Talkback: Rossi: 'Audi has ambitious plan for me'

Ring Ring....

Hello Furasawa San ...this is Audi calling !

I wonder what type of free cars Rossi is going to park next to his Ferrari collection.

If Audi actually do what they SAY they're going to do, then, to be brutally honest, he's better staying put. BUT and it's a VERY big but, will Ducati actually listen to what he and JB have actually been telling them? Or are they just going to ignore a 9 time world champ and his crew chief when they say they know how to sort it out?

I still think if they've not pulled their sodding fingers out and got something for Laguna, then he'll walk.

Pagik, I think you are correct that Rossi will be better staying put. I do however think you might about wrong about him walking at Laguna.

Audi will sort it, but they will not do a rush job as the Germans don't believe in half a job. They will gather data, and take a six sigma approach to the problem - it will take longer, but the changes will be effective.

Just look what they have done in the Le Mans 24 hour, 10 wins in 12 years.

I don't think he'll walk AT Laguna mate. I think he'll walk at theend of the season if nothing improves BY Laguna.

No doubt Audi will get it sorted, but, cars is a very different game to bikes. They'll do a very methodical and above all German approach. But it just remains to be seen whether Ducati Corse, and in particular Presiozi actually listens to what he's being told. Because he's not for the last 8 odd years from what I can tell.

I think it's last chance saloon really. What I hope is that Audi, and the contract backed to Valentino has a clause that states they'll technically follow his, and his crews direction, anything else and he has the freedom to walk midseason.

In all honesty, this should have been sorted a LONG time ago. At present, MotoGP is about making a bike that can go as fast as possible on THE spec tyre.

The bike doesn't exploit the qualities of the tyre, not does it exploit the qualities and skills that most the riders possess.

IF the attitude towards riders in Corse changes, and lets face it, that's exactly what it needs now, then they might be able to start challenging near the front.

No one wins a championship by luck, but several unlikely events can line up to help. In 2007 Ducati only won that championship because they hired Casey, and he wasn't even at the top of their list. Casey without doubt deserved it that year. Ducati (look at where his teammate came) perhaps didn't deserve it as much.

They've 10 world GP titles between their current Factory rider lineup, and they've 15+ with Burgess at the helm, the guys know how to win, they just need the tools.

I think the best thing Audi can do is 1) make budget available 2) Tell Big Phil/The Ducati board to allow 100% direction from the race team and 3) perhaps assist in engine/electronics where possible - this is something they have vast experience in, some of this can be translated to bikes.

I'd agree with Pagik as well, words are fine, but if Rossi doesn't see actual action, then I think that's it.

By Laguna, I'd expect the direction of the bike to start going in a direction that allows Rossi to ride how he rides, once they start in that direction, I think he'll be ok.

Yeah mate, it really is last chance now. For both sides. I get the feeling Audi bosses need to grab the pair of them by the scruff on the neck, frogmarch both the crew and the Ducati Corse crew into an office and sit them all down and give them a bloody good talking to.

I'm a huge VR fan, so it's natural I'm gonna come down on his side of the fence. Burgess said a long time ago the problem with Ducati is that they focus on the successes, not the failures. This has been proved right, with the amount of top class riders that have all been told "it's them".

Anyway, we'll see.

Yep agreed about dragging them all into a room, maybe before the Mugello test would be good?

Likewise, and agree with what Burgess said too. As you say, the amount of riders that have been told "it's them". If it was JUST Vale and perhaps another one or two then fine, but it's not. Basically everyone that's ever got on that thing, bar Stoner has struggled to ride the thing.

Changing the 'style' of the bike so it behaves like the other bikes do will give them a huge advantage, not just now, but in a few years when they want to hire the next generation of riders to ride for them.

I strongly believe this will be a pivotal moment in the success or failure of Ducati in MotoGP. If they still cant bring themselves to change now, then it really is time to throw the towel in and trot back into WSBK.

It'll be interesting to see how it pans out.

here here guys, i know what your saying and i totaly agree in all your points, but i wonder if this Audi lark is a big carrot, lets face it if herr bradel can jump on a SAt GP bike and ride it faster than Rossi can go on a Duke then "as we've known for years" the Duke is nothing more than a straight line missile. I would love to see Rossi on a Honda again, the machine is awesome, but requires the finnishing touches, like the ones he put on the Yamaha that Lorenzo is winning on. On that note, Yamaha need to rid themselves of that plonker BEN from over the pond, he's just dead weight....

come on ROSSI

There are clearly big problems at Ducati and they start from the top. It does sound very much like they are blinkered to change, remember what the M1 was like before Rossi and Burgess joined Yamaha and in just one off season they changed that bike into a race and title winner, no doubt because Yamaha sat down and said you tell us what to do and we'll do it. Obviously their budget was and probably still is far greater than Ducati's but they have now had two years to improve it and they've got nowhere.
Hats off the Stoner he was obviously punching well above his weight riding and winning on that bike and I suspect the problems from above probably contributed to his decision to retire and the move to Honda was just to prove what a class rider he is and what a heap of junk that Ducati is?
Let's face it Ducati have successfully managed to, apart from Stoner, ruin the career of everyone who has riden their bike?

