[sburns2421]

http://www.motomatters.com/news/2010/05/11/the_madness_begins_italian_press_reporti.html

Credible rumor is that he signed at Jerez. While I thought all the who-goes-where hoopla would start once Rossi or Lorenzo signed with Yamaha, perhaps Honda smartly decided to make the first move. IMO, neither Dani or Dovi will be Repsol Honda next year.

If true for Stoner, I would guess he will make *a bit more* money riding the Honda this time compared to 2006.

If it becomes common insider knowledge that he did in fact sign, I would expect the other three to quickly sign with the factories. In this game it seems to all be about leverage and timing.

The Lorenzo/Rossi friction is the most interesting to me as it is to others. Lorenzo should try to force Yamaha's hand by making it known he wishes to sign now as the points leader. Yamaha attempts to stall until they convince Rossi to remain (I doubt Rossi would stay if Lorenzo signed first). Lorenzo basically asks Ducati and Honda which one of them has the bigger checkbook and Honda wins.

My prediction: Lorenzo takes the other Honda seat, Rossi stays at Yamaha and either Spies or Dovizioso is his teammate, Pedrosa teams with Hayden at Ducati.

 

[robfromsc]

True or not, it will be a silly season

 

[rjjablo]

My Thoughts

Rossi wins the World Championship and takes it to Ducati. Where he (And Burgess) develops it in his first year and becomes the first to win the World Championship on three Different Makes after a bitter dogfight with Spies on the Factory Yamaha.

Edwards and Hayden would then be on the customer Yamaha team.

 

[kdogg78]

Pedrosa to Ducati alongside Hayden?

the thought of that makes me sick.

Rossi to Ducati

Jorge and Spies factory Yammie

Stoner and Dovi at HRC

IMO Yamaha would be dumb to loose Jorge, other than the Dr. , he shows to be the best "racer" out there at the moment.

 

[dj_wawa]

Why the HELL would Stoner leave Ducati?? That's HIS bike and no one else (we'll see how Hayden does this year) Heck, even Stoner's attitude is pure Ducati.

I would love to see Rossi on the Ducati though, didn't they hire that goofy crew chief to try and lure him over?

 

[nomo]

I think Rossi is too logical , calculating , and systematic to be a good fit with Ducati . He's become accustomed to the dry , cool-headed approach of Burgess , which would be resented by the arrogant hotheads at the Italian firm . He'll eventually go there just to have them on the resume but not yet .

 

[sburns2421]

What I based my predictions on was that perhaps Lorenzo has motivations not taken into account. If Lorenzo wins this year it is because "Rossi & Burgess developed" the Yamaha. 100% true or not, as long as Rossi is on the team this will be the perception.

Rossi has made no secret that he does not wish to have Lorenzo as a teammate, but I wonder if it is the same for Lorenzo to be of Rossi as well?

As we know Lorenzo has a huge ego. What better way to satisfy it than to move to Honda, who hasn't won in years, and win the title. Beating Rossi on the "best bike" M1 that Rossi and Burgess are creditted with developing would be all the sweeter. Throw in a few tens of millions of Euros for a couple of years work wouldn't be too shabby either.

So if it is Stoner/Lorenzo at Honda, Rossi would be free to squeeze as much money as possible out of Yamaha or Ducati, and Yamaha would likely win that contest. Whomever is Rossi's teammate will have a difficult time, I don't suspect Pedrosa would want the hassle when the red bikes have an empty seat and are competitive and have plenty of cigarette dough to pay him.

 

[watskooo]

I'd be shocked if Stoner had left Ducati already. His season hasn't started out maybe like he wanted, but it's not all the bike, and what would make him think Honda has it all figured out? My feeling is that the FIAT Yamaha team will have first choice of riders and most of the top riders will remain uncommitted until at least one of those seats is taken.

Rossi to Ducati? It's the rumor that just won't die, but I'm not sure it'll happen without Burgess and his crew also being willing to switch from Yamaha to Ducati. If Nicky continues getting decent results on the Ducati, I think he'll stay there for sure, so there may only be one Ducati seat open.

