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Rossi jumps ship to Yamaha; Edwards joins Hayden

3K views 41 replies 20 participants last post by  ehtaylor 
#1 ·
#5 ·
This should prove to be most exciting for race fans if confirmed. If the last round at Motegi is any indication of Rossi's uncanny ability to turn up the skill-level after his off-track excursion, putting him on a seemingly underpowered (compared to Honda and Ducati) machine promises to unleash his true riding talent.

And of course, putting Edwards on a title-contending machine will also show the world what the ex-superbike champ really has under his belt.

Can't..... Wait..... !!!
 
#7 · (Edited)
i don't really think its all about the money but even if its probably so, i think its more towards the fact that honda doesn't give him freedom to do what he wants.... but with Rossi joining yamaha rossi can help improve yamaha's bike by telling them how the RC211V is diffrent from them, and improving their setup from there....

Rossi just wants to show honda that he can win on any bike if he could and that he is not replaceable

just saw another forum, stating that yamaha has a new bike in development... possibly a V engine
 
#8 ·
It`s funny......last year when Max went from Yamaha to Honda everyone was saying how this is gonna be it(except Mick Doohan),Max was gonna start kicking ass now that he`s on a better ride.It didnt happen.

If this is true,it`ll be interesting to see if Rossi can make a Yamaha do what Biaggi could`nt.Personally I think Rossi could do well in that class on an AMA Superbike.

I just want to see Kawi do better next year.This year was saaaaaaaaad.
 
#9 ·
its a good thing. i believe a rider needs to try other things to round himself out. i remember watching Kevin Schwantz take the poor underpowered and ill handling RGV500 and put on top of the podium because of his skill. definately not the best bike but a damn skippy rider. Valentino has alot of talent and this will be his time to show the people what he's made of. Edwards can ride the wheels off anything. he's done marvelous things for Aprilia and had some good shows on the Cube but he needs to get back to some winning to keep his spirits up. Yamaha needs some fresh young insite to get back to their early 90's winning form. shake things up a bit in the MotoGP. keep it interesting. they need some of that in WSB or should it be called the Ducati Cup??:laughing :laughing
 
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#10 ·
I just saw that on Speed too. The rumours are running wild on the internet..... I don't doubt it one bit. I think we wants to spank Biaggi and Honda while riding a different bike.

Barros and Edwards on Hondas should be interesting to say the least.
 
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#12 ·
More updated info on this, again from www.speedtv.com :

Sources Identified for Rossi to Yamaha Exclusive
Written by: Dennis Noyes
Borrego Springs, CA – 10/8/2003
The story posted earlier today stating that Valentino Rossi has decided to leave Honda and will join the Gauloises Yamaha team in 2004 is based upon information from Mela Chércoles of 'El As', a large Madrid sports daily.

I was told not to reveal the source until a deadline that has now passed. Since then the story has been posted on several Spanish and Italian sites and will be the headline story in tomorrow's papers.

Italy's Gazzeta dello Sport has also run the story as has the Barcelona, Spain, daily 'El Mundo Deportivo'. The 'Mundo' story adds additional information, saying that Alex Barros will be replaced in the Gauloises team by Rossi and that the Brazilian will go to the Gresini team to for Honda Telefónica-Movistar alongside Sete Gibernau. Barros rode fro Gresini in the mid-nineties on both twin and four-cylinder Hondas.

'Mundo' states that "a high-ranking Repsol executive" told their reporter that America's Colin Edwards has been suggested to replace Rossi on the Honda Repsol team, but that the Spanish sponsor is unhappy with the idea of two American riders and is insisting on a Spanish rider instead.

'Gazzeta' contacted HRC's European director Carlo Fiorani who "refused comment on the Yamaha story, but did not seem surprised." Fiorani told 'Gazzeta', "we have placed our best possible offer in the hands of Rossi's manager on Sunday." According to Gazzeta, "the HRC offer was an ultimatum and the deadline has passed."

In past situations of this sort Honda riders have been restrained by the conditions of their contracts from announcing a change to another brand until after the season has ended or even (as in the case of Eddie Lawson at the end of the 1989 season when the American, after winning the 500 title with Honda, announced a return to Yamaha where he had already won three titles) the end of the season.

I don't like to run stories based upon unidentified sources, but Chércoles is very reliable and obtained his information both in the paddock at Motegi last Sunday and from Altidas (the company that owns the Fortuna and Gauloises brands) and Repsol sources.

More news whenever available.
 
#13 ·
After Rossi, Honda confirms that Edwards is indeed the next best rider out there. And it's about time. After getting shafted by HRC concerning the MotoGP ride (giving Hayden the nod instead), it should interesting to see if Honda will eat some humble pie.
 
#17 ·
rearwheelrider said:
The guy's got to go where the money is.
Probably has more to do with Rossi's need for eccentricities than anything else.

ie.
- Honda probably required Rossi to don the #1 plate instead of his 46.
- probably didn't like all his post-race celebrations
- Rossi's lead on track safety issues leading up to the riders' boycotting of next year's MotoGP premier race at Suzuka

Rossi's not your typical professional rider and perhaps Honda wanted him to 'grow up or be replaced'. Valentino probably said 'up yours' politely and is probably right in believing that he can win on any machine.

My $0.02...
 
#19 ·
i heard something about HRC not wanting to get Colin Edwards because they don't want a all american team and would like to get a spanish rider...

Valentino quits honda because he didn't get his freedom, its like keeping a bird in a cage and not letting it fly....... yamaha is willing to let Valentino bring in his own sponsor ships
 
#23 ·
CG said:
if the rumors say edwards is going to honda, how is he gonna get outta his aprilia contract?
When you are Honda and you want something, there is always a way. Case in point is Edwards getting out of his Ducati SBK contract when he thought he was getting a Honda MotoGP ride.

The only reason Honda didn't get Rossi to resign is because they think he is replaceable. It wasn't because Honda couldn't get him, it's because they didn't want him and his demands.

How poetic it would be to kick sand back into their faces if Rossi wins on an M1.

The MotoGP world will be a very interesting place if the rumours come to fruition.
 
#25 ·
jetshoes said:
Two years ago Rossi made headlines in very loudly proclaiming he would never have anything to do with a team sponsored by tobacco companies. An ethical thing-guess money outweighs ethics.
Next season should be the most entertaining yet.
Thats the reason why everyone thinks that Rossi will never ride for Ducati. ( Marlboro ) If Rossi does sign with Yamaha I can't wait to find out why.
 
#26 ·
N.A Honda said:
Thats the reason why everyone thinks that Rossi will never ride for Ducati. ( Marlboro ) If Rossi does sign with Yamaha I can't wait to find out why.
With Rossi's stature, i believe he can woo non-tobacco sponsorship over to Yamaha or convince Yamaha to switch. I believe all of Yamaha's current and past sponsorships are tobacco companies (Fortuna, Gauloises, Marlboro [last year])...
 
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