Yeah, Aki, with the exception of Loris, Troy and Casey pretty much everyone's had a mare with the thing. But it's not the bike you understand....

I recall Carlos Checa essentially refusing to ride the M1. And within a year it was a Honda beater, mainly because Furusawa said what do you want / need to Burgess and crew, and they told them. Whaddya know, someone with 15 world titles as a crew chief knows what hes talking about!!!! LOL

I actually don't think the GP12 is THAT bad a bike, it's just the Hondas and the Yams are out fucking standing. Certainly a lot better than the GP11 was anyway

Well back then the Ducati was a total missile, far faster than everyone else's bike and they were still on 'special tyres' back then a far cry from the across the board tyres Bridgestone are making today.
Maybe the others just handle and manage on the tyres better than the Ducati does, the skill of some riders manages to work around that to some extent during the race, Rossi, Stoner, Lorenzo and some not so much, Spies, Pendroza, Hayden?
But ultimately it's about the bike working with the control tyre and I can imagine ducati saying theres nothing wrong with their bike it's the tyre that's the problem and if that is the case and they don't change their thinking then nothing will improve at Ducati.
But back on the subject Rossi says 'Audi has ambitious plans for me' he didn't mention anything about Ducati, now what other forms of Motorsport is Rossi good at and Audi are currently not taking part in I wonder?

All us Rossi fans are suffering along with Vale,we all want to see him back on top or at least being competetive with the front runners ,it"s not going to happen this season ,i for one dont believe that the duke is going to progress enough for it to happen even with Audi money injection, soon enough for Vale,the Germanic techno machine is not known for rapid response ,It was a very patriotic gesture ,but would i like to be a fly on the wall in Vale"s motor home with JB present they must be tearing their hair out..

 People say his days are numbered by his age ,Bruce Anstey is still pissing off the young guns,Its in the heart!!!

My kneee jerk reaction was that Audi are going to pay Rossi shitloads to stay, as they know what a powerful marketing tool he is mainly. That'll lessen thought if Ducati dont pull whatever it is out of their arse.

Yes, every rider who's been there, Ducati GP have destroyed their careers, arguably stoners too as he may have won more titles if not for that bike, and Loris and Bayliss in the early days, the Duc started well in GP, but its all gone to shite.

But there dont appear to be any seats for Rossi at other factories, so unless he has his own team, then Duc moght be the best result for him, but fuck that I say, they're never going to get it together while Rossi's still young

Audi/ Ducati need to buy in bike building talent

you can take as long as you want to analyze and decide change ...but you need people who now what to change

look how long its taken BMW ...and they thought it was going to be quite easy with the s1000r and now they realise how touch motogp is they want motogp made easier

i dont think Vale's too bothered about pay cheques he knows hes not getting younger and he wants more titles

time is getting short ...and Ducati need something sooner rather than later, the only thing on there side at the mo is the idea all the decent rides are taken ....but who know

so yeah ...maybe a decision laguna with an announcement at Brno ....like he said

Audi need to get rid of Presiozi. He appears to be a large part of the problem, not listening to the feedback from riders.

The they need to temporarily increase funding to Ducati Corse so they can accelerate the develop/test cycle and get the Ducati competitive.

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Give a man fire and he's warm for a day,
Set him on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life

Ken, in all fairness, Ducati already HAVE the best bike building talent in the business, it's called Jerry Burgess and Valentino Rossi. The problem lies from everything I've heard and read is that Ducati Corse are simply NOT listening to what the rider and crew chief are telling them.

Furusawa knew how to play it, christ, he essentially made Yamaha build a brand new engine because he was told smooth power delivery was a very important part. And look what happened, it won. LOADS.

Preziosi and Ducati Corse need to get their heads outta their arses, stop fucking about thinking that their bike is better than anything or anyone, and start working with the crews.

FFS how many other crews have to essentially beg to be allowed at tests??? It's just insane.

Also, whilst I'm up here on this soap box. If they show Nicky the door, which looks VERY probably. They are offically the biggest cunts going.

(and relax)..........

Pagik

Burgess and co know how to configure settings on a bike and give feedback ... im not so sure they know how to design and engineer a new frame and then build on the CNC machine ..

they need to buy in that talent

there using outside companies for frames, they need to do this in house so they can speed up development

they need and influx of new thinking at ducati which mirror japanese machines....cos thats what works at motogp

Ken, yes, a good point. Fairly convinced though that FTR have given Ducati a good chassis. Let's face it, they know their onions. But I see your point about them doing this all in house. I actually think that they've got the talent there. It just comes down to the top of the food chain being pig headed.

Ducati have always done it "their way", only thing is "their way" clearly doesn't work in Moto GP. Or at least, it's not anymore. They are also in a very unique position where they have a fantastically loyal customer base. And why not, their road bikes are stunning. Temperamental, but stunning.

Oh sweetie look at that car over there ! I say sir could i have a spin in it mr audi ?no problem son just wait till i put some stickers on ! Ok by the way mr audi , is it the real thing ? ?? Course it is son just ENJOY !!