 

[Ducati23]

My prediction: Lorenzo takes the other Honda seat, Rossi stays at Yamaha and either Spies or Dovizioso is his teammate.

It can't be anyone but Spies regardless of rumors started here or elsewhere.

Spies is already signed with the Yamaha Factory team for 2011. He signed a two year deal last year with the Yamaha factory - one year at Tech3 then move up to the main squad. It was a brilliant move and it makes it so one of the other two riders has to move out.

Who blinks first?

 

[watskooo]

It can't be anyone but Spies regardless of rumors started here or elsewhere.

Spies is already signed with the Yamaha Factory team for 2011. He signed a two year deal last year with the Yamaha factory - one year at Tech3 then move up to the main squad. It was a brilliant move and it makes it so one of the other two riders has to move out.

This is probably the least likely thing I've read in the thread so far. There's no way Spies has a guaranteed Yamaha factory ride next with the FIAT team. It's been reported many times that Spies 2 year contract with Yamaha initially had him riding one more year in WSBK, so that would have ruled out being on the factory team next year. He'll need some actual race results before Yamaha thinks about getting rid of clearly better riders (currently).

 

[Busy Little Shop]

Rossi is still intrigued by the V4 that beat him... he's got to tame that beast
better than Stoner to prove a point to himself... just as he did with Biaggi
and Yamaha...

 

[PBMW]

Rossi is still intrigued by the V4 that beat him... he's got to tame that beast ...

That has got to be the absolute dumbest thing I have EVER heard you utter...

 

[Latebraker]

My speculation on the matter is:

Yamaha - Rossi, Spies
Ducati - Hayden, Lorenzo
Honda - Stoner, Dovi or Simoncelli
Pedrosa to Tech 3 Yamaha

I think Lorenzo will feel more comfortable with Ducati now that Hayden is running towards the front on it. Pedrosa wants a Yamaha more than anything else. Yamaha wants Rossi to finish his career on a Yamaha, Rossi wants to finish his career on a Yamaha also. Yamaha like American riders who can win which is why they are lining Spies up to become their top rider when Rossi retires or Spies kicks his ass on the track whichever comes first.

That leaves me wondering if Tech 3 keeps Edwards around for another year or do they try to pick up one of the young and hungry 250 grads.

 

[Busy Little Shop]

That has got to be the absolute dumbest thing I have EVER heard you utter...

 

[DesperateSP2]

The original source is notoriously unreliable. Don't believe anything they say.

 

[Ducati23]

This is probably the least likely thing I've read in the thread so far. There's no way Spies has a guaranteed Yamaha factory ride next with the FIAT team. It's been reported many times that Spies 2 year contract with Yamaha initially had him riding one more year in WSBK, so that would have ruled out being on the factory team next year. He'll need some actual race results before Yamaha thinks about getting rid of clearly better riders (currently).

Then you don't believe Yamaha's own press. They stated Spies signed with the factory. Lin Jarvis issued the statement, both Davide Brivio and Nakajima-san confirmed this information several times.

I guess you think that the early mis-information was more credible than the actual facts of Ben's deal issued by Yamaha after the WSBK championship was won. Spies even told OTT that this is the case, Tech3 2010, works team 2011. Maybe all these guys who should/do know are wrong and you are right because you read it once somewhere.

 

[harada]

Here's what I think.......

Factory Ducati -
Rossi getting tired building a bike for his teamate planting Lorenzo Land on race track around the world. Since Yamaha doesn't want to lost the future star, Rossi step up and take the switch to the Duc. It is pretty clear that Ducati already have plan last year to get Rossi with them by dumping Mr. Suppo and getting the new crew chief in place, even with Stoner staying in the Factory Duc, I don't think there are any differculty at all for Rossi to attract new Sponsors to get himself a Satellite team with Factory equipment. I want to see Rossi on a yellow bike again..... Nastro Azzurro as the main sponsor + Monster + KaraKoll + AGV, Dainese team.

