| Author | Message | ||
     Trojan |
Ducati needs to shake up the managers not the riders. Rumour has it that Audi will shake up the entire technical team at Ducati Corse for next year and inject shed loads of cash to get the bike to be capable of winning. This includes signing Rossi and Crutchlow, but also in establishing a second team that is much closer to the factory team rather than as a mere customer like Pramac is now. They want something like Yamaha have with Tech 3, and are probably going to run the Marc VDS squad in MotoGP next year almost as a second factory team with 'almost' equal equipment. That can only be good for the series if we can get more competitive bikes at the front, and it would be great to see both Cal Crutchlow and Scott Redding in MotoGP on competitive bikes - IF (and it is a BIG if!) Ducati/Audi can make it all happen of course  The third option for Crutchlow: 3. Become psychologically broken like Melandri after his stint with Ducati Crutchlow is a much stronger character than Melandri or Gibernau were when they were at Ducati. He knows exactly what he faces but importantly he also knows it could be a fabulous opportunity to be in a team with Rossi getting the best of everything thrown at them to make the bike competitive. he certainly wouldn't get that by staying at Tech 3 or moving to another satellite squad. In fact I would go so far to say that he will get better treatment at Ducati than he would if he moved to the factory Yamaha team. | ||
| Simond |
With Yamaha suggesting that they might keep Spies and Bradley Smith coming into Tech3 they would be short a seat anyway.... unless Tech3 are thinking of sticking Bradley on a CRT bike. Crutchlow was suggesting that he has the option to stay at Tech3 if he wants. Where would that leave Dovi after a pretty good showing so far? I was about to question why Marc VDS would want to run Ducatis but you've answered that one Matt. | ||
| Gaesati |
Good analysis of Crutchlow, Matt. | ||
| 46champ |
So it looks like Nicky will be out. Guess that means go to world superbike in 2013 to ride the EBR. | ||
| Trojan |
So it looks like Nicky will be out. Sad as it is, I think his run in MotoGP hs come to an end unfortunately. Without a win and with only 3 podiums in all his time at Ducati I don't think that being a hard worker or a nice guy will be enough for him to keep his berth at Ducati. His problem is that there are simply not enough good teams left with decent equipment that can afford to keep him in MotoGP so he has very few choices. Either he can follow Colin Edwards into a CRT development role, which I doubt because he hasn't got Colins reputation as a development rider, or he goes to WSB or AMA. WSB would seem to be the best available option and he may even pick up a factory ride there (Haslam looks set to leave BMW, Laverty may not be at Aprilia and Checa may not be at Ducati next year, and there will be a second slot at Kawasaki alongside Tom Sykes, so all the factory teams will have room for a good rider). Wether he can get a good ride ahead of an established WSB rider or even an incoming BSB/WSS winner remains to be seen. If Ducati run a factory/Althea Panigale squad next year then he would be the perfect fit for that, but their record with dipping their toe in BSB this year has been dismal with the new bike, so he could be looking at another long term Ducati development role rather than a winning package straight from the crate  unless Tech3 are thinking of sticking Bradley on a CRT bike Poncheral has talked of 'buying' Smith out of his allegedly cast iron contract for next year, but Bradley has said that he has a watertight contract for an M1 next year, will fight it and take it legal if necessary. Not exactly the right start to a MotoGP career with a team really  I think a CRT option with Tech 3 would be th sbest possible outcome, but if Brad's contract specifically says he will have an M1 Yamaha then it could get messy. Many people thought that Poncheral was being a bit hasty signing Smith all that time ago, but he must have seen something in him that he thought would work (of course that was before he knew just how good Crutchlow & Dovi would be!). | ||
| Amafan |
Trojan, you are a joke, Nicky has out qualified Rossi 6 out of 8 races this year,and has beat Rossi 4 times,and in 1 race Rossi finished ahead of him,his bike's GPS went haywire. You think Rossi should get any ride he wants, but Nicky will be lucky to get a good ride in WSBK . Nicky allready said he has a couple offers on the table from WSBK,and that does not include from Ducati . He will have his choice of any factory WSBK ride he wants. | ||
| Bads1 |
Wow who sounds like a joke?? | ||
| Firstbuell |
hey Amafan, great show of Nicky love - I share it right now, for all we know, he's looking pretty well screwed I wonder how much of that comes down to Nicky repping himself....? | ||
| Amafan |
Bads1, you , another typical Rossi fanboy, Trojan I get because he is British, but an American rooting for Rossi over an American, who never bitches like Rossi does,I just do not get. | ||
| Bads1 |
Your right I am a Rossi fan as I am a Hayden fan. Do you think Hayden draws more crowds??? Do you think Hayden sell's more Ducati's then Rossi does??? If you do your quite mistaken. Hayden won one championship as he did just one in AMA Superbike. Not much of a record in comparison in any of the premier classes in comparison to Rossi. If you were the boss who'd ya hire?? I'm sure Hayden will continue his career but where?? | ||
| Jaimec |
Hayden got shafted by Honda in 2007 after he won the championship for them in 2006. After all he did for them, they decided to back the Spanish midget with all of his Repsol backing over the man that actually DELIVERED for them. In the seven years Pedrosa has been with Honda, he hasn't managed to win ONE championship, whereas Stoner did it in his first year. Stoner was a special case and has proven he is/was the ONLY one who could put the Ducati on the box consistently. Nevertheless, Nicky has done better with that beast than anyone else besides Stoner (Rossi included). Nicky is also better known in Ducati's most important market than his superstar team mate. Ducati's most INTELLIGENT bet would be to keep BOTH of them. We'll see what they decide. | ||
