sorry for the long post but this is the translation of the original italian interview:
(If you don't read all of it - read the last two paragraphs...)
The performance of Valentino Rossi and his Ducati during the Grand Prix of Qatar, with a tenth place finish in the Italian race, over 33 seconds behind the winner, it will not go down in history as a simple story, but will become a turning point in the successful pilot run of nine times world champion.
Valentino's statements after the race are, in fact, the beginning of the end, the 'demand' divorce by the pilot, who does not see Ducati and able to make a bike to your taste and needs, not to be champion but to fight for a career and be, from time to time on the podium. Valentino is not able to resist, mentally, seventeen great prizes without a competitive bike. "I will not play the sixth to life," he said, referring to the performance of his teammate, Nicky Hayden, who apparently risked himself to get that position.
Valentino, for the first time in his career, is failing two basic components in order to remain competitive pilot: the enthusiasm and motivation. . Still maintaining the illusion and motivation ?, We asked directly after qualifying on Saturday. "Yes, yes, it has been a disappointment so far back end," he said, noting he did not understand the question. Yes I understood it perfectly, but would not answer, he knows more than anyone else that would recognize that it has dropped the arms, which has surrendered. And that is not his style, does not suit his character.
Valentino does not want to run more with the Ducati GP12 aluminum chassis asked to build. " Ducati do not follow my directions," he argues. "The fault is ours alone, Valentino has nothing to do", says Filippo Preziosi, the father of the Desmosedici, trying to take the blame. No matter whose fault it is, that is secondary. The important thing is that with this bike Valentino knows he can not be competitive, you will spend the season doing what he did in Qatar and that he, of course, is not willing to go through that.
Valentino, according to your wishes and directions, has already started preparing for the 2013 season, after completing his term with Ducati will not follow in any way. The first option, and which are already working, and there have been contacts through the Tech 3 Yamaha team. On Dec. 31 all the drivers that might have some involvement in decision making just contract. Valentino has his eye on the Italian satellite Yamaha knows that, at least start to the season, the Tech 3 have the same bike in the Yamaha factory team, and that it would be better to start the season on equal terms. For the team it would be no problem, a simple change of pilots and also Italian Italian. Valentino's salary would come from the sponsors that he would provide, including Monster, which is the personal sponsor of the pilot and is also the team. Also, right now for priority Valentino is back to winning races to make money, you would pull equally by media and advertising.
The only problem with this operation is clearly the position taken in this regard Yamaha., the owner of Tech 3, buy the bikes from the factory, but under special conditions, and always under the supervision of the official team, with regard to tests and developments. From outside one can think that Jorge Lorenzo could not fault the signing of Rossi on the Yamaha satellite team, an impression that is completely opposite of what George thinks. Lorenzo knows that with a Yamaha and won in 2010 and with the same bike you have, the more or less controlled. In addition, Valentino is a personal friend of the late superjefe Yamaha racing, Masao Furusawa, and their relationship with the factory Nippon end well, unlike Honda, which he left, slamming the door.
Another option is to buy Valentino arises directly, a Yamaha and mount its own structure, but that would conflict with the policy of the factory, have only one official and one satellite team with two bikes, four in total.. He has spoken and rumored that Coca Cola could be back to pay off the bike, but it is very complicated, because the brand of cola has a policy of sponsoring competitions, not individual athletes or teams. This type of sponsorship (some South American soccer teams are Coca Cola on their shirts) can do some local distributors, but they are small amounts, and we are talking about an operation of more than 15 million euros, only available to the plant, it has no interest in entering into this transaction.
Divorce and Phillip Morris
Linked with Ducati until 30 December, the pilot and gives up the year and would be willing to not run, terminating the contract with his current team and wait until 2013 to return to the world. At this point there could be an entente between the two parties. Ducati is a factory and its mission is simply to sell motorcycles, Ducati Corse division is a department within the factory, and now are not clear in Bologna if the image of Rossi ending at 33 seconds of the first and speaking ill Ducati is a good 'slogan' to sell bikes.
. In addition, the factory, with 800 million euros of losses, is on sale and Audi, the car manufacturer Volkswagen Group wants to buy assuming the debts, is auditing the numbers, so you can not increase debt or make trades threatening the sale, the only way to save the factory. As an example, a few weeks ago, a team-client Ducati saw him running a guarantee of 1.5 million euros against a default of 200,000, something that never happened despite repeated delays on the part of that team in payments to the factory. The issue was always resolved with a couple of calls and paying a little later ... This time, under the scrutiny of auditors Ducati Audi and executed the guarantee, leaving the MotoGP team in a rather delicate situation.
Until now Ducati's livelihood came from his sponsor, Phillip Morris, who first put the money to pay Rossi and develop new bikes, like the GP12 GP11.1 or now, but Ducati is not viable, after running a single career, re-order your sponsor money for a new bike.
Meanwhile, Rossi gives a bit as if it is right or wrong with Ducati, the subject already gives up. His concern is to get along with Phillip Morris. The Italian knows the power that has the tobacco and that if the French could be reprisals important. That's why before announcing the final divorce, wants to talk to the maker of snuff and clarify the positions, even inviting him to participate in his next project with the Tech 3 Yamaha. Only if Phillip Morris gives his approval, Rossi negotiated the termination of the contract.
It will not end the season
Valentino does not want to keep running with Ducati, the decision is made, there is no feeling between him and the factory, including Preziosi and Jeremy Burgess, communication is poor and Rossi knows that neither the new Bridgestone tires and a new possible evolution of the bike made at the discretion of the factory, not the pilot and his technical team, will enable it to be competitive and win races. So it's only a matter of time to mature the subject, if in Jerez and Estoril is repeated in Qatar, the mutual interest at the end will come to a good divorce, Ducati would save the salary of Valentino and the bad image while the pilot would save a fateful new year, and could be spent on preparing the 2013 and running while any rally or race car is so fond, staying in the limelight.
In Dorna are aware of all I have assumed that Valentino is not going to finish the season, but hope to return next year with a winning project and you do well other than a Ducati, who will not accept the limitation of revolutions in their engines, which will enter into force as of next season, jeopardizing the future of the brand of Borgo Panigale in MotoGP.
