Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluepete
... I certainly don't think the grid should allow Rossi through. If the governing body of his sport has imposed that penalty, so be it.
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What;s interesting to me about this penalty is the anomaly that a faster rider who catches a slower rider he's about to lap is expected to be able to pass without trouble (blue flag enabled), but here the faster rider will be expected to fight for every inch. (I'm pretty confident that qualifying will show signifcant differences in lap time between Rossi and most of the grid in front of him and we all know that he has the skill to pass pretty much everyone on the grid as well.)
Is this a double standard on rider safety? Have the authorities put mid-grid riders at risk by placing such a faster rider behind them - it can't be easy riding with one eye over your shoulder checking for someone who may simply arrive out of the blue from further back due to much greater speed difference?
Whilst no racer would admit it openly, Rossi is going to come past most of them at some point and, if it were me on a non-factory bike, I think I'd want that to happen sooner rather than later so I could concentrate on my own race and not risk being the one that took him out by cutting him up because I didn't see him coming.