Divided loyalty

As my profile description mentions, I am an avid sofa based follower of the sport that is MotoGP. What is perhaps not clear is that I am fairly partisan in terms of who I support. Due to my history of owning motorcycles made by Yamaha, I have gravitated to following the exploits of the various teams within the championship supplied or run by the company.

Now you might be thinking what's all this got to do with divided loyalty so I'd better give you some background.

In most of the recent years, it has been easy to follow the manufacturer and end up supporting one rider but this year, and more specifically in the latter part of the season, it has become mathematically impossible for anyone other than a Yamaha rider to win the Riders Championship - the one most of the headlines are based on.

So who do I choose to support? Is it Valentino Rossi, currently the oldest and most successful rider on the grid or Jorge Lorenzo his younger team mate? A dilemma indeed.

Valentino Rossi (46) chases Jorge Lorenzo (99) at Philip Island, Australia

Of course, Vale (Rossi) is perhaps rightfully known not only as 'The Doctor' but as the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) because his exploits in terms of the sheer number of races and titles won are second to very few and nobody in the current era. Add in the fact that his character, passion and showmanship have endeared him to vast crowds around the world and it's easy to get on board and make him your favourite. You can't help but admire his determination to win a 10th title at the ripe old, in racing terms, age of 36 nor his infectious passion for the sport and the battle with the younger riders.

On the other side of the Yamaha garage is a man more difficult to like. Someone who shows his passion in other ways, who perhaps rubs some people up the wrong way, had a reputation for being a bit susceptible to failing under pressure but on a race track in wet or dry conditions has an almost unbelievable level of concentration and focus allowing him to lap time after time at a faster pace than almost any of the other previous championship contenders.

As a true Brit I'm tempted to go with the underdog in this, which at the time of writing is Jorge due to his points deficit, but I almost feel disloyal to Vale by doing so.

I can't make my mind up but I know I will enjoy the battle especially if it goes down to the wire in the last race of the season.

Who would you choose?