Ducati Team's Valentino Rossi (Photo: Ducati Corse)

The question increasingly asked is whether Audi's assessment will trigger changes in engineering staff and resources at Ducati Corse, perhaps even a new boss.

Maintaining Rossi's motivation with a demonstration of engineering excellence, and delivery of constant upgrades, will be a key point in retaining his services.

Car guys have a poor history of getting involved in bike racing projects but Audi should be clever enough to set a direction and then seek the staff to deliver those targets.

Rossi again pointed to his main issue, and the daunting steepness of the mountain Audi must climb in turning the Ducati race team around, after the German GP.

The Italian finished sixth a massive 28 seconds back, an intolerable gap, behind the Honda of race winner Dani Pedrosa.

Rossi's aluminum GP12 has gone without significant upgrades since February with set-up options now at an end as Rossi's frustration grows.

"We cannot think to arrive on the podium of dry races just by moving just the setting; it is not enough, we need something more," said Rossi as he again repeated his plea for Preziosi to produce performance upgrades.

But it is Audi's apparent eagerness to see the MotoGP program return to the winning days delivered by Australian rider Casey Stoner that will perhaps entice Rossi.

And Audi's high profile Le Mans program may also satisfy Rossi's car racing desires.

When asked by SPEED if Audi's indication of boosting the MotoGP project had made him more excited about the possibility of continuing with the team Rossi said: "Yes, especially because they have a lot of enthusiasm. We will speak and then I have to decide for the next years."

That decision is expected at the latest by the Czech GP in Brno at the end of August.

If the new owners from Audi can persuade Rossi that he will get what he wants from Ducati -- a bike with race-winning potential without compromise -- then it may be that the Germans will fix another of Europe's problems -- the so far unhappy and increasingly tense marriage between Rossi and Ducati and race team boss Filippo Preziosi.