Sepang – MotoGP – RossiKan, the Malaysian tiger

In the 2005 MotoGP regulations they will have to add a new article or prohibition: do not step on the toes of rider number 46.

Already, in this climate of false reconciliation conducted by Dorna against all will, Rossi shows that he has not at all digested the lack of performance he expected to do in Qatar (perhaps taking the distinction of being the first winner of the Arab Grand Prix).

He leaves Qatar with his thoughts clouded by Czech anger. He arrives in Malaysia with an impressive clarity, at least verbally. He gets on the bike, prepares for Friday and misses the result due to the usual error of judgment, but it doesn't matter. On Saturday he gets back on the bike and immediately shoots a flying lap like those you do when there are nine seconds left in the session. His rivals respond... and so does he, taking home yet another pole with a time that says a lot about his potential. But Rossi is also concrete and on Sunday, in the warm up, he puts in a sequence of laps that leave very little uncertainty, just the minimum necessary.

On the starting grid it appears with a tire that has a compound that is more similar to a qualifying tire than a racing one. He and very few others ride it. The aim is clear from the start: start like a slingshot, gain a margin, create a gap in the first laps and then manage the moments of tire wear, avoiding arriving below the finish line with the bike on the rims.

Barros inserts himself as a disturbing element among the doctor's projects, delaying Rossi's plans who, after a few laps and a few overtaking attempts following lunar trajectories, maliciously passes by someone who knows how to do braking really well.

At this point Rossi is only against the life of his rear tire which due to a higher than expected external temperature could have a different performance than what he and his team expected.

Every now and then he gets distracted by putting four tenths of a distance between himself and Biaggi in less than a lap.

This time, however, Rossi is not distracted and scores yet another success. A similar success to the one achieved at Donington. A success desired and achieved with determination and firmness.

His all-time opponent, Biaggi, compliments him, giving the idea of ​​being faced with deja vu. Something already seen in South Africa on the occasion of the first grand prix of the season. A majestic Rossi, a privateer Biaggi and a Gibernau with some problems.

Although the Spaniard Sete Gibernau was defined by Guido Meda (commentator of the race on Italia1 ed.) as "boiled", Rossi does not seem willing to take what appears to be an objective and clear observation as true.

He has already felt the sensation of feeling like a victory was in his pocket and then it was slipped out from under his nose without even much dexterity.

Rossi has another match point that he can play in Australia on a spectacular circuit. Finishing behind Sete Gibernau would be enough for him to gain the mathematical certainty of winning the title but it is known that Rossi "when he is happy he enjoys but when he is not happy he enjoys even more". And then winning the world championship coming behind his now established and closest opponent wouldn't be like him.

For now, the ecological operator Rossi, specialized in "cleaning up" bad memories, takes leave of Malaysia with one less stone on his heart.

He proves that if there's anyone to beat, it's him. If there is a bike to beat, it is Yamaha now; if Rossi then gets on another bike, then the bike to beat would become another but the rider would always remain the same.

Davide Giordano