Silly season 2013

[Gar]

Last week Crutchlow implied that he won't be on a Yamaha next season. Now he says that his number one priority is to stay at Yamaha.

[CLX]

Cal would need to have a load of confidence and know Stoner's telemetry by heart to go to Ducati.

[GD66]

[quote="Squidpuppet" I guess if Carmelo can back pedal for Repsol $$ and MM, he can/would do the same for Fiat $$ and keeping Rossi in the show (and competative) helps all Parties.

Fiat are long gone.

[tom]

Last week Crutchlow implied that he won't be on a Yamaha next season. Now he says that his number one priority is to stay at Yamaha.

The quotes are not entirely inconsistent. He may believe there is currently no position at Yamaha for him next year however he is going to do his best to change that, no?

I still think any motogp rider not sure about their ride on a Yamaha or Honda next year would hedge their bets with Ducati over a CRT.

[Squidpuppet]

[quote="Squidpuppet" I guess if Carmelo can back pedal for Repsol $$ and MM, he can/would do the same for Fiat $$ and keeping Rossi in the show (and competative) helps all Parties.

Fiat are long gone.

Because ducati had no place for them. If this fantasy satelite Rossi team was created, Fiat might return. Especially since Rossi is pals with the grandson Lapo Elkann.

[dave_m]

Last week Crutchlow implied that he won't be on a Yamaha next season. Now he says that his number one priority is to stay at Yamaha.

While signing with Ducati might be a questionable move, using them as leverage for a factory seat at Yamaha isn't necessarily a bad plan. Still, a couple decent results by Spies while Crutchlow finishes behind Dovi and the Ducati seat might be his only option.

[Gar]

I still think any motogp rider not sure about their ride on a Yamaha or Honda next year would hedge their bets with Ducati over a CRT.

Absolutely. And WSBK over CRT in my opinion.

[Zaphod]

And how sad is that.

Rule changes and "improvements" to the system seem to be working a treat.

[Cam D]

A few thoughts from Cal
http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/181022 ... _ride.html

“I think I've got a good shout at it but it's down to the Yamaha bosses.
“At the minute we've proved what we can do, but Andrea has been in a factory team for three years already and has come back to a satellite team and is obviously one of the best riders around. “He's already been in a factory team so maybe that will be in my favour,” added Crutchlow. “My priority is to stay with Yamaha because they've been very loyal to me over the past four years and I hope to repay them and hopefully we can do a good job with them. “I'll wait to see what they want to do first and foremost but if not, we'll look at the other options on the table.”

and
Making friends...
http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/181028 ... lanet.html

[dave_m]

I still think any motogp rider not sure about their ride on a Yamaha or Honda next year would hedge their bets with Ducati over a CRT.

Absolutely. And WSBK over CRT in my opinion.

I'd say both of those actions would be mistakes. A rider is fooling themselves if they think good results are the likely outcome on the Ducati, as it's been going on 5 straight season that the Ducati has been a significant handicap to most if not all riders. It's also an unknown and unpredictable handicap, unlike the CRT bikes which are expected to be slower. Going to WSBK is also a mistake, as there really isn't a way back to MotoGP from WSBK, while the CRT riders are still in MotoGP. The series looks to be changing over the next couple years with BMW and Suzuki possibly fielding teams in 2014, and at least Honda providing the production racers, so there may be good opportunities for riders after they are on a CRT bike for a year or two.

EDIT: career-wise the Ducati is a dead end, not so much financially

[Gar]

As long as there are prototypes about, CRT will be the equivalent of a privateer ride in the 2 strokes days. I cannot remember many advancing through that plan.

[RedJet]

Herve does not see Ben coming back to Tech3. While he'd love to work with Ben again he sees it as a step back for Ben and one he would not be willing to make.
MCN. [url]http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/MotoGP/2012/June/jun2112-no-tech-3-return-for-spies/
[/url]

Poncharal told MCN: “I can’t see Ben coming back to us happening. We had a good year for him and us in 2010, which put Ben in the factory team. He is a great talent and very exciting for us.

"For Ben I think it would be a step backwards and I don’t like to say that because it means we don’t have a team that’s capable of doing well.

"But we will always follow Yamaha and if they wanted to swap Ben with one of our riders we would be happy to do that. But I am not sure Ben would be happy to do this.”

I like this part of the article

.../...with Spies still hotly-tipped to keep his place despite a disappointing start to 2012.

Well, except that last part - truth or not, still talking about my Boo.

[freighttrain]

Does anyone else see Cal ending up on Ben's bike, while Ben might end up on Rossi's bike?

If tech 3 is not a mental option for Ben, perhaps Ducati would be... perhaps Hayden jumps off on to another bike.. ( not sure which one).. then it might look like..

Jorge and Cal.. Factory Yamaha...
Rossi.. His own team with a Yamaha...
Pedrosa and Marquez.. Factory Honda...
Spies and Redding.. Factory Ducati...
Hayden and Bautista on the Satellite Honda...
Dovi and Smith on the Tech 3...

I could be way the hell off on this one, but there could be some possibilities there...

