Factory Honda in a satellite team for Rossi?

Nakamoto: "For next year, it was not possible to integrate Rossi into the official Repsol team, but I am willing to offer him an official bike in a satellite team."

Posted: 18 July 2012
by Visordown News

A FACTORY Honda RCV could be available for Valentino Rossi in a satellite as HRC boss Shuhei Nakamoto admitted his interest in the nine-time champion, according to French media.

The confirmation of both Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez to the Repsol Honda team seemingly put a close to Rossi's return to the Honda fold, but according to French website Moto Quotidien, Nakamoto reportedly said: "It would please me to work with Valentino. When he was riding with Honda, I was in charge of Formula 1."

He added: "For next year, it was not possible to integrate Rossi into the official Repsol team, but I am willing to offer him an official bike in a satellite team."

From 2013 the number of bikes a manufacturer can supply will be restricted to two factory entries and two satellite entries, meaning that the likely satellite home for Rossi would be within the Gresini outfit and replacing Alvaro Bautista, as LCR have a contract in place with Stefan Bradl for next year.

However, with the gradual turnaround of the Ducati's performance and the prospect of Audi bringing their technical weight, it is more likely that Rossi will continue his ambition to win on an Italian bike.

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valentino rossi, honda, rumour, 2013, motogp, satellite, gresini

Discuss this story

Paul East 2

empty gesture, as no satellite team could afford Rossi's pay. He has nowhere to go but stick with Ducati next year (bar a series of miracles with Yamaha getting shot of Spies)

Posted: 18/07/2012 at 11:59

evil ken evil

the only one needing a series of miracles is Spies.

hes frequently the worst performing prototype on track whilst at the same time having the best performing prototype on track

hes performing even worse than that washed up has been rossi

Posted: 18/07/2012 at 13:39

Chemics

The team wouldn't need to find any money for Rossi, he easily brings enough sponsorship with him.

Posted: 18/07/2012 at 13:42

Pagik

This is such a total an uter NON story it's not true. There's no WAY VR's leaving Ducati.

Posted: 18/07/2012 at 13:58

Paul East 2

seems like a lot of mid-week news on visordown are filler or advertisements for manufacturer (like the old bloke buying the Ducati)

Posted: 18/07/2012 at 15:46

Rich Best

Visordown lacking material in mid-season no news shocker!

Posted: 18/07/2012 at 16:16

Pagik, you putting money on that statement?

Posted: 19/07/2012 at 16:26

evil ken evil

lol

the way i see it.... time is running out for rossi ...hes no spring chicken, he needs to win races and titles now if hes to become the most successful ever

surely that motivation on its own is better than makin a dog of a race bike better

the way i see it .. itll either be a San Carlo "works" RCV or a works Yamaha. Honda wont have a real championship contender next year because...

1 Danny as good as he is just isnt good enough for a championship

2 marquez will be a fast moving disaster area whilst he gets to grips with the new bike

honda need a proper contender for a year or 2 ...and Yamamha needs sponsors which rossi has in spades

and when you factor in the recent failure by ducati at the Mugello test...would you stay ?

i reckon somewhere its a done deal already!

Posted: 19/07/2012 at 23:04

Pagik

MF. No, I learned a VERY long time ago with VR that you simply never can tell what the cheeky little scamp has up his sleeve. But, put it this way, I'll be very surprised (not to mention DELIGHTED) to see him back on a Honda.

But this is still only a rumour...along with the several thousand others that the Italian and Spanish bike press are pumping out.

Here's an idea, why don't we all start one ourselves, see if they pick up on it? We can all post our idea's here and vote on who's is the best. I'll start.

VR is going to team up with MV and Mars bars to start a CRT team which will be run by Ago...

Posted: 20/07/2012 at 09:05

Szmolo

For god sake, now everyone is saying that he is going to ride a factory Yamaha backed by Marlboro...

In light of this I have worked out a new 'What Rossi is going to do next year' formula:

Factory team or factory backed satellite + Name of motorcycle manufacturer + large American company = absolute certainty of 2013 season.

With that in mind, have you heard Rossi is going to be on a factory Kawasaki backed by Starbucks? A satellite Yamaha backed by IBM? See, it almost sounds believable.

Posted: 20/07/2012 at 09:45

ros lida

I hope Rossi chooses Honda over Yamaha for 2013 for simple reasons: he does not to worry about his team mate & the yammy's BS..

Posted: 30/07/2012 at 16:05

Talkback: Factory Honda in a satellite team for Rossi?