Rossi signs the dotted line

[Matt Bleck]

Just got this and thought you's might be interested aye!!!

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. and Valentino Rossi are delighted to announce that Valentino will stay with Yamaha for a further year. Rossi will continue to race in Yamaha's MotoGP line-up riding the Yamaha YZR-M1 in the 2006 MotoGP World Championship.

Rossi won the 2004 MotoGP World Championship with Yamaha and is currently competing in his second season with the Japanese manufacturer's factory team. The 26-year old Italian leads the 2005 MotoGP World Championship by 120 points, following his 8th victory at last weekend's German Grand Prix.

Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing, Lin Jarvis, stated, "Since we announced the signing of Valentino Rossi at the end of 2003 we had an astonishing first year with him, and are now enjoying great success again in 2005. This year is the 50th anniversary for Yamaha and is therefore a very special year for us.
We hope our MotoGP efforts will culminate in a second world title for Valentino with Yamaha. We are obviously very happy to have Valentino with us for another year and to keep him with MotoGP in 2006. The partnership with Valentino is the key point that will now allow us to proceed with our total MotoGP strategy for 2006."

"I am so happy to be able to announce the continuation of my relationship with Yamaha" commented Rossi. "Last year was magic, to win my first race with Yamaha, and then to win the championship. I have a fantastic relationship with this factory and my team crew, who have worked so hard to make the M1 as competitive as it is now, and it just made sense to stay with Yamaha for another year."

[Matt Bleck]

Any speculations on how much their paying him, anyone??

[**R1**]

Any speculations on how much their paying him, anyone??

More than Honda??

[Matt Bleck]

More than Honda??

nice one

[Storm]

He's worth every cent

[scooterboynz]

anyone read the full page artical on rossi in the weekend herald , july 30 page d5

[Sensei]

More than Honda??

Not about the money Aaron was about riding a better Bike .

[erik]

anyone read the full page artical on rossi in the weekend herald , july 30 page d5

This one?:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?ObjectID=10338257

It's an interesting article, thanks for mentioning it.

[SimJen]

That article seems to question his motives for choosing to live in a part of london where papparazzi hang out. In Italy he had thousands of Girls camping outside his house on a daily basis. In the UK hardly anyone recognises him.
If it was me I would have stayed in Italy

[stevedee]

Hey Erik thanks for the link, Stella and I are fans, course she has an Italian mum so go figure.

Once again cheers good read.

spd:-)

[Bob]

That article seems to question his motives for choosing to live in a part of london where papparazzi hang out. In Italy he had thousands of Girls camping outside his house on a daily basis. In the UK hardly anyone recognises him.
If it was me I would have stayed in Italy

Reason for him moving over to London is that in Italy, he is treated like a god and cannot go outside without being pestered, if not rippsed to shreds. Over here, we will look, certainly... and maybe even politely ask for an autograph... but we don't tend to go beserk and start trying to rip pieces of clothing/hair/skin off of our celebrities.

[Mooch]

That article seems to question his motives for choosing to live in a part of london where papparazzi hang out. In Italy he had thousands of Girls camping outside his house on a daily basis. In the UK hardly anyone recognises him.
If it was me I would have stayed in Italy

London you say , I'm sure he's moonlighting as a waiter at a resturant called "The Wapping Project" ... Will I think it was him ...

[Bob]

Not about the money Aaron was about riding a better Bike .

You couldn't call the Yamaha a better bike when Rossi and Burgess moved over from Honda. The Honda was by far and away superior. Now? Away from Rossi (and Edwards is riding it well also), take a look at the other Yamaha team out there - sure, they licence the bikes from Yamaha, but they're running at the back of the field. The Hondas are right up there at the pointy end.

I think people forget how important Burgess is to the whole project. I'm pretty sure Rossi made it part of the deal that Yamaha got Burgess as well.

[Mooch]

You couldn't call the Yamaha a better bike when Rossi and Burgess moved over from Honda. The Honda was by far and away superior. Now? Away from Rossi (and Edwards is riding it well also), take a look at the other Yamaha team out there - sure, they licence the bikes from Yamaha, but they're running at the back of the field. The Hondas are right up there at the pointy end.

I think people forget how important Burgess is to the whole project. I'm pretty sure Rossi made it part of the deal that Yamaha got Burgess as well.

Rossi gave Burgess a $100k US bonus when he won on the Honda , The pit lane rumour at the 2003 Philip Island GP is that Rossi was going to give him another $100k US to burgess for him to switch camps. This was before Rossi had announced that he'd move to Yamaha , which at the time weren't doing that well.

[Matt Bleck]

I just found this. looks like F1 could still be on the cards thou....

The Doctor tries four wheels.

Fiorano, Italy - Motorcycle World champion Valentino Rossi tested a Ferrari Formula 1 car on Tuesday (August 2), a day after extending his contract with Yamaha's MotoGP team for another season.

Rossi requested the testing session and was watched by Ferrari president Luca Cordero di Montezemolo at the team's private Fiorano circuit. He drove last season's Ferrari F2004 in an extended testing session that lasted much of the day
He drove last season's Ferrari F2004 in an extended testing session that lasted much of the day
.

Rossi first tested a Ferrari in April 2004 and has driven a Peugeot in several rallies.

If the 26-year-old Rossi switches to F1, he'll be following in the footsteps of British driver John Surtees, who won the 1964 Formula 1 title for Ferrari after taking seven World titleson two wheels.

The last driver to make the move from two wheels to Formula One was Venezuela's Johnny Cecotto, who raced in F1 in 1983 and 1984.

If Rossi does end up racing for Ferrari, he could become the first Italian driver to win a title for the Italian team in 50 years. The last was Alberto Ascari in 1952 and '53. – Sapa- AP

From www.motoring.co.za.