Who would you rate as a better rider - Rossi or Doohan?

Yoong Montoya · 1 Feb 2004, 22:00 (Ref:859509)

I didn't see Doohan racing, so I can't really comment. But what about you guys that have seen him race and are now witnessing Rossi now? Who would you rate as a better rider?

Es Nes · 1 Feb 2004, 22:04 (Ref:859512)

ill let you know this time next year

f1manoz · 1 Feb 2004, 22:53 (Ref:859544)

Better - Dunno. We'll see at the end of Rossi's career.

On sheer guts, bravery and determination, Doohan. To come back twice from nasty leg-breaking accidents to win five consecutive titles. That puts him high on anyone's mantle.

Wrex · 2 Feb 2004, 00:10 (Ref:859587)

Faster of the 2 - Rossi.

Better overall rider, easily Doohan.

That said, Rossie is still very young and we dont know how good he will become. Either way, both are amongst the best ever.

Mr V · 2 Feb 2004, 00:13 (Ref:859589)

Not sure myself, Didn't see enough of Doohans career although i obviously know his acheivements.

If Rossi wins on the Yamaha it could put him up there. As mentioned before, Rossi's still young, he could got on to win countless more titles.

Shame they were never team mates.

**gomick** · 2 Feb 2004, 07:59 (Ref:859780)

sorry to be negative - but havent we been through all this before

..... "go mick"

elephino · 2 Feb 2004, 09:25 (Ref:859852)

Well..umm..hmm...Who comes up with these questions? I don't want to answer this question as there is no such thing as a right answer. They are both awesome riders who are 2 of the very best ever.

Pitbabe · 2 Feb 2004, 09:51 (Ref:859865)

Rossi. Whether or not he wins a title on the Yam (and he will, I believe) he did have the guts to move, rather than just keep winning on the Honda. Mick has given him respect for that. Mick was a great rider, no doubt about it, but Rossi at 24 is still getting better and better.

DavidStHubbins · 2 Feb 2004, 12:15 (Ref:859987)

Rossi never falls off. Doohan did and injured himself horribly. However, he deserves brownie points for coming back and winning just as Barry Sheene did.

My money is on Rossi. Only fell off once last year and that was in practice.

This year will hopefully cement my opinion. It will be tough but I think Valentino will still win the title, the difference being that he will actually be on it all the time.

Warwick · 2 Feb 2004, 20:29 (Ref:860576)

Both very good riders an Doohan showed very good skill in developing the Honda, but Rossi would take it on the fact he has won every GP glass 125,250,500 then changed to the Diesel and won again.

TheMan · 3 Feb 2004, 01:40 (Ref:860911)

I think both are brilliant riders. Will not even try to pick between the two. On the point of Doohan falling off more than Rossi, The bikes were a lot nastier back then than they are now. All riders back in Doohans day took tumbles and all riders today on anything but a Honda take tumbles. Will be interesting to see if Rossi has the same fall ratio at the end of this year. I still think he will win the Championship this year but maybe will be a lot harder than previous.

Nivola · 3 Feb 2004, 04:44 (Ref:861008)

they are both good but there one problem i have here.

they both had the same crew! If they where both riding together who would JB abd co work for?

chunder · 6 Feb 2004, 15:55 (Ref:865544)

I have to say Rossi has acheived more in true terms but I prefer Mick just for his sheer brilliant racecraft.
Was watching some of tghe mid nineties season reviews the otehr day and the way he just would not let anyone else win was amazing. Even after clinching the title his motivation was still intense.
Vale has all the speed but seems to find it too easy, whereas Mick was far more tough and you sensed he was putting everything into it.

f1manoz · 7 Feb 2004, 23:54 (Ref:866722)

IMO the only thing that dilutes the record of Rossi is that his past two championships (since the real beginning of MotoGP) have been won on machines that are just far too superior and although you can still see his talent, it is still masked by the superiority of machine.

IMO Doohan never had that level of superiority with his machine. Or, he at least had competition from within his own squad...

Warwick · 8 Feb 2004, 05:51 (Ref:866833)

Quote:

Originally posted by f1manoz
IMO the only thing that dilutes the record of Rossi is that his past two championships (since the real beginning of MotoGP) have been won on machines that are just far too superior and although you can still see his talent, it is still masked by the superiority of machine.

yeah if he wanted a real challenge he should go ride for Kawasaki!

