Will we see Rossi on a Ducati Superbike Next Year?
If it wasn’t exciting enough that Valentino Rossi will be racing in red next year on board the Ducati Desmosedici GP11, there is something even more tantalizing. World Superbikes. There are few fans who wouldn’t like to see Rossi on board a Superbike finally pitting the best MotoGP roadracer against the cut and thrust of World Supers. Incredible as it seems, we may just see Rossi make a wild card appearance on a factory Ducati 1198R.
The Rossi to Ducati story has basically snuffed out most other racing news but there is other news and some of it involves Vale himself. Part of his workup to return very early to MotoGP competition after suffering a compound fracture of his tibia and fibula was to twice test a World Superbike Yamaha R1. The reason for this was a pragmatic one. He wanted to assess his capabilities on a racing motorcycle and testing his M1 was not allowed.
During his final test before returning to competition he rode James Toseland’s factory R1 the day after the Brno round of the World Superbike Championship and turned in times under Cal Crutchlow’s race lap record on the same bike……with a broken leg.
Add that performance to his public comments about wanting to race a Superbike that he reiterated shortly after the test and it is clear the Italian would like to have a go.
“Make some races in Superbike is more interesting,” Rossi told reporters. “I want to try it, also at the beginning of last year, I wanted to try.” Rossi hoped it was a goal he could realize at some point. “Maybe in the future I will have the chance to do some races in Superbike,” the Italian said, but he emphasized that he did not want to race the whole season. “Just one race,” Rossi said.
link: MotoMatters
Rossi has raced a Superbike before albeit a factory Honda VTR1000SP-W in endurance spec for the 2001 Suzuka 8 hour race. Then teamed up with reigning World Superbike champion, Colin Edwards (himself linked to a possible Ducati Superbike ride next year), Rossi who had no experience on the Honda nevertheless lapped faster than the American. The pair won the race.
The most obvious single wild card performance would be at Misano. Rossi lives nearby and often spectates at the World Superbike round. Critically it is also a MotoGP round and Rossi has taken victory there in the last two years. Anyone else want to see Rossi on a Ducati Superbike? As enticing as this scenario may be, the reality is that his number one job will be to win on the Desmosedici GP11 and it may not be something Ducati wants to entertain in 2011 especially since the announcement of their withdrawal from factory participation in the series. But in 2012, with a brand new Superbike - I’d bet money on it. He probably had it put into his contract!
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