IMAGINE for a moment: You're the world's most famous motorcycle racer, you're earning around £2m a month in salary and sponsorship deals - money that's piled up thanks to your hugely successful career.
Now that success has ground to a halt but you have more money than you know what to do with but it isn't the money you crave, it's the success.
You've taken on a huge challenge at Ducati that, as yet, hasn't yielded the results you, your team, Ducati and your fans were expecting. People gave you a year's grace, but a win still eludes you, despite the results starting to come good in 2012.
What do you do next?
Do you risk your reputation as a demi-god and stick with your Ducati for 2013 trusting that you'll catch-up with Honda and Yamaha. Afterall, if you win a world championship on the Ducati, you'll be the Greatest Rider of All Time; the GOAT. Many already think you are but is your quest to win a championship with three different manufacturers starting to eat into your reputation?
Honda have already stated they'd lease you factory bike to run in a satellite team in 2013. Do you take this option and back yourself to beat Dani Pedrosa and Marc Márquez on the factory bikes, knowing you won't have Casey Stoner to contend with? Will a factory-backed Honda run by your faithful crew be good enough to beat Lorenzo on the Yamaha?
Or do you head to the world of four wheels, where you could join the likes of John Surtees and Mike Hailwood and become one of the few motorcycle racers to make their mark. Already showing promise in GT racing, there's a huge world out there, including endurance races like the Le Mans 24-hours, DTM, NASCAR, WRC..
Or would you switch to World Superbikes and re-ignite that old rivalry with Max Biaggi and set your sights on becoming the only rider to win at the top-flight of MotoGP and WSB?
You're Valentino Rossi - what would you do next?
