SpeedTV.com:
Can Rossi Do What Only Agostini Has Done Before?
Written by: Dennis Noyes
Los Angeles, CA – 11/30/2007
無論 2008 或者之後發生什麼事， Valentino Rossi 已擠身MotoGP史上
偉大車手之列，但是，如今他面臨一個挑戰，一個GP史上唯一一位車手
曾經成功完成的壯舉。
Whatever happens in 2008 and beyond, Valentino Rossi has earned
a place among the all-time greats, but he now faces a challenge
that only one rider in the history of Grand Prix racing has ever
successfully met.
58年兩輪最高殿堂賽事，只有 Giacomo Agostini 在連續二年失去冠軍
後再拿下冠軍。
In the 58-year history of the premier Grand Prix class, only
Giacomo Agostini has ever retaken the title after being beaten
two years in a row.
1973年 Agostini被英國隊友 Phil Read 擊敗失去冠軍後轉到Yamaha，
1974年，再次爭冠失利，1975年，才奪回冠軍。
In 1975 Agostini, who had left MV and signed for Yamaha after
being beaten by his teammate, Britain’s Phil Read, in 1973,
lost again in 1974 before finally taking the title back in 1975.
其他最接近這壯舉的是，1983年肯尼王屈居第二位，僅僅輸了2分積分，
讓美國同胞Freddie Spencer（本田）贏得GP500冠軍。
The closest anyone else has come to regaining the premier title
after two years without it was the runner-up position taken by
Yamaha’s Kenny Roberts in 1983 when he lost the 500 title by
a mere two points to fellow American Freddie Spencer (Honda).
肯尼王在他的第一年(1978)菜鳥賽季就贏得GP500冠軍，然後三連冠，在
輸給 Suzuki車手Marco Lucchinelli(1981)及 Franco Uncini (1982)之
前。
而輸給21歲的 Spencer (仍是最年輕的GP最高等級冠軍，Stoner 22歲)後，
肯尼王已經31歲。
Roberts won the title in his rookie season in 1978 and went on
to take three 500 crowns in a row before losing the title to
Suzuki riders Marco Lucchinelli (‘81) and Franco Uncini (‘82).
After losing to 21-year-old Spencer (still the youngest ever
champion -- Casey Stoner is 22) Roberts retired at the age of 31.
Rossi 現在29歲，一個拿過七次冠軍的車手，五次最高等級賽事冠軍，
另外兩次，是125cc(1997) 和 250cc(1999)。
Rossi is now 29 and a winner of seven titles -- five in the big
class plus two additional titles in 125 (1997) and 250 (1999).
在為 Honda 奪得三連冠後(2001年~03年)，包含最後一次2行程500cc冠軍，
及第一次4行程990cc冠軍，Rossi 隨即離開 Honda ，04年加入 Yamaha，
儘管騎著火力不如RC211V的M1，仍立即拿下冠軍，技驚四座。
After taking three titles in a row for Honda (2001-2003), including
the last title ever taken on a 500cc two stroke and the first on
a 990cc four stroke, Rossi left Honda for Yamaha in 2004 and
amazed by winning yet again despite being armed with a Yamaha M1,
widely considered to be inferior to the Honda RC211V.
在替Yamaha贏得兩年冠軍(自己的五連霸)後，最終被 Honda 的 Nicky Hayden
終止連霸當他幾乎確定冠軍已在自己口袋裡時，06年的 Valencia 最後戰役，
Rossi的摔車，摔碎了自己的六連霸。
After taking a second title for Yamaha his five-year winning streak
was finally stopped by American Nicky Hayden (Honda) when Rossi,
who seemed to have the sixth title in the bag, crashed out of the
final race of the 2006 season in Valencia.
結果證明是，那天他只要第六名完賽，第八個冠軍就在他手中。
As it turned out he would have only have needed to have finished
sixth that day to have taken the championship.
