Loris Capirossi rode the first Ducati factory bike in 2003 when the Italian manufacturer decided to go racing in MotoGP until the end of 2007 and then did another stint in 2011 with Pramac Ducati before retiring and currently is Bridgestone’s Safety Advisor to Dorna Sports and was just appointed ‘BMW M MotoGP Expert.
Six year’s riding Ducati’s, probably makes Capirossi the ultimate expert on the inner working’s of the company and how they think and react, but he is also Valentino Rossi’s friend and the two formed and worked closely together in the rider’s Safety Commission.
Following Valentino Rossi’s controversial post-race interview in Qatar, that is still filling up pages and pages of Italian sports magazines and newspapers with talk of divorce and how to solve the thorny problem of sponsors, and when Audi buys Ducati what will they do with Rossi or if Rossi will retire or if he’ll form his own team with opinions from former Italian racers like Giacomo Agostini and Gianni Rolando on GPone and from Mario Lega on motorionline.
com who criticizes the former World Champion’s vast ego that got him into Ducati in the first place.
Dr.
Costa offered his opinion the other day and now so has Capirex, who knows Ducati and Rossi slightly better than most of the people currently talking and seems to be the only one who understands what his former rival/friend is going through.
In an interview on Panorama.
it, Capirossi was asked if he would have vented like Rossi and what he thought about it, the former rider replied, “Probably I should have done it too, because last year I had problems with my Ducati, but he and I are different but this is probably my problem,” adding “No one can argue Valentino’s talent.
He’s a champion and that’s for sure and everyone should bear that in mind before judging him.
He’s won nine championship titles and before anyone talks they should win as much as he has.
Better yet, everyone should keep their mouths shut.
I think that he complained because being the rider that he is it isn’t gratifying that he’s fighting for positions at the back of the grid.
I don’t want to blame anyone, let’s be clear on that, not Ducati nor Valentino, because I believe that that they are both working 120%, and that’s the most important thing.
Also asked why Hayden has done better than Rossi on the same bike, Capirex said, “They’re just numbers and they don’t count now.
Valentino was right behind him went he went off track, and when you go off track you need time to recover and there was no longer time to catch up, because when a bike isn’t competitive you can’t catch up.
That said, I’m sure after this season Valentino will be ahead of all other Ducati riders.
One race doesn’t make the difference.
Situations like these have happened to me too.
I know how it works.
Unfortunately, we live in a very difficult world.
When you don’t get results everyone starts to talk and make judgments.
I believe that in Valentino’s case it is envy.
He has done so much for motorcycling and if someone can attack him now they are happy.
I’m always on rider’s side and will always defend him.
He’s a champion and has won a lot.
He’s having a difficult time, probably with a non-competitive bike.
So guys, try to understand it.
”“Valentino is certainly giving his best .
He gave a lot of important information to the team, who should follow him.
As he said himself, Valentino is not an engineer, but has lots of experience and Ducati should try to follow what he says.
A rider always has a lot to teach to a team.
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