MotoGP Gossip: “Valentino Rossi’s ex-crew chief was useless”

While Valentino Rossi may be pondering retirement in the not too distant future, the Italian still heads into the 2020 MotoGP season with a fresh outlook following the decision to entrust his crew chief role to David Munoz, who replaces Silvano Galbusera s. It’s a move that Australian motocross and supercross legend Chad Reed believes could have the effect of turning Rossi’s fortunes around, going as far to describe Galbusera as ‘useless’ and a reason for his slide in form in recent years, adding ‘I never understood what the previous one was doing there. He wasn't at Valentino's level and the results showed it’. (Speedweek via Marca)

Though it has been confirmed the opening few rounds of the 2020 MotoGP season will be held without spectators, organisers for both the Misano and Le Mans rounds – assuming the latter can be rearranged – are exploring the possibility of allowing a small number of spectators to be present in the grandstands. As it stands, Dorna is yet to confirm exactly who will be allowed to attend events, including media, hospitality and officials. (GPone)

In the meantime, Dorna boss Carmelo Ezpeleta has dismissed the idea of filling grandstands with ‘cardboard cut-outs’ of people to simulate a crowd being present as a way of reducing the impact of having no spectators present. He says the stands will instead be utilised for advertising purposes to improve television exposure. (Marca)

Yamaha WorldSBK boss Andrea Dosoli says it would be a ‘dream’ to lure Valentino Rossi to the series after he retires from MotoGP, but admits it seems unlikely he’d do so because the premier class would do everything it can to retain his services in an off-track role. (AS)

Alvaro Bautista says Danilo Petrucci should consider a move to the WorldSBK Championship for 2021, despite his own misgivings about moving to the series in 2019. Petrucci has been linked to the class after seemingly being frozen out of Ducati’s MotoGP line-up, a switch that would echo Bautista’s own when move just over a year ago. (MotoGP Round Table YouTube via Moto.it)