2025 Silly Season
- Thread starter mikesbytes
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Miller needs to go to WSBK, maybe he can actually last the full race distance with the Pirellis.
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Roberts is a talented, exciting, racer. I hope the move isn't too soon and he doesn't fade into relative anonymity as seems to happen with Moto2 graduands riding the satellite Aprilia squad a bit.
Does a social media post hint at a key move in MotoGP rider market?
A track day at Laguna Seca could put the wheels in motion for a major rider movewww.crash.net
I don't think it's too soon for Roberts. If I'm not mistake, he's 27 so it's now or most likely never.
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Good point. I wasn't aware of his age. Yes, now or never.
I think the problem today is that there are so many new riders coming on line. They are all mostly good. I believe all the feeder classes are churning out candidates at such a rate that one thing only is guaranteed: they won't all find rides in the premier class.
Not only that, but the abundance of talent also virtually guarantees that anybody that does get a contract in the premier class will have one year max to show that they can deliver in that class. The two year contracts for beginners will be a thing of the past if they are not already. The other unfortunate aspect is that there are only a few bikes that can help them get the good results. It's always been this way for the bikes but previously an exceptional rider could occasionally ride around the bike. This is less likely now. Then add the possibility of getting injured and it becomes even worse. And yes, the sponsor and nationality politics come into play as well.
Kind of sad but mostly true: the greats make their impact and announce their arrival early, almost as soon as they take to the track on the big bikes: Doohan, Rossi, Marquez and more recently Fabio Q, Bagnaia, Acosta and a couple of others.
The ones who take their time to "learn" and deliver only tepid and sporadic results tend to do so immediately and continue to deliver results at that level. Yes I'm looking at you Dovi and add Miller, Zarco, Morbi, etc. Take your pick, there are many.
MotoGP is the highest level of roadracing. The entry fee is steep in all kinds of ways. I can't offhand think of another sport that is this brutal with newcomers. Then again, MotoGP is the ultimate sport, so it is inevitable that this is the case.
If you want a "level playing field" with better prospects, best to try a mere game played with only one ball.
Mir will be collecting checks for two more years.
They’re not gonna set the world on fire, but I think it’s the best outcome for both parties.
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Mir is another one like Miller that I've got no real idea how he has managed to hang on in GP for this long.
Yes I know he is a World Champion, but he has not done anything of note since then. Though it does beg the question of where would Suzuki be if they hadn't gotten pissed off and left.
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Dovi was the main challenger for Marquez for several years - I think it's unfair to say that he didn't achieve much. Marquez is arguably the GOAT, so coming second to Marquez isn't something unimpressive.
Joan Mir won Moto3, but wasn't impressive in Moto2, nor in his first year in MotoGP. Then he won the championship. Bagnaia was completely unimpressive for two years at Pramac, coming 15th and 16th in the championship. Then he came second at Ducati, and then won two championships.
Fabio Quartararo never scored a championship position higher than 10th in both Moto3 and Moto2, but his talent was spotted and he was given a position in MotoGP. The rest is history of course.
I think the situation is less clear than you describe, and there are clearly recent champions who needed time to show what they can do in MotoGP.
He won his championship in a Covid shortened year by sucking less than others.
I don’t think he’d have won it in any normal year.
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Well, I didn't see this one coming if true:
https://www.motorsport.com/motogp/n...otogp-debut-with-trackhouse-in-2025/10638961/
Ai Ogura set to join TRACKHOUSE next yr. So I guess Nakagami gets to stay on another yr at LCR unless he retires, but then who has the right nationality to take that ride?
https://www.motorsport.com/motogp/n...otogp-debut-with-trackhouse-in-2025/10638961/
Ai Ogura set to join TRACKHOUSE next yr. So I guess Nakagami gets to stay on another yr at LCR unless he retires, but then who has the right nationality to take that ride?
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I'm wondering what the situation is with Gresini regarding sponsors and needing a second rider who brings sponsorship? THey seem financially pretty healthy, and having at least 1 bike running at the front at most races this season has hopefully helped their cause. I still think it will be Aldeguer who gets it.
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Good move by both Ogura and Trackhouse. Roberts would have been good, but Ogura IMHO deserves a shot.
Once upon a time, promising Japanese riders would have a bit of an advantage in getting seats with leading Japanese teams (and I don't see anything wrong with that.) Ogura seems to have almost avoided Honda.
Furusato is looking promising, but perhaps not ready for MotoGP the year after next. I think that if Japanese teams preferring to have a Japanese rider remains a thing, then he could be ready in a few years. I'm hoping that he will develop in Moto3 and not be rushed like (in my opinion) Syahrin was. I think Furusato in MotoGP woudl be a good option for those of us who like to see passes in places where you would never expect them.
Sasaki also has promise, but he’s part of Yamaha’s Mastercamp and probably will be parachuted into Pramac in a few years.
