2010 WSBK & MOTOGP - Musical Chairs

[Cajun]

Bautista to Rizla Suzuki for MotoGP?

Jorge “Aspar” Martinez hopes of entering MotoGP with Spanish rider Alvaro Bautista in-tow seem to have disappeared today. After calling an emergency meeting with the young Spanish rider today, Aspar had hope to be able to persuade Bautista to not sign with the Rizla Suzuki factory team, which has an exception to the rookie rule. Those hopes, however, no seem to be in vain as early indications point to Bautista instead opting to ride for the Rizla Suzuki team.

http://www.motogpmatters.com/news/20...a_suzuki_.html

[KS34]

Bautista to Rizla Suzuki for MotoGP?

Jorge “Aspar” Martinez hopes of entering MotoGP with Spanish rider Alvaro Bautista in-tow seem to have disappeared today. After calling an emergency meeting with the young Spanish rider today, Aspar had hope to be able to persuade Bautista to not sign with the Rizla Suzuki factory team, which has an exception to the rookie rule. Those hopes, however, no seem to be in vain as early indications point to Bautista instead opting to ride for the Rizla Suzuki team.

http://www.motogpmatters.com/news/20...a_suzuki_.html

So does this mean Chris V is back off to WSBK?

[Cajun]

'Things are much more interesting off track, where Honda had a press conference to say they will resign Pedrosa and Dovizioso to the factory team. Sometime. Soon. Not everyone is convinced the deal is as done as HRC would like us to believe. The conference was actually to introduce new HRC President Mr Tetsuo Suzuki and no doubt the announcement of the resigning of the riders was put in the schedule many months ago and once it was on the schedule no-one would have the temerity to take it off.'

[Cajun]

SUZUKI CONFIRMS THE SIGNING OF BAUTISTA FOR 2010


Team Suzuki Press Office - August 16.

Suzuki Motor Corporation is pleased to announce that Spaniard Alvaro Bautista will be joining its official MotoGP team in a two year agreement to contest the 2010 and 2011 MotoGP World Championships.

Bautista was Spanish 125cc champion in 2003 and crowned 125cc World Champion in 2006. He moved up to the 250cc class in 2007 and earned the 'Rookie of the Year' title for his impressive results. Bautista was runner-up in the 2008 title race and he is currently in contention for this season's 250cc championship, sitting in second place with six races remaining. Since his Grand Prix debut in 2002, Bautista has scored 43 podiums including 16 victories (eight in each class). The 24-year-old hails from Talavera de la Reina in Spain, a town approximately 130kms west of Madrid.

Suzuki is very pleased to have achieved the signing of one of the brightest young stars in Grand Prix racing and looks forward to developing a strong relationship and exciting races with Alvaro Bautista.

[Cajun]

According to Italian website Motosprint, Ducati, in collaboration with sponsor Marlboro, have offered Jorge Lorenzo €7 million to ride the D16 next season. This value is twice as much as what Yamaha is offering Jorge, and allegedly €2 million more than what Lorenzo was asking from Honda.

Ducati seems to think that with Honda tying up Pedrosa and Dovizioso, they can buy Lorenzo away from Yamaha, and ensure a top-talent on the team for 2010, in case Stoner’s absence becomes longer than 3 races.

According to paddock gossip, Ducati has made signing Lorenzo its top priority. We haven’t heard how receptive Lorenzo is to the deal, but if money is truly the Spaniard’s hang-up with Yamaha, then Ducati seems to be the right fit. You have to imagine how much Lorenzo would like to not only beat Rossi for the Championship, but do it also on an “inferior” machine.

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/raci...-offer-ducati/

[James Deuce]

I had no idea Bautista and Lorenzo were so keen to commit career suicide.

Honda don't care who they have on their bikes. If you aren't winning World Championships in your second year it is only a matter of time before you struggle to get a contract racing shopping trolleys.

[Robert Taylor]

I had no idea Bautista and Lorenzo were so keen to commit career suicide.

Honda don't care who they have on their bikes. If you aren't winning World Championships in your second year it is only a matter of time before you struggle to get a contract racing shopping trolleys.

The biological element is not always reliably fast so it makes sense to change them with the same frequency as technological improvements. If its not working, change it.

[Cajun]

Well it’s official, Marco Melandri will join Marco Simoncelli at Team Marco Gresini Honda for the 2010 season. With Kawasaki out of MotoGP for 2010, the fact that Melandri would find roots elsewhere was assured. Melandri is no stranger to the Gresini team, during the 2005 season Marco joined Gresini on the Honda Telefonico Moviestar team, riding alongside Spaniard Sete Gibernau.

[Aragorn]

it is believed that lorenzo and ducati have come to a basic agreement and things could be announced at the inidanapolis gp: http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/raci...o-ducati-deal/

from what this says stoner had no regard for his team when deciding to miss 3 rounds, but in my opinion i think lorenzo would be bloody stupid.

[James Deuce]

from what this says stoner had no regard for his team when deciding to miss 3 rounds, but in my opinion i think lorenzo would be bloody stupid.

He has a complex medical issue without a well defined diagnosis of the actual cause of the problem. Plenty of top level motorcycle racers have chucked it in temporarily or permanently for the same reason.

I'd suggest that Ducati give about as much of a toss for their riders as Honda. Without Stoner, Ducati will be struggling for mid-field finishes. Lorenzo won't cope with the Ducati after the Yamaha.

[Cleve]

it is believed that lorenzo and ducati have come to a basic agreement and things could be announced at the inidanapolis gp: http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/raci...o-ducati-deal/

I don't think so...
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2009/L...Yamaha+in+2010

[Wingnut]

And rumour has it even though he already has a contract for 2010 - Stoner had been in talks with non other than - you guessed it - Yamaha, for the possibility of a ride in the 2010 season. Aparentely he isn't all that happy in the world of Ducati.

It would have been interesting really. I would love to see Lorenzo on the Ducati and Stoner on the Yamaha - just to see how each rider would deal with the change. One would put their $$$ on Stoner having better form on the Yamaha initially.

Maybe in 2011 then.........

[aahsv]

it is believed that lorenzo and ducati have come to a basic agreement and things could be announced at the inidanapolis gp: http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/raci...o-ducati-deal/

from what this says stoner had no regard for his team when deciding to miss 3 rounds, but in my opinion i think lorenzo would be bloody stupid.

This is a good move for Lorenzo, he just needs a superior bike to get the top spot - Ducati should have gone after Vale and put the two italian legends together (wots 10 mill euro in the scheme of things)

[Aragorn]

well good to see lorenzo staying, i think he is a good rider, even though he also has the best package under him with yamaha doing a great job or shall i say rossi lol, will be interesting to see what happens with vermulen i hope he goes to tech 3 and maybe see toseland in wsbk, feel sorry for elais though.

[James Deuce]

This is a good move for Lorenzo, he just needs a superior bike to get the top spot - Ducati should have gone after Vale and put the two italian legends together (wots 10 mill euro in the scheme of things)

You have to be kidding. The only rider to win a World Championship on a Ducati, to consistently run at the front on a Ducati is Stoner. Lorenzo will languish mid-pack on it, just like everyone else.

Lorenzo IS on a superior bike. The Yamaha is simply the best package, largely thanks to Jerry Burgess and Valentino Rossi.