Valentino Rossi Cycle World Q&a
Valentino Rossi CYCLE WORLD Q&A
Honda’s MotoGP star talks about winning world championships on two-strokes and four
Q. At the beginning of the year, you said the two-stroke was more fun and more exciting than the four-stroke. Do you still think that now?
A: This bike is great fun-riding it at 100 percent is like...sex, I think. But for me, the two-stroke was better. The four-stroke is faster; the two-stroke has more heart. But to set the bike up is harder. If the two-stroke is not at 100 percent, it is a disaster, so it is a big challenge for the mechanics.
With the RC211, you put the engine in and ride it all weekend. It’s like a big Superbike. From the rider’s perspective, it might feel a little “flat,” but not for the crowd. I think next year with eight Hondas, and more four-strokes, for sure it will be great fun.
Q. Do you think the 2003 season will be more competitive than last year?
A: I think it will be very much more difficult. For sure, it will not be possible for the factory team to win 12 races like last year. With at least six private-team RC211s running, next season may be more difficult for the championship. And my target is not to win more (career) races than Mick Doohan or something like that; the target is to win the 03 championship.
Next year Biaggi is also on a Honda, and that will be funny. We’ve raced each other since 2000, and every time we’ve had different bikes. And every time, he said I won because I had a Honda. So, next year if he is behind me it will be because I have “factory parts.” But the mechanics and the other riders know the real situation. Honda has always in the past given very good bikes to non-factory riders. Biaggi nearly won the championship in 1998 with a non-factory Honda.
Q. At Brno and Motegi, you had clutch problems. What exactly happened?
A: The clutch has a system to make it slip when you’re braking. Otherwise, engine-braking makes the rear wheel stop (turning). Basically, this system didn’t work. It was like a standard clutch, but worse, because sometimes it worked and sometimes not. For the first two races, I used the same clutch as on the NSR500-the bike slid very much, but it was better than the new system. For sure, the slipper clutch is better for the four-stroke. If it works.
Q. Did you have to change your riding style for the fourstroke?
A: The bike needs to be ridden in another way. When I came from 250s, it took me some races before I learned how to use the 500 like a 500. Now I needed to come back a bit, because this bike is very much like a Superbike, or more like a 250. You have more corner speed because the character of the engine is very sweet. You can use the engine. With the 500, you need to stop and restart, because if you open the throttle on the edge, the bike is difficult to control. Also, this year it was not possible to push 100 percent for the whole race because of tire wear. In South Africa (round two), I lost the race because I pushed from the start, and Tohru Ukawa stayed behind and waited for me to make a mistake.
Q. Year by year, you become more famous, with more pressure. Is it a burden?
A: It is very difficult, yes.
It is very hard to manage. It is impossible to do everything every body wants, and to manage the situation. But it is like this. If I was in fifth place, I wouldn’t have this problem-so it is a good problem.
—Michael Scott
