Is there no end to the effect that the Valentino Rossi-Ducati partnership will have on the world of the MotoGP? In rumours coming from London, it is said that Dorna could sell the MotoGP championship as it looks to cash in on the Rossi-Ducati partnership in the twilight years of the biggest drawing card the championship has ever seen - the career of the champion Italian rider.

The rumours state that Dorna, owned by Bridgepoint financier group, could look to sell the MotoGP series in the first half of next year after a four-year ownership of the sport. It originally acquired the MotoGP from CVC group for a sum reportedly around 450 million euros. The CVC group now owns the Formula 1 racing series.

In some ways, while the news seems almost unbelievable, if there were to be any sale it would make sense for it to happen in the near future: after the introduction of the Moto2 and Moto3 classes and the move to 1000cc engines from 2012. Incredibly though, one of the main reasons cited for the possible sale is that Dorna could profit handsomely from the new Rossi-Ducati team by selling now, making a healthy sale and whoever the new owners might be will be left with a couple of years of Rossi still on the grid, before the sport comes to a slight halt (if the tone of the reports is to be credited).

Continue reading: Valentino Rossi in Ducati to cause Dorna to sell MotoGP?

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The Italians were beside themselves over the MotoGP Valencia tests this week as Valentino Rossi took to the track for the first time on the Ducati GP11. But after a relatively positive first day, the second day of testing turned into a mini-nightmare for the Desmosedici and its new rider. After seemingly battling front-end problems, Rossi came in 15th in test times, well behind riders with much less illustrious histories.

Many sideliners have weighed into the debate expressing not just disappointment, but serious concerns for 2011 and Rossi’s first year on the Ducati. Rossi himself can’t make any official comment which is okay with us as we’d be more interested to hear the unofficial stuff, anyway. We can imagine that Valentino would have preferred to start with a “bella figura” (good impression) but is the former world champion going to be as concerned as his fans and Ducati management? Rossi is considered one of the best bike developers on the paddock, with plenty of experience and even a few difficult moments years ago when he first starting working on the Yamaha M1.

It’s perhaps not unreasonable to expect a decent performance from Rossi next year given his calibre, but we’re pretty convinced that Ducati didn’t take him on to win a championship in his first year. It’s hard to know what the long-term vision would have been for Ducati, though. Rossi has stated he was ready to move on from Yamaha, to new challenges next year and we’re inclined to believe him (along with some contributing factors from Yamaha and an upstart teammate who just took out this year’s championship).

Continue reading: After the hype: the Ducati GP11 to become Rossi's new M1?

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I’m not always a believer in running off to ask the opinions of everyone who’s ever been on a bike what they think of Valentino Rossi’s move to Ducati, but this time round, Max Biaggi could offer an interesting insight. While the excitement in Italy of Rossi’s move to Ducati reached fever pitch, not every Italian loves the MotoGP rider. Rossi in rosso was great for those who wanted to see two Italian icons united, but for those who are Rossi detractors it was an example of his greed, ego and desire to keep his number one position, at least in popularity stakes.

Erroneous judgements or not, Rossi’s stated reasons for moving to Ducati are all about new adventures in the twilight years of his career and while he didn’t specifically mention anything about Yamaha and Jorge Lorenzo, we all know that he has felt a little betrayed by them. But times change and here is Max Biaggi to the rescue of Rossi’s reputation, saying that it was the right decision to have made.

Max Biaggi is the rider every Italian loves to hate but there’s no denying that in the saddle of his Aprilia, he has achieved great things this year. The Italians didn’t need to wait for Rossi to move to Ducati to see an Italian on a local bike winning races. At the presentation of the new Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200 and the Moto Guzzi V7 Racer (more on that later), Max Biaggi has said the championship is not in the bag yet, but they’re hoping to win in front of a home crowd at Imola. And on Valentino Rossi, Biaggi said:

Continue reading: Max Biaggi on Rossi's move to Ducati

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It’s no news that Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo don’t really get along but to hear Lorenzo openly acknowledge this, saying that relations between them are ‘not good’ is probably just part of the PR fallout we’ll see if/when Rossi moves to Ducati. The acknowledgement in so many words comes from a quick chat that Lorenzo had with the Autoblog.com crew at this weekend’s Laguna Seca MotoGP, and to proves to us many of the underlying feelings that surround the Spanish rider which we first looked at in our end of Rossi era post.

So where to from here? We imagine that Lorenzo will be quite relieved when Rossi moves to Ducati, and although he’ll still have the world champion as a rival on track, at least that rivalry won’t be extended to his own box (with in-team competition separated by a wall). Lorenzo also confirmed that Ben Spies is the most likely replacement for Valentino in the Fiat Yamaha squad, which itself will probably have a different sponsor starting from next year if Rossi goes.

