Tardozzi left Ducati so he could 'try to have a different challenge.' image by dean with keith's camera

Soup was able to interview former Ducati WSBK Team Manager Davide Tardozzi today. This is a transcript of that interview.

Q Can you talk about your decision to leave Ducati?

A It's a decision that start to build up in my mind since few months, because for personal reasons, I'm not.... After almost 20 years, first as a rider and then as a manager, I've been there. And the last couple of months, I didn't found any more the pleasure that I had before, to go to work, and to enjoy my job. Then that let me start to think that I need to give 100% of my mind, my body, my everything, to do in the proper way my job. Because my first job is to motivate the riders and the team. That means that if I'm not able any more to do this in the best ways possible, I need to tell to the factory. And I told this to Claudio and Filippo - to Claudio Domenicali and Filippo Preziosi.

I start to talk a bit with them, and they was totally on my side, helping me to do - to finish the championship in the best way, even if it was not possible, because we lose the championship. But in the end, I need to be honest towards Ducati, that give me so much - give me everything, you know? And I decide that being not able to do what I think I have to do, I think that is better to quit. Is a honest thing that I am doing towards Ducati. That means that I still have a two-year contract, but I was asking Claudio and Filippo to quit the contract, to let me try to have a different challenge.

I feel that I need something new. I have really to thank Claudio and Filippo how they treat me and how they was so nice and so close to me on a human, really human way. That's something that let me think once more that Ducati give me really a lot, even in this personal difficult moment. I have to thank the riders and my guys, the mechanics, to what they did for me, to let me be better and good in all those years. But now is time to change. There is one moment in your life where you see and you feel that you have to do something different. That's my moment. I explained this to Claudio and Filippo and they really understand, and I am very happy about this. Now I am thinking, waiting and betting. On me. [Laughing] And we'll see.

Q Was losing the championship a major factor in your decision?

A No, no, no. No. Absolutely not, because when I take this decision, my aim was to announce this after the winning of the championship. Because I like what Troy did last year, saying goodbye with the title on the pocket, and that was my aim. Unluckily, we found somebody this year like Ben Spies. In the end, Ben deserved the championship. He's a champ. We was trying hard to beat him. Unluckily, we didn't. We were so close to do it, but again, the championship is absolutely not the reason. Because I start months ago to think about this. But I have not - I need to keep this for myself, because I don't want to make any trouble, any problem, to the team, and to the relaxed feeling and air that there is inside the team, even if now we lose the championship. We (worked) at the championship in a very good way, with the riders and the team, even if we lose. I don't want to disturb too much this very nice atmosphere, and I didn't say it to anybody, apart my wife.

Q Many people wonder how the championship was managed, with Fabrizio and Haga, and lack of team orders.

A First of all, I think that the end of the championship is not the one - the real finish of the championship is not the six points of difference, because Ben was controlling the situation on the second race. Lack of orders, or whatever it happens in Imola, belongs to Ducati decision that what really happened in Imola, I think that just two people knows in the proper way, and I think that we keep for us.

We don't know what going to happen if we had something different in Imola. Means that we know what we decide, we know - we all know how it was, but if it could be different or not, nobody will know. What I am saying is that after 28 rounds, normally the final ranking say the truth. Then we have to honor Ben, because he been the best rider, and he deserved the championship.

Q Do you think after Troy (Bayliss) stopped racing, it was difficult for you to do your job, because you were so close to Troy?

A Obviously, with Troy I had really fantastic times, and a fantastic and so friendly relationship. But that doesn't mean that this year I was not trying as hard as before. Mainly because we need, and I need, to prove that we can have winnings even without Troy, obviously. Then we were so hardly trying to let Haga win for two reasons. First of all, for us, to prove that we can win even without Troy; and second, to try to let Nori win after haven't got the results after years of Yamaha. Then for us was a double bet. We lost, I guess, because we found somebody competing with us that was really ... that is really a fantastic rider, that is Ben. Obviously this makes our job very hard, because I think that - and I feel that - our two riders did a very, very good job. Because being second and third is a very good thing, very, very, very good results. Winning the manufacturers' title is proving that the bike and the team did a very good job. We had a bad problem with the name Ben Spies. But again, Ben deserved it.

Q What are your plans, short-term and long-term?

A Short-term is tomorrow I am leaving to Seychelles with my wife. But that was our plan already before. I am not running away from anything, just that this holiday was planned since few months. While, when I'll be back, I'll hoping that the computer, I'll see if in my email box, there is some messages of somebody. And we'll see.

Q Do you expect to stay in racing?

A Listen, that's something that I bet on. Because my decision, still having a contract with Ducati, is something that is for me. I have to see, and to understand if Davide Tardozzi is somebody that can be helpful for somebody else apart Ducati. Is something that I have to see and prove to myself. I want to know if I am what I am, and I did what I did, only because I am in Ducati, or if there is somebody that trusts that I can do something for them.