Rossi Moving to Ducati for the Challenge Not Money
Valentino Rossi has debunked claims that he is moving to Ducati next year simply for the money. Speaking on his motivations for the move he noted the challenge of starting a new chapter in his career and the retirement of Yamaha MotoGP head Masao Furusawa as major factors.
Rossi forged a winning partnership with Furusawa to turn the disappointing Yamaha M1 of 2003 into a race and championship winner. With the Japanese retiring, Valentino sees his work at Yamaha as being complete and he is looking forward to a new challenge.
“First, at the end of this season, Masao Furusawa retires, and stops work. So for me, it was important. These seven years Furusawa was always the No. 1 of Yamaha. So without him, I don’t know what will happen. So for this I was quite worried. “I have the feeling that my work here in Yamaha is finished,” he added. … “So it looks like for me here, the time is finished, you know? So I need a new adventure, some new experience, but especially a new motivation. So, I decided for Ducati.”
Rossi clearly see the potential to create a new partnership with Ducati General Manager Filippo Preziosi. A year ago, Rossi called the ‘father’ of the Ducati Desmosedici a phenomenal person and also stated that he was sure that he could tame the Ducati if he could set it up the way he likes, but wouldn’t want to leave Jeremy Burgess and the rest of his team after ten years of challenges and so may wins.
“So, I think that, I always speak with Filippo Preziosi, and I see in him the similar behaviour that I saw in Furusawa in 2004. “He wants me and he trusts in me and he thinks that together we can improve the Ducati, so I’m curious. I think this year the bike become a little bit easier to ride, but I think we can modify the bike like we want.”
It turns out that money was not a factor since Yamaha was offering essentially the same package as he will receive at Ducati.
“I heard somewhere that it is a money choice, but I want to say that this is not true, because the money I will take from Ducati is exactly the same money as Yamaha offered,” he said. “So there is no difference, zero difference. It means also PR days and days of work outside the grand prix and work into the weekend, all these things.”
link: The Guardian
Ducati News Today believes that Rossi wishes to supplant the achievements of his hero ‘Giacomo Agostini’ on an Italian machine in addition to removing himself from identical machinery to the only current challenger to his hegemony, current series leader and team mate, Jorge Lorenzo. Rossi’s crew chief Jeremy Burgess is expected to join him at Ducati although this announcement has yet to be made.
If you liked this post please consider becoming a Fan of Ducati News Today on Facebook and Following us on Twitter.
Want More?
Read More Posts on Valentino Rossi
Read More Posts on the Ducati Desmosedici
Try These Related Posts:
