Ducati has finally decided to react following Valentino Rossi’s Qatar post-race comments and the person to do it is none other than Gabriele Del Torchio, the President of Ducati.
While Investindustrial and Ducati are working on the sale of the company to Volkswagen Group, which supposedly will be announced on April 18th, Del Torchio has decided to speak up and temporarily put to bed all those rampant rumors from both the Italian and Spanish press, that the two parties are filing for ‘divorce’ and that Rossi may not see out 2012 season after throwing the current GP12 and Ducati under the proverbial bus.
“His contract expires at year end,” said the President.
“In the meantime there are 17 other races.
We continue to trust in him and the work that the engineer Preziosi is doing,” and he believes that Rossi words were born from a moment of frustration and ‘discouragement’ adding that “we are only at the beginning of the season and I’m sure that Valentino will get over it.
To tell the truth when you’re racing for a historic brand like Ducati you have to accept that there can joy and bitterness, and in Qatar there was bitterness.
”Despite completely changing the Ducati and having seen some potential in the GP12, it still has problems, Del Torchio said “Engineering work takes time and now we have to work on sorting the bike out,” and despite the fact that Nicky Hayden took 6th the CEO said, “It was good result, but it certainly isn’t what we want, we race to win”.
For those saying that Rossi and Ducati are going through a trial separation, Del Torchio jokingly said, “At least we’re still living under the same roof,” and confirmed the roles, “We make the bikes and he is the rider, those are two different jobs.
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