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Valentino Rossi has ensured a fiery finale to the MotoGP championship after escalating a bitter feud with rival Casey Stoner.
The seven-time world champion hit back at the Australian’s accusation he used dirty tricks to win Sunday’s US Grand Prix today, while adding further spite to their off-track battle by questioning Stoner’s ability to handle the pressure of tight races.
Rossi’s Yamaha crew chief Jerry Burgess – the man behind the world titles of Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan – also weighed into the war of words by claiming the manoeuvers which so offended Stoner at Laguna Seca were commonplace during the 1980s and 90s.
“On the podium he told me that he’d lost respect for me because he’s been racing for many years and he doesn’t remember ever having a race like that,” said Rossi.
“Well, if he’s been racing for many years, I’ve been racing for a lifetime and I don’t know who he’s been racing against but I remember all my races being like that and my rivals always fought that way.
“He’s used to the mentality of racing at the front with a four-second advantage over the field but racing shoulder-to-shoulder brings other factors into play. Hence this time I won and I’m happy.”
Stoner publicly voiced his displeasure at Rossi’s ride immediately after Sunday’s race after the Italian successfully executed a daring pass on the fourth lap at the Cavatappi bend.
Rossi, who now leads reigning champion Stoner by 25 points at the top of the standings with seven races remaining, rubbed further salt into the Australian’s wounds by branding that move the best of his illustrious career and the race win in his top five all time.
“For sure this was one of my best five victories because Stoner is a tough cookie,” Rossi told the Corriere dello Sport.
“And the pass at Cavatappi was the best of my career; he barely braked on the bend and me even less so, so little in fact that my wheels touched the gravel.”
Yamaha crew chief Burgess was quick to come to the defence of his star rider after Stoner’s comments about the unfairness of Rossi’s manoeuvers.
“I think that if Casey had raced in the 80s and 90s with Kevin Schwantz, Wayne Rainey and Mick Doohan, he’d have seen that every weekend,” the Australian told the MotoGP website.
“It was probably something that he wasn’t particularly expecting, (he) probably expected to win the race easily like he’d dominated in the practices.”
Both riders will have plenty of time to cool their heels before the next race, with the championship set to resume on August 17 in the Czech Republic after a three-week break.
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