How Rossi changed opinion on Stoner “At Ducati he was incredible” Milano, 28 November 2013 Valentino Rossi speaking about his Australian rival in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine: “I’d look at his telemetry and couldn’t understand how he could achieve such times. I miss him on the track – but not off it” Rossi (left, on a Ducati) and Stoner. Ap Valentino Rossi’s time at Ducati was “difficult”. “My time there didn’t make me stronger, just older,” Valentino admits. The Doctor opened his heart to Rolling Stone magazine and confessed that his two years with the team from Borgo Panigale was one of the most problematic times in his long and illustrious racing career. The most revealing part of the interview is when Valentino speaks about his fiercest rival, Casey Stoner. When the pair were at Ducati the respect Valentino had for Stoner soared. Despite admitting that he still ‘disliked’ his team-mate, Valentino did actually admit that he does now have tremendous respect for Stoner’s skill and ability as a racer. When at Ducati Casey must have thought: ‘Stuff that! This bike is good. I have to win!’ “Stoner did an amazing job at Ducati. When I looked back at his telemetry I used to wonder how he’d achieve such times!” Rossi said. “People used to think he was very quick – but not particularly intelligent. And that’s why, eventually, he was successful. The reality is that at Ducati he had to go beyond the limits. Go quicker and quicker. And, if you ride like that, you eventually crash! We had completely opposing paths in our careers: he’d always ridden for one manufacturer, Honda, under the guidance of Luca Cecchinello. When at Ducati I think he must have thought: ‘Stuff that! This bike is good. I have to win!’ I, on the other hand, had come from years of success with Honda and Yamaha, and I immediately realised that the bike wasn’t the best. I’m certain that, were Stoner to climb onto Dovizioso’s Ducati tomorrow, he’d still manage to finish a race in 6th place. He used to ride in an incredible way. He’s unique. Do I miss him? On the track, yes. He has fantastic talent and was difficult to beat. But off the track, no I don’t miss him. Without him there is much better camaraderie between the riders.” The first time I rode the Ducati I was shocked. After just 3 laps I thought: We are in s*** here! Vale reflected on his time at Ducati: “The first time I rode the Ducati I was shocked. After 3 laps I thought: ‘We’re in s*** here!’ That was all the time I needed to realise that I’d made a mistake. I hadn’t had the chance to test the bike before signing the deal, but I put pen to paper nonetheless.” He went on: “The problems were clear right from the start. I just thought: ‘OK. Let’s try to improve this bike.’ We worked on it for the entire first half of the season, but after 10 races I started to realise that I was never going to win a race on it. The rumours about me wanting to rescind my contract were true. But I couldn’t do it. There was absolutely no way I could. And that was actually a good thing. It would have been a big mistake. It would have been far too easy to say: ‘I’m staying at home’ when things weren’t going well. You must never give up.”
Posted on: Sat, 30 Nov 2013 19:28:10 +0000
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