Ducati chief concerned over Rossi pace
Added on Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 by Carole Nash Editor
Ducati chief concerned over Rossi pace
Ducati boss Filippo Preziosi has conceded that Valentino Rossi’s pre-season pace is “scary” but feels that his team has no need to unduly worry just yet, claiming that the champion is just pushing harder than usual in the off-season.
Rossi has set a blistering pace in pre-season testing this year, topping the time sheets on all four days in two two-day tests in Sepang earlier this season and leading Ducati’s Casey Stoner on each occasion.
That performance, Preziosi admits, is ominous for the rest of the MotoGP paddock although the Ducati Corse chief believes that with pressure from the likes of Jorge Lorenzo, who missed the last Sepang test, and Stoner, Rossi has made a conscious effort to lay down an opening benchmark.
“Obviously, if you consider that over four days of testing Valentino led the way four times, which is something that Casey usually does, then the situation is undoubtedly a bit scary,” Preziosi told Motosprint.
“Usually Valentino is quick most of all in the race, but if he starts to be this quick in winter testing already…
“Anyway, to see the world champion rider leading on the world champion bike, then it doesn’t seem like big news. That’s nothing new, really.
“However, I think Valentino is already in qualifying mode. I see him aggressive and focused, so I expect him to attack more in testing too.”
Preziosi does however believe that things could change this week at the final test in Qatar, where Stoner has an enviable record.
“In Qatar Casey is like Valentino at Mugello,” he said.
