in the upcoming races is complicated. On one hand, Gibernau and Rossi are locked in such a battle that it's a true clash of wills. On the other, a parallel war is brewing between Honda and Yamaha, which could also have a decisive influence on the duel.

Focusing on the riders, after Valentino's last two demonstrations, only a fool would dare bet against him. Among other reasons, because he has shown those who thought he was down and out that the more precarious his situation, the more devastating his reaction has been.

Experience

In addition to his tremendous riding talent, his own and his team's experience in similar situations, and the full support of Yamaha, Rossi has the added advantage this season of the crusade that drives him. His will to defeat Honda first and foremost, and also those who accused him at the time of winning solely because he had the best bike, is so great that it can be called an obsession. An obsession that is leading him to ride like never before, constantly flirting with the limit.

Has anyone ever seen Rossi get off his bike drenched in sweat like this before? He's giving it his all to win his bet, drawing on his experience. Because despite being only 25 years old, Rossi has accumulated countless hours of experience. Especially him, who has shown that he rarely makes the same mistake twice. Take, for example, his race strategy at Mugello and Montmeló.

Did you notice that in both Italy and Barcelona, Rossi didn't play his last card on the final lap? Did you notice that he attacked with two laps to go?Coincidence? Opportunity?... No. After losing two last-lap duels to Sete last year—Sachsenring record—Valentino knows, because he never forgets anything in racing, that Sete is dangerous in a last-lap battle. That's why he attacked earlier.

In Barcelona, ​​Valentino's MotoGP bike crossed the finish line with almost a half-second advantage on the penultimate lap. Coincidence?... No, not at all.

‘Sete or Rossi, who will be world champion?’

The ‘wise men’ of the press weight in

🇩🇪Friedemann Kirn

Motorrad, Germany

Champion: Rossi

Valentino is the most brilliant rider of our time; I think there's no question about that. He's at a level of riding skill, technical sensitivity, and setup ability that no one can match. Valentino controls everything involved in determining the winner of a race. He rarely makes mistakes, and when he really wants to win, he's unstoppable. He's simply an extraordinary rider. What impresses me about Sete is his ability to evolve when we all thought he had already given his all. I see him as an intelligent rider because, while he certainly doesn't have Valentino's natural talent, he has the ability to reach the same level through intelligence and hard work. As a German myself, I compare him to Toni Mang, who was a late-blooming champion who won a world title at 38. Like Sete, he didn't have innate talent either. For me, this means there are two ways to reach the top: with extraordinary talent or with desire and intelligence.

Furthermore, Sete impresses me with his courage. He's a very, very brave rider, in my opinion the bravest of them all. He's proven it every time difficult situations have arisen. Finally, he's currently Honda's best rider. He and his team have learned to make a bike work in a situation where others, including Biaggi, have struggled. That allows him to be Honda's clear number one.

🇪🇸José María Mela

AS, Spain

Champion: Sete

This season's MotoGP world champion will be Sete Gibernau. Why? Because he rides a Honda, because he's hungry for victory, and because he's shown spectacular progress, capable of astonishing even Agostini, who said he'd never seen a 30-year-old rider evolve the way he had. He has the experience of having struggled during his time at Suzuki. Now he's been given a second chance and he's not about to let it slip away. You can see he's a rider on the rise. Valentino Rossi is, for me, the most important rider in history; he's shown that in this sport, the man is more important than the machine. But even so, I don't think he'll be champion this year, not because he can't be, but because there's a slight handicap: the bike. And Sete will take advantage of that.

🇨🇭Günther Wiesinger

Motor Sport Ak.

Switzerland/Germany

Champion: Rossi

I would say that at the moment Rossi seems to be in a better position to win the title. He has experience in situations like the one he's in now, because he's fought for the championship in four different engine sizes; he's used to the pressure. Furthermore, he's been able to win with a bike that isn't the best on a couple of circuits that were theoretically the worst for him and his machine. Now we have tracks that, on paper, favor him, since right now the Yamaha seems to be a better package than Honda, because in recent years Honda has focused almost exclusively on the engine. Now they have a bike that consumes more tire than the Yamaha, and this has caused them, for example, to lose the Barcelona race. As for Gibernau, the situation of fighting for the title is new, and he also has a second enemy besides Rossi: his own teammates. I can't imagine Biaggi or Barros giving him a victory or doing teamwork; At most, Edwards will help him. In contrast, at Yamaha, if the time comes, everyone will help Rossi. On the other hand, I don't know if Honda will give him the best equipment or if Honda will be able to react as quickly as the situation demands. Honda is not a brand that has ever been known for its rapid response time. It's likely they won't bring anything significantly better until the race in Brno.

