Motegi; Props to Pedrosa

This has been a really good season.

This picture says a lot:



Pedrosa rode a really good smart race. I think Rossi capitalized on that. Lorenzo, not so much. This championship battle should go down to the wire.

Under the best conditions this season, you see Marquez and/or Lorenzo just check out. The torch has been passed pretty much. But Rossi has defied the odds this season and it kind of puts an exclamation mark on his career. I'd like to see him take one more and I doubt there will be another chance.

Some of the on track drama this season has been gripping and this race was no exception.

eso

Yeah, I think it is fair that in outright speed around the track Lorenzo has the edge over Rossi. The thing is, there is so much more to racing, and so as soon as conditions get a bit tricky his experience and race craft is enough to make up any potential ultimate speed difference. Besides, when they are both fully on it, there is really so little between.

I was thrilled to see Pedrosa get a victory yesterday. I is an incredible talent, and he would certainly have deserved a title as well at some point. He rode a smart race, but I also think that the Honda was more gentle with the tires than the Yamaha.

There's been lot's of examples all season of Rossi's racecraft and out right aggression giving him the edge. I'm curious whether he just didn't have the pace early on yesterday or just knew the tires wouldn't last if he pushed harder. Regardless at this point he seems fully focused of the championship and is riding to win the war and not each battle.

In the post race interviews Lorenzo knew he cooked his tires and may have just given away the title.

And Pedrosa out rode them all.

This has really been a great season. I've caught all of the races and there's been plenty that were just gripping.

eso

Rossi very rarely goes full out from the start, and instead is often the fastest in the last few laps. The problem yesterday was that with Lorenzo out front he doesn't want to let him get too far away, and so he needed to push probably a bit more than he wanted to.