Is Rossi better on a Yamaha or Honda?
Since the introduction of the 990cc four-stroke MotoGP class at the start of 2002, 55 races have taken place. Of these, Valentino Rossi has won 35, while riding for Honda in 2002 and 2003 and then Yamaha from 2004 onwards.
As the following table shows, following his current run of success Rossi's win rate with Yamaha is now superior to that he achieved with Honda, but in the other categories compared - podium finishes, pole positions and average point score - Rossi's performance on an RCV is still superior.
Since the introduction of the 990cc four-stroke MotoGP class at the start of 2002, 55 races have taken place. Of these, Valentino Rossi has won 35, while riding for Honda in 2002 and 2003 and then Yamaha from 2004 onwards.
As the following table shows, following his current run of success Rossi's win rate with Yamaha is now superior to that he achieved with Honda, but in the other categories compared - podium finishes, pole positions and average point score - Rossi's performance on an RCV is still superior.
Indeed, of the 32 MotoGP races Rossi started for Honda he finished on the podium an amazing 31 times, the exception being the Czech GP of 2003 when he retired from the race with tyre problems.
Rossi's Yamaha/Honda MotoGP careers compared:
Honda (2002 and 2003):Starts: 32 Wins: 20 (62.5%)Podiums: 31 (96.9%)Pole positions: 16 (50%)Average points per start: 22.25
Yamaha (2004 and 2005):Starts: 23 Wins: 15 (65.2%) Podiums: 18 (78.3%) Pole positions: 9 (39.1%) Average points per start: 20.6
Meanwhile, the #46's pole position at Assen marked the 29th time he has started from pole in the premier-class, equally the number achieved by 1993 World Champion Kevin Schwantz during his GP career.
Since full records have been available (from 1974) only Mick Doohan (58 poles) has been on pole more often than Rossi in the premier-class. But, worryingly for his opposition, Rossi has gone on to win 24 of the 29 races he has started from pole, a ratio equal to 82.8%. The next best pole-to-win ratio is held by Doohan with 63.8%.
Rossi's results in the five races he has not won after qualifying on pole are:
2001/Italy/Mugello - crashed when fighting for the lead in a wet two-part race.2002/South Africa/Welkom - second to team-mate Tohru Ukawa after a race long battle.2003/France/Le Mans - less than two tenths of a second behind Gibernau in a shortened wet race.2003/Catalunya - second to Loris Capirossi after running off the track mid-race.2004/Spain/Jerez - fourth in his first wet weather race on the Yamaha.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
