The Italian press is reporting that in exchange for a delayed announcement this season of Valentino Rossi’s move to Ducati, the Italian rider would get to test the Ducati GP10 bike at the Valencia MotoGP round, despite this not being in his contract.
The announcement of Rossi to Ducati is expected to take place on August 16, the day after the Brno MotoGP race, leaving the Italians to at least enjoy their Ferragosto holiday in peace.
Sort of.
The Yamaha–Rossi–Ducati discussion has become a national passtime in Italy, but this time reports come from Italy’s daily (and respected) Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.
Italians are beyond excited about the possibility (fast becoming probability) that their beloved Vale will move to Ducati.
While not always a particularly loyal nation to concepts of patriotism, the success of Valentino Rossi was always at the expense of another Italian icon – the Ducati Desmosedici.
Some of the details of the Rossi–Ducati contract that have already been rumoured include a 12 million euro contract a year for two years with Vale spearheading most of Ducati’s promotional activities and efforts.
According to the Gazzetta, Yamaha didn’t want a Rossi to Ducati announcement at Laguna Seca because the US is one of its key markets.
Therefore the deal to let Rossi try out the GP10.
In the meantime Rossi has said he wants a podium spot at Laguna Seca and frankly, after the Sachsenring MotoGP, he’s proved he’s more than capable of it.