Italy’s edition of GQ magazine has Valentino Rossi on the cover of the October issue and long interview with the nine times World Champion whotalks about his rivals, Ducati, his perfect GP series and here’s an extract from the interview that we’ve translated and hope you’ll enjoy reading.
Since you’ve hurt yourself it seems that Stoner and Lorenzo have finally found the courage to say what they really think of you.
“Yes, and I’m glad.
When you’re hurt and start bleeding, the younger guys feel immediately stronger and think that they can tear you apart, it’s like the jungle.
But I like it and that’s the way it should be.
At first, Lorenzo, like Stoner, said: “Ah, Valentino was my hero when I was little,” but that’s not true.
It’s bullshit.
I am just an obstacle, a target, as Biaggi was for me.
When two people are fighting for the same objective, it’s normal to hate each other.
Whoever denies it is lying.
I’m not saying it’s a murderous hatred, but it is violent.
So I am pleased that Stoner and Lorenzo are really saying what they think of me, which is the truth.
”We watched the race at Mugello,and when Lorenzo got in front of the TV cameras and wished you to get well soon we were amazed.
What do you think?“What a fake …” Imagine you could invent a new motorcycling championship, what would be your rules?“First, the right number of competitors is 24 or 26.
At the moment I’d keep the four-strokes, even if everyone loves the 500cc two strokes, but unfortunately the world is now four-stroke.
I believe the right displacement is 1000cc, not 800cc with a limit of 16,000 to 17,000 rpm, not 19,000 as it is right now, so the bikes cannot reach 360 km/h.
I think that 320 km/h is more than enough.
I’d remove a lot of electronics and rider aids.
We could keep some traction control, just a little because the bikes would be powerful, I’d like a quarter of electronics that we use now.
You know, we can now set the power, throttle and traction control at every turn, for every gear.
The bike knows exactly where it is on track, and then taking advantage of the electronics you can adapt it so that it runs perfectly at every turn.
I’d keep the traction control, but make it fixed and not adaptable to any type of turn.
No anti-wheelie control, no engine braking control, so we could see beautiful wheelies and drifting on the brakes and hard fought races.
For me, this would be the best kind of series.
And the tires? Open.
The competition between manufacturers is positive.
”Is Jorge Lorenzo psychologically stronger than Biaggi and Gibernau?“The fact is that my rivals now, especially Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Stoner are a new generation and are faster than Sete and Max, I have no doubt about that.
Of the three, I think Lorenzo is the more stable.
”What drove you to change team? The history of Ducati, records, money, fame, adrenaline or something else?“The Ducati is Italian like me.
If I wanted to chase Agostini’s record I would have stayed with Yamaha, it would be easier.
Of course the motive isn’t money, because Ducati will be giving me is exactly what Yamaha would have given me.
I’ve never choosen a bike to race on the basis of money.
Yamaha made me an offer, I went to Ducati and said, “Is this amount okay?” They said yes, and the issue was solved.
It was easy.
It’s the desire to try new sensations that motivates me.
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