Ben Spies

I can't envision a scenario unless something dramatic takes place whereby Ben keeps his ride in 2013.



What am I missing? Both Tech 3 boys are besting him at the moment and both will have a reasonable claim to his ride if things finish as they've started. Does anyone think he'll retain his spot at Yamaha? Where does he go if not?



I've never been a Spies fan. I've generally never felt anything particularly negative or positive about him but he's growing on me and I think his talent is being wasted. Self inflicted no doubt but I find myself all of a sudden wishing for improvement from him.



What say you?

Part of me thinks maybe he isn't getting along with the living abroad thing. Wasnt that a big problem before wsbk? But if he wants to stay. I bet he will get an offer from ducati.

MdubSTYLIE said:

Part of me thinks maybe he isn't getting along with the living abroad thing. Wasnt that a big problem before wsbk? But if he wants to stay. I bet he will get an offer from ducati.

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Who's leaving Ducati? To be honest, I never thought about Ben a Ducati. I'm thinking back to Tech 3 perhaps. It's a pity I think.



When I saw Ben run Barbera off track this past weekend, I knew I had to become a fan!

Levi, I can relate to not being a fan in the classic sense, but Spies Wsbk championship made me as close to a fan as you can get without me going out and getting the tshirt (well, theres not much space between the Nicky, Schwantz, and Haslam shirts in my closet). Pop in the 2009 Wsbk review. Remind yourself just how special he can ride. He continued this on Tech3 for a year and backed it up with a race win on the factory seat last year (was almost a double grand prix winner had it not been for Hondas superior acceleration). His factory ride is deserving and I suspect is simply having a bad start to the season, no more no less. Dovi/Cal have certainly been revelations this year, but I don't rate them better than Spies (for the record, I think Nicky is a better rider than Spies, but I'm sure you knew that already). If Yam Factory send him packing, it will be a mistake. He'll come good.

Spies has never been head to head with a team mate he couldnt beat. Mladin, and Colin. Now he has Lorenzo, and got a rocket up the arse from Lin Jarvis to do something. He probably thinks he has to beat Lorenzo, which is putting too much pressure on him. Only have to look at Pedro and Stoner, they cant even beat Lorenzo at times. Spies would be better off forgetting about Lorenzo and riding around with Dovi and Cal, preferably just in front of them, or going to another team where there is less pressure and expectation to be the next alien.

If Spies was Rossi' teammate at Yamaha, or Pedrosa's teammate at Honda, this forum would be full of speculations and conspiracy theories on how he was being discriminated and sabotaged, given subpar material or used as a test mule. With Lorenzo on the other side of the garage, not a whisper. Funny isnt it.

J4rn0 said:

If Spies was Rossi' teammate at Yamaha, or Pedrosa's teammate at Honda, this forum would be full of speculations and conspiracy theories on how he was being discriminated and sabotaged, given subpar material or used as a test mule. With Lorenzo on the other side of the garage, not a whisper. Funny isnt it.

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Hum....



It might have something to do with the observation that Jorge hasn't insisted on installing a freaking wall down the middle of the garage? Ya think?

kudos to jorge, i could very well imagine other riders trying to break spies from the get go. no signs of that.



where is spies in 2013?i hope on the factory yamaha,but if he doesnt land that ride where will he end up?

tech3 doesn't seem to be an option if smith gets a m1,and it doesn't look like dovi or crutchlow will be forced out of the yamaha camp at the moment.

the 4 hondas are most likely going to be occupied (although i think theres the off chance of putting him on the hrc ride with a 1 year deal if he wins a race this year)

ducati factory team?no way i can imagine rossi or hayden leaving

ducati satellites?maybe if pramac or cardion decide to buy crts instead of leasing desmos, that way there would be a ride available. but who wants to see spies on a satellite duc...only exciting thing about that would be seeing who is better : hayden or spies.

What i'd be interested in is who would they get to replace him? Dovi or Cal?

most probably cal. dovi is a great rider but riding style and matching bike aside, he had a few years on a factory honda. cal on the other hand is still relatively new to the scene and showing some real talent. if he keeps up with dovi til the end of the year , he'd be my choice.

just on the basis that i think there might be more to come where as with dovi we all know what hes capable of.

cliché guevara said:

kudos to jorge, i could very well imagine other riders trying to break spies from the get go. no signs of that.



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Giving no sign can simply mean that one is more astute; one does not need to go public (or to keep a wall up, btw) to make sure his teammate does not get the same treatment, especially when your employer is so desperate to keep you as is the case with Yamaha and Lorenzo now: some whispered words would be enough. I'm not saying Jorge is doing anything, what is interesting for me is how conspiracy theories are reserved only to some well known targets and not others -- even when there could be ground for some suspicion.

If Spies win No races this season and gets less or same podiums as Dovi or Cal then he doesnt deserve the factory ride at Yamaha....



Spies is either an Alien or he is not.....even Rossi has had a podium this year....



Spies in my view has or is overrated winning WSBK title was great but thats really a second class title and league (see Biaggi and Checa as examples)....this is Spies 3rd season, so he should be winning races and competing with the other Aliens every week....and if he cant compete then the 2nd Yamaha factory ride can go to another rider that is more hungry and able.....



