I translate a Melandri interview on the Ducati-Rossi subject. - Ducati.ms

CAlexio · Jul 29th, 2011, 11:03 am

Melandri sulla stagione SBK e sul "problema" Rossi-Ducati

In this video, starting at around 1:45 melandri is asked to compare his situation at Ducati to Valentino's, and to talk about solutions. His basic answer is that his situation was very different because he believes people doubted his riding ability when the Ducati was unrideable, and so unlike Valentino he didn't have the factory behind him, he actually had the factory and people in general not believing him... he whines a bit here...

Then he is asked what the solution is. Melandri's response is that he definitely doesn't know the solution, but he's pretty sure Ducati have no idea either. He thinks Valentino is not going to hang around and damage his career like he (Melandri did) and could be looking for a Honda ride and Melandri agrees that it's not good for Ducati or Valentino to continue on a losing path. Melandri also doesn't believe Ducati can magically invent their knowledge of a perimeter frame, so he doesn't see the perimeter frame as a solution.

Interesting point!: Melandri goes on to say that with the new Bridgestones in development that he thinks they will be tailored to the Ducati, and Melandri sees this as the only real hope Ducati has with this bike.

The interviewer ends with a joke; "so, you don't think Ducati will send Valentino to the psychologist (like they did Melandri)... Melandri responds that he doesn't know, but that he's damn happy to be racing for Yamaha SBK.

Some interesting insights from a semi-insider...

SpeedLimit? · Jul 29th, 2011, 11:16 am

His season on the duc had me puzzled, i wish he got a honda factory ride instead and was still in gp...or they at least still made satelite rides capable of winning. Thanks for the translation Alexio!

romancommander · Jul 29th, 2011, 11:32 am

Interesting.

Adrian749S · Jul 29th, 2011, 11:56 pm

Thanks for the translation. Pretty interesting.

dburkland · Jul 30th, 2011, 12:11 am

Thanks for the translation, did not know there was any rumors regarding new Bridgestones being developed around Ducati.

tye1138 · Jul 30th, 2011, 10:08 am

Ducati tested with the new bridgestones during their last 1000cc test. They were 2 seconds slower then Stoner on the 1000cc Honda.

What is going to "save" Ducati is the simple fact, you won't have to carry so much corner speed. If you choose not to, the bike has plenty of power to save your ass. Look at Stoner in 2007, he rode horribly, making mistakes all over the place, but because he had gobs of power, he still won the championship. It will be the same way in 2012 and I think if Rossi DOES stay (which I rumored in another thread that he was going to quit) he will do so because of the sheer fact, he feels the 1000cc machine will work against other 1000cc machines. Maybe not against stoner, but maybe against the rest of the field.

Hayden, Edwards and Spies will benefit greatly from the 1000cc switch.
Lorenzo, Pedrosa, Simoncelli, Dovizoso and most of the grid, will take a while to figure it out.

I think Stoner can make any bike work, though his boost in speed won't be as dramatic as the American's. Rossi is not going to improve all of a sudden because he is on a 1000cc machine, its that simple. But I think he might be able to ride that particular bike better, so we shall see!