Rossi: New team - new title?
2011-01-18 09:29
VALENTINO ROSSI: He's settling in to a new home with Ducati.
Ducati and Valentino Rossi are embarking on a new era now that the popular Italian superstar has joined the Italian team from Yamaha.
He'll be racing for Ducati when the 2011 season starts - and that's a seriously big deal going by what the company's general manager Claudio Domenicali has to say.
With seven World titles for Japanese teams Honda and Yamaha, Rossi has returned to an Italian constructor for the first time since winning 125cc and 250cc world titles for Aprilia in the late 1990's.
DUCATI'S THIRD PHASE
"This coming season opens a new phase with the great news that is Valentino Rossi," Domenicali said. "He will try our (road) products and will give his opinion on the bikes of the future.
"In 2011 the third phase in Ducati's Moto GP story will start. First, there was Loris Capirossi who gave us a victory in only our sixth race. Then there was the second phase with (Casey) Stoner who won the World title in 2007. And now we have Valentino..."
According to Ducati Racing's general manager Filippo Preziosi, Rossi has brought with him a certain feel-good factor. "The thing that has impressed me the most with Valentino is his ability to create a positive climate - I didn't expect that.
"He has contributed to creating an electric atmosphere. He's always available and has great professionalism.
"He manages to describe precisely and exactly the bike's behaviour. The man gives information the computer can't."
