Galbusera named as Rossi crew chief

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Silvano Galbusera has been named as Valentino Rossi's new crew chief, following the Italian's decision to part ways with Jeremy Burgess after a 14-year partnership.

Galbusera began his career with Gilera back in 1979, spending 14 seasons working on a series of road and off-road projects. He moved to Cagiva in 1994, taking on the challenge of the 500cc championship, before landing a technical role at Yamaha.

During his time with the Japanese manufacturer, he has worked as a Crew Chief and Technical Director in the World Superbike and World Supersport categories, guiding Ben Spies to the Superbike title in 2009. And after a two-year spell at BMW, working for Italy's Marco Melandri, he has been given the chance to work in the top echelon.

"I'd like to thank Yamaha and Valentino for this great opportunity to work close to such a multi titled, high level champion," said Galbusera. "I'm happy to be back in the family and to have an opportunity in such a successful team that is always at the top."

Original Post found on: http://www.gpupdate.net/en/motogp-news/303083/galbusera-named-as-rossi-crew-chief/

MotoGP Star of the Year vote - 6th: Valentino Rossi

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6th – Valentino Rossi 

Average score out of ten: 6.91 

Team: Yamaha Factory Racing 

Bike: YZR-M1 (Factory) 

Wins: 1 

Podiums: 6 

Poles: 0 

Fastest Laps: 1 

Championship points: 237 (13.2 points per start average) 

Championship position: 4th out of 27 

Valentino Rossi's return to Yamaha netted his first MotoGP race victory since 2010 and his highest Crash.net Star of the Year ranking since that same season - but the Italian legend was still voted two places below his championship position.

The only double winner of the Crash.net vote, in 2008 and 2009, Rossi didn't even make the top ten last year, with viewers awarding an average ranking of just 5.11 out of 10 for his final season at Ducati. That improved to 6.91 and sixth place in this year's poll, after a season of highs and lows for the seven time MotoGP champion.

A feisty ride to the podium during the Qatar season opener proved Rossi had lost none of his fighting spirit, but thereafter he often struggled to get on terms with the 'top three'. Indeed, the number four summed up Rossi's season - The Doctor finished in fourth place on no less than eight occasions, on his way to fourth in the world championship.

An emotional victory at Assen - a race you voted as the most entertaining of the season - proved the high point of Rossi's year, while six podiums doubled his total rostrum score at Ducati and the #46 showed he had lost none of his racecraft by regularly thwarting his nearest opponents in final lap battles.

But more ultimate pace was needed and the lowest point arguably came at the Valencia finale, when - even with his race leading team-mate Jorge Lorenzo attempting to slow down the field - Rossi was unable to join the victory fight.

By then, news had already broken that Rossi had decided to split from crew chief Jerry Burgess as the 34-year-old seeks to get on terms with Marc Marquez, Dani Pedrosa and Lorenzo in 2014.

Never previously beaten by a MotoGP team-mate in the world championship standings, barring his 2010 leg breaking injury, Rossi finished this season 93 points shy of title runner-up Lorenzo.

About the vote:
Over 30,000 votes were cast for the 2013 Crash.net MotoGP Star of the Year poll, where viewers were asked to award each of this year's full-time participants - only Ben Spies and Karel Abraham, injured for large parts of the season, were not included - with a mark out of ten.

The average score for each rider was then used to determine the final ranking, which will be revealed in full once the winner is announced.

Orignal post: http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/199155/1/motogp-star-of-the-year-vote-6th.html

Five-time World Champion Mick Doohan is convinced Valentino Rossi still has a lot to offer in MotoGP.

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Nine-times Champion Rossi is coming off a disappointing 2013 season where he finished third in the standings behind Marc Marques, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa.

While his Yamaha team-mate Lorenzo won eight races despite battling injury midway through the season, the Italian's victory at Assen was his only one of the campaign. It has naturally led to question marks over his future not only at Yamaha, especially with his contract running out at the end of 2014, but also in MotoGP.

