‘No Valentino Rossi is a problem’: Ducati boss comments on MotoGP's growth in Italy

Ducati MotoGP team boss Davide Tardozzi believes the championship’s growth in Italy has been harmed by Valentino Rossi’s retirement and pay TV deals.

Under new Liberty Media ownership now, MotoGP is beginning to enjoy a new period of growth, as its calendar expands and race attendance figures climb.

However, Ducati’s Davide Tardozzi believes Italy, in particular, has “lost market share” in recent years.

He cites the loss of Valentino Rossi, who retired from MotoGP at the end of 2021, as well as a move away from free-to-air television broadcasting as being key factors in this.

“We’ve lost market share in Italy in recent years,” he told Speedweek.

“I can’t speak for other countries. The fact that we no longer have Valentino Rossi is a problem. Valentino Rossi was a star, a hero even for grandmothers.

“He made sure they watched MotoGP. On the other hand, Pecco Bagnaia has been very well-known in Italy for a few years now, and of course, Ducati and Aprilia as well – they’re doing a good job with promotion.

“But it’s also clear that pay TV isn’t helping.

“However, this world has to survive, and pay-TV broadcasters pay good money, so the organisers are leaning in that direction.

“I don’t know how things will develop with the new owners, how they plan to market the championship. I believe that the era of pay TV can’t be turned back.”

Things have improved in recent years. The Italian Grand Prix at Mugello in 2022 only drew a weekend crowd of just over 74,000.

Last year, however, that grew to 166,074, marking it largest weekend crowd in two decades. Misano has seen a similar boom, with 174,000 spectators turning up last year.

As Tardozzi points out, Ducati's success in recent years, and now Aprilia's rise, has helped in this regard.

But Tardozzi has also looked to Formula 1’s growth under Liberty, and notes that circuits are far busier earlier in the weekend despite the cost of tickets being more than in MotoGP.

“I’m amazed when I look at the ticket prices for Formula 1, and the grandstands are all full from Friday morning onwards,” he added.

“It makes me wonder if we’re making mistakes somewhere.

“But it’s also obvious that MotoGP can’t just go to Las Vegas, Dubai, or Monte Carlo.

“Things are very different here, and we have to be much more concerned about safety. That makes a big difference.”