今年，羅西再次來到 Valencia 時，已無緣冠軍，冠軍已是 Stoner ，但是
仍需守住對 Honda 的 Pedrosa 24分積分優勢，確保世界第二。
This year Rossi came to the final round in Valencia out of contention
for the title, already clinched by Casey Stoner, but holding what
seemed an unassailable 24 point lead in the battle for second
place over Honda’s Dani Pedrosa.
來到07最後一戰，羅西只要確保無失分，Pedrosa 則要贏得分站冠軍去減少
和義大利人的差距。
Coming into the final round Rossi would have to go pointless and
Pedrosa would have to win for the Italian to lose the runner-up
slot.
之後發生了什麼事。
Rossi，他帶著在排位賽摔車骨折的右手進行比賽，因為離合器問題，
而 Pedrosa 嬴得最後一站冠軍………
一個令人驚異的逆轉。
And that is exactly what happened. Rossi, who was riding with
broken bones in his hand after a huge high-sider in qualifying,
crashed out early due to a clutch problem, and Pedrosa won…
an amazing reversal.
但是，藉著在各方之間的熟練手腕， Rossi 設法克服了 Bridgestone 不
供應他輪胎的異議，08年得以轉而使用 Bridgestone（山葉車手之中只有他）。
But, by skillful maneuvering in the offices, Rossi managed to
overcome Bridgestone’s objections to supplying him (and him
only among Yamaha riders) with tires for the 2008 season.
真正局勢推到危險頂點的是 Dorna 執行長 Carmelo Ezpeleta，他威脅
Bridgestone 將實施單一輪胎制(也許是威脅 Michelin)，說服 Bridgestone
提供羅西和Yamaha輪胎。
It took real brinksmanship by Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, who
threatened Bridgestone with a change to a single-tire system
(and probably Michelin, at that) to convince Bridgestone to
add Rossi and Yamaha to their list of
clients.
這動作使許多人惱怒了，尤其是 Stoner 和 Ducati，而這也強制了山葉
區隔 Rossi 和他的菜鳥隊友，二次250cc世界冠軍Jorge Lorenzo，在
FIAT Yamaha 車庫的中央築起一道 "山葉圍牆" 。
The move annoyed many, especially Stoner and Ducati, and it obliged
Yamaha to separate Rossi from his rookie teammate, two times 250
World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, building a wall up the middle of the
FIAT Yamaha garage.
Rossi 這次受爭議的動作非常不同於兩年前刺激他離開本田的理由。
This controversial move by Rossi was made for very different reasons
than the ones that motivated him to leave Honda two years ago.
羅西2003年末離開本田，是因為他要尋求 "新挑戰" ，但是，要再和山葉及
Michelin 承受 Ducati、Stoner和Bridgestone的挑戰，超過 Rossi 預期他
能遇到的挑戰。
Rossi left Honda at the end of 2003 because he wanted ‘a new challenge,’
but taking on Ducati, Stoner, and Bridgestone again with Yamaha
and Michelin is now a little more of a challenge than Rossi feels
he can meet.
已經被山葉的契約綁住一年，Rossi 要求換輪胎，而最後得到了 Bridgestone，
在和Michelin 合作八年之後，離開了最近16年來贏得15次冠軍的 Michelin。
Already locked into another year with Yamaha, Rossi demanded, and
eventually got, Bridgestone, leaving Michelin after eight years and
after Michelin had won 15 of the last 16 titles.
他也已經說了，如果山葉 2008 年不能夠提供一輛具有競爭力的賽車，
他會離開……
甚至在與 La Gazzetta dello 運動的面談中提到，他可能轉隊到 Ducati 。
He has also said that if Yamaha cannot provide a competitive bike in
2008 he will leave…even suggesting in an interview with La Gazzetta
dello Sport that he might move to Ducati.
第二頁
SpeedTV.com:
Can Rossi Do What Only Agostini Has Done Before?
