You can tell we’re still in for a long and boring winter, when a couple of simple statements are used to stir up a little off-season controversy between riders.
We’ve already mentioned what Andrea Dovizioso had to say about Valentino Rossi – that the former World Champion will not be competitive enough on the Ducati in 2012 to fight for the world title and that with today’s rivals even if he was on a Japanese motorcycle he wouldn’t be able to dominate – Rossi was asked what he thought about these statements, and used this phrase on Twitter, “When a rider wins something important then his true character emerges.
The problem is that he’s never won.
”Now a suprised and a regretful Dovizioso in an interview with Sportmediaset.
com tried to explain his previous statements, putting the blame squarely on the media, who he says distorted his words, “The meaning of my words were completely distorted, the media and websites change things.
I think that Valentino, who is intelligent and an expert knows and understands these things.
I came back from Argentina and people told me that I was arrogant and presumptuous towards him.
That’s false.
I wouldn’t dream of it, I know who Rossi is and I’m not stupid.
”The Italian tried to explain what he meant, “I said that Ducati will not have an easy time because it’s difficult to completely change a motorcycle and have it work well right off the bat, especially when you have measure yourself against Honda and Yamaha who already have a successful and winning base to start from.
I also said that even if Rossi was riding a Japanese motorcycle he wouldn’t dominate like in the past because he has very strong rivals, that doesn’t mean he’s finished or can’t win races or a championship.
”
