Doohan: Biaggi's no Rossi beater.

Someone new is needed to beat the all-conquering Valentino Rossi in MotoGP, that's the opinion of five-time champion Mick Dohan, who adds that he doesn't think Honda's lead rider for 2005, Max Biaggi, is the man to take the battle to his fellow Italian.

Doohan, talking to the West Australia Sunday Times, questions Biaggi's ability to take the fight to Rossi. "It just doesn't make sense. He had better results when he was on the Yamaha," Doohan said of Biaggi's move to the lead Honda.

Doohan recently left the employment of the Japanese Honda concern, and although he insists the departure was by mutual agreement, he doesn't agree with the Biaggi move. "It would be better to gamble on somebody new. But for me, it's not a gamble," he says.

Finding a young rider to take Rossi's mantle is, of course, the hope of every team manager along the pit lane. "Finding the right guy to beat him is tough," admits Doohan.

So is there no-one on the MotoGP grid able to challenge Valentino for the championship? "I think it's going to be difficult for any of the current crop of riders to get on top of Valentino," Doohan says. "At the moment I don't think they've got the right guys on the bike.

"A couple of guys can win occasionally but they cannot do it week-in and week-out. And you have to be doing it week-in and week-out to win the championship."

Best get looking then...