現今GP賽史上獲得最多勝的車手
The “Winningest” Rider in Modern GP History
Rossi 已是現代GP(1975到現在)賽史中最高等級賽事的獲勝率最高的車手，
且是唯一一位已經嬴得三個等級，以及橫跨 500cc 二行程， 990cc 四行程，
及 800cc 四行程賽事的車手。
Rossi has the highest winning percentage in modern (1975 to present)
history among all riders in the premier class and is the only rider
to have won Grands Prix under all three capacity and technical limits:
500cc two stroke, 990cc four stroke, and 800cc four stroke.
132場的出賽贏得62勝，羅西的勝率是47%，比上代車神 Mick Doohan 少
五場出賽，卻多出八勝。
以下是GP史上獲勝率前十名。
With 62 wins in 132 starts, Rossi’s is hitting .470, taking eight more
wins than Mick Doohan in five less starts. Here are the numbers put up
by the top ten in winning percentage.
附註： 1975 年通常被視為 " 現代GP " 的開始，因為那是 500cc 二行程
開始的元年。
Note: The year 1975 is generally considered the start of the
“modern era” because that was the beginning of 500cc two stroke
dominance.
1949年到1975年的GP500系列皆是四行程的GP500。
2002年及2003年則是990cc和500cc混合競爭，2004年二行程全面禁止。
2007年則轉為800cc。
Prior to 1975 all 500 titles from 1949 were won by four stroke 500s.
In 2002 and 2003 the first MotoGP 990s competed with 500cc two strokes,
and in 2004 two strokes were banned.
In 2007 the MotoGP class capacity limit was reduced to 800cc.
MotoGP／500cc 的車手職業生涯獲勝勝率前十大（1975至今）
Career Winning Percentage in MotoGP/500cc class (1975 to present)
羅西2007年18場比賽只贏了四場，但是他的勝率超過 Mick Doohan ，而他
將持續超越Doohan 即使他未來三年仍重複他的 18 場比賽贏 4 場的結果。
Rossi won only four races in 18 starts in 2007, but such is his
lead in winning percentage over Mick Doohan that he would continue
to hold a scant lead in this department even if he repeated his 4
for 18 results over the next three seasons.
從開始到2007之前，羅西出賽114場58勝，勝率超過50%，還不足以達到
Giacomo Agostini 和 John Surtees 在GP賽史上早期的成就。
Prior to 2007 Rossi had won 58 of 114 starts, just over 50%, a level
of success not achieved since Giacomo Agostini and John Surtees in
the early days of Grand Prix racing.
諷刺的是， Agostini，在 500cc 賽事為 MV 嬴得了7次冠軍，也是第一位
贏得二行程500cc賽事的車手(1975年)。
Ironically, Agostini, who won 7 titles with MV in the 500cc class,
was also the first rider ever to win a 500 title with a two stroke
(Yamaha) in 1975.
羅西奪回冠軍的機會是什麼？
What are Rossi’s Chances of Regaining the Title?
在 Jerez的三天測試後，儘管過早斷論 －－ 羅西轉使用 Bridgestone 看起
來像是個冒險，既不是災難，也不是個漂亮灌籃。
After the final three-day tests at Jerez -- although far too early
to reach conclusions -- it looks like Rossi’s gamble to move to
Bridgestone has been neither a disaster nor a slam dunk.
他一開始使用日本輪胎確實很快、但是最後一天本田車手 Dani Pedrosa 和
Nicky Hayden 佔據測試排行榜一二位結束了測試，兩者都使用了排位賽資格
胎和比賽用輪胎。
He was quick on the Japanese tires from the beginning, but Honda
riders Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden ended the tests on top of
the charts, both on qualifying tires and race tires.
本屆冠軍 Stoner 在最初兩天都有嚴重摔車。
最後一天被迫退出測試，回澳洲進行醫療追蹤，在左邊肩膀受傷後休息。
諷刺地是，在測試第二天，在 " Michelin 彎道 " 摔車。
Reigning World Champion Casey Stoner had big crashes on the first
two days.
He was out of action on day three, off to Australia for medical
attention and rest after suffering ligament damage to his left
shoulder after crashing at, ironically, “Michelin Corner” on
day two.
