Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/783081
IN THE WIND P36 VALENTINO ROSSI WANTS DAKAR AND 24 HOUR OF LE MANS P rior to the Sepang Mo- toGP tests, Movistar Yamaha conducted an in-house interview with Valentino Rossi—the inter- viewer being his boss, Lin Jarvis! But far from being a straight-up PR stunt, the interview with Rossi is a rather entertaining insight into his mindset of the past couple of seasons in MotoGP, his involvement with young riders in his various camps at his base in Tavullia, Italy, and of his plans for the future. The most interesting revelation being that the nine-time world champion is very interested in taking on the Dakar Rally when he eventually retires from MotoGP. "Yes, is one goal, to try and do Dakar in the future. But, is very, very hard," Rossi said. "You have to be well prepared, but for sure in a car, be- cause on the motorcycle is very dangerous. But for me, I am more con- centrate on the 24 Hour of Le Mans. This is the first goal. Because on the track, I feel better! Maybe when I stop with the bike, we can have time." Rossi's love of four- wheel racing is well known. He's a multi-time winner of the famous Monza Rally, has com- peted in various WRC (World Rally Champion- ship) races and toyed with the idea of switching to Formula One following a number of high profile tests with Ferrari where he was on the pace of then team driver, Michael Schumacher, in 2006. But following a bit of soul searching at the end of that 2006 season, Rossi decided to stay with motorcycle racing as he felt he still had something to offer the sport. Well, two more MotoGP cham- pionships and three vice- championships later, it's clear "The Doctor" made the right decision. CN HONDA'S BIG BANG THEORY H onda's new Big (or possibly Long) Bang engine arrived as expected at the Sepang Mo- toGP test. The surprise was that there are two different versions, and by the end of the test, lead rider Marquez was still in a quan- dary over which to focus on. Engine development is frozen before racing begins, but until then the Repsol riders have a choice between two different firing intervals, both of which are at the start of their develop- ment and adaptation to unified software. Last year's "screamer" engine proved difficult in both entering and leaving corners, with poor acceleration and responses in spite of plentiful power. Only in the latter half of the year did electronic development improve the feel so Marquez could "ride as I want." Now the process has begun again. Michael Scott Hmm… what to do? Marquez still doesn't know which engine he wants for this year.