Rossi: 'The championship is difficult'

Rossi remains realistic about MotoGP championship hopes for the 2012 season

Posted: 10 January 2012
by Visordown News

VALENTINO ROSSI has downplayed his chances of challenging for the 2012 MotoGP championship - but hopes to be closer to the leaders this season.

In 2011 Rossi failed to win on the Ducati Desmosedici and languished in the mid-pack in his debut season, in what was meant to be a dream partnership with the Italian manufacturer.

Speaking at the annual Wrooom media event at Madonna di Campiglio, Rossi said: "The championship is difficult because the gap in 2011 was quite big.

"Our target is to fix problems step by step, and try to come closer to Yamaha and Honda. And from that moment, start to fix all the details, to be competitive for the victory."

Elaborating on why the title may not be achievable in 2012, the Italian admitted: "I do not want to say from the start that I cannot fight for the championship, but I have to be realistic."

Commenting on the post-season test at Valencia, he said: "In the end there was 1.5 seconds we have to recover, and our target is to get close to the others and be able to race with them and fight with them. This is our goal."

"I think that the first test will be important, and for sure the bike will be different compared to last year. It is impossible to be competitive from the first test, but I think we will have some good information to work with, and be ready for the first race."

Comparing his thoughts on this season compared with how he felt before the beginning of 2011, he said: "I have to say it is a bit different because last year I arrived in a worse physical condition, so my mood was a bit down.

"Today I am in shape physically, and we have two or three weeks ahead of us. I am ready for the first test. It is nice to work with Ducati, even if unfortunately the results have been under our expectations. The atmosphere is nice and we all believe in what we are doing."

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Discuss this story

Pagik

Sounds like he's confident that this years bike will be more competitive than last years, (which shouldn't be too hard). And once they get a result under their belts, which I have NO doubt will come, the confidence will go up and the gap'll shrink.

Posted: 10/01/2012 at 15:10

Aki

Hmm not the first time he's played down the bikes performance in pre season?

Posted: 10/01/2012 at 15:44

Rob M 9

I have a feeling this is down to releases last year saying they'd got it sorted. I reckon they wont say it's sorted until we see on track that it's sorted, a result will do the talking.

I have no doubt that they'll come back, and it will be hard but I reckon they're going to have a good bike. The media seems mixed but a lot of people were embarrased last year, they wont do the same again.

If he can ride the bike like vale wants to ride the bike, he, and others will do well on it.

As Pagik has said, once the results come then the confidence will grow and they'll start working on refining what they have.

Personally I cannot wait for the season and tests to get going.

Posted: 10/01/2012 at 15:57

Riccardo Riccardo

How different his tone is towards Ducati vs. his days at Yamaha when he used to pi$$ on them on public for any of his own underperformances. Not until Lorenzo started beating him on the same bike did he stop embarrassing Yamaha in public.

Posted: 10/01/2012 at 16:10

Timpster

Riccardo - i don't recall him doing much of what you accuse him of ?

Posted: 10/01/2012 at 16:29

Mr.D

Nicky has a better chance than Val. Rossi has run his term and its over. Too many Hungry Fish in the bowl for the Fat one to survive.
Yes He was Great but the Fire is out !

Posted: 10/01/2012 at 16:32

Rob M 9

Mr D. I dont quite believe that, if anything I think it is the opposite. If you were REALLY competitive and you'd always done well and you had a really crap year, you'd fight back harder and I think Rossi will do this. He's smart and his biting his tongue and holding his time, but I think he will be back.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, wins or no wins, he spent 70+% of that season developing and trying parts for Ducati, he still came 7th, his crashes in races were generally (other than PI) collisions where he was unlucky.

I think he is FAR from past it and personally cant wait to see him take some wins in 2012. As for Nicky, I'd love to see him do the same, and as Rossi tends to work on a bike that everyone can ride I think Nicky and others will be in with a good shot.

Posted: 10/01/2012 at 16:44

Mr.D

Not hard to stir that pot is it ?
I love the guy, and for racing would love to see it happen.
But if I'm betting thats not where my moneys going.
Put all three on the same bike. Rossi - Stoner - Spies
Valli would be watchin the show
Sorry

Posted: 10/01/2012 at 17:20

stefan khan

@mr. D

LOL rossi would be watching if him, stoner and SPIES were on the same bike? lmfao
Do you even watch motogp? Did you just start watching this season?

Posted: 10/01/2012 at 20:08

sav man

LOVE THE CONTROVERSY, AND ALL THE PREDICTIONS, PERSONALLY, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE VALE MAKE A REAL COMEBACK BUT I AM HAPPY TO WAIT TILL THE SEASON END,THIS MOTO GP GAME IS SO UNPREDICTABLE ,ASK YOUNG DANI PEDROSA, DIFFICULT IT WILL BE ,IF IT WAS EASY THE GRID WOULD BE A HUNDRED STRONG.THERE IS NEW BLOOD ON THE WAY UP AND I LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT SEASONS RACING,GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE BOYS ON THE GRID AND A BIG THANKS FOR THE FORTHCOMING FAIRING BUMPING TYRE SCORCHING SCRAPS THAT WE ALL ENJOY SO MUCH...2012 BRING IT ON..

Posted: 10/01/2012 at 20:21

Pagik

Lets wait and see what Preziosi says today shall we? Naturally, he's gonna be positive, but I think we can all read between the lines. Would love to hear what JB has to say on it all right now too. End of the day, VR and JB and the entire Ducati squad are going to do all they can to not have another season like last year. And VR and JB now have the chassis (and the engine) they wanted.

Of course HRC and Yamaha are going to be the dominant force again, can anyone tell me a year when these pair were TRULY out of the reckoning? VR wants a title on a 3rd manufacturer, make NO mistake.

I'm not getting into the whole "VR has had his day", because it's just so wide of the mark it's funny. Next people will be saying it's time for David Knight to retire!!!

It's going to be one HELL of a season, and I cannot fucking WAIT!!

Posted: 11/01/2012 at 08:26

Rob M 9

I'm not going to argue this one again. If you Said Stoner/Vale on the same HRC bike I reckon it'd be damn close, but you added Spies and that makes me laugh. Spies is top, and I like him as a rider but he isn't, as of yet in the same ballpark as rossi, stoner, lorenzo and dani. They are quite a cut above.

Stoner and Vale have very opposing riding styles and when the Ducati works for what Vale needs to go fast (a good front end), he will start pushing, that front end will be stage 1 of the Duc development, then it'll start going forward, and all you kids who have only watched the last couple of seasons might start to realise why the vast majority of the GP world actually do call him the GOAT. With the bike going forward you'll also notice Nicky and the other Ducs moving forward as well (shock horror, we have a ridable bike!) and it'll mix the field up.

I dont have any doubt that the bike will pick up and get better, what I do not know is exactly when that'll happen, but be rest assured it will.

Posted: 11/01/2012 at 08:29

Rob M 9

What Pagik said, case closed...

Posted: 11/01/2012 at 09:20

Talkback: Rossi: 'The championship is difficult'