Rossi 第三天很早進場測試，第二天僅次於Pedrosa。
最後一天 Pedrosa 和 Hayden 囊括一二(1分38.562秒及1分38.848秒)，綜觀
三天測試，羅西的最佳時間是1分40.134秒，在三天整體成績上，車手方面只
排第六位，在Yamaha自家車手比較，次於菜鳥新人 Lorenzo(整體第三名，1分
39.464秒)，Bridgestone陣營的第二位，次於中野真矢的1分40.121秒。
Rossi packed it in early on day three, having been second fastest to
Pedrosa on day two.
With Pedrosa and Hayden taking the top two times on the final day
(1’38 562 and1’38.848) and for the overall three days of testing,
Rossi’s best time of 1’40.134 was only good enough for 6th overall
all and second best Yamaha to rookie Jorge Lorenzo (third on 1’39.464)
and second best on Bridgestone tires to Shinya Nakano (Honda Gresini
1’40.121).
Rossi，在看到 Stoner 退出測試後，且成功得到足以與之匹敵的 Bridgestone輪胎，
也給了輪胎技術人員他對於側邊抓地力改進的要求，並決定讓他受傷的手腕休息，
等待…………
直到冬天測試禁令在 2008 年 1 月 22 日解除後，重新投入研發工作。
Rossi, after seeing Stoner out of action and injured and having successfully
gotten to grips with the Bridgestone tires, gave the tire technicians
his requests for improvements of side grip and decided to rest his
injured hand and wait until after the winter testing ban lifts on
January 22nd, 2008 to resume work.
Stoner 的二次摔車，是結束這位年輕澳洲冠軍今年賽季的壞方式，而 Marco
Melandri在 Desmosedici 上的第一次測試的不好不壞結果，清楚顯示不是跨上
Ducati 就表示會自動贏得成功。
Stoner’s two crashes were a bad way for the young Australian to end
the year, and Marco Melandri’s mediocre results in his first tests
on the Desmosedici make it clear that just throwing a leg over the
Ducati does not produce automatic success.
Rossi 向義大利新聞媒體對 Stoner 的評論是”循跡控制系統世代最好的車手”，
這是諷刺的。
自從Stoner在Jerez摔車後，也許肇因於他過度盲從信任Magneti Marelli電子系統
可以制止突然的旋轉(陀螺效應?)。
Rossi’s comment to the Italian press that Stoner is “the best of the
traction control generation” was barbed since the crashes at Jerez may
have been caused by the Australian trusting blindly in the Magneti Marelli
electronics to prevent sudden spin-up.
但是由Pedrosa的強烈表現來看，他大部分測試騎乘了07年版本212V、而Hayden，
似乎帶頭進行08年212V的早期研發工作，象徵本田非常贊成回到開放車手間的自由競爭。
But the strong performances by Pedrosa, who did most of his riding on
the 2007 version, and Hayden, who seems to be leading the development of
the 2008 model in the early stages, indicate that Honda are very much back
in contention.
而且，使用 Michelin 的賽車，在 Jerez 的三天測試後佔據前四名。
Likewise, Michelin-shod bikes took the first four places after the three
days of testing in Jerez.
當我們進入長期的冬天休息期間， 2008 賽季看起來會有二個輪胎廠間的激烈，
三個車廠，以及至少四位車手的爭冠：
Stoner（Ducati賽車搭配Bridgestone胎），Rossi（山葉搭配Bridgestone胎），
本田廠隊兩位車手（現在幾乎不互相往來）， Dani Pedrosa，今年最後一場比賽的
勝利者，在 Jerez 測試中的最快車手，以及06年冠軍Nicky Hayden，測試最後階段
似乎得到一台適合他的賽車。
As we go into the long winter layoff, the 2008 season looks open to two
tire companies, three manufacturers, and at least four riders:
Stoner (Ducati-Bridgestone), Rossi (Yamaha-Bridgestone) and the Honda
teammates (who are now only barely on speaking terms), Dani Pedrosa,
winner of the last race of the season and fastest in the Jerez tests,
and 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden, who finally seems to have a bike
that fits him.
