Rossi declines Ferrari seat

[oddlycalm]

Autosport reported today that FIM champion Valentino Rossi has decided to stick with MotoGP rather than go to Ferrari. This will probably fuel the speculation about Kimi moving to Ferrari.

oc

[RichK]

Some quotes from Yahoo news:


"No Formula One, at least for the moment. I'm staying with bikes," the charismatic 27-year-old told the Italian news agency ANSA. "I will carry on racing in MotoGP for a while yet."


Ferrari boss Jean Todt said in a statement at the Monaco Grand Prix that he took note of Rossi's decision.

"It was a pleasure giving him the chance to try out a Ferrari racing car," he said. "All those who worked with him were struck by his ability to adapt to Formula One, by his talent and courtesy.

"Now we will follow with great affection his MotoGP challenge, hoping that he can get what he so richly deserves."

Schumacher had mixed feelings. "In a way we are sad not to see him here. On the other side, it's understandable," the German told reporters.

"Probably he thinks he knows what he has in his world and it may be a little bit more difficult to know the world of Formula One and how he may adapt to all the different circumstances, although I think he has a very high talent and could have done it in terms of driving.

"But then it's not only the driving, there's a lot of other things besides," said Schumacher.


Renault's world champion Fernando Alonso, who incurred Rossi's ire earlier in the year when he said he could do just as well on bikes as the Italian in cars, was unmoved by the news.

"Good. Like this we don't talk anything more about him," said the Spaniard.

I'm not an Alonso fan - glad to see he supports my view! :laugh:

[spinner26]

Autosport reported today that FIM champion Valentino Rossi has decided to stick with MotoGP rather than go to Ferrari. This will probably fuel the speculation about Kimi moving to Ferrari.

oc

I for one like this b/c I'd hate to see Nicky improve and challenge for the Championship w/o one of the bst riders there.

I feel like Yamaha will fix their problems and will be back in front again soon and it will only make "The Ky Kid" work harder and fight for the Championship.

Heard he was down with the flu last week and still finished 5th. Not bad imho.

[DagoFast]

Yamaha has already fixed the bike. An all new chassis last week for Lemans. Rossi went from 7th on the grid to the lead in about 4 laps. Then showed his heels to the field and was pulling away. Until the bike stopped running. :cry:

The championship would be a major victory for him this year, 40 something points down after 2 DNF's. But, if anyone could do it, it's Rossi.

I think he wants to stay to beat up on Stoner, Pedrosa and Hayden. Then if he still feels like it, maybe try F1.

JMO.

[chop456]

In other news, I have decided not to date Salma Hayek.

[Dirty Sanchez]

I am forgoing my final four years of college eligibility so I can enter the NBA draft.

[oddlycalm]

From Ross Brawn's comments

"It would have been very exciting," he said. "It is difficult to predict what would have happened. But he was very impressive in all the running we did, otherwise we wouldn't have taken him so seriously."

[oddlycalm]

it will only make "The Ky Kid" work harder and fight for the Championship. I dunno if I'd feel right calling him the ky kid.... sounds like the person that got the congeniality award at a bear convention. :eek: :D

oc

[Ankf00]

good, Rossi can continue being the biggest badass to ever straddle a ride.

and Hayden can continue being a chump :gomer:

[RichK]

and Hayden can continue being a chump :gomer:

The chump leading the world championship on the Repsol Honda NOT designed to win....

[Ankf00]

The chump leading the world championship on the Repsol Honda NOT designed to win....
details details, once a chump forever a chump :p

so lemme get this straight, year 4 on the factory Honda and the team DOESN'T want him winning? :confused:

anywho, Valentino's just playing with your heads, he needs to make things a bit more interesting so he's spotting some points. 43 point comeback here we go! :D

[RichK]

so lemme get this straight, year 4 on the factory Honda and the team DOESN'T want him winning? :confused:


Good Article (http://www.speedtv.com/articles/moto/motogp/24313/)


Hayden, in spite of expressing his preference for the more standard version of the RC211V as ridden by Pedrosa, was “assigned” to the lighter, narrower machine that is, whether Honda want to admit it or not, clearly intended to test concepts and maybe even parts that will be used in the new 800cc machine that is being tested, we assume, in Japan.

