Valentino Rossi slams testing restrictions

Valentino Rossi has slammed the cost-saving testing restrictions in MotoGP because it handicaps a factory from trying to develop a better bike too severely.

The winter testing schedule has been drastically reduced in the face of the global economic crisis and apart from a two-day session immediately after the final race in Valencia, there have been only eight days of testing available.

The paddock normally visits the Sepang circuit in Malaysia twice before finishing pre-season preparations with a two-night test under the Losail International Circuit floodlights in Qatar.

The number of Monday tests immediately after a race weekend were also greatly reduced to save money but Rossi said the limit on testing was too severe.

Rossi believes the restrictions have prevented Ducati from making any significant progress during this season, with the GP11.1 easily beaten by Honda and Yamaha.
Rossi, who finished seventh in his home race in Misano recently, denied putting pressure on Dorna to increase the track time available during the close season.

But he said: “I think it is incredible that we don’t have more tests because for me and Ducati it increases the time to recover by ten times. We have to try a lot of things, but it is not possible, so we are worse than the Italian championship.”