[TwoStroke Institute]

I don't see Rossi in is own team, for several reasons. Assuming Rossi could get a Tech 3 spec bike, first he would be taking on a 'manger' role if he liked it or not, next would be staffing data blokes are not cheap and on every street corner, then there is funding which would be assured BUT Rossi would have to bank on covering 60-75% of the budget himself. Asking seasoned GP blokes like is team to follow without the security of factory funding is a big ask. All up I see a lot of work for minimal gain

[Gustav O]

I think Davide Brivio would be team manger and his wholecrew would probably follow him as they seem very loyal to Rossi. Funding will be a hassle but he is still the most sellable rider around.

[Gustav O]

I am also a bit curious as to why Yamaha would choose Cal to their second bike. He is doing well this year but still hasn't podiumed or had pole as Ben did on the Tech3 bike. Imo both Ben and Dovi are better picks than Cal for the second rider seat.
The real problem Yamaha has is that Ponchsral signed Smith to one of his seats in Tech3 wich in hindsight seems like a pre-mature decision.

[TwoStroke Institute]

I think Davide Brivio would be team manger and his wholecrew would probably follow him as they seem very loyal to Rossi. Funding will be a hassle but he is still the most sellable rider around.

Yes Rossi is marketable, but you still have a massive funding shortfall, finding and keeping sponsors in more than a full time job these days, you can be set to sign another 2 yr deal and the person who you were dealing with in the company can move on, the person who replaces them may not like MotoGP and walk away. It happens many many times at GP level(even happened to me), despite how happy the sponsor was with the previous deal. That type of thing would make the Ducati experience seem like a day at the beach.

[Zaphod]

Alex Briggs says......

Alex Briggs ‏@Alex__Briggs
RT @BtmSteve: Alex, lots of speculation about where the rider will be next year, but which team would you like to be working for???...


Alex Briggs ‏@Alex__Briggs
If you have followed me for awhile u have probably figured out that the most important thing for me r the ppl I work with not where.

Alex Briggs ‏@Alex__Briggs
One thing you will start to see is every man & his dog with an opinion of the future of the Rider & maybe us?

Alex Briggs ‏@Alex__Briggs
Eventually 1 will be right & then they will say I told u back on blah blah this would happen. I don't think its worth all the energy or ink!

[Zaphod]

So, just to annoy Alex Briggs....... .........any word ( Krop ??) in regards to Rossi being on a Sattelite Honda rumours ?

Are the new bits for Laguna just motions he's going through on his way out the door ?

[dave_m]

Are the new bits for Laguna just motions he's going through on his way out the door ?

Some noise from Nicky Hayden and someone else at Ducati that even those updates at Laguna Seca aren't going to be anything big, definitely no new V angle engine.

[ieism]

This tread is 12 pages deep, and it's june! It's all Casey's fault this...

Well, Looks like Crutchlow has an offer from Ducati, and Hayden doesn't

I have nothing against Cal, but surely Hayden has done everything to deserve that seat. I think Ducati needs to take a look at some of Hayden's curriculum and compare it with Cal's career stats.

Or does this mean they seriously consider the possibility of Rossi leaving? Maybe they offered Hayden a big paycheck to ride in WSB, with an option to keep him in Motogp if Rossi decides to leave?

[Zaphod]

Rossi = Honda 2013 .......not a Repsol one, but a Honda none the less.

[Cam D]

Rossi = Honda 2013 .......not a Repsol one, but a Honda none the less.

He may do, as Honda probably have the obvious vacant seat, but MM could bugger all that up. Still only 4 bikes allowed per factory from what I read. Bradl and Bautista seemed to have earned their place and I reckon Dani will stay put. How long do Bradl and Bautista's contracts last?
Personally I'd like to see Ben stay on the factory Yamaha for another year, and I thought maybe Rossi would end up on a Tech 3.
Cal is telling one and all that he deserves a factory seat, and has let everyone know another factory (Ducati?) has approached him. I don't think Yamaha would be too worried with what Cal wants, as they have a good stable with Jorge, Ben and Andrea, and plenty of riders would be happy to ride for Tech 3 ... inc Vale I reckon. Pretty sure I read an interview with Dovi that said he is on a performance scheme for trick bits from Yamaha eg: If he gets the results he gets the good bits, so it wouldn't surprise me if his equipment stays competitive even in 2013.

Alex might think it's all a big waste of time but I'm sitting on my ass on the couch typing this ... so I see it as multi tasking.

[Kropotkin]

So, just to annoy Alex Briggs....... .........any word ( Krop ??) in regards to Rossi being on a Sattelite Honda rumours ?

Are the new bits for Laguna just motions he's going through on his way out the door ?

Laguna parts are last chance, IMO. Rossi on a satellite Honda is the most logical place to be. That or factory Yamaha, but that means a very healthy serving of humble pie.

[TwoStroke Institute]

Will it be any better battling with Dovi? What about being down the pecking order? I bet Ducati will be mighty impressed all those Rossi replicas and merch gathering dust in the warehouse in Bologna. Sponsor wise Tech3 is a good fit, but what about poor old Bradders ? Getting shoulder charged out of the way?