Carter: Rossi-Bayliss hype goes on

Eurosport - Tue, 06 Jan 10:15:00 2009

OK, this is all getting rather silly now. I am referring to the ongoing rumour-mill, hype-mill and hope-mill surrounding the Valentino Rossi and Troy Bayliss showdown in the World Superbike Championship this year.

2008 Yamaha Davide Brivio Valentino Rossi - 0

Because it still hasn't gone away. As I sit here in the office writing this column there has been another twist to the tale. Another reason for those of us who are dreaming about the race happening to get that little bit more excited about the prospect.

Let's back-track a bit here though, put the elements of this incredible story in place.

Firstly, Valentino Rossi - that bloke who has taken eight world championships in some of the most difficult and competitive prototype racing classes ever seen - says to an Italian sporting publication that he would like to ride in the production-based WSB because it's more exciting and brutal than the aloof and gapped-out-on-track MotoGP series.

Then, as if that's not enough of a bombshell, Vale then throws in (possibly for good measure or possibly because he fancied further winding up the eager journalist who'd just coughed-up his mouthful of cappuccino at the first revelation) the nugget that he would have loved to have raced in the series against Troy Bayliss. Because Bayliss was the best WSB rider of all time.

Bayliss, for those of you who don't know, is a multiple World Champion in WSB and took the title last year in fine style. He's a classy bloke is Troy. Widely liked by all in the normally-bitchy paddocks around the world and has a reputation on-track for being as hard a chisel that's been wrapped up in a diamond-tipped Rottweiler overcoat.

Bayliss added to the spectacle in 2008 by announcing at the very start of the year, before he'd even made it to the first race, that it would be his last. Come hell or high water Troy the boy was retiring at the end of 2008. It just so happens that he won the title en route to leaving it all behind.

And there really is a certain style to that.

So with Rossi saying what he said, a few journos go knocking on Ducati man Davide Tardozzi's door. Davide was Troy's team manager and eagerly said that if Troy fancied a rumble in the WSB jungle with Valentino then of course Ducati would help him as much as possible.

Troy himself then followed it up by announcing that he would fancy the one-off meeting between the two riders as part of the WSB championship. But he would want a sizeable pay-packet to do it. And why not?

So we've had Rossi saying he wants the race, Bayliss saying he'd be up for it and Ducati saying it's a goer from their point of view.

And now we've had a statement from David Brivio (pictured left, with Rossi), the man who looks after Rossi's MotoGP efforts (well, kind of - he's a very influential Yamaha player). Brivio has been speaking to Italian publication Tuttosport, in its pages he is quoted as saying: "It's not easy, but the racing department is doing everything possible to sort out two R1 bikes for Rossi.

"The problem is that the bike is a new project, so everything is a lot more difficult.

We'll see whether it's possible in the end to allow Valentino to get his wish."

Now I'm sure that there will be lots of people out there saying 'It'll never happen', the detractors and the glass-half-empty types. And it's hard not for the inner cynic in me to rise up and join in.

But we've now had statements from Rossi, Bayliss, Ducati and Yamaha all saying the same thing - so you know what? It might just happen. Might.

Well, nobody has said no so far. Which in racing amounts to pretty much the same thing. So trying to keep the excitement in check is getting harder as each day passes. It's almost as if we don't want to wish it too much in case we jinx the whole damn thing.

But blimey, Brivio's quotes do make for interesting reading.

Tony Carter / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 16 of 16

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  1. rossi and bayliss head to head on sbk`s i would`nt wright off bayliss and anyway bayliss has already beat rossi in motogp when rossi lost the title to hayden and blew the rest of them away aswell might only be one race but still done it......

    From rossbrown303, on Sat 24 Jan 5:11PM

  2. Someone stated that Rossi is the best of all time - err, no ! The best of this generation, without a doubt.
    But, you cannot compare the different generations - the likes of Agostini, Hailwood and that generation used to do 250, 350 and 500 championship rounds ..... in the same day !
    Different distances, maybe. Different machinery, of course. The T.T. used to be part of it - the likes of Ago, Hailwood et al used to do track and road for a title, so please, no more of The Doctor being the greatest of all time - it does not ring true with us wrinklies ..... and trust me, I love watching Rossi control races from 2nd or 3rd postion. It is watching a master at work.
    But for me - having watched since the late 50's/early 60's, Mike the Bike'sthe Daddy !

