 | LIVE MotoGP: Qatar
Saturday, BBC One, 1255 |
Sunday's podium finish in Malaysia left Valentino Rossi with seven world titles in all classes. In my opinion, that makes him the greatest motorcycle racer of all time.
He is a phenomenon. If he was a computer, he would have a bigger hard-drive than anyone else.
He's able to absorb much more information in the heat of the moment than anyone else, and to turn that into an edge over his opponents.
In my view, he's surpassed everyone else over the years by winning championships in the 125cc and 250cc classes and now five on the trot in the premier MotoGP category.
He did have the best bike when he won his first two MotoGP titles, but certainly didn't when he moved to Yamaha after that.
But he worked with his engineers and turned it around, proving to everyone that it wasn't just the motorcycle - he was the guy making the big difference.
|  I can see him going car racing - I truly believe he can do it because he's such a class act. |
He is such a thinking man. A lot of people think that to race a motorcycle at that speed, you have to be brain-dead, but he does it with a combination of sheer skill, speed and applying so much logic to what he does. So where now for Rossi? He says he's going to have one more year in motorcycle racing - I guess that could increase - but for the moment, it's a one-year deal with Yamaha.
It will get harder for him because, like everything, even if you've won it once - let alone five times - there's a huge target on your back.
It's very difficult to carry on with the same amount of motivation.
I can see him going car racing, simply because he's an intelligent man and racing motorcycles is a precarious occupation.
It would take some time but I truly believe he can do it because he's such a class act. There's been a lot of tittle-tattle from the Formula One boys saying he's definitely going there.
He's actually denying it at the moment, saying he's just going to have the odd test, nothing too serious. But I would think he's got to be careful what he does and says because he's got a contract with Yamaha and they wouldn't be very happy if he's seen to be diversifying and diluting motorcycle racing by going off car racing.
But also it'd depend on one of the teams like Ferrari being able to afford to train him.
He's going to need training because there's no way a motorcycle racer can jump into a F1 car and go fast - you've got to learn the aerodynamic style of driving.
Rossi might have the world title wrapped up, but there's still a massive battle for second place in the championship.
Next it's Qatar, then it's Australia, Turkey and the final race is in Valencia, Spain, so there's still a 100 points on the table.
Yamaha would be keen for their other rider, Colin Edwards, to creep in there.
Ducati is having a bit of a renaissance in the latter part of the season with Loris Capirossi winning the last two races, so he's in with a great shout too. Whether Rossi can do anything to assist Edwards dragging himself through - we'll wait and see.
MMIX
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What makes a bike tick?
