After Valentino Rossi’s interview with BBC2 about going to Ducati and subsequently saying that his words were wrongly interpreted, now Ducati has come out with their own statements.
Filippo Preziosi, Ducati’s General Director and genius behind the Desmosedici, which we know that Rossi highly appreciates the Italian engineer and that the sentiment is reciprocated by Preziosi.
Interviewed by the Gazzetta dello Sport during the Valencia tests, Filippo Preziosi, said that it was too early to think about 2010 (when Stoner, Pedrosa, Lorenzo and Rossi’s contracts are all up) but admitted that he wouldn’t mind having Rossi in his team.
“I think that it’s premature to starting talking about this, because Valentino has already said that he won’t decide his future until June 2010.
”If I would like to have him with us? I think that any manufacturer would like to have on their bike a rider that’s the 9 times World Champion.
I’m not saying something that no one knows, he’s very strong.
I think that our bike goes well with all the riders and it’s not that object that used to frighten riders.
Stoner went very well all weekend and in the tests with this new bike.
Hayden was fifth in the race and in the tests.
” You’re asking me if Valentino can bring his team with him in Ducati? I don’t think this is the place to discuss these type of details, however I remember that when we signed up Gibernau he brought in his own tech.
While Francesco Rapisarda, Ducati’s Comunications Director said: Valentino Rossi in Ducati in 2011? We don’t know anything, our riders in 2010 are Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden and we have an option with them for 2011.
Certainly, to see a rider like Valentino on our bikes, would be like a dream come true.
If these aren’t words of esteem and feelers out for Rossi we don’t know what are.