| Bads1 |
Jaime, Hayden won a championship on consistency that year... not Domination like Rossi or Stoner for that matter. Pedrosa even though he has not won a championship his stats are stellar and theres no denying him that. As far as Nicky being more Important..... you used the right words....SUPERSTAR. Rossi fills stands no dening him that either. Rossi has said time and time again. He will not push the limits to race a bike to win a 5th or a 6th place. But he will for a top 3 podium. As for Nicky??? He needs to push to keep a job. | ||
| Simond |
It sounds like the Crutchlow offer is not as firm as it seemed. If the Marc VDS team becomes to Ducati what Tech3 is to Yamaha then there will be 4 rides worth having (?!) with Ducati. I find it hard to believe that Hayden won't be on one of them. I assume that Redding would get the nod over Kallio after his poor showing with Pramac. I'd still love to see him in WSB at some stage though....! | ||
| Trojan |
Trojan, you are a joke, Nicky has out qualified Rossi 6 out of 8 races this year,and has beat Rossi 4 times,and in 1 race Rossi finished ahead of him,his bike's GPS went haywire. Hmmm, why don't you try and lower the flag, forget nationality and actually check a few solid facts.......like the current points table and the relative race record of Rossi and Hayden? Qualifying scores zero points, race positions count. Haydens ECU problem probably cancels out Rossi tyre issues at another race, so you can't use mechanical failures to add credibility to a poor argument. Then add in the marketability factor and future potential of Rossi compared to Hayden worldwide and it really is a no brainer who to try and keep on the team and who to let go. Hayden has underperformed at Ducati relative to his team mate since he got there unfortunately, even if you exclude the poor performance of the bike over the last two seasons. He still didn't do well when Stoner was winning on the same bike. It sounds like the Crutchlow offer is not as firm as it seemed. I heard the same thing For some very dubious marketing related reasons put forward by Audi. | ||
| Gaesati |
Stoner's riding philosophy as told to Mat Oxley: "Difficult to explain..Basically you've got to forget everything you think you know. You can't be proud in the slightest about what you think you can do and you have to ride it how it needs to be ridden. A good example was 2010 (with Ducati)-we had the oddest, strangest set-up to make the thing work and it worked in the end, it really did.But you also had to ride it in a different way. ..... It's just a mental attitude You can't be overconfident in yourself, you've got to succumb to the bike and understand that you're not correct. It's there, it can win races, but you've got to find out how it wants to be ridden..." | ||
| Jaimec |
Here's Ducati's choice the way I see it: 1) The superstar who has no qualms about slagging his employer in the world press 2) The hard worker who keeps his head down, his mouth shut, and works his ass off day in and day out... | ||
| Svh |
Too bad #2 will lose out to #1. #1 shares a few of the same qualities you list for #2 but brings along the most important factor of all.... $$$. I think Ducati should keep them both. Crutchlow hasn't done anything worthwhile in MotoGP yet. He could be a star in the future but when your team mate has more podiums this year then you have had in your career, you need to quit telling anyone who will listen how much better you are then everybody else on a Yamaha not named Lorenzo. So I hope they don't go with Crutchlow over Nicky which may have been your above 2 options and not VR46 and NH69 as I first thought... | ||
| Davegess |
Rossi is the international superstar of MotoGP. He transcends the sport. He may be the brightest star MotoGP has ever had. Not saying the best rider, although he is dam good, just the brightest star. Any team woudl keep him if they could; they would be foolish if they didn't. | ||
| Jaimec |
Always go with your first hunch. It's usually the correct one. | ||
| Jaimec |
OH MY GOD!! Looks like Ben Spies decided to jump, instead of getting pushed: http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jul/120724spie snoy.htm So now what? Dovi, or Rossi?? | ||
| Bads1 |
New engine an d Chassis ??? http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=4 9128 | ||
| Simond |
Sounds more and more like Rossi to me. Elias will be standing in for Barbera at Laguna Seca after being dumped by Aspar. | ||
| Jaimec |
http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-spie s-chooses-to-leave-yamaha-for-new-chapter-in-13/ | ||
| Bads1 |
Its a silly season for sure. Really kind of hard to tell or see what the future line up is going to be. We can only speculate. | ||
| Bads1 |
Well a return to AMA to me sounds possible. Its rumored that Larry peagram is in talks for a more factory effort for next year and adding a rider ??? Is this a possibility ?? | ||
| Svh |
I would highly doubt we would see Ben in AMA anytime soon. He is too good to not be in WSBK or GP and I am not a Texas homer like others. My guess is he will be on Suzuki's GP bike next year if they have one. If they don't he will be in WSBK probably on a BMW. | ||
| Bads1 |
Nobody quits a factory seat either unless they are getting a factory seat in GP. The cards still need to drop so we can see. | ||
| Jaimec |
Suzuki isn't expected to rejoin the circus until 2014. It's also possible Ben saw the handwriting on the wall and prefered to leave on his own terms... (Message edited by jaimec on July 24, 2012) | ||
| Bads1 |
The Suzuki that has been spied as having a GSXR power plant of some configuration. So like a a CRT ??? | ||
| Bads1 |
http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=4 9133 Interesting!!! |
