BRIGHTEST STAR?
Reet, let’s be having your top three GP riders of all time…
‘Will Marquezbeable to do what Rossi is doing when he’s 40?’
Jake Dixon
Jake Dixon Top three? Rossi, Doohan, Schwantz And Marquez. And Stoner...
James Whitham Schwantz was brilliant but you can’t put him on the all-time list. You’ve got to put Eddie Lawson ahead because he won four titles, Schwantz only one. JD If you’re measuring by world titles, it’s easy: Ago, Rossi, Doohan. JW Yeah, but Lawson won on every bike he rode over a long period. Unlike Freddie Spencer, who burnt brightly for a short time. He never really got injured either. And when he got beat by someone on equal terms he was always willing to admit it rather than blame his bike or tyres.
JD Too many riders blame the bike rather than putting their hands up. Dean Harrison Jake would have won BSB on my bike; it’s so trick. The problem is I’m riding it! There’s nothing wrong with the bike.
JD They say Marquez has changed the rules, but so did Doohan and Rossi, and they also say Marquez has stiffer competition than Rossi, but Rossi has seen off so many challengers. And he did it on 500s, 800s and on 1000s. DH Were Gibernau and Biaggi ‘greats’? JD No, but Rossi can still beat Marquez despite being nearly 40. Look what he did in Valencia before he fell off. Will Marquez be able to do what Rossi is doing when he’s 40? DH Mental!
JW Do you think GPs were less competitive in the ’90s when Doohan was winning title after title?
JD It’s too hard to say. What about Agostini and Hailwood? JW Or Saarinen?One of the best but could never prove it. And Phil Read was one of the best Brits ever. JD Nah, Barry Sheene. He was the best thing that happened to British motorcycling.
JW But he wasn’t the best rider...
JD He was awesome; the people’s champion DH This is too difficult. You can’t really say who’s the greatest, can you?