Chris Vermuelen to join Suzuki GP team?

[Bob]

Watching the Turkish MotoGP on Sunday, Suzi Perry (our rather lovely anchor lady for motorbike coverage on the BBC... I've worked with her you know... but I digress) said that the strong rumour in the paddock is that Chris Vermuelen has been signed to replace Kenny Roberts Jr.

She asked Paul Denning - the Suzuki team manager - but as you can imagine, he was being very cagey on the subject. Bearing in mind Vermuelen was riding for one of the Honda teams, I'd guess they wanted it kept quiet as well!

Reckon Chris has been stolen from under Honda's noses. Once upon a time the "honour" system wouldn't have let this happen. But since Rossi (and possibly more importantly in this context - Burgess*) were poached by Yamaha, looks like that has gone out of the window.







* There is a suspicion that Honda were happy to let Rossi go, to prove it was the bike, not the rider that was winning championships. Burgess was part of the deal and was directly approached by Yamaha to move over. As I say, once upon a time, the honour system meant Honda could do this as senior company, but the others would not "poach upwards". Oh how times have changed...

[James Deuce]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooo.

There endeth a promising career.

[**R1**]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooo.

There endeth a promising career.

yup, just like Hopkins.... that would be a bad bad BAD move.

[k14]

yup, just like Hopkins.... that would be a bad bad BAD move.

Yeah my thoughts exactly. Just stay in supers for 1 more year, win the championship and then get a ride with honda.

[White trash]

yup, just like Hopkins.... that would be a bad bad BAD move.

Why did Hopper stay with Suzuki for another 2 years when he was approached by both Yamaha and Honda?

I think young Vermulin got sick of chasing a Suzuki in SBK and thought the grass might be greener.

[James Deuce]

WT, that argument is nearly as weak as your arms.

[White trash]

WT, that argument is nearly as weak as your arms.

Actually, round-boy, I've got bluddy heee-uge biceps now. Ask any chick that's seen me and my "Bowflex body" lately and wears glasses.

[White trash]

Also, lets bear in mind all the Supercross fans that said the same thing about Ricky Carmichael last season.

[**R1**]

If Chris Vermuelen, wins the Moto GP nxt year on a Suzuki, I'll shout you a brand new set a Spidi gloves....I would say I'll shout you a K5, but then I had images of you sniping the rest of the field..


And the suzuki that RC rides would be quicker than their GP bike anyway!!

[TwoSeven]

It may have been that honda may have turned him down on the [motogp] bike for other reasons. I suspect that they may have wanted him to get more experience first. Perhaps thats why he took up the suzuki offer and didnt return for another year of WSB as was suggested he needed.

It certainly is a bizare move, to go from a winning team to a losing team is a rather odd career move.

[zadok]

I wonder who has got the jump on the rest of the manufacturers with the intruduction of 800's in 2007. That will probably make things interesting.

[NordieBoy]

It certainly is a bizare move, to go from a winning team to a losing team is a rather odd career move.

Worked for Rossi

[Cleve]

I heard Honda had told Chris one more year in Superbikes and Mick Doohan told Chris, go MotoGP asap any how...
If he can leave Honda he can just as easily go back.

[Matt Bleck]

AT the time of the Istanbul GP it was a rumor....

[motobob]

Could be CV is trying to pull the same stunt as Nicky Hayden when he signed for Yamaha and Honda reacted by Giving in. Riding for Suzuki in WSB wold be smart but Not for MotoGP.
Doesn't matter what size the bikes are, Suzuki won't make a better 800 than the others. Which is strange considering their dominance in other forms of racing eh.

WT I heard that Suzuki had the best MX bikes in the States so Carmicheal wasn't taking a risk at all. He is the dirt equivalent of Rossi.