I think that this is indeed a big Monet for Rossi, and it is fair to say that he possibly took a pay cut (at least initially) so that Ducati had the budget to mount a successful championship bid.
Dropping WSB team level involvement is a pretty clear sign.
It is all about domestic sales for Ducati in my opinion, when you go through Italy, there are just so many Yamaha Rossi replica bikes, from scootermatics, 50's and 125,s, 600's and r1's..... That must be choking Ducati's corporate and national pride.
"Vale" branding is as popular as ever, and slowing no sign of slowing down (hell, he could afford to ride on merchandising and win bonus's for 2 years, and retire on that alone..... I wonder if he indeed is doing something like that..... Riding only for mechandising and win bonus...... And perhaps a couple 'o million if he wins the championship, as Ducati will have to pour quite some €'s into the team if they have a hope of pulling off some sort of victory.
I feel the reason that Ducati are taking this massive risk, is the same reason we don't see Kiwi's in the seat of a motogp bike... Domestic sales.
NZ has 4 million people, and if even 20 percent of the population gave a toss about the motogp, it would not be enough revenue to justify having a Kiwi rider, where as Italy... Probably 50 percent of the population care..... And they have somewhat of a larger population than NZ.
As Spain do not produce a motogp bike, they're quite content to have a Spanish rider a Japanese bike..... There is no alternative. But I am sure that there has been pressure from many sides to have a good Italian rider on an Italian bike..... I think the last was Capi, and as the US market is so big, Ducati keep Hayden on.... I think if Rossi,Burgess, and the rest of the team can work their magic on the Ducati, Hayden will come good again, he is showing flashes of form, and the Yanks still love him.
It's all about sales, and in particular domestic sales for Ducati...... yamaha do a roaring trade their, based on Rossi's results.....
I expect that Rossi will indeed be a contender, and also that Ducati will introduce a sports bike, price comparable to the R1 (which, by far is the most expensive Japanese liter bike out there, possibly based on the development costs), which will have the Italians swapping their rice burners for pasta boilers in droves.
Combine this with increased spectators at events like Imola and SanMarino- That will help the Italian economy more than anything else.
Think about it, IF (fantasy only) Britten emerged with a motogp bike, and it was ridden by anyone else other than a Kiwi, how would we all feel about that, if it won, we would all say "theta should have had a kiwi riding" if it lost, we would all say "if a Kiwi had been on it, we would have won"
For the Italians, national pride and motorcycles go hand in hand.
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Originally Posted by onearmedbandit
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