MotoGP: Ezpeleta, “As long as Rossi fights he must stay like this. Lorenzo? He's a fantastic driver”

MotoGP Ezpeleta Valentino Rossi – After the recent statements by CEO Dorna regarding the present and future of the MotoGP (click here to read the article), Carmelo Ezpeleta returned to talk about some "hot" topics, including the future of Valentino Rossi.

The contract that binds the champion from Tavullia to Yamaha will expire next year, and the rumors of his possible retirement or the debut of a VR46 branded team in the premier class are becoming more and more insistent. Rumors that the owner of the MotoGP tries to silence by saying his opinion in an interview given to the Gazzetta dello Sport.

“It baffles me that someone would ask me just on the basis of an identity card what will happen with Valentino.” Carmelo Ezpeleta said about Valentino Rossi, and then added: “We ask someone who isn't satisfied with finishing second in France and falls to come first, and who then wins in Holland, when will he retire? I hear that I offered him a MotoGP team, but we never talked about it, it almost seems like an insult to ask one of the frontrunners in the World Championship when he retires. Vale is extraordinary, but he also made others extraordinary."

CEO Dorna also spoke about Jorge Lorenzo's difficult situation at Ducati. For Ezpeleta, however, the Majorcan is not far from the best: “He remains a fantastic driver. Someone who has been in the lead twice I don't think is too far away. The mind is fundamental in all sports, even more so in MotoGP. Jorge must find confidence on the bike.”

The calendar for next year, not yet revealed, is also a very important topic for the future of the MotoGP. The current political situation in Qatar could compromise the first stage next year, but Ezpeleta is not worried. In the program, according to the CEO himself, there is the objective of reaching 22 races per season, against the 20 hoped for by most of the pilots: "We won't get to 20 straight away, but the ideal number is 22". The stages that could soon be included in the calendar could be Finland and Thailand, with the first still in the construction phase and therefore to be included in the calendar, perhaps, in 2019, and the other in negotiations to host the MotoGP from next year.

Photos: A. Farinelli