Rossi makes last 500 championship fastest ever?

This year's 500 World Championship is the last in history and fittingly, also the fastest. Lap and race records have tumbled throughout the season, which has also seen some of the most dramatic racing in memory.

The increase in pace at most events has been dramatic. For example, this year's Portuguese GP at Estoril was 42 seconds faster than the previous record and the South African GP was completed 21 seconds inside the old record.

Three other races were also significantly quicker than before - the French GP at Le Mans was 16 seconds faster, the Czech at Brno 11 seconds and the Japanese GP at Suzuka eight.

There are two main reasons for the increased tempo: Greater competition at the front of the pack, and the improved traction offered by Michelin's 16.5in rear slick (which had a larger contact patch at maximum lean for extra grip, cooler running and better endurance).

Many people though, cite the talent of Valentino Rossi for upping the race pace. "Whenever Valentino is out front he stretches the pace," explains Michelin Grand Prix Manager Jacques Morelli. "He's a great rider, his secret is that he always gives his maximum and he can adapt his style to whatever his bike is doing. He adapted to 500s very quickly, maybe because he didn't stay in 250s too long and get '250 habits'. Also, he quickly understood the advantages of our 16.5 and stuck with that tyre, rather than swapping back and forth like some riders."

Rossi, who came to 500s in 2000 after conquering the 125 and 250 World Championships, is a rider of great intelligence and supreme natural talent. He agrees that greater rivalry and improved grip are the causes of this year's faster races.

"For sure, it's possible to have a faster rhythm all the way through the race with the 16.5," he says. "Also, there were three Italians fighting for the title, so there was lots of rivalry and we all gave 120 per cent to be fastest. Plus I've always had a good pace in races, so if the others want to beat me, they must push hard!"

While Rossi quickly adapted his style to suit 500s, it took longer to fully adapt his machines' settings to suit his technique, which differs from that of Mick Doohan the man who preceded Rossi in the HRC team run by ace engineer Jerry Burgess.

"I've changed my style since I came to 500s, now I can spin the rear which is so important," Rossi adds. "Also, after midseason we improved the set-up of my bikes. Mick had a different riding style from me, he didn't use so much corner speed, so he had less of a problem with settings.

"Mick used to slide and go, like a real 500 rider. But I came from 250s so I had to change my style to go into corners a little slower and though I learned to understand slide control, I'm still faster than Mick in the middle of corners, not because I'm a better rider, just because I have a different technique. And to ride with this style, using more corner speed, you have to have more accurate settings, so we changed our suspension set-up to help me."