🇦🇺Colin Young

Freelance, Australia

Champion: Rossi

After the last week, I'd say Rossi is the favorite. In one week, he's lost 10 out of 15 points, and on Honda circuits. Anyway, the key will be whether Sete will be able to handle the pressure of competing for the championship against Valentino Rossi throughout the season; it's not easy. Sete is a tireless worker, intelligent on the track, and physically he's probably the fittest rider in the entire paddock. I also like the progress he's made every time he's had the opportunity. Remember when he took Takuma Aoki's V2? He took a step forward as a rider; when he had the chance to ride Doohan's bike, he took another step; when he inherited Kato's bike, he started winning races... Do you see what I mean? On the other hand, Honda could be Gibernau's greatest strength or his Achilles' heel.

Its strength lies in the fact that it remains the best bike, the best package; its weakness is that it remains to be seen whether Sete will be able to rely on Honda in the upcoming battles or if he will have to take more risks to hold off Valentino. As for Rossi, his great secret, his driving force, is his supreme confidence in his own talent. He always knows how far he can push his bike without exceeding the limit. This, along with his remarkable ability to read races, has led him to win the last two Grands Prix without having the best bike. After four or five laps, he already has a clear strategy for the end of the race; mentally, he is incredibly strong. He often acts like a clown, but his mind works like a computer. Another of his strengths is the trust he has in Jerry Burgess and his team. Finally, Rossi is racing this year with no more pressure than what he puts on himself. By switching to Yamaha, he knows that if he doesn't win the championship, no one will hold anything against him; the blame will always fall on Yamaha, not on him.

🇬🇧Matthew Birt

MCN, UK

Champion: Rossi

Rossi will win the championship. He knows what it's like to fight for the title all season long. He's done it five different years, and that's definitely an advantage. This experience has allowed him, for example, to close the gap on Sete by ten points in a week. For Gibernau, things probably would have been easier if Rossi had been leading the championship instead of him. After France, he might have gotten nervous, but his experience in similar situations led him to simply focus on riding to the best of his ability without thinking about anything else. As for Sete, he's riding relaxed, doing what he knows best. He's in a good team that knows what its rider needs. I'm also struck by the fact that he's not being intimidated by Rossi. That might not have been the case in the past, but now his self-confidence has increased significantly. He's mentally strong; he's changed. If after Spain and France, Sete was on a roll and Rossi was disappointed after failing at two circuits where he thought he would win, after Mugello and Montmeló, the situation has completely changed.

🇮🇹Enrico Borghi

Motosprint; Italy

Champion: Rossi

For me, Valentino Rossi will be champion, of course. There's no one who rides a bike like him. For me, his superiority is based on three main points. The first is his mental strength. Mentally, he is by far the strongest, without a doubt. Secondly, I would highlight his talent. He is the most talented rider I have ever seen. That talent gives him an enormous capacity to ride the bike beyond its natural limits.

Finally, Valentino has an obsessive determination. Right now, he feels like he's on a mission, a mission to prove to Honda and those who said he was world champion because he had the best bike that he won the title, not the bike. And this is a huge motivation for him. What I would highlight about Sete is his determination, his inner strength. He's eager to rise to the top. After France, I wrote a sentence that said: "Sete is a nobody who wants to become somebody." I don't mean to belittle him, but to explain how determined he is to carve out a place for himself in history. In difficult conditions, that is, in the rain and on a very tricky track, he's by far the best. His control over the bike is total, and that, in my opinion, is what has allowed him to make the qualitative leap he has. Nowadays, anyone who can't make the bike slide has no chance in MotoGP, and Sete has mastered this technique.

