Rossi Quashes Ducati Move

Following his statement regarding an offer by Ducati, Valentino Rossi has denied any suggestions that he might quit the Yamaha MotoGP team for the Ducati squad for the 2011 season. He was quoted by BBC as saying that Yamaha will have to choose between him and Lorenzo, otherwise he will leave the team and join Ducati.

The seven-time world champion said that his words were wrongly interpreted and that he has no influence in the choice of his team mates.

"It was a case of journalistic interpretation," Rossi was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport. "Many things will happen in the year ahead of us. We'll have to see what position we're in when it's time to decide.”

"It was a long chat [with the BBC], and at one point I was asked what the alternatives could be. So I went by exclusion, and I said Ducati could be an option. I think it's a fairly realistic assessment.”

"But I repeat, I feel good at Yamaha and I would like to carry on with them. Do I want to go on with bikes? I said that too: yes. In fact, I will probably be racing after 2010 too. Even more probably with Yamaha.”

"I have no influence in the choice of my team-mates. Obviously a manufacturer is happy to have two strong riders. It can be a positive situation for the riders too, who find new motivations in the competition.”

"But if we look at 2010 the situation is strange, because Yamaha will field two of the four strongest riders, and a third one too, considering how Ben Spies has been going in this test too. From Yamaha's point of view it's the best thing."

Lorenzo also said he doesn’t mind Rossi’s presence in Yamaha’s rider lineup. "I have no problem with him," he said. "I'd prefer to have him as team-mate in order to try to beat him. I don't know what he said, but if he said that, then he is the one with a problem at dealing with me."