Jorge and the #1 plate

Will Jorge buck the current trend and actually wear the #1 plate in 2011?

i don't know about the rest of you, but I am very tired of the "permanent" numbers that motorcycle racers (be they roadracers or M/Xers) have adopted.

I understand the "marketing aspect" and the desire to maximize earnings through merchandising but doesn't the #1 plate mean anything to anyone any more?

 

I havent started racing yet, so take this as a comment from a soon to be.......

If I am lucky enough to earn a #1 plate, I doubt highly I will wear it unless forced to. I would think its like painting a target on your tail and parading around saying " I'M THE BEST". I could see it bringing a lot of excess pressure for people to beat you just to feel the accomplishment of beating last years champ. True they could do that anyway, but why advertise?

 

Hasnt everyone but Rossi wore the #1 in the past decade?

 

I don't see it as parading since you work your ass off to get it.
If I ever earn one. I'm wearing it.

 

i'm not a racer yet either, but I would not wear it.

My thinking is.... that's last year's accomplishment, this is a new year

 

Wear it with pride people...you may only get to do it once. If you're Rossi then it's probably like the movie Groundhog Day.

 

Nicky, and Casey both wore it.

 

After all the time and sweat and money I have spent you bet your ass I would wear a #1 with pride!

 

More pressure on others? I thought this is a good thing?

I would think the bigger pressure is on champ, wether that person exhibits Number 1 on his/her bike or not.

 

I would think your 'boss' (manufacturer) would want their machine to be seen with the #1 on it if at all possible....

 

Rossi does wear a number one. A bright yellow one (just to make sure it is not missed).

Personally, I would like to see Jorge plate the No. 1 with a subdued 99. (or that is what I would do, if I ever had the opportunity)

 

IIRC sometime back Honda was accused of hiring Doug Polen (in 1994) so that they can put the No. 1 Plate on the RC45. Common wisdom was that there was no other way that the RC45 could be adorned in this fashion.

Doug won the AMA on the Duc (851/888) in 1993.

 

I seem to recall Jorge saying he chose the number 99 because it was the furthest from no. 1, and would represent the biggest change from one year to the next.

 

thats what i would do. if i ever earned a no 1, i would have my number on my bike as well, just smaller.

 

was that the year he rode for ferracci? wasnt there supposed to be some great vid of him short shifting the bike all aver the place because it was such a cheater? like there was a cam on the tach....and it got released, then someone went "hey....thats not right...."

or am i confusing the story?

 

I still think it was funny that Dani Pedrosa went from his number 26 to number 2 because of his second place in the championship a few years ago.

 

I am not sure about your recollection but I would not be suprise. My own memories are of total Domination by Ferraci.

The only cam shot that is still vivid is that of Doug hitting a hay bale that came off some Nascar track as he was coming off the infield, someone had just crashed in front of him.

 

I thought this was the norm.

Colin dropped the 4?

 

Kinda hard to tell in this shot but I liked when Nicky had the #1 full of 69's on the inside.