Motogp numbers

pink69 · 1 May 2002, 08:37 (Ref:275177)

What is it about the numbers of certain riders. Rossi would surely want to have the number 1 plate for the first time, yet he again has his number 46. Biaggi finished second last year and he has the #3 again. Why won't they use their actual numbers. If I were Rossi I'd want the number #1 plate this year.

f1manoz · 1 May 2002, 08:57 (Ref:275190)

I think Rossi may be a bit superstitious and does not want to let go of his #46. However, he knows he was World Champion and he said he wasn't concerned about having the #1 on his bike.

As for the rest, I think they can choose whatever number they want, or they can choose the number of where they finished in the World Championship the year before. Loris has been #65 for a while now while Barros has changed from year to year.

elephino · 1 May 2002, 10:49 (Ref:275352)

I believe Rossi and Honda had a bit of a fight about what number he was to run, obvious Rossi won.

asha · 1 May 2002, 11:34 (Ref:275426)

Its mostly about marketing these days too. But it also give a bit of personality to the riders, I mean common, you can't exactly see there faces can you?

I think its good, but I'd love to see that would happen if someone, like say Garry McCoy, finished in 6th for the year and wants to use the number, while someone like Abe has been number 6 for a few years now. I wonder if position or marketing would win?

How does it work again, the top rider get first choice of number, the second rider gets second choice and so on.

btw, Barry Sheene had #7 on his bike the year he defended his world title. And number #34 has been retired for good... lets hope we don't get too many more legends cause we'll run out of numbers pretty quick.

Does anyone know the exact rules about all this?
Personally I think i'd like a #8 on its side that would be infinaty!.... or maybe even the PI symbol....why not its a real number??

f1manoz · 1 May 2002, 11:46 (Ref:275448)

There are 99 (if not more if they go into triple figures) numbers to choose from!

I reckon they will end up retiring 46 for Rossi for sure. He's been so successful with that number it's not funny!

Speedworx · 1 May 2002, 20:16 (Ref:275901)

Rossi didn't want #1, he wanted to keep #46.

It saves money.

racer69 · 2 May 2002, 07:53 (Ref:276159)

asha - if the McCoy situation happened, i think he would get first choice of that number, and it would be tough luck for Abe, although seeing as they are both yamaha's, something would probably be worked out.

I think part of Rossi's problems with Honda at the start of this year revolved around the fact that he wanted to keep 46 and Honda wanted him to use 1

asha · 2 May 2002, 08:32 (Ref:276194)

racer69, i can just imagine the managers and personal assistances of the two hypothetical racers writing letters back and forth, trying to work out a deal.
Maybe money would be involved...
HA its all pretty funny.

elephino · 2 May 2002, 11:02 (Ref:276300)

The way most numbering systems work, that don't give out the numbers according to championship position as the norm (CART used to do this about 10 years ago, the last year they did was 1993 I believe when Mansell came along and they gave him #5 when he should have been #12, which was Michael Andretti's number as that is who he replaced), is that whoever has the number gets first refusal of it. So in the case of McCoy wanting to run #6, Abe gets first refusal having run it in previous years. But also, McCoy probably wouldn't ask for it knowing that Abe has had it for ages.

Don't forget, Schwantz ran #1 with a little #34 at the bottom

f1manoz · 2 May 2002, 11:17 (Ref:276313)

Poggiali in the 125s has the a bright #1 with the #54 behind it.

calcium · 2 May 2002, 17:17 (Ref:276549)

I think all the riders should have there own personal number they can take with them when they change teams and we can keep up with who's who!!

StuiE · 2 May 2002, 18:36 (Ref:276625)

i rekon they should have it on championship positions, like in BTCC

and what number is Garry McCoy? it looks a little like an 8 but it is real dodgy

Winther · 2 May 2002, 19:15 (Ref:276682)

The hourglass will tell you

, think it is a great number.

f1manoz · 3 May 2002, 00:38 (Ref:276969)

I remember in CART up until 10 years ago they used to award the top 12 numbers to the championship order from the previous year, then the rest would just either choose or be given their number.

However, IMO it's good to see riders stick with a certain number throughout their careers. It also helps with the merchandising!!

elephino · 3 May 2002, 10:28 (Ref:277310)

Speaking of strange numbers...some of the numbers being run are impossible to read. It really shouldn't be allowed to happen at all.

f1manoz · 3 May 2002, 11:57 (Ref:277391)

You mean running whatever number you want, or not being able to read the number?

I agree that McCoys number was a bit hard to read at first.

asha · 3 May 2002, 13:25 (Ref:277505)

I'm sure elephino means "hard to read" shouldn't happen.
But personally, I like how different teams (bike livery designers) represent the numbers and the like. Its just because its the beginning of the season and everyone (Bill Woods in channel 10 for instance) can't pick em yet. Give it a race or two and you wont even look for numbers anymore.

I have no such difficulty as i find it part of the fun of following the sport, being able to tell the difference between riders such as Lois and Barros, or Ellis and Neito. Maybe I'm a bit strange.

Garry McCoy is 8 btw.
I dont think 8 is a lucky number myself, 5 was much better... But noone is useng 5 so i guess that means that Garry thinks that number re last years placing means something.

f1manoz · 3 May 2002, 13:51 (Ref:277539)

The only person I think of when they mention the #5 is Nigel Mansell!!

But Garry in the past has picked the number he finished in the championship the previous year. Actually, most riders do pick the number they finished. Rossi (#46), Abe (#6), Capirossi (#65) and McWilliams (#99) are the only ones who will race with the same number every year.

**gomick** · 4 May 2002, 03:56 (Ref:278134)

re : that mccoy thing.... a couple of years back checa finished 6th and abe 7th - they kept there normal # : checa 7, abe 6.... abe doesnt own #6 - no one in top 10 has a mortgage on a single digit #.....

remember max saying last year that he wouldnt wear #2... criville used to wear the # he finished in the championship, and then last year went back to his original #28 "

dont know why mccoy went #8, colud have stayed #5 or gone #12 (2001 position)

f1manoz · 4 May 2002, 04:45 (Ref:278158)

Maybe McCoy like #8?

elephino · 8 May 2002, 11:03 (Ref:280139)

asha, you're right on what I meant. And I have nothing wrong with designing interesting numbers to suit the design of the bike. Just make it legible. A couple of them, with the camera head on to the bike and it is large and clear in the picture, you still cannot read what number it is.

3M_chix · 10 May 2002, 05:31 (Ref:281486)

Quote:

Originally posted by Winther
The hourglass will tell you, think it is a great number.

Yeah, McCoy's number is kinda hard to read

~Sarah

asha · 11 May 2002, 10:29 (Ref:282458)

not that we get to see it much anyway!

steve nielsen · 12 May 2002, 07:41 (Ref:283035)

I think that they started a new championship, it used to be all 500cc's now it's motogp and there has'nt been a MotoGP WC yet.

racer69 · 13 May 2002, 07:10 (Ref:284619)

Still the same championship as a whole though.

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