🇪🇸Manuel Pecino

Solo Moto, Spain

Champion: Rossi

After finishing fourth in Spain and France, we all thought Rossi was in a very difficult situation. After three favorable circuits, the ones that, on paper, seemed to be against him were approaching. Fifteen points behind the leader, and with Mugello and Montmeló ahead, things looked bleak. But it was anything but bleak; in both Italy and Barcelona, ​​Rossi gave us a true demonstration of just how surprising he is, of what he's capable of when he feels cornered.

I think it was extraordinary to see how, when he was in a seemingly hopeless situation, he surpassed himself. I rewatched the Montmeló race, and seeing how Valentino rode immediately brought to mind Wayne Gardner in that Phillip Island race he won with his fairing broken, crawling on the ground. Like that crazy Gardner back then, Rossi unleashed an instinct at Montmeló that goes beyond reason. It was like watching an animal defending itself on its back, knowing its life depended on what was at stake. After what we've seen, it's hard to imagine anyone taking away from Rossi something he's convinced belongs to him.

Sete's chances of winning the championship depend on maintaining constant pressure on Rossi. As he's shown, when cornered, Valentino is capable of anything, even the unbelievable. But it also seems obvious that this state of animal instinct can't be sustained throughout the eleven remaining Grands Prix; it's impossible. If Sete doesn't ease up, he might end up tiring out his prey; if, on the other hand, he lifts his foot off the accelerator, the hunter will become the hunted, for sure.

🇫🇷Michel Turco

Moto Revue, France

Champion: Rossi

Rossi will win the championship simply because he's the best rider and because he knows perfectly well that this season will be much more difficult than next year because Honda's reaction next year will be terrible. What's driving Valentino to ride at the level he is right now is the challenge he's facing. He wants to win so badly that he doesn't hesitate to push beyond the limit whenever necessary. But at the same time, you can see he's enjoying this situation. For him, races like Mugello or Catalunya are visceral, like a drug.

As for Sete, I get the feeling that after Barcelona he started complaining about the bike, and that's a sign he's faltering. Yes, mentally he's very strong, but Valentino has shown he's stronger than him. On the other hand, I have my doubts that Honda really wants to win with him. If Hayden, for example, turns things around, I think they'd rather win races with Hayden than play the Sete card. I say this because of the rivalry between Repsol and Telefónica and all that.

COLIN EDWARDS: "HRC has to give Sete Gibernau the responsibility"

Colin Edwards asserts that the only way to prevent Valentino Rossi from inflicting an embarrassing defeat on Honda at the end of the season is to make Sete their number one rider.

After seeing his teammate lose five points for the second time in a week following a very close race with Rossi, Edwards believes HRC has to react and give Gibernau the opportunity to set the development direction for the RCV before the Italian rider ends up dominating his former brand.

As is well known, HRC's policy has always been to prioritize its factory riders, currently Barros and Hayden. Only after having ridden the bikes of their own riders can the satellite team riders inherit the upgrades, and not even then in every case. Before the season began, Barros was chosen to shoulder the burden of developing Honda's MotoGP bike. But the official HRC team is having a very difficult season. The rider who was supposed to be the benchmark is now 58 points behind Gibernau; his teammate, the young Nicky Hayden, is having even more problems.

Edwards says it was about time Honda reacted and gave his teammate the number one status. "Now that they don't have Valentino, they have to choose. Sete is leading the championship, that's clear. In my opinion, if he's willing to shoulder the burden of leading the way, they have to give him the tools to do it. Someone needs to take on this responsibility because the bike simply isn't performing well."

ASPAR'S VIEW

Sete is doing exactly what he should, and in these last two races he has known how to be patient. Honda must help him fight against Valentino... and the latter is not going to be able to keep up this pace. Not even he can always ride at 110%.

I THINK THE OUTCOME OF THE LAST TWO GPs IS GOOD FOR SETE

Rossi can't go on like this

Hi everyone. What a couple of GPs, huh? I imagine you enjoyed them. We've been incredibly lucky because we've been able to see two GPs in one week that I call "for the ages." For me, the overall result of the two races has been very good for us. No, you didn't misread, I said the overall result has been positive. I know many people might be surprised by what I just said, but it's honestly what I think. I'll explain why.

