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Betting wise, he had odds 50.00. He started from the 8th place on the grid, and he was never expected to break the Top 3. But odds never tell the whole story – he was number #46! Last year he showed he can still compete at the highest level, but to win in this situation? Insane.

Valentino Rossi took a breathtaking win in the Qatar 2015 opening Moto GP round at Losail, downing rivals Marquez, Lorenzo and Pedrosa for his 83th premmier class win – and a chance for a 10th Championship title, 8th in the premier class. He won it in vintage fashion, breaking down every expert analysis, talks of retirement and all expectations.

And he won it in style. The same style that made him the most popular rider in Moto GP history. Taking off from 8th on the grid, he dropped to 10th, but consistently made his way up the grid over Honda and Yamaha rivals, only to battle it out with the new and strong force of Ducati – a battle which he won, courtesy of some brilliant racing to fend off the speed of the Italian manufacturer. He leads the line right now, he is first in the standings. What`s to come?

You talk Giacomo Agostini, you talk Mick Doohan, you talk Valentino Rossi when you talk about the GOAT. You talk guys like John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Eddie Lawson or Casey Stoner. These guys are established as absolute Top 10 riders in racing history. Still, there is not one person who can say one is better than the other. Oh, the spectacular racing style of Rossi must make him the best ever, the GOAT, but that is only from a fans’ perspective. Or is it? How about reality? How about the true facts that makes one better than the other?

Similar to tennis, formula 1 or even football, the gap between generations and, in this case, racing rules, will always generate a reason fore debate. However, if Valentino Rossi wins his 10th overall championship and his 8th Moto GP crown, he should be regarded as the best rider to ever take the circuit. Why?

Because winning over different generations is a difference maker !

Giacomo Agostini dominated with unprecedented authority in 1968-1975, Mick Doohan was untouchable in his glory years and Casey Stoners’s skill proved you can win with an inferior bike if you are one of the best ever. But Rossi is competing since 2000 at the top class and killed himself in the glory years by taking on the Ducati dream, which proved to be just that – a dream, with the Italian manufacturer unable to provide a competitive bike.

Moto GP Class number of championships (as of March 2015):

Giacomo Agostini: 8
Valentino Rossi: 7
Michael Doohan: 5

Rossi utterly dominated his early years on his Honda against the likes of Max Biaggi and Loris Capirossi and defeated Jorge Lorenzo on a Yamaha. Should he rise (at 36 years old) above top form riders like Lorenzo or Pedrosa, should he rise over an emerging open class Ducati and a young Marc Marquez, that will be an unprecented feat. To defeat an established and hungry Marc Marquez, a rider that has a perfect bike and will end up being in the ‘best ever conversation’, would be Valentino Rossi’s final statement.

A statement that could not be contested. Ever.