Doohan is confident Rossi can return to the front if he gets the right machinery, but he concede that the 34-year-old is probably no longer prepared to push himself too hard.

"He can't like not winning although the sport needs him and he has still got as many fans as ever. The sport will be a poorer place without him. I'm sure fourth is not good enough in Valentino's mind, but it is a hell of a lot better than where he was last year," Doohan told motorcyclenews.com.

"I think his experience is against him in terms of how far he is prepared to push himself and how long he wants to stay in the sport. But you never doubt Valentino. I have no doubt if they could get the bike to exactly his liking he could push more but he knows if he pushes any further he will go down the road.

"Valentino's experience though may mean he is not prepared to push as hard as those top three guys. They are still in the 'want and need' part of their careers rather than in the 'it would be great to do that again' part of their careers."

The memory of Valentino Rossi for Marco Simoncelli - 6 Hours ago in Sepang.

Sepang: Red, 4th arrival at the finish line reminds Simoncelli 

On the track in October of 2011 saw the death of Sic, Smith recalls the pilot friend doing a lap of honor after the race with the flag with the number 58. 

Sepang: Red, 4th arrival at the finish line reminds Simoncelli.

It was certainly a good day for Valentino Rossi, 4th arrival, which in the Grand Prix at Sepang was always watching from the first to the twentieth lap his team-mate Jorge Lorenzo and the two Honda riders compete for the podium. And to say that in practice, and especially in qualifying, the Doctor had done well for a few minutes savoring even the pole position, then faded due dell'indiavolato Marquez. Then, in the race, the almost absolute anonymity for a distant fourth place in the first three, the son of a difficult morning began with a fall during the warm-up to a few hours from the start.

The tribute to Sic - Yet, as often happens to the sample of Tavullia, anonymous one day turns into a moment at a time, however, to remember. Why the finish line, while Pedrosa celebrated an encore in Malaysia after last year's win, Marquez put his head in front of Lorenzo, stretching a little 'over defending champion Yamaha's Valentino cut out their own space on the circuit by waving the Malaysian flag he remembered his friend Simoncelli, who died October 23, 2011 on this track. On 18 October last year, during the race weekend of the Malaysian Grand Prix, riders and the MotoGP paddock had affixed a commemorative plaque at Turn 11 of the Sepang circuit where Simoncelli lost his life.This year we thought Rossi, the usual great champion off the track.

The Doctor's Hobbies.

Pershing 56 yacht

Valentino Rossi recently purchased a Pershing 56 luxury yacht. The MotoGP superstar traded his 50 foot yacht called Titilla, also a Pershing, to buy the new Pershing 56. He has named his latest purchase Titilla II that is 18 meters in length and has six berths. Rossi’s impressive toy boasts two engines that combine to produce a mammoth 1300 hp.

His fondness for Italian football club International.

Unlike Rossi's personal life his fondness for Italian football club Internazionale is not a secret. And Rossi admits it. After winning his ninth World title in October 2009, Inter congratulated Rossi on their official website.

Ferrari 458 Italia

Valentino Rossi was gifted a fly yellow colored Ferrari 458 Italia by iconic race car maker Ferrari on April 2012 in recognition of his sporting achievements. The multiple MotoGP World Champions race car’s license plate displays “046VR”, which matches Rossi’s bike number plate along with his initials. Valentino was photographed taking his Ferrari out on a test drive on the Monza racing track in Italy. The Ferrari packs in a formidable reputation as a speed demon and can go from zero to 100 km/hour in just 3.5 seconds. The $250,000 car can reach a top speed of 325 km/hour.

BMW M3 Sedan

After securing his record ninth MotoGP title, Valentino Rossi has proved that he is the fastest man on two wheels. And BMW has acknowledged the Italian's speed by awarding him a spanking new M3 sedan. Also BMW gave him a rare opportunity to test drive the new hardcore M3 GTS about which Rossi seems to be super excited.

Rossi Pets

Rossi now has two new dogs (one male and one female), named Cesare and Cecilia.

British bulldog named Guido, which he had from 2000 until 2008.