Rossi to Ducati in '09 gathers steam.....

[osg]

Interesting....... he's doing himself no favours with Yamaha at the moment constantly putting stuff like this out there.

Make a decision Vale.... and stick with it.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/63868

Rossi ready to consider Ducati move

By Michele Lostia and Pablo Elizalde Friday, November 9th 2007, 11:20 GMT
http://www.autosport.com/images/upload/1192962242.jpgSeven-time champion Valentino Rossi is ready to consider a future outside Yamaha if next year's bike doesn't prove competitive enough.
The Italian rider struggled to match Ducati rival Casey Stoner's form this year, with the Australian going on to take 10 victories on his way to the title.
Rossi won just four races and finished in third place in the standings after retiring from the last race, where he needed just one point to secure the runner-up spot, with mechanical problems.
The Yamaha rider has a contract with his team until the end of next season, but Rossi admits he will consider his options if the new bike fails to impress him.
"Let's see how this devilish engine improves. If it improves then we can wait one more year," the Italian told Gazzetta dello Sport. "If there's nothing to do, amen. I have a good relationship with both, but I'd certainly like Ducati because they're Italian."
Rossi believes Stoner would have no problems partnering him at Ducati.
"I don't think he'd say no," Rossi said. "Maybe he'd like to fight with the same bike. OK, that's a big one..."
He added: "Stoner is not an overnight sensation, but to be the new Valentino he needs to win more, by fighting hard against Valentino and against Pedrosa too. In any case he won't be the new Valentino, he will be Stoner."
Rossi also reckons both Honda and Yamaha underestimated Ducati this year, with the Italian bike's engine showing it was a step ahead of its rivals.
"All the Japanese manufacturers have," he said. "Ducati have been intelligent and aggressive and they have worked better. We were competitive against Honda, but they have the money and the people to recover in a short time, something which Yamaha have lacked."
Rossi won the titles with Yamaha in 2004 and 2005, but has been beaten in the past two seasons. The Italian reckons Yamaha now need more resources in order to fight on top.
"Yamaha has never been the quickest bike but this year we were even 15-20 km/h slower," he said. "We have suffered from the reduction of fuel capacity: each time we tried to do something we broke down.
"If I want to win they must make some important changes. We need more capable people and more money."

[jim mcglinchey]

Rossi should ve made this move a year ago instead of renewing his contract with Yam for a third year. How can he call himself an Italaian and not leap at Ducati especially when Loris and Troy showed that they could win races.

[MrJan]

Ducati last year didn't look as if it'd be as strong as it has been though. Who knows maybe by being on the same tyres will bring him closer, if only because he'll know that he doesn't have that excuse to fall back on.

[jonny hurlock]

no change, he didn't went to ducati in 2004, because they are just the same as honda, care for the bike not the drivers. so, if it happens my name is max biaggi

[NinjaMaster]

Send 'im to D'Antin! :laugh: :devil:

[JETFX...]

KR will sort him out.... if hes that good? :rolleyes:

[ChrisS]

KR will sort him out.... if hes that good? :rolleyes:

not even God could ride that piece of **** that KR called a bike this season, the chassis was a mess and they got zero support from Honda all year. shame after their performance last season.

[leopard]

He must learn japanese culture that troubling them disappointly wouldn't make him easy to get a ride in any of them.

Japanese bikes are currently the biggest motogp participants, so riding and winning not in bike any of them wouldn't give the passion as strong as winning with them. Consequently we may not see the prestigious championship anymore.

Rossi wouldn't want to ride in a team identified win previously, it didn't give him any challenge.
I don't see it happens, repeat never!

Suzuki should be the next destination.

[JETFX...]

Oh come on Rossi could get that KR special sorted, after all its open season on choice of engines and tyres at KR that he could choose from! throw in a Ducati donk, Bridgestone tyres and a Roberts/Rossi brewed chassis and suspension and he should be able to lapem all hes that good dont you know...
Well anyway thats if he wants a challenge ;)

Rossi saying he will move to Ducati in 09 if things dont improve sounds to me like he is already admitting defeat in 08.... anyway why would Ducati pay three/four times as much $$ than they need to to achieve the same goal with Casey and Marco?

[john45]

I dont think so Rossi will move to Ducati..because my personal view if he won the title next year means he may stick with Yamaha again.

[leopard]

Rossi riding KR?

No problem if it could make people happy ;)

[leopard]

Where is everybody?

This might help this break the silence ...
Rossi pressures Ducati talk (http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/157063-0/rossi_raises_pressure_with_ducati_talk.html)

[Corny]

I keep my word: Valentino will retire from the sport in the end of 2008, if he's not going to be WC next year

[Wim_Impreza]

I think that too, Corny. After his MotoGP adventures, he would be more in rallying.

[Malbec]

I keep my word: Valentino will retire from the sport in the end of 2008, if he's not going to be WC next year

I think so too.

Ducati is going to suffer from the same problem Rossi is complaining of at Yamaha, that the team is too small to keep developing bikes fast enough to be the best and remain the best for season after season. No team is capable of doing that but obviously the closest by far is Honda, yet despite Rossi claiming he has good relations with people there we all know his chances of returning there are zero.

Rossi doesn't really need MotoGP anymore, he's won several championships and won with Yamaha to underline the fact that it wasn't just because he was riding the best bike all along.

[JETFX...]

I think so too.

Ducati is going to suffer from the same problem Rossi is complaining of at Yamaha, that the team is too small to keep developing bikes fast enough to be the best and remain the best for season after season. No team is capable of doing that but obviously the closest by far is Honda, yet despite Rossi claiming he has good relations with people there we all know his chances of returning there are zero.

