Crash.net's Qatar GP blog: Saturday.

Without even entering the argumentative zone, Stoner and Melandri being "blocked" by two years contract isn't going to be deterrent if Vale wants to end his MotoGP carreer on a Ducati: the factory was ready to have a three bikes team if Capirex had wanted
Entering that zone now ;), it's obvious now that the GP8 isn't an easy bike to tame and Vale will surely want to be sure he can ride it, and not look like Melandri, Elias, Guintoli and, last year, Capirex. But i'm pretty sure a secret test can be arranged

I postulated exactly this late last week to my good lady, she just laughed at me, but if nothing comes good this year for Honda and Rossi I'd put good money on it being a possibility... in fact I'm off down the bookies now

If Vale is on a Duc, he will beat Stoner...Vale is unbeatable on the best bike. If there was IROC racing in motorcyling (a race where all champions race the same exact bike), Rossi would win and Bayliss would come in 2nd :-) With that said, Stoner is on a Duc, so go Stoner and I can't root for any Suzuki rider even though I have one cause they suck!! Can't wait till Ben Spies moves up and wipes the floor off with some of these guys.

I've got to agree with jihem - it would be a great coup for Ducati to have Rossi onboard.

Stranger things have happened, but Rossi coming back to Honda WITH Jerry Burgess could go a long way towards focusing development in one direction. It seems Honda is having a difficult time building a bike to suit both Pedrosa and adult-sized riders.

Rossi coming back to Repsol Honda - if he'd even consider it - would really put a knot in Alberto Puig's undies!

I'm betting Yamaha will get it right for Rossi, though.

Rossi just did a 1.59.59

Felix, keep your money Did you read Vale's book ? He's pretty consistent in his nasty comments about Honda. I don't think they'll want him near one of their bikes anytime soon...

Why do we continue to get all this 'Rossi to Ducati' crap?
Ducati has made it clear they don't want him - if he wins, it's down to him, if he loses (which is increasingly the norm), then the kit is at fault.
Does all Italy want him on a Ducati - well, I know a lot of Italian fans who have no time at all for Rossi, and I certainly don't know too many Ducati owners who would be pleased to see him on the brand.
Frankly, why do we even still bother to debate the guy? He is so far past his sell-by date the odor is getting too much.

i can not see rossi going back to Repsol Honda but its possible he could be a one man HRC fully backed Team with Jerry Burgess and first in line for all
them HRC Parts. Depends on how bad HRC want to win the deal would be
on rossi own terms or no deal would be done. I dont think it take much to make a
wining machine out of the 2007 or 2008 bike with JB&Rossi on it.
Pedrosa&Hayden can not develop bikes! and HRC have not had rider who could since rossi jumped ship.

But all will depend on how well the yamaha does this year !

Marco is 3 sec' of the pace
did he do the right thing moving to the duke????

Luke: >Ducati has made it clear they don't want him - if he wins, it's down to him, if he loses (which is increasingly the norm), then the kit is at fault.

I guess Vale having a private and secret night visit to the Ducati factory and being proposed a contract is just misinformation from Vale himself then ? ;)

If Dani can't do it on a honda then neither will Rossi. could Rossi ride a duc so far only Stoner can.

Rossi is there... Don't worry !

FP3 result:

1.stooner
2.Lorenzo
3.Rossi
4.DeAngelis
5.Edwards

good on yamaha good on Bstone too

I can't see why it is so logical that Ducati will/must have Rossi.If Stoner wins this year also (while all the other Ducati's are back markers)should they risk bringing Rossi in the team and creating negative tension for Stoner? And,even more, should Stoner win and Rossi manage only 3-4 overall or worse,why should Ducati take him at all?
There is no guaranty that Rossi will be quick on the Ducati. Again, apart from the fact that Stoner is fast on the Ducati,there is no proof that the Ducati is the best bike out there!

It's clear by now that the Duc is a seriously poor bike for a normally fine and competitive rider.

The Duc is a "lady in red" that is completely unaccesible for most. It looks only seductive on the outside but is a real bitch to ride

Stoner and Ducati just got lucky they found each other. If Stoner goes, Ducati are in trouble.

1. Melandri and Elias used to be good on the "slow" Honda but where are they now?
2. Guintoli. He used to be reasonably good on the "slow" Yamaha.

If I were Rossi, I wouldn't get lured into a frustrating dead-trap like that. It might be a bigger chalenge than the M1 in 2004. At least he should be able to test Stoners bike first before anything.

Yes Guy not necessarily the best but definately the fastest if you can handle it.
It's a mute point. Rossi has done the change thing and been successful. Stoner has never won on anything else other than a Duke so he won't move and if Rossi wins on the Yam well he's won on all types in all different classes which suggests he'd have what it takes.. Personally I think the Italians would love a successful italian rider on their bike thats why they went for melandri. If but what maybe..putting Stoner in Rossis league at this stage of his career is laughable, even if Rossi is coming to the end of an era(not so sure myself).

>Stoner win and Rossi manage only 3-4 overall or worse,why should Ducati take him at all?

MONEY.
In Europe, Vale is a totally HUGE money raiser, for any kind of products.

Plus one must not play down the national pride it is. Look at Biaggi on the Ducati 1198, it's already a winner, doesn't matter much if he wins or looses, he's an italian champ on an italian bike.

Yeah we all want to see back on bussness, why not Rossi has got talent and skill that no one has got. Stone is good but not good us Rossi, Stone sittin best bike and he is nr: one "1" choice for brigstone: so we want to see Rossi on Honda bike 2009

After 3-4 years of not winning the title, Rossi's value will drop even he cannot stop that, unless he win the title again.Should he be bitten by an other Yamaha,well....what then? Lets say Lorenzo bit Rossi this year,maybe even take the title, will Rossi still be the nr.1 rider at Yamaha?

This is a track where Brid. admitted they're inferior, at least on quali pace.
Mich. last year was tearing up in the heat.
And they tested here a week ago, preparing new tires and bringing them here, pretty much as they used to do when the rules allowed it (and Rossi won the lot).
All this to say that this is not going to be very indicative of tires strength for the rest of the championship.
It's cold, Michelin have always been better at customising tires after getting telemetry for a particular track, and the Stoner package is clearly very very good, so pretty much out of the contest anyways.
I'd say the championship will show its true colors from the next race onwards...