no but i can read spanish
..oh and use google translator
Marlboro wants to sponsor in exchange for a Yamaha M1 Rossi official
MONDAY, 16 JULY 2012 22:41 EDITOR
The future of Valentino Rossi and location for 2013 is poised to become the soap opera of the decade. When it seemed that the promises of Audi, the new owner of Ducati, and a qualified economic offer for the rider as "irresponsible", would ensure the continuity of the brand Valentino in Borgo Panigale, it seems that a new variant in the equation could give an unexpected turn to the future of the great champion.
Phillip Morris, the multinational tobacco sponsoring, through its Marlboro brand, Ducati, has stepped in decisively. This past weekend in Mugello, has been Vice President Global Communications and Promotion of Phillip Morris International, Maurizio Arrivabene, the man who controls the sponsorship of the Marlboro brand worldwide, including, inter alia, Ferrari and Ducati .
Arrivabene's agenda during the Italian Grand Prix has been very tight, and held extensive meetings, among others, Valentino himself and Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna, the promoter of MotoGP. The only topic of conversation was the future of the pilot and the search for a formula to provide the nine times world champion a competitive bike and able to fight for victories.
The promise of Audi, Valentino made during the visit of Rupert Stadler, CEO of Audi AG, at Sachsenring only ten days ago (a visit which was then a secret meeting held two, two weeks ago, coinciding with the World Ducati Week held on 23 and June 24 at Misano, but at a nearby hotel, not the concentration Ducatista, which Stadler did not attend), there seems to be so deep in the mind of Valentino Rossi as he seemed at first sight.
The Italian Mugello on Friday, claimed to be delighted with Audi's promises , but was a key that does not have to go unnoticed, "we have to talk about it yet (renewal). I hope that with the arrival of Audi, which saw very enthusiastic in Germany, will help improve things, but certainly not easy to do it quickly, because we took a year and a half and have not advanced much. "
That is the great concern of Valentino, time. No doubt that Audi put all eggs in one basket to make a competitive bike, but who can question soon, for next season, he wants to win a bike and wants a Yamaha.
And that is where Phillip Morris and Arrivabene, the decision maker superejecutivo sponsorship of Marlboro. Arrivabene met Valentino on Friday night, they both joined a good friend for years, now has intensified since Rossi joined Ducati, where Marlboro as sponsor, who pays 14 million euros in salary the pilot. Arrivabene listened to Valentino and he conveyed his doubts that Ducati is able to make a competitive bike for him, no communication between him and the heads of the Italian brand, and that his desire is to bear an official Yamaha .
On Saturday, Arrivabene met for two hours with Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna, and raised the possibility that Marlboro Yamaha offered to be, again, its main sponsor is Valentino and Jorge Lorenzo who accompanies as pilots Team official team Iwata factory in 2013.
The executive knows that a move of this caliber can be commercially a big blow, but also knows that if he leaves Marlboro Ducati, this, now owned by Audi, you can leave the world, as for the Germans, losing blow to Rossi and the sponsor could be a setback too disconcerting. Ezpeleta, who sees the play of Phillip Morris welcomed, even better would continue sponsoring the tobacco, also, Ducati, a duplication that can be difficult but not impossible.
Marlboro knows that sporting, Yamaha does not need to Rossi, but powerful desperately seeking a sponsor, a relationship that would not be new or anything, because at the time of Rainey, Checa and Biaggi the mark of the three forks and wore the red and white colors of the famous pack of cigarettes.In addition, the move to Yamaha is a teacher. First, it retrieves a top-level sponsor. Also, because if Rossi were to win races (or global) with the Yamaha, the bike would show that it is important rather than the pilot. And if, by contrast, Valentino does not win with the M1, would confirm his choice to stay with Lorenzo instead of Italian, was the right one. And, at the media might counter without problems and coined the slogan Repsol Honda around its new partner for 2013, Marquez-Pedrosa, 'a dream team'. So Yamaha, always wins.
Germain Garcia Casanova
