Testing crash for Rossi at Mugello

ECU failure causes Rossi to fall in testing yesterday

Posted: 17 July 2012
by Visordown News

HOPES for Valentino Rossi's continued development of the Ducati Desmosedici were cut short at Mugello yesterday after a technical fault caused the Italian to crash.

Alongside Nicky Hayden, Rossi was working with the Ducati engineers on a number of updates; including engine balance tweaks to improve rideability and weight distribution and changes to the electronics.

“They had some things to try today, but it was mainly with an eye toward the future, as the substantial changes they’re working on at Ducati for the engine’s power delivery weren’t ready yet," said Rossi, who had hoped to test the revised engine for the Desmosedici.

"So this was an intermediate step, an interim engine management system through a new ECU. We started testing it this morning, and the first feelings were good, as I immediately did a good time with a used tyre."

However, Rossi suffered a fall in the afternoon at the Correntaio as a result of a glitch wth the new ECU. He said: "When I started again after the break, the bike stalled at the Correntaio and I fell. Fortunately, I was leaned over quite far at that point so I just tipped over, and nothing bad happened. In the interest of safety, we decided to stop because the engineers have to analyse the data to understand what happened."

The new engine is Ducati's hope for securing Rossi for the 2013 season. The revised engine was supposed to be ready for Laguna Seca, but Filippo Preziosi revealed that the smoother engine would not be ready until the Misano test after the race in September - and after Brno, when Rossi is expected to finalise his place for next year.

Team boss Vittoriani Guareschi, in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport earlier this month, highlighted the importance of the new powerplant: "Let's hope the engine works, because that's our only hope to convince Valentino to stay. We'd like to keep both him and Nicky, but there isn't much time, because usually the market deals close at Brno."

All Images

Previous article
MotoGP to have more non-Western races

Next article
Elias splits with Aspar Moto2 team

ducati, valentino rossi, test, mugello, crash, new engine

Discuss this story

evil ken evil

lash up , brewery !

however i dont think Vale will leave as the bike is slowly starting to come good

dont get me wrong ...it needs to get a lot better a lot faster

but where else is he gonna go ?

Posted: 17/07/2012 at 09:59

juvenile jarmes

I reckon he'll stay.

The VW/Audi ting can re-energise the whole project and Rossi won't want to leave with his time there being deemed a failure.

Two years and WSB? Carmelo won't like it though.

Posted: 17/07/2012 at 10:40

Rob M 9

I'd agree Ken. In all honesty, I think he's got over the not being at the front thing now. I think his goal was, and still remains being at the front on that bike, nothing else.

As you say, it needs to come together faster, but it does seem to be stepping forward. Seeing Nicky leaving a test 0.3 from the front, and seeing two Ducatis less than two seconds from the Podium (albeit at Mugello) is a vast improvement.

Prezioso has said they're getting 100% support from Audi on Materials, Engines and Electronics. It's without doubt a bike with quirks, it never just comes out the box and works when they get to a track. But if they can get it to react to softs better (at least for Vale) and get it to brake a bit better, then it's not so far off.

11 Seconds off a very confident Jorge on a very well setup bike wasn't so bad in all honesty.

Posted: 17/07/2012 at 10:51

evil ken evil

i think it all in the starts now

they need to be fast out the blocks and not at the end of the race.

as you said rob they need to get the softs working for quali and then at the end of the race they wont be 11 seconds from lorenzo

Posted: 17/07/2012 at 11:50

Rob M 9

Agreed Ken, I think they're closer. They didn't have too bad a show in Germany either. I know Mugello can be a bit of a red herring, but they were no where near this close last year.

This bike is, at least parts wise practically unchanged since the revamp that they rolled out at Sepang. If they can get another fairly major step out of the door, which looks to be in development, they might be in a good place.

Posted: 17/07/2012 at 13:44

Pagik

Bloody nora!! They've not even got the hard tyres sussed yet!! (albeit, they are a lot closer). Give 'em a chance, Ducati have only had nearly 2 years!!!

What the hell is wrong with you people??? LOL

Anyway, enough flippant comments Martin...I think VR's going after this in the right way. He's not got the support he wants so he's going after race pace, all weekend, admittedly, it's not gonna win races, but it's gonna get him nearer the top.

Blah blah blah, updates needed for the bike, blah blah blah, stop just using the test...........oh do you know what, I'm boring meself now...

Posted: 17/07/2012 at 14:32

Szmolo

As a huge, huge, huge Rossi fan it pains me to say this, but I'm really starting to run out of patience for Rossi and Ducati to get their act together.

If it wasn't for all the hype when Rossi went to Yamaha, the worst bike on the grid can win with the right bike, 80% rider 20% bike claims from Burgess and Rossi then I could give them a bit of slack, but they've had 2 1/2 years and haven't done a bloody thing really.

I HATE to say this, but if Casey could get race wins against the Yamaha and Honda bikes on the CF frame bike with the airbox as a stressed member, then why the hell can't Rossi even get on the podium more than twice in nearly 3 years?

And also being outgunned by your team mate, who would have beaten Rossi if it wasn't for being pushed wide on the last lap, who supposedly is past it and is being shipped off to WSB.

To me it just goes to show that MotoGP is about bike sales and having the most popular riders rather than the best riders.

Again, I hate to say it, but all credit to Stoner for walking away from this joke of a sport. Thank god for Moto2 and 3

Posted: 17/07/2012 at 20:38

evil ken evil

while were running out of patience for Rossi, consider this..

A return to Yamaha remains an option for Rossi, while HRC vice president Shuhei Nakamoto told Motosprint he would be interested in placing the Italian in a works-supplied satellite team.

"I'd like to work with Valentino. When he was at Honda I was on the Formula 1 programme, so the only time I've seen him racing with us from our pits was at the Suzuka 8-hour race," he said.

"It hasn't been possible to place him in the works team, but I'm ready to supply him with a factory bike in one of our satellite teams."

Posted: 17/07/2012 at 21:46

Talkback: Testing crash for Rossi at Mugello