    From gongdonkey, on Tue 20 Jan 9:36PM

  3. who was stupid and said about valentino racing john mcguinness around the tt ,youve lost what were talking about . and i guees if he had time to study the tt and he needed 10 grand for winning it he would may be think about it . big lol

    From cjhouldsworth, on Mon 19 Jan 1:26PM

  4. i would pay very good money to see this happen best of the best but would still think rossi would take it no offence troy lol

    From michaelhirst1609, on Sun 18 Jan 2:37PM

  5. What a laugh,how much fun would it be,to watch a race between these two guys,go on have a race, both on ducati and then on a pair of yamaha's lol.

    From stewart g, on Sun 18 Jan 10:48AM

  6. I am not religous but I think I have just found myself on knees asking for one little favour that this will happen... come on your marketing boys and girls make yourself some money and set this thing up. I am in whatever the ticket price :-)

    From Jack Sprag, on Thu 15 Jan 4:12PM

  7. Valentino Rossi is the best motorcycle racer ever,why would he want to race Bayliss,if Troy thinks that he is better why didnt he stay in moto gp?Please Valentino dont race him you will always have respect from your fans.Your in a different league Valentino the Premier League,he should look up to you and respect you for that...

    From Patrick Lydon, on Tue 13 Jan 11:10AM

  8. perhaps the winner would take on john mcguiness on the tt course to see who the best really is !!!!!

    From jsayshford, on Mon 12 Jan 9:03AM

  9. this will not happen! But I would love to see happen.

    From Gary G, on Sat 10 Jan 5:39PM

  10. 5.You've got more chance of a kawasaki one two in next season's moto gp than this race, so don't give it anymore airspace to it please

    yep

    From vampirivm, on Fri 9 Jan 8:35PM

  11. hi , ive read some off peoples comments on this race . i dont see why it cant happen and people think rossi has never ridden a superbike , so his never done " suzuka 8hr race " and done very good . some people have followed bike racing but dont understand how it works . Rossi has probably tested the r1 just as much as anyone for fead back from the best rider of all time , dont you think.!!!,and you never no yamaha might want to concentrate in the future on production bike racing ... due to the credit crunch lol .................... dont get me wrong bayliss is the best superbike rider but his bike is not bad either.

    From cjhouldsworth, on Thu 8 Jan 8:34PM

  12. You've got more chance of a kawasaki one two in next season's moto gp than this race, so don't give it anymore airspace to it please

    From rrcarsofgosport, on Wed 7 Jan 10:54PM

  13. The Doctor Vs bayliss ? yeah right . Would bayliss get L plates ? from the Doctor . No-one in their right minds is taking this seriously are they ? bayliss...winner of a 2nd rate series of top flight wanna-bes and has beens where anyone with the factory Ducati ride has a clear machinery advantage over the rest of the field .... against Rossi the Greatest motorcycle racer of all time

    From PAULY, on Wed 7 Jan 11:09AM

  14. who cares though really, bayliss is good, but hes nowhere near good enough to win a moto gp title.

    what would he prove by racing rossi? to make it fair both riders would need to be on a kawasaki or honda.

    bayliss knows the ducati inside out, and rossi doesnt, so it wouldnt be fair if rossi was on a r1 hes never ridden while bayliss on his own ducati.

    From norfolk_aprilia, on Tue 6 Jan 9:03PM

  15. Sounds like Yamaha don't think they are up to the challenge.

    From SS_A9X, on Tue 6 Jan 6:02PM

  16. I read this over on Crash back in December.

    "Ducati Xerox team manager Davide Tardozzi claims Troy Bayliss is flattered to have been praised by MotoGP Champion Valentino Rossi, but insists he is not planning on participating in a much speculated head-to-head with him."

    Not sure which story to believe but i'd love to see it happen. I'd PAY to see it happen.

    From nickmorgs, on Tue 6 Jan 4:51PM
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