Hayden should have no problem signing another contract with Ducati, due to his capability running up front with the 2010 machine.


Factory Yamaha -
Horhay (Assume Rossi gone, there's no way for both Horhay or the Factory Yamaha would take the risk to look for alternative) and Spies also take the factory ride with his quick learning skills.

HRC -
Stoner leave Ducati, because he dislike the fact that he won the first championship for Ducati in 2007 and a total of 20 race win, but Ducati and Phillip Morris almost got Horhey to become his teamate with a bigger pay check than he had. The absent of 3 races due to illness that also got Phllip Morris a lot of anger. I am sure Phillip Morris like Horhay because even after some nasty crash in practice or qualify, Horhay is up there on Sunday fighting to win. Instead, cocky Stoner claims he need to stay off the 3 races, bringing the Doctors note to the company and just not showing up in the race weekend. Those are not what the sponsor wants, sponsor wants their rider appearence with their logo on TV and the media.

Pedrosa,i doubt that HRC wants pedrosa, but up until now he is still the fastest Honda rider. But he needs consistancy to run at the top. The only reason seeing him losing his seat is the annoying Mr. Puig.


Satellite Yamaha -
Simoncelli and Dovi (cause they are capable to win a race or 2 someday)

Moto2 graduate Tomizawa(very impressive in the first 2 rounds of the season, also he can speak English in the press conference, most Japanese or non-English speaking rider doesn't even bother to try speak English in the lower category.) could probably get a good seat with top satellite Honda or Yamaha.

Capirossi retire(i doubt any team would pay him to ride around the track without producing results).

Edwards go racing somewhere else (Although he is the runner-up after the BIG4, but don't forget how good is his equipment. The Tech3 team wants a better rider than him. There's no doubt Tech3 wants to stand in the top of the podium on several occasion a season.

Elias coming back to MotoGP on a satellite bike again, Suzuki factory ride is possible.

Bautista stay in Suzuki.

 

[watskooo]

I guess you think that the early mis-information was more credible than the actual facts of Ben's deal issued by Yamaha after the WSBK championship was won. Spies even told OTT that this is the case, Tech3 2010, works team 2011. Maybe all these guys who should/do know are wrong and you are right because you read it once somewhere.

Everyone knows Spies replaced Edwards as the satellite rider directly contracted to Yamaha, but there is no chance in the world he was guaranteed a seat on the 2011 FIAT Yamaha team before this season started. Not only does it not make sense as the current riders are better than he is, there is no way Yamaha complicates their negotiations with Rossi and Lorenzo like that. Larry's V4 diagrams make more sense than this.

 

[BisonRacer604]

http://www.motomatters.com/news/2010/05/11/the_madness_begins_italian_press_reporti.html

My prediction: Lorenzo takes the other Honda seat, Rossi stays at Yamaha and either Spies or Dovizioso is his teammate, Pedrosa teams with Hayden at Ducati.

The thought of Pedrosa and Hayden on a team again will give me nightmares, just thinking that Pedrosa could almost cost Hayden a championship, like he almost did in '06. :banghead
If Stoner goes back to a Honda big question will be how many DNF's will he have because he just doesn't seem to like being in the saddle.

 

[sqd8r]

The thought of Pedrosa and Hayden on a team again will give me nightmares, just thinking that Pedrosa could almost cost Hayden a championship, like he almost did in '06. :banghead
If Stoner goes back to a Honda big question will be how many DNF's will he have because he just doesn't seem to like being in the saddle.

If, mind you if, Stoner returned to Honda it would be in a much different capacity. Before he was a satellite rider and not favoured to do much, now he would be returning as a former world champion and front runner, one of 3-4 riders able to take the fight to Rossi.

That certainly wasn't his situation prior to leaving Honda. The difference between the factory and satellite teams can be seen in Stoner's ascendancy from the Honda satellite on the favoured bike at the time to the Ducati factory - from also-ran to world champ. Personally I don't see why he would leave Ducati beyond money.