Great articles, I would say it is great motivation for him with Jorge right there pushing you along, maybe even making Vale think that Yamaha might start thinking Jorge is the no 1 rider. Whatever works for motivation I say.

Specially Stoner and Lorenzo's faces and if Vale just keeps on winning (wich I hope he does) they're just going to get even more worried then they look in the video

Thanks for the articles Tommm - I don't think Vale has ever lacked motivation completely but now I think it is greater than ever.
Can't wait for the weekend!

Just playing devils advocate here, lets say we reach mid/late season and Lorenzo is still above Vale in the championship, god forbid! and Mr Rossi is asking for x million pounds in his new contract, do Yamaha possibly stop for even a moment to consider how much Vale is worth when they now have another top top rider? or maybe even go, 'we have the best bike now, here's how much your getting, take it or leave it'.

Discuss

MMMmmmmm, dunno Tomm, I've made my feelings about Valentino's pay packet clear. Hands off Rossi's wages! He's worth every goddamn penny, regardless of win, lose or draw, or whomever is sharing the hospitality tent with him!

Actually, do you know what is quite inflammatory about his statements? The first bit:

“It is a different situation to have such a fast team-mate who is very strong and I think will be a good rival also for the future..."

Yes, I would think after limp along Colin, it would be different, having a team mate who can actually win, or challenge for the front. Wonder what the timing of this is, before or after Coliln's stuff about the great M1 is thanks to him and his feeback? Is this a Rossi touche?

As for if Jorge is beating him... I think Yamaha would be quite pleased with keeping them both... by having a good rider, with winning potential for any race, on DIFFERENT tyres, is actually a factory's wet dream. Yamaha alone are above whether it's a michelin track or a bridgestone track... quite enviable, I would think. And a situation that's worth any extra effort. Their odds of beating everyone else on any given day are massively shortened. It's win win Yamaha. Also... might depend on what sort of development rider Jorge is... one thing to ride the bike well, another to give good feedback to his team. He's yet to prove himself on that front...

As to whether Rossi enjoys the extra motivation from having a team mate who is a true contender, after being beaten by him and coming behind him in the championship... me somehow don't think so. He'll be spitting chips! Or spaghetti!

That is a good point about the advantage of having both tyre manufacturers in one team. One other arguable advantage of this situation is that it defuses any major inter-team rivalry, two top riders in the same team generally does not end well. If they were both on Michelin then it might well have been a very different situation between Vale and Jorge to what we currently have, which happens to be mutual admiration, in the media anyway.

Thanks for the other reads Tomm

FROM YAMAHA

Fiat Yamaha riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo travel to the legendary Le Mans circuit this weekend looking to continue their trailblazing start to the 2008 MotoGP World Championship after dominating the headlines over the opening four rounds. The pair have three pole positions, seven podiums and two wins to their credit so far - securing leadership of the Teams' and Constructors' World Championships and delighting their army of fans around the world.
The last round in Shanghai was their most impressive yet, with Rossi reaping the fruit of a blossoming relationship with Bridgestone tyres to take a dominant first victory of the season and Lorenzo producing a heroic charge to fourth place on his Michelin-shod YZR-M1 despite fracturing both of his ankles during free practice.

The Spaniard, who lies second in the championship, faces another huge test of his mental and physical resistance this weekend after being confined to a wheelchair ever since his return home from China. The damage to his ankles will take months to fully heal but Lorenzo has no more time to put his feet up, with seven races coming thick and fast over the next ten weeks as the season enters its busiest phase. The 21-year-old at least has fond memories of Le Mans, having taken victory there from pole position last season.

Rossi has had five podium finishes in the premier-class at Le Mans, including two victories. The Italian's success in China was his 89th in all classes of Grand Prix racing, taking him to within just one of Angel Nieto, who lies second in the all-time winners' list behind Giacomo Agostini.

Le Mans is one of the least technical circuits on the calendar, with the main complication being the first turn - one of the fastest in MotoGP - which is followed by the first of a number of tight chicanes. The rest of the track is made up of short straights and hairpins, calling not just for balance and control under hard and repeated braking, but a neat and swift transfer from full braking to full acceleration on the exit of the corners.

Valentino Rossi; "Last year Le Mans was incredibly disappointing for us - we were hoping for a good result in the dry but the rain came and things didn't go as planned. This year however we're going there on a real high after the fantastic result in China and I am confident that we can have a good weekend. China was a very important boost for everyone and a great result for all the hard work that everyone has put in so far this season to get us to this point, and now we have to make the most of this moment and keep pushing like this. Yamaha usually goes very well at Le Mans and, although it's obviously the first time we've been there with Bridgestone, I am confident that we will be strong there. We are nine points from the top of the championship but our rivals are very motivated too so there is no let-up and we must go for the maximum points again. This is the start of the busiest phase of the championship and it's always hard work but also great fun. Let's hope we can get this run of races off to the best possible start in France

Davide Brivio - Team Manager; "Le Mans is the start to a very busy period for the championship but on the evidence of the race in China we are ready! Shanghai was a very important race for us because it showed how much progress we have made since Qatar. The engineers did a great job, Valentino was incredible and that has given us all a big boost in confidence and motivation. With seven races over the next ten weeks this is the core of the championship so the timing of Valentino's first win of the season couldn't have been better. Four different winners from the first four races is fantastic so now let's see who can be the first to repeat. We all feel positive it can be us and we can't wait to fight for it. In 2006 we almost won at Le Mans but for a technical problem and last year we were denied by the rain so we feel we have unfinished business there and we look forward to fighting again."

I hope the weather would compromise this time....
thank you guys for the article...

The weather forecast for Le Mans

Five-day forecast (Details)Tomorrow

May 14Sprinkles
Thursday

May 15PM Rain
Friday

May 16Showers
Saturday

May 17Fair
Sunday

May 18Cloudy
Hi:22°Lo:10°Hi:21°Lo:7°Hi:17°Lo:8°Hi:20°Lo:10°Hi:19°Lo:10°

Could be worse I guess...........I just hope its not on/off weather......either wet or dry. Sunday looks promising.