[TrueBrit]

In other news, I have decided not to date Salma Hayek.

Well no surprise there, I'm dating Salma Hayek....

[Ankf00]

Good Article (http://www.speedtv.com/articles/moto/motogp/24313/)
yea, but that's how it always goes, the #1 gets the newest components, shakes it down, and then it trickles down to the rest of the guys...

James Ellison's BBC blog: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/5034116.stm


It's hard not to think about the new chassis after reading the quotes, because I know it's an improvement.

When you go out on the bike at the moment, you know the problems you're trying to fix can be fixed by swapping frames - but you don't have that frame yet, so it's frustrating.

There's obviously a good reason for not giving it out to everyone, they test it on the best rider first.

Once they know 100% it is an improvement, we'll all get it. We'd hoped to get it this weekend at Mugello but it now looks like Barcelona is a reasonable estimate.

[RichK]

yea, but that's how it always goes, the #1 gets the newest components, shakes it down, and then it trickles down to the rest of the guys...

James Ellison's BBC blog: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/5034116.stm

In Nicky Hayden's case, however, he is getting development components for next year, when the bikes move to 800cc machines. He's developing parts for an all-new bike, which has nothing do do with going fast this year. Hayden's bike is NOT designed to win this year, and he's leading the points battle.

Thanks for the blog link, I'll check it out.

[RichK]

Rossi signs on for another year in MotoGP:

Linkage (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2006/Jun/tb/060601x.htm)

[RichK]

Rossi's Reasons:

Taken from ITV-F1 website -

ROSSI GIVES HIS REASONS

MotoGP superstar Valentino Rossi has revealed why he spurned the chance to switch to Formula 1 in 2007.

Last week Rossi ended months of speculation over a deal to race for Ferrari when he announced that he would be staying on two wheels for the foreseeable future.

And on Thursday morning the Italian confirmed that he will continue with the Yamaha MotoGP team for another year.

This week's Motorcycle News cites “sources close to Rossi” saying the 27-year-old abandoned ideas of a grand prix future with Ferrari just days after his high-profile test at Valencia alongside current F1 drivers in February.

Rossi impressed with his speed at the test but was dismayed at the lack of control he had over the operation of the car and also felt ostracised by the F1 community.

“It was at the Valencia test when Valentino realised that the driver is nothing in Formula 1,” the source told MCN.

“While he was driving the car the engineers were constantly on the radio telling him what he could and couldn’t do.

“Straight away he didn’t like this.”

The test reportedly convinced Rossi that F1 is primarily an “engineer’s sport” and that he would be unable to express himself the way he does on a motorcycle.

Moreover, although F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone was eager to get the flamboyant Rossi on board to inject some colour into the buttoned-down F1 paddock, the Italian apparently felt unwelcome there.

World champion Fernando Alonso and his Renault boss Flavio Briatore were among those dismissive of the hype surrounding Rossi.

Alonso made several pointed remarks to the effect that he couldn’t see the MotoGP ace succeeding in F1, and commented at the time of his Valencia test: “I’m glad because they (Ferrari) have lost valuable time preparing the cars for the show they put on.”

And after Rossi made public his decision to stay in two-wheeled competition last week, Alonso said: “Good. Like this we don’t talk anything more about him. After four months maybe this is the last question (I face about him).”

A further sticking point for Rossi was that Ferrari reportedly was only prepared to offer him a third driver role, rather than drafting him straight into a full-time race seat.

The Maranello squad was hesitant to commit to Rossi partly because of his lack of four-wheel experience but also because it was simultaneously courting Kimi Raikkonen and leaving a seat open for Michael Schumacher, who has yet to decide whether he will continue in F1 beyond this year.

Rossi has extended his Yamaha contract for only one year, potentially leaving the door ajar should he change his mind on F1.

But the reasons cited for his rejection of a Ferrari deal suggest that his and F1’s mutual love affair may be over before it really began.