During the said PR fallout, Lorenzo should be able to prove his real character and we’re hoping to see elegance and grace in accepting a new teammate and hopefully not continuing the arrogance towards a teammate we have sometimes seen from Rossi. Most sports stars have delicate egos but just how well they mask that or manage it is often a mark of their superiority. Apart from winning this year’s championship, Lorenzo will be required to step up to the plate and become Yamaha’s new benchmark.

The team will also have to capitalise on the talent of its new rider Ben Spies, which should prove an easier task if favourite Rossi is no longer on the scene. We’re all eyes and ears and can’t wait to see how Lorenzo conducts himself, how competitive Ben Spies will be and just what next season will bring. And that’s not mentioning what Rossi’s achievements, beyond PR world domination, will be in red over at Ducati.

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With our behind the scenes MotoGP experience talk was that Fiat would no longer sponsor Yamaha Racing if Valentino Rossi were to move to Ducati. We already mentioned what that indicates about their sponsorship agreement and aspirations - that Fiat was sponsoring a rider, not a team. While it’s a good fit in some ways that an Italian car manufacturer should sponsor an Italian sports star, it’s interesting to see that it’s all over for Fiat despite sponsoring what is still a winning team with Jorge Lorenzo at the helm.

There was talk that Fiat would like to follow Rossi wherever he goes, but we could never see them muscling in on Marlboro’s act. So now that Rossi is possibly off to Ducati (with an announcement likely to be made at Brno), that would see Fiat’s departure from the Yamaha team. While Fiat could form part of the near all-Italian sponsorship network at Ducati, it’s unlikely that it would ever be main sponsor, in the near future anyway. It just shows us Rossi’s marketing pull is infinite.

According to rumours, Yamaha Racing managing director Lin Jarvis has had meetings with Spanish telecommunications company, Telefonica, over a possible sponsorship agreement. Telefonica previously left the MotoGP sponsorship team back in 2005 after sponsoring Team Honda Gresini (Sete Gibernau in the photo above). If it’s true that Telefonica will be Yamaha’s sponsor we could see the racing team go from being Little Italy to Little Spain.

Source | AS.com via Motoblog

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The Italian press is reporting that in exchange for a delayed announcement this season of Valentino Rossi’s move to Ducati, the Italian rider would get to test the Ducati GP10 bike at the Valencia MotoGP round, despite this not being in his contract. The announcement of Rossi to Ducati is expected to take place on August 16, the day after the Brno MotoGP race, leaving the Italians to at least enjoy their Ferragosto holiday in peace. Sort of.

The Yamaha-Rossi-Ducati discussion has become a national passtime in Italy, but this time reports come from Italy’s daily (and respected) Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper. Italians are beyond excited about the possibility (fast becoming probability) that their beloved Vale will move to Ducati. While not always a particularly loyal nation to concepts of patriotism, the success of Valentino Rossi was always at the expense of another Italian icon - the Ducati Desmosedici.

Some of the details of the Rossi-Ducati contract that have already been rumoured include a 12 million euro contract a year for two years with Vale spearheading most of Ducati’s promotional activities and efforts. According to the Gazzetta, Yamaha didn’t want a Rossi to Ducati announcement at Laguna Seca because the US is one of its key markets. Therefore the deal to let Rossi try out the GP10.

In the meantime Rossi has said he wants a podium spot at Laguna Seca and frankly, after the Sachsenring MotoGP, he’s proved he’s more than capable of it.

Source | La Gazzetta

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Over our days of behind the scenes at the MotoGP Silverstone and Assen rounds, we had multiple opportunities to observe Jorge Lorenzo and mix with the guys from the Fiat Yamaha team, which is missing Valentino Rossi as if he were of their own flesh and blood. While it’s true that without the Doctor, whether for injury or whether for the rumours of Rossi to Ducati, the future of the team hangs in the balance. Indeed, looking at the television statistics for the MotoGP from Italy, the entire sport is suffering without its most charismatic presence.

While I think Rossi’s timeout and his injury is very good practice for the MotoGP and for Yamaha, in terms of a future retirement of the rider, I had not expected this drastic a fallout. There is a sense of pending dread over the paddock without Rossi, and in general among the fans and spectators, the reason for following the MotoGP has been suddenly removed.

During in our interview with Wilco Zeelenberg, the teammanager didn’t answer our question about whether Jorge Lorenzo could have had his success so far this season if Rossi had still been on the scene. We can only imagine how it must be for the Spanish rider - finally your time comes and no-one cares. What’s more, many believe you couldn’t have been at the top without your teammate being removed through injury.

