Valentino Rossi says he regrets his decision to leave Yamaha for Ducati back in 2011, over the manufacturer’s decision to give him and team-mate Jorge Lorenzo equal treatment.
Lorenzo, who made his MotoGP debut in 2008, was a consistent front runner and title contender and this forged an inter-term rivalry between him and Rossi, with the Italian getting more and more disgruntled at not being given the clear “No.1” status at Yamaha.
Rossi says the rivalry played a major part in his motivation to join Ducati at the end of the 2010 season, which was an ill-fated two year tenure that saw him return to Yamaha in 2013. Ironically, with Lorenzo winning the 2010 and 2012 titles, Rossi says he now benefits from Yamaha’s equal treatment policy, as it allows him to return on an even keel with his title-winning team-mate.
Meanwhile, Lorenzo continued to heap praise on Yamaha for their treatment of him since his 2008 debut, adding that he had nearly 100 percent equality when paired with Rossi and full support on and off the bike.
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