Rossi's best time is 2.427s slower than Pedrosa at Sepang which is a whole second bigger gap than testing at the beginning of the year with a still healing shoulder.
Even if you discount Pedrosa's time and go with the rest of the Hondas he's still 0.3 worse off.
I don't mean he's going faster or slower: looking at the gap between Rossi, the Ducati and the rest the gap is getting bigger or at the very least its not getting smaller.
With all the modifications he has pushed Ducati into including copying the Yam frame and swing arm my feeling is he's starting to look and sound like a much more talented Tony Elias who went through the season saying 'when I won a gp my bike was like this'. Substitute Elias for Rossi and World Championships for gp and you get the drift.

I'm not trying to do Rossi down: what he has achieved has been amazing and he has brought us some of THE moments in motorcycle racing of all time but, and here's the question: Is it time for Rossi to hang up his leathers before he damages his reputation too much or can he, Burgess and Ducati still turn this around?

Like I've read, " Rossi didn't un-learned how to ride a bike..."

Maybe a suzuki or kawaski would have been a better choice to make a winner...

Let's see over the winter what's the progress.

But one thing is sure: a year of devolopment from Rossi/Burgees in the ducati as moved very little in front. And a Winter @ yamaha made a race winning bike

Rossi has lost all confidence in the Ducati I could see it at Phillip Island.
Rossi needs a bike that will suit him rather than adapt like Stoner does, put him back on a Yamaha and I`m sure he would be in the mix.
If Ducati come back next year with a bike that has half a decent front we should see the GOAT with some wins.

Gone Off A Tad?