To begin with, I remind you that Sete continues to lead the World Championship after two epic races. In Mugello, the GP was spectacular and had the added excitement of the two motos; in Barcelona, ​​it was an incredible head-to-head battle between Sete and Valentino. It's very clear that after these two GPs... The situation has been reduced to two pairings: the Honda/Yamaha battle, or if you prefer, Yamaha/Honda, and, on the other hand, Sete/Valentino. At the beginning of the season, there were doubts about which riders would be there, who would enter the fight for the championship. After five Grands Prix, the matter has been clarified.

Personally, I thought Biaggi would be the third man, but regardless of the problems he had with a defective tire in Barcelona, ​​Max hasn't lived up to expectations. In Mugello, for example, a circuit that perfectly suited his fluid riding style, he was nowhere to be seen. When he should have stepped up, said "here I am," he lacked the hunger to win, the aggression.

But going back to Sete and Valentino, it's more than clear that Honda will have to bet on Sete to stop Rossi. Well, at least I'm absolutely certain of it. Both are at an incredibly high level, but I also have to say that it's very difficult to maintain the level they both showed at Mugello and Montmeló. It was spectacular. They both rode at the limit. Yes, Sete lost both battles against Rossi, but I'll tell you that Sete acted intelligently. He could have lost his temper, but he managed to keep it cool against a Valentino who was absolutely ready to do anything.

Rossi is in a phase where he's obsessed with the challenge ahead. Sete shouldn't get caught up in that; he has to wait for his opportunity.

Valentino is riding at absolutely full throttle, while I think Sete still has something left; not much, but something. I repeat, Sete has to stay where he is and wait for his opportunity, which it will surely come. A championship is won by taking risks when necessary, but also by knowing how to seize your opportunities. Sete knew how to take advantage of this opportunity in Jerez in the rain and in France when he saw Rossi falter. That's how he needs to approach things. Of course, he also has to push Rossi, as he has done in these last two Grands Prix, but always without losing sight of what matters most: the championship. Valentino has been riding at 110% for three races now—South Africa, Mugello, and Montmeló—he can't keep this up for much longer.

Regarding his status as Honda's number one rider, that's another thing Sete shouldn't obsess over. In fact, I don't see any major differences between his bike and the HRC ones. Sete needs to stay calm and trust in what he has. Undoubtedly, both Yamaha and Honda will be working, and new things will arrive. What's needed is for those new things to reach Sete.

It doesn't matter if he gets them first or at the same time as the factory team; the important thing is that he receives them soon. Before I go, I want to highlight the presence of two other Yamahas among the top four in Barcelona. Melandri's podium finish and Checa's fourth place show that Yamahas are currently ahead of Hondas.

They've improved considerably, but this has also coincided with Honda losing its way. You can all see that Honda doesn't quite know which direction to take right now. There's no leader, and that could cost them dearly. For a factory, it's essential to have a rider in its ranks who can guide them. It's not just about being a winner, but someone who can dictate the bike's development. Look, there are plenty of fast and brave riders, but a complete rider is one who combines that with technical skill; and those are very rare.

ANOTHER VIEW

Assen, the Cathedral

This weekend we have the continuation of Montmeló at Assen. The Assen circuit is one I know very well, because it's where I've won the most Grands Prix. You could say it's my favorite circuit.

Its main characteristic is that it's a very technical track where, to go fast, it's essential not to make mistakes. The asphalt is excellent; in the rain, it has incredible grip, the best in the World Championship, and there are banked turns in every corner.

Its drawback is that it doesn't have hard shoulders, so going off the track almost certainly means a crash. The grass at Assen is always damp, so driving on it is very, very dangerous. As I said, it's a very technical circuit with no heavy braking zones, and the key is to maintain good cornering speed and accelerate early. It has hardly any straights, but it's one of the fastest circuits in the championship, if not the fastest.

Another important detail is that to be effective, you have to leave your aggression at home. At other circuits in the World Championship, aggression is a plus, but at Assen, the only thing you achieve with aggressive riding is going even slower. You have to ride smoothly, always thinking about cornering speed.

Theoretically, it's an ideal circuit for Max Biaggi, but Mugello should have been too, and look what happened there.