Ducati CEO confirms Rossi signing
It's not like we already knew, but there's no better endorsement than from the very top. To use a Julia-ism, Ducati is moving forward
The CEO of Ducati, Gabriele del Torchio, is now on record confirming MotoGP's worst kept secret in years – Valentino Rossi is joining its race team in 2011 to replace Australian Casey Stoner.
Del Torchio let the signing slip during an interview with American magazine Cycle World, which means the official announcement about Rossi's switch from Yamaha – tipped to happen sometime around the Czech GP on August 15 – won't exactly fall into bombshell territory.
Instead, the main intrigue should now centre on the composition of Rossi's pit garage at Ducati, and whether his current Yamaha cohorts – which include his Aussie team manager Jeremy Burgess – will join him at the Italian manufacturer.
Del Torchio told Cycle World that the team was happy with current rider Nicky Hayden: "Nicky is a wonderful person and a great rider. This year, he greatly contributed to improving our Desmosedici racer. Next year, he and Valentino will hone the bike to its ultimate winning potential."
Del Torchio only touched on his company's racing activities for a small part of the wide-ranging interview, with much of his focus on Ducati's upcoming power cruiser, which will make its public debut in Milan in November.
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