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

[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

[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 mokin:

[Mach24]

Will Vinchenzo end up at Ducati?

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/151120...ure-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