Kawasaki denies Rossi-bid for 2009
MotoGP rumours are rife right now that Kawasaki is playing a big-money bid for Valentino Rossi in 2009
Posted: 14 April 2008
by Visordown News
Rossi ... rumoured to be in talks with Kawasaki
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MOTOGP rumours are rife right now that Kawasaki is playing a big-money bid for Valentino Rossi to ride the all-green bikes in 2009 - even though the Team Green boss is trying to stop the story in its tracks.
Michael Bartholemy, Kawasaki team boss is playing down the suggestions, blaming onverly-enthusiastic media for the buzz around where Rossi goes next.
With his Yamaha contract ending this year the Gazzetta dello Sport Italian newspaper ran quotes it attributed to Bartholemy on Saturday that Kawasaki were trying to hire the Italian rider.
The paper claimed Bartholemy said: "We are interested in Valentino, even though I've never spoken either to him or his manager. But I'd like to and soon, because this would be the perfect time."
But the team boss is denying the story, saying that the team has no
intention of going after The Doctor. "There was a story in an Italian magazine recently after a journalist came to me and asked me if we have any interest in Valentino," Bartholemy told the official MotoGP website.
"I said we would have to be stupid not to be interested because he is the rider in the world championship. But we have never spoken to him and there is no contact between Kawasaki and Valentino Rossi."
He added: "We look for riders who can get results. That's the most important thing, we are involved in MotoGP to get results, so we are looking for somebody for our future."
Discuss this story
just at a point where he has a fabulous crop of young and talented riders to fight against (which all along he has both needed and wanted to keep him motivated) I don't think any money will move him from Yamaha. A move to Kawasaki just repeats the painful bike development scenario he's already been through with Yamaha, and why the hell would that be attractive to a bloke who's limited amount of time left in the sport he'll want to use towards becoming the undisputed GOAT (greatest of all time). I reckon he'll stay with Yamaha in 2009/10 and although it's early doors I'm offering evens on a switch back to Michelin as well. This is going to be a 'kin brilliant season of MotoGP, we're hugely priveleged to be able to enjoy it as it unfolds. The champion will come from Lorenzo, Pedrosa, Stoner and Rossi, but which one?.....
Posted: 14/04/2008 at 17:46
As long as its not Pedrosa I would really like to see Lorenzo win the championship in his first season, after following him for a few seasons we need another strong character to be at the top,  The more Lorenzo land flags i see this season the happier i will be
Posted: 14/04/2008 at 18:37
As long as its not Pedrosa I would really like to see Lorenzo win the championship in his first season, after following him for a few seasons we need another strong character to be at the top, The more Lorenzo land flags i see this season the happier i will be
Fully agree, but can we see JT on the top step as well.
Posted: 14/04/2008 at 19:34
I think we'll see Rossi Improve through this season - he's not far off winning at the moment. His decision to leave Yamaha will depend on how he feels about the bike he has and its rate of development. If he does leave, I think he has 2 options : Honda or Ducati. I think Ducati is more likely - He has already said he'd like to ride for Ducati (The only thing is Stoner has a contract there for next year....) For him to ride a Honda would require quite a change of mind for Honda management... so I think that less likely. I don't think Rossi would ride a Kawasaki - it has never looked capable of winning and less so now. Rossi on a Ducati - it would be HUGE !!!!
Posted: 15/04/2008 at 04:08
Damm, just as im finishing of my R1 rossi rep  , for sale soon plug plug It is so funny that lorenzo is on michelin's, after Rossi slated them so much. The yams have come on soo much this season so far, how come stoner looks like hes going backwards on the same settings as last year? Couple of podiums for JT would be fantastic, cmon JT
Posted: 15/04/2008 at 09:35
I'd never paid any attention to Lorenzo before I went to Valencia last year (terrestrial telly, never seen 125's and 250's), and I'm dead impressed with the bloke - he's a hybrid of my 2 fave racers of all time, Eddie Lawson (calculating, smooth and cool headed) and Rossi (do I need to explain what he's like and why I like him?) Being the kind of bloke that has tuning forks running through his body, much like a stick of Yamaha rock, I'm ecstatic that they've got him on board - he's not only good for this year but he's potentially got 10 more years at the top. If they look after him, he could be a legend for the marque (and unspoiled by other manufacturers on his MotoGP CV. Here's how much a normally level headed bloke like me has been tickled by Lorenzos first 3 races; we get our rescue dog later today, and we've named him "Renzo"...
Posted: 15/04/2008 at 10:29
Who cares? Moto GP 'Twist and Go' bikes? WSB and BSB is the real deal.
Posted: 15/04/2008 at 15:47
unfair. WSB and BSB all have traction control. I had the opportunity to talk to the guys at PI who developed Toselands Ten Kate Honda Electronics in Cologne in 2006 (not last year) the data they were capturing even then was simply phenomenal, and if you recall Toselands late season turnaround in fortune with that team was attributed to the "improved electronics package". I'm with you RCA in being against twist and go racebikes, but imho you're off the mark to suggest that WSB and BSB are somehow the last bastions of pure racing skill. Ask Melandri, Elias and Guintoli what they think of twist and go too...
Posted: 15/04/2008 at 16:26
WSB and BSB may have some form of TC, but it is not nearly as advanced as that used in MotoGP and not all 'riders/teams' choose/'are forced' to use it. Never said the WSB and BSB are 'real' bastions of pure racing skill. Guy Martin and company doing Kells, Olivers Mount, Skerries are the real bastions. I guess it is personal taste, but having seen it all, MotoGP IMHO is not exciting anymore, case in point, last sundays race. It really is like watching a 'Twist and Go' derby.
Posted: 15/04/2008 at 16:50
how about that? we had a sensible and mature difference of opinion on a forum, without aggravating each other or falling out? - I'm impressed RCA! I totally agree that road racing, (especially Irish stylee) is the hardset assed form of the sport. I think that MotoGP has to take a look, and soon, at where it's going with rider aids. They are undoubtedly starting to get in the way of proper racing. BUT, when all is said and done, if you want to see the sharpest track based riders in the world, and the most advanced racing motorcycles ever built, then MotoGP is still it. imho!
Posted: 15/04/2008 at 18:33
Ban all rider aids and lets go back to the action of the 500 days. Watching someone who could handle all that raw power backing them in and burning rubber on the way out was a sight to behold. On the plus side a lot of the rider aids they are using today will end up in some form being fitted to road bikes in the future.
Posted: 15/04/2008 at 20:51
Yeah, I have just returned from 2 years working in Dublin. I attended most of the road meetings during 2006 and 2007. Skerries and Kells been the highlights. It is the reason Iam club racing at the moment. Once you have watched a weekend of Irish 'road racing' (and by that I don't mean the TT) and felt the bikes almost brush you at 150mph+ bashing into each other, mixed with the riders in the paddock and spent a night in the pub with them all after you cannot help feeling that it is 'real' motorbike racing. I did Le mans, 2006 I think. Stood behind a huge steel fence, miles from the track, could not get anywhere near the paddock/riders, rossi's little bike stopped working and he sulked off to his mansion on wheels. All in all it cost me a fortune and was pathetic. Agreed though, swearing and shouting at a stranger via a forum is a bit odd. Peace to the world.
Posted: 15/04/2008 at 21:44
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