Vale's other options revealed..

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ravensby @ Jul 23 2008, 05:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Wasn't there talk about Stoner being on a performance contract? Or was that last years contract. I wonder how much coming in second costs him each week?

I quoted this from a Daily Telegraph article (Sydney). I’ve not found it again but I put the link on crash.net, which I don’t go to anymore – mostly because it’s rubbish.

Apparently Casey’s contract was only about 3 million per annum with significant win bonuses, it quoted him as having earned 12 million in 2007. This may have been with additional sponsorships and bonuses from sponsors for wins as well but the win bonus factor is supposed to be larger than anyone else’s.

Interestingly they signed him up to 2009 on this contract after 2007 and kept the same system in place, Casey was happy to have it that way. They have an option to 2010 and are building the Carbon framed bike around him so I dare say the win bonus is a win-win bonus for the Ducati squad (so funny that one…).

Casey has 4 wins this year and will get at least another 2 so he won’t be eating beans on toast with Westy anytime soon. Marco Melandri oddly enough didn’t get a Casey style contract and was paid much more on the base contract.

I wonder what Sete and Nicki will get…

its intresting vale has the ducati offer for me its VERY telling. no matter what ducati say they know the sponsorship, talent etc etc they get with Vale is better then anyother rider (inc casey moaner). Its a no brainer, italian team, italian rider, and italian money from sponsors etc etc... they might of missed out on vale now but 2010 maybe there last shot in making the "dream" team. and would they be happy with casey and vale in one team? would vale come to ducati with casey (already experienced on duke etc etc) as a new boy?? i am not sure. If vale is smart he would put out "feelers" to ducati (if he wants a new challenge) in 2009 and ask if caseys contract be renewed, and maybe say "i will ride if i am Number 1 rider" but vale probably wouldn't do that so i think the ducati dream is over

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mstar @ Jul 24 2008, 12:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>its intresting vale has the ducati offer for me its VERY telling. no matter what ducati say they know the sponsorship, talent etc etc they get with Vale is better then anyother rider (inc casey moaner). Its a no brainer, italian team, italian rider, and italian money from sponsors etc etc... they might of missed out on vale now but 2010 maybe there last shot in making the "dream" team. and would they be happy with casey and vale in one team? would vale come to ducati with casey (already experienced on duke etc etc) as a new boy?? i am not sure. If vale is smart he would put out "feelers" to ducati (if he wants a new challenge) in 2009 and ask if caseys contract be renewed, and maybe say "i will ride if i am Number 1 rider" but vale probably wouldn't do that so i think the ducati dream is over
I am sure every team would love to have valentino for his talent alone, let alone that he is 10 times more popular than any other rider. I had thought that ducati may have the same attitude to vale as mercedes did to schumacher ie that he was more popular and famous than mercedes themselves and would deflect attention away from them and the car but this is evidently not the case.

I actually think this is a problem for casey stoner; I am personally very happy for him to give up any pretences, be the black hat guy and go all out bare knuckles with valentino, but if he did so I don't think ducati would be happy partly because it would be bad for them commercially, partly because like most involved in motogp italian or otherwise they probably love dr rossifumi madly as well .

Well from the other article I read somewhere on Crash.net Vale said that he was only going to race to like age 32 or something which this current contract will take him to. I hope he decides he needs a new challange in two years and runs a Duc. Man one can dream I guess?