If Spies cant live abroad from USA then he needs to back to AMA and live where he is happy and safe leave the World Premier motorcycling championship for the World level riders....



If Ducati do think of picking Spies up then it certainly mean the end of Nicky's factory ride with them.....even if Rossi leaves the big Red.....i very much doubt that Ducati are going to move to an all American squad that have no chance at a win or a title in the next 2 years....



If Spies wants to stay in GP then he has to step up to his alleged ability or start looking for a B-team / CRT ride for 2013....cause there are lots of other riders coming and in GPs that are delivering....

If Lorenzo agrees to stays on at Yamaha, he will have a say on who is teammate is. If he stays, you can safely rule out Rossi and Dovi; Jorge will probably insist they keep Spies, maintaining the status quo... So if Jorge stays, Spies needn't worry (or does he...).

j4rno ,that was certainly no stab at rossi or pedrosa if thats what you're alluding to.

i see no ground for some suspicion there,i only take facts into my judgement.

no wall, no forbidding your teammate to have a look at your settings from what i've heard of is enough for me to think lorenzo is not doing something to keep ben down. and why should he? i'm a spies fan but it would be foolish to believe that spies is fast and consistent enough to challange the top 2 riders at the moment



also,just my impression and guess, but i think lorenzo would have no problems having especially rossi as his team mate. he just strikes me as the kind of guy that wants to prove himself and what better way than to race the goat?he for sure is not lacking confidence to go into that battle once more!still hoping for round 3 of that battle (rookie season on different rubber doesn't count in my book)

bring on the thrilla!

Just because Cal and Dovi are at Tech 3 doesnt mean they are next in line for the factory job.

I think Yamaha is perfectly happy to have 2 guys at Tech 3 that will finish either on or around the podium. Dovi has shown his hand and he is consistently a third to sixth place finisher, even on a factory bike. Cal is a bit unknown as to what his potential is. I personally believe what we are seeing from him is his potential.

I dont think replacing Spies with any of these two is an upgrade. If anything, at best, it is a lateral move.

Spies still has time to save his .... If he finishes the latter half of the season with a string of podiums then his misfortunes will quickly be forgotten. Hes shown he has the speed so Im confident that soon he will be consistently at the front or at the least beating the Tech boys. With Stoner quitting and showing a lack of passion and heart it is now easier to secure a podium spot.



Theres rumors that Suzuki may come back in 2013, a year earlier then originally reported. If Spies loses his ride then he would be the odds on favorite for that spot.

My prediction is a Spies, Hayden factory team

Many ways to look at this I guess. But fact is that Cal or Dovi, one of them is leaving Tech 3 next year. And so far, both of them showed tremendous potential and has been clearly better than Spies.



If George doesn't leave Yamaha (most likely scenario) - Ben's not getting a factory M1 next year.



Where will Ben go? Satellite Honda or a Ducati at best, but I don't think Pramac is going to let go of the tow machine. I hope satellites can run a 2nd bike again next year. To CRT? - I hope not.



I do hope he can turn things around and show what he's really capable of. Take the championship away from George??? That'd be some ..... That's actually what I hoped for when I 1st found out Ben was going to be George's teammate. Go Ben!

In my opinion i think spies just lost his confidence...at least leading up to catalunya. He was haunted by a bunch of crashes and problems and because they were one after the other it just looks awful. That being said, in catalunya he was looking really fast but just got ahead of himself. We all know that the yamaha is a great package this season. I wouldn't rule him out yet for a turn around for the rest of the season. If not, i have to say that his ride is gone to the Tech3 rider with the most points at the end.

This is a results based profession, and even though i believe Spies is a considerably better rider than either Crutchlow or Dovi, i will not be upset if he is replaced. He has time to save his job, but it has to start soon

J4rn0 said:

If Spies was Rossi' teammate at Yamaha, or Pedrosa's teammate at Honda, this forum would be full of speculations and conspiracy theories on how he was being discriminated and sabotaged, given subpar material or used as a test mule. With Lorenzo on the other side of the garage, not a whisper. Funny isnt it.

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Well there is a reason for it, you just cited the two most connected and politically dominant riders who have certainly attempted to skew the "teams". But you're too blind of a bopper to every recognize the reality. Need I remind you the reason Rossi left Yamaha?



Yeah, it is funny, but I'm laughing at you.

Ngads said:

In my opinion i think spies just lost his confidence...at least leading up to catalunya. He was haunted by a bunch of crashes and problems and because they were one after the other it just looks awful. That being said, in catalunya he was looking really fast but just got ahead of himself. We all know that the yamaha is a great package this season. I wouldn't rule him out yet for a turn around for the rest of the season. If not, i have to say that his ride is gone to the Tech3 rider with the most points at the end.

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Good post Ngads. No crash and stays on for a podium, suddenly no need for this thread. Crazy isn't it. As they say, you're as good as your last result. Well...unless you're Pedro, who has a job guarantee for life it seems.