Continue reading: The Valentino effect and Jorge Lorenzo: the Rossi era over for Yamaha?

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I had heard myself from our behind the scenes at the MotoGP Assen from a member of the Fiat Yamaha team that Valentino Rossi would be announcing a stay or go decision with Yamaha at Barcelona this coming weekend. According to MCN, however, the announcement will be more go than stay, with Rossi in red in 2011.

Hardly a “shock deal with Ducati” after all the rumours, we’re by now unsurprised by the news. In fact, we’ll be more surprised if Rossi decides to stay with Yamaha and although the Doctor often enjoys playing the least suspected hand, it will be difficult on this occasion. According to the reports, Rossi is moving due to disputes over his contract with Yamaha and his refusal to continue riding with Jorge Lorenzo as his team-mate.

The same figure of 15 million euros, which we’ve mentioned in our Rossi to Ducati rumours, has been nominated and a MotoGP anonymous insider has been quoted as saying:

“I know for sure that Rossi will go to Ducati next season. The deal has been done. One month ago it seemed impossible to imagine this, but Rossi will be in red next year.”

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As the Rossi to Ducati rumours really take off, the Italian press is reporting that Ducati will cut its SBK team to acquire the world champion Italian rider. If Valentino Rossi moves to Ducati it will be under a Marlboro contract and to finance the move, a total re-organisation of Ducati Corse would take place in which the superbike team would be scratched.

With money tight and motorsports looking to cut costs, Ducati’s move to kill its historic superbike team could be motivated by other than its desire to purchase Rossi, although the move provides a neat excuse. If Ducati were to take this drastic decision, it would also find itself with a whole lot of new money in its coffers - something other teams either can’t or would be unwilling to do.

The rumours of Rossi to Ducati are more persistant every day and if the Italian rider is looking for big money somewhere, he won’t find it at Yamaha despite his repeated desire to remain with the team and finish his career there. As reported by MotoMatters, Rossi was looking at a salary cut which he was apparently comfortable with, until that cut meant financing Jorge Lorenzo’s new contract.

Continue reading: Ducati to kill SBK for Valentino Rossi contract?

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When you don’t have an orange media vest to guarantee you access to all the secrets of the MotoGP paddock, you have to keep your eyes and ears open for news coming from the sources closest to the sources who are stirring the pot, particularly on the Valentino Rossi and Ducati rumours. And that’s how we can now share with you some juicy information, purely from the rumourmill so take it or leave it as pure gossip or rock solid news.

Firstly, the less curious news. It’s said that Marco Melandri, will move from the San Carlo Honda Gresini team to the superbike series to ride with BMW. Another Italian rider, Loris Capirossi, instead of retiring, looks to be making a move to the Pramac Racing team instead. The cynical or smart comment on that is that Capirossi will make some money before he does decide to retire and heck - wouldn’t we all in his position?

According to the paddock gossip, Aprilia could enter the MotoGP in 2012, in the context of the move back to 1000cc bikes. In what has so far been an exciting and successful year for the Italian motorcycle company in superbike, this could be a shake-up for other teams and would introduce a new element into the MotoGP. We’re not overly surpised by this possible fact, but it is certainly a tantalising prospect. Finally to Rossi and the Ducati rumour:

Continue reading: MotoGP gossip from the paddock: Rossi to Ducati with F1 gig, Aprilia in MotoGP

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With Valentino Rossi repeatedly saying he intends to remain with Yamaha, and Furusawa saying that keeping Rossi is a priority, you might wonder why the rumours of Rossi moving to Ducati are so persistent. It seems that the 2010 MotoGP season will be dominated by gossip and talk of rider contracts, rather than focusing on races, with Casey Stoner set to move to Honda and Jorge Lorenzo said to be looking at Honda or Ducati for a move, too.

We’re only halfway through May, after two races, and the MotoGP is already looking like the big business, moneyed machine it is. Luckily most of the great riders out there are doing their thing on the track and we could still be in for a good season, especially if the Rossi-Yamaha partnership continues. It’s a relationship that goes beyond just the success of a world title or two, and gets to the core of what real camarederie and shared philosophy is in sport.

As Furusawa says, the priority is to keep Rossi:

“I need both riders and soon we have to decide. I would like to keep both of them but this depends on the decision of the riders. To be honest my priority is to keep Valentino more than Jorge. Valentino came to Yamaha in 2004 and he contributed a lot to us.

Continue reading: Yamaha prefers Rossi to Lorenzo: Ducati gets what's coming to them?

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