Rossi: 'Audi has ambitious plan for me'

Ring Ring....

Hello Furasawa San ...this is Audi calling !

Posted: 09/07/2012 at 15:34

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

Posted: 09/07/2012 at 15:49

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.

Posted: 09/07/2012 at 17:20

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.

Posted: 09/07/2012 at 21:05

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.

Posted: 10/07/2012 at 08:45

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.

Posted: 10/07/2012 at 10:29

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.

Posted: 10/07/2012 at 11:27

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.

Posted: 10/07/2012 at 11:48

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

Posted: 10/07/2012 at 14:20

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?

Posted: 10/07/2012 at 14:30

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

Posted: 10/07/2012 at 14:51

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?

Posted: 10/07/2012 at 15:24

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!!!

Posted: 10/07/2012 at 21:37

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

Posted: 11/07/2012 at 01:08

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

Posted: 11/07/2012 at 08:45

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.

Posted: 11/07/2012 at 09:00

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)..........

Posted: 11/07/2012 at 09:14

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

Posted: 11/07/2012 at 10:00

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.

Posted: 11/07/2012 at 10:30

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 !!

Posted: 11/07/2012 at 10:44

I second what Pagik says about getting shot of Nicky, he's a top rider who's put up with a lot of nonsense and not uttered a word, ontop of that, I reckon he's still very fast, he should be kept.

As for Ducati, Ken you've a point, they could speed things up doing it in house. I'd say a two track approach (Audi need to step in with Budget) - Keep the FTR project going, double funding and put FTR and the Corse engineers on a BIG bonus if the bike gets regular podiums. Secondly, get another team working internally to setup a frame design that beats the FTR one, again big bonus and resources.

Once you've got a winner, merge the best of the teams and get them to progress the best design.

IBM are known for doing this internally, they often send the same requirement out to three separate internal teams and see who comes back with the best gear, they then combine the best and let them fight it out to build the best product.

Look at the M1 though, the 2003 test mule was largely developed by 250cc test riders. Burgess came along, said the balance was wrong and the bike wouldn't pitch correctly. A new swinger, longer forks and significantly revised engine internals totally changed what the bike was capable of. It was a relatively small touch but it changed what the bike could do, perhaps the small changes Rossi wants are something similar to this...

I'd like to see Vale get a title on a third manufacturer and I'd really like it to be the Ducati. If this does get turned around, it means Ducati will stick in GP and will be another feasible manufacturer for future racers. Without this turnaround, until things change this looks like it'll turn into a Honda/Yamaha future unless the Suzuki is any good..

I for one, not just as a Vale fan, but as a GP fan, hope they can get it sorted.

Posted: 11/07/2012 at 11:08

Don't forget to mention that Yamaha M1 was developed by Alexandre Barros, back in the day. Rossi got some full developed bike, just waiting for a good pilot.

Posted: 11/07/2012 at 13:58

Word from Kenny Roberts Jr:

"Rossi is on the Honda, has it figured out and has Jeremy Burgess. Honda has the bike, crew, tires, etc. The championship is his."

"Then, he is with Honda when the move to four strokes and MotoGP is made. It's (the RC211V). Honda again has the bike, crew, tires, etc. He wins."

Roberts continues, "Then he goes to Yamaha. Okay, nobody remembers this, but, who rode the Yamaha the season before Rossi? Alex Barros. Remember they gave Barros an RC212V at the end of 2002 and he won three of the last four races on it. So he was very good. And Barros told Yamaha in 2003, 'Hey, you have no torque here. What you need is more power and a flatter torque curve so it has a wider powerband'. And so, when they go to build the new engine configuration, they make it with more torque, change the firing order, a wider powerband and more power. Valentino rode the bike at Malaysia and it was a lot better. So, Rossi, with a lot of effort from Yamaha and himself, gets on the Yamaha and wins the world championship."

Posted: 11/07/2012 at 14:09

Yup. So you're agreeing with the point that Ducati are simply not listening. They've been told what they need to do to make it competitive, they simply don't / won't do it.

Posted: 11/07/2012 at 14:59

I partly agree to what Roberts Jr said, but reading otherwise, it'd appear that the bike wasn't nearly as complete as it's been indicated when Rossi and Burgess got there.

They still had four different engines and Burgess wasn't happy with the geometry of the bike. If I'm correct it was his recommendation to change the swinger, go for longer forks and swap the engine. The plan for Yamaha was to win in 2005 for the 50th Anniversary and getting Valentino onboard, the target was to be able to win by 2005, not immediately out the gate.

Apparently the bike wasn't bad, but it was by no means a race winner. I think the Duke is largely the same, the difference this time I think is largely attitude to the advice that's being given.

Posted: 11/07/2012 at 15:28

Pagik, the Dukes are deaf. is the only justification.

OFF TOPIC

If was Casey struggling with the bike, they call him Moaner kkkkkkkkkkk

Posted: 11/07/2012 at 15:49