Rossi might switch to Italian team

Valentino Rossi

MotoGP's greatest rider in history, seven-time champion Valentino Rossi from Italy says he is ready to switch to the Italian Ducati team if his Yamaha team does not improve its engine.

"Let's see how this devilish engine improves. If it improves then we can wait one more year," the Italian told Gazzetta dello Sport. "If there's nothing to do, amen. I have a good relationship with both, but I'd certainly like Ducati because they're Italian."

"I don't think he'd say no," Rossi said. "Maybe he'd like to fight with the same bike. OK, that's a big one…"

"Stoner is not an overnight sensation, but to be the new Valentino he needs to win more, by fighting hard against Valentino and against Pedrosa too. In any case he won't be the new Valentino, he will be Stoner."

"All the Japanese manufacturers have underestimated Ducati this year. "Ducati have been intelligent and aggressive and they have worked better. We were competitive against Honda, but they have the money and the people to recover in a short time, something which Yamaha have lacked."

"Yamaha has never been the quickest bike but this year we were even 15-20 km/h slower," he said. "We have suffered from the reduction of fuel capacity: each time we tried to do something we broke down.

"If I want to win they must make some important changes. We need more capable people and more money."