What a sad turn of events it was for Valentino on the weekend. When we look back at how the story of this season unfolded, the unexpected twist that was written in this last chapter at Mugello could be the pivotal moment in the championship.

In my previous column I mentioned how the 1-2 finishes Yamaha were racking up was like a boxer throwing out combination punches. Unfortunately for Rossi, fate stepped in and delivered a cruel blow of its own and I wish Vale all the best and a speedy recovery. However, now that one of the main contenders is out of the fight, it will be interesting to see if another rider will step into the ring and take a shot at the title.

Lorenzo now has to carry the Fiat Yamaha flag by himself and were Pedrosa to win the next couple of races it would take the wind out of Yamaha’s sails while they are still reeling from Rossi’s absence. With this in mind I expect the next few races to be blockbusters and if Ducati find the missing piece of their jigsaw and start challenging for wins that would really spice things up a bit!

As for who will take Rossi’s ride, the only person I can see it being is Colin Edwards. Colin has a lot of experience with the Yamaha, has nothing to prove and if there is one guy you know who will bring it home in one piece, it’s Colin. Yamaha can then use his vacant Tech 3 seat to bring in a rookie and see how they go on the M1 for a few races.

Though they make it look easy at times, the level that MotoGP riders are performing at right now is really intense and the margin for error is incredibly low. While the high dependency on electronics is great for lap times and helps keep these 800cc beasts under control, things can go wrong in an instant and as we saw at Mugello, result in some spectacular crashes. For years, a racer crashing out on a cold tire was considered a routine work hazard, but now with tire warmers and the sophisticated electronics packed into these bikes, I find it amazing that we are still seeing riders getting thrown off on a regular basis.

Apart from the cold tire issue, there is a growing concern with some riders about grip levels during the race. It’s all a bit of a mystery at the moment, but one thing being looked at is if the rubber being laid down during the Moto2 race is affecting grip for the MotoGP guys.

In the eighties, something similar occurred when we shared the race weekend with the Sidecar world championship. These sidecars would lay down huge amounts of rubber and at the races where they went out before us it would cause problems for some of the 500 riders – especially those on Michelin tires. A study by Michelin found that certain rubber compounds when deposited on the track and subjected to high temperatures would change their chemical composition, resulting in a surface with varying levels of grip. When the Sidecar races took place after the 500’s the problem went away.

How does this relate to the current issue riders are facing? Well a common theme with the comments this year is that during practice and qualifying everything’s cool, but come race day it’s all going wrong. The fact that the Moto2 practice and qualifying sessions come after MotoGP, yet on race day they go out before MotoGP - laying down huge amounts of rubber in the process lends some weight to this theory. I am sure investigation into this very thing is happening now, and if they move the Moto2 race to after the main event you now know why!

If there is an issue here, Dorna will be working around the clock to find a solution, as though they have a responsibility to treat the fans to the greatest racing show on earth, above all the most important thing is to ensure that each and every rider who goes out on track in the spirit of competition is provided with the safest environment possible.

On the topic of safety, I attended Alpinestars’ Electronic Airbag presentation at Mugello on the Friday before the race and was blown away. For a rider to have an airbag system that deploys in milliseconds during a crash and can re-arm itself to keep the rider protected once he picks up the bike and gets going again is amazing. Such technology will help reduce injuries and keep riders on the grid where they belong - check out the system for yourself at http://alpinestarsinc.com/safety.

One last thing I want to mention about Vale’s crash is that Dorna will now have a glimpse into what the Post-Rossi era will mean for MotoGP. Rossi is the one rider whose popularity transcends MotoGP and though Lorenzo has shown he is prepared to step up and take on this mantle, what will be the short term effects of having the sport’s most successful, charismatic and colorful character out of the public eye?

The last thing MotoGP fans want to see is Rossi riding on eight cylinders instead of four next year and what I would love to see at Silverstone is for the #46 fans to be out in force - yellow flags waving - so when Vale is at home watching on TV he is reminded of how much he is missed and what he means to the sport. As fans we need to show him what he will be missing if he trades his yellow leathers for a red Nomex suit next season!

The next race at Silverstone is something I am really excited about, it’s a fast track; the new ‘Arena Layout’ should make for great for racing and the British fans know how to have a good time. I am really looking forward to seeing you all at the Day of Champions, where not only can you get up close to the riders, but can also bid for the opportunity to be taken around the Silverstone circuit on the back of the Ducati two-seater ridden by yours truly. Proceeds from this event will go towards Riders for Health which is a truly great cause, so check out the Day of Champions website http://www.riders.org/doc/default.aspx for all the information.

Randy