**gomick** · 8 Feb 2004, 11:25 (Ref:866969)

or suzuki

Pitbabe · 18 Feb 2004, 11:50 (Ref:878186)

Give the boy a chance - he's got to beat the Yammie into shape first. Which, judging by recent testing times, he's doing

climb · 19 Feb 2004, 13:27 (Ref:879341)

Vale get my vote.
Doohan was fantastic, but he had to wait for Rainey's unfortunate accident to start winning something.

av8rirl · 19 Feb 2004, 13:39 (Ref:879356)

I've watched both and selected "Not Sure" option. Over the past few days Rossi seems to be going well on the Yam. I know its early still and its only testing but if he can win on the Yam, he'll have to move ahead of Mick.

It might be true that he hasn't had the same competition within his team as Mick had from Criville, but Melandri, Checa and Abe's bikes can't be a full second slower than the Rossi bike??

Has JB ever said who he rates higher?

av8rirl · 19 Feb 2004, 18:00 (Ref:879549)

I should also have added that Mick had a few less successful years in 500's before he had his great 5 year stint (94-98).

YEAR MOTORCYCLE POSITION
1989 Rothmans Honda 9th
1990 Rothmans Honda 3rd
1991 Rothmans Honda 2nd
1992 Rothmans Honda 2nd
1993 Rothmans Honda 4th
1994 Honda Team HRC 1st
1995 Repsol Honda Team HRC 1st
1996 Team Repsol Honda 1st
1997 Team Repsol Honda 1st
1998 Team Repsol Honda 1st
1999 Team Repsol Honda 17th

Valentino has a great record in all classes:
1996 Team Scuderia AGV 9th (125)
1997 Nastro Azzurro Team 1st (125)
1998 Nastro Azzurro Team 2st (250)
1999 Aprillia GP Team 1st (250)
2000 Nastro Azzurro Team 2nd (500)
2001 Nastro Azzurro Team 1st (500)
2002 Honda 1st (motogp)
2003 Honda 1st (motogp)

Rossi wannabe · 19 Feb 2004, 18:59 (Ref:879611)

I think Rossi is a better rider because he has done everything Doohan and he is still very young. Also Rossi has had to change his still alot as he has gone through the 125,250,500 and 4-strokes where as Mick only had to change his still from superbikes to 500s

av8rirl · 18 Apr 2004, 22:38 (Ref:943657)

Quote:

Originally posted by av8rirl
I've watched both and selected "Not Sure" option. Over the past few days Rossi seems to be going well on the Yam. I know its early still and its only testing but if he can win on the Yam, he'll have to move ahead of Mick.

It might be true that he hasn't had the same competition within his team as Mick had from Criville, but Melandri, Checa and Abe's bikes can't be a full second slower than the Rossi bike??

Has JB ever said who he rates higher?

Just bringing this thread back to see if there are any changes of opinion? Based on what I saw today, I'm leaning more towards Rossi.

Yoong Montoya · 18 Apr 2004, 22:57 (Ref:943666)

Quote:

Originally posted by av8rirl
Just bringing this thread back to see if there are any changes of opinion? Based on what I saw today, I'm leaning more towards Rossi.

I don't blame you. Let's just see if he and Yamaha can sustain that form though

Wrex · 18 Apr 2004, 23:04 (Ref:943669)

That is always the case, most will look at what is in front of them now and give it a heavier weight, others remember the golden years and nothing will change it.

The same thing would have happened with Doohan/Agastini comparisons.

I think as a rider and raw speed, Rossie is every bit Doohans equal. Over 1 lap, it may even go Rossi's way.

However I still think Mick was smarter, had better developement skills, and far more consistant race in race out.

Rossi however is a great showman, and is so young he has the potential to surpass Mick in every aspect. A ledgend in the making, no doubt about it.

BootsOntheSide · 19 Apr 2004, 12:14 (Ref:944071)

I think it's got to be Rossi now. Doohan had the best bike for each of his titles, and comparatively mediocre team-mates. Until Rainey and Schwantz dropped out of contention he never looked likely to dominate. Rossi has also ridden a variety of bikes, had the determination to switch to an inferior bike and win on it, and has achieved all this while in his mid-20s. The comment that Doohan's development skills were greater might be disproved this season - I think Jeremy Burgess is the beiggest factor.

View Poll Results: Valentino Rossi or Mick Doohan?
Valentino Rossi	46	35.94%
Mick Doohan	71	55.47%
Not sure	11	8.59%
Voters: 128. You may not vote on this poll

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