Rossi doesn't really need MotoGP anymore, he's won several championships and won with Yamaha to underline the fact that it wasn't just because he was riding the best bike all along.

Wrong.... he won 95% because of having a HUGE tyre advantage with Michelin suppling him while at HRC and Yamaha 'Saturday Night' specials come race day, well at least up until 06 underlining of course just how important tyres are!

MotoGP does not need him actually anymore they now have Hor Hay to fill the clown roll :s mokin:

[Mach24]

Will Vinchenzo end up at Ducati?

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/15112007/58/rossi-moto-gp-future-doubt.html

[fatman]

The only reason this story is getting any coverage at all is because there is NOTHING else to talk about.

Once Rossi is out testing with everyone else focus will switch back to the tire talk. That said, if Rossi comes out kicking ass on the Bridgestones but still suffering from horse power the Ducati concept will become interesting again.

It is however pointless conversation because Rossi is signed with Yamaha and they are currently his only option until the foreseable future.

[fatman]

Wrong.... he won 95% because of having a HUGE tyre advantage with Michelin suppling him while at HRC and Yamaha 'Saturday Night' specials come race day, well at least up until 06 underlining of course just how important tyres are!

Where is this 'HUGE' 95% advantage coming from exactly ?

Rossi has never been the only guy on Michelin. Just like Casey was not the only Bridgestone shod Ducati rider this year.

I call complete BS on any notion that Casey had some 'HUGE' advantage this year and Michelin has had some 'HUGE' advantage in the past.

It is just how things are in the manufactering and development environment. When you are building prototypes everything is in a constant stage of evolution. Being further along in the evolutionary process does not mean you have a 'HUGE' advantage. It means you did a better job. period.

It's a shame Dunlop won't be around next year. Their evolutionary progress after jumping into MotoGP has been as progressive as Bridgestone. They could have only been 2 or 3 years away from a world championship.

[JETFX...]

Where is this 'HUGE' 95% advantage coming from exactly ?

Rossi has never been the only guy on Michelin. Just like Casey was not the only Bridgestone shod Ducati rider this year.

I call complete BS on any notion that Casey had some 'HUGE' advantage this year and Michelin has had some 'HUGE' advantage in the past.

It is just how things are in the manufactering and development environment. When you are building prototypes everything is in a constant stage of evolution. Being further along in the evolutionary process does not mean you have a 'HUGE' advantage. It means you did a better job. period.

It's a shame Dunlop won't be around next year. Their evolutionary progress after jumping into MotoGP has been as progressive as Bridgestone. They could have only been 2 or 3 years away from a world championship.

In a perfect world I would like to be able to agree with you... but unfortunetly the behind the scenes business and politics has little to do with fair play and more marketing and making $$$ Rossi/Yamaha and HRC have in the past received the full benefit of Michelin premium choice spec rubber in the past, its not like any great revelation there just has been part of the sport up till the recent 06 tyre rules changes ie 'no overnighters' the top teams and rider/s got special attention and the very best custom rubber made for them alone for the given tracks conditions on any given weekend, that equals a HUGE advantage till the rules changed and levelled the playing field rubber wise more or less...

I agree 100% with you that in 07 Casey this year earnt the championship simply because he and his team were by far the best and after all he was not the only one on BS either and Michelin still came 2nd 3 rd right!! so wheres the huge advantage in 07??? it aint the rubber OR the Ducati it was the rider without any doubt whatsoever.

Try asking the Rossi die hards that still vainly attempt to put down Caseys and Ducatis efforts just why he was so much quicker than the other Ducati and BS riders this year and be prepared to watch the endless tumble weeds blowing down the desolate and dusty windy streets while waiting for any sort of serious response :rolleyes:

[Mach24]

Its quiet a futile discussion the whole Rossi and Ducati thing.

Rossi is signed to Yamaha for another year and that is his current focus.

I think Valentino has put the Ducati concept out there to simply improve his worth.

In my previous post Rossi himself is now saying he will finish his career at Yamaha.

Perhaps being the only Yamaha on Bridgestone may well just end his career for him.

V.Rossi is a Champion to be admired, he is skillful, gifted, tough, energetic and a performer.

[JETFX...]

Hmmm not sure what to make of this latest news :dozey:

Casey Stoner is obviously doing Valentino Rossi's head in. First the seven-time champion followed Stoner in a switch from Michelin to Bridgestone tyres for 2008, then he said he would consider a jump to Ducati if next year's Yamaha doesn't prove fast enough. Now Rossi says he might give the whole game away if things don't improve.

"At the moment I really don't know how long I will stay in MotoGP," the Italian told the German magazine Auto Bild Motorsport. "A lot depends on how competitive we [Yamaha] are next year."

Stoner and his Ducati won 10 races this year on their merry way to the world title. The Italian won just four races and finished in third place in the championship after some reliability woes. Rossi's Yamaha deal runs until the end of 2008. "Yamaha has never been the quickest bike but this year we were even 15-20 kmh slower," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

[leopard]

Its quiet a futile discussion the whole Rossi and Ducati thing.

Rossi is signed to Yamaha for another year and that is his current focus.

I think Valentino has put the Ducati concept out there to simply improve his worth.

In my previous post Rossi himself is now saying he will finish his career at Yamaha.

Perhaps being the only Yamaha on Bridgestone may well just end his career for him.

V.Rossi is a Champion to be admired, he is skillful, gifted, tough, energetic and a performer.

Sure, he has better know-how than us about motogp. :)