During some tough testing days last winter, few people thought Vale would be leading the World Championship standings when they arrived at Jerez after three races. Paolo Scalera, prominent Italian journalist and creator of the site gpone.com, is confident that Rossi can win his tenth world crown this year.
He wrote it in this editorial, “not politically correct” as he specifies, of which here are some extracts. We of course encourage you to read it in full in Corriere dello Sport, or on the maestro's blog.
“Let's start by saying that Maverick Vinales, his teammate, is not his rival, but his best student. Although it is faster than it is.
“If Maverick wasn't riding the Yamaha, Vale would have beaten Marc Marquez from the start – Marquez who today, with Vinales, is the fastest on the track.
“The advantage of Rossi is that Vinales and Marquez cannot tolerate each other. The Texas Grand Prix demonstrated this. Marc “had” to win, and Maverick could afford to finish placed. But he wanted to put an end to his rival's record in America. The result was a crash and a score of zero points.
“Yes, we listened to him: he didn't hide the fact that he blamed the Michelin front tire. Something all drivers do when they don't understand where they exaggerated. The reality is that he made a mistake. And if Marquez hadn't been so eager to show his strength in Austin, Valentino wouldn't be leading the championship today.
“And for this reason, Vinales is an ally. It is his teammate who can push Marquez over the limit, forcing him to make a mistake. Not Valentino.
“So what does Rossi need to do this year to realize his long dream of a 10th title? Nothing, he just has to be patient. Know how to wait.
“If he were a boxer, it looks like he should take advantage of his best asset – consistency – letting the two young dogs bark.
“Of course, as Marquez sneeringly pointed out, he also needs to win races to fight for the title. He can't just play defense. But it will come. And then, without thinking about conspiracies, which don't exist, don't you think that Yamaha would want Valentino to win the championship? His eventual title would be worth more than a victory for Vinales. There is no doubt about it.
“We repeat – it’s a good year for Valentino Rossi. The faster Maverick Vinales goes, the more Marc Marquez will be forced to raise the level. »
