Is this the end?

Is this the end of the lone true privateer in MotoGP that is Team Roberts?

I was reviewing some of the races last night. I watching that "boring" race at Qatar (tongue and cheek), you may remember, the one that Stoner and Rossi trading positions all the way until the last lap... Well this is not what caught my attention. (As I've said before, when you re-watch the races, you find something new). The commentator mentioned that Jeremy McWilliams would be missing the race on the team called Ilmor. Yeah, remember them? Well as the race progressed, they ran a few camera shots of Team Roberts and their new sponsor at the time. The commentator mentioned how it was great that they were on the edge of not making the grid due to financial reasons but had managed to get a new sponsor for this year. Believe it or not, when the camera paned to Team Roberts, they were in 11th place, ahead of Vermuelen, looking strong and challenging for positions.

You all know what's happened the rest of the season. Ilmore was a blimp, however, Team Roberts has been a force to be reckoned with in MotoGP up until this year. So my question is (more like a statement): is this the end of the true privateer in MotoGP?

What do you think?

My answer. I'm afraid its over. Why? Because the best rider for Team Roberts was JR. It seems he is no longer interested, yet I believe that up until last year, he was within the top ten current GP riders, just on a very poor machine. It seems nobody has the time nor interest to keep a team like Roberts alive. I think Roberts Senior does, but that's about it. Honda has stopped sending even their proper satellite teams support, much much less Team Roberts. They can't afford a talented rider (Kurtis is a midpack rider in a national series at best). I don’t think Las Vegas will continue to support the team due to poor results and little camera time. Honda will be concentrating on making a bike for Pedrosa again and all the other possible factories seem to have their hands full trying to catch up to Ducati. So I think we will see the end of the true only privateer team this year.

I hope I'm wrong. God help us all.

Yeah, KRSR is from the wrong country. American companies don't put "Motorcylce Racing" in their advertising/sponsorships budget. Considering he could barely find a sponsor for 2007 after KRJR managed 6th in the standings, I'm not particularly optimistic he can come up with the tens of millions he needs.

Team Roberts have been down this road before, and somehow KR manages to make things work.

Is it the end of the privateer? No.

If you read motorcycling magazines, there is always a hot new design consortium who are convinced they can build a better motogp bike.

Eventually, one of them will be right.

i think it will be a sad day when team kr stop racing but with the amount of money involved in racing these 4 strokes it's almost inevitable that day will be here soon.

With costs going up and fewer sponsors coming in (due to the loss of tobacco sponsorship), I think you may be right. There is just no way for privateers to compete with the huge factories and their budgets.

Team KR's situation has made me sad all year. I mean, its friggin King Kenny here! Somebody throw him a bone! Dorna needs to figure out a way to keep him on the grid and help him be competitive. He and his team are an asset to MotoGP, and the fact that they have been wayyy at the back of the starting order is just a shame. It does kind of make sense though. The Hondas have been crap all season. So, Team KR running the absolute lowest-rung Honda engine has not helped them at all. Then add in the loss of KRJR and you see why they're in their current situation.

I hope Team KR can reorganize and build a decent bike from the ground up. If they can I think it will be a positive example of how a privateer can succeed. If they can do it they might attract other privateers and get things going again.

If they fall off (i.e. not putting a bike on the grid in 2008) then I don't predict good things for the future of privateers.

Unfortunately, I think privateers, or certainly successfull privateers are a thing of the past. There is simply too much money involved and the only real benefactors are the manufacturers, and again only if they achieve a certain level of success. It's an awfully expensive advertising campaign if you are trying to sell something other than motorcycles.

It would be great if the likes of KTM, Aprilia, BMW etc launched a full blown factory Moto GP team, and maybe they will, but the fact that they haven't as yet suggests in pure business terms, it's not worth it!

Oh I don't know, this is a difficult one Jumkie, I'm not a marketing guru and I'm only summizing. I understand your disappointment if this becomes a reality, but what the hell can you do? It is impossible to go backwards with technology, so the cost is going to continue to escalate should the object be winning, and of course it is.

Unfortunately, you and I can both recall the days when racers raced out of the back of a van! But it's not all bad news mate, with works teams comes this......................................
.............well I was going to post that photo of you with the Repsol girls, but it won't let me!!! Better find the new site problem thread............................................
....................but you get what I mean! (smiley face, if it worked!)

Ah, it did work!

i hold out hope! the end is not near!

I guess it depends what you class as a privateer. If its classed as a team who designs and builds their own chassis then yes, I'd say they are. Judging by the Ilmor situation, its very difficult for such a team to make ends meet.

If we class a privateer as a sattelite team, then no, there will always be teams like Gresini and Tech3 about, even though its unlikely they'll ever achieve much.

Personally, I much prefer the first group, and wish we could see more of them in MotoGP.

I think the greatest demise of Team KR was Honda, in all fairness, it's the worst factory bike on the grid, and when you're at the end of a long queue by the time you get to the front, you'll get what ever is left, same with Michelin if you listen to some commentators.

Phil

We effectiovely kissed goodbye to privateer teams as soon as we went four stroke, Honda has been a lifeline keeping team KR in for an extra year or so but its only a mattter of time before they are gone.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tom @ Aug 29 2007, 07:42 AM) [snapback]87364[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
We effectiovely kissed goodbye to privateer teams as soon as we went four stroke
, Honda has been a lifeline keeping team KR in for an extra year or so but its only a mattter of time before they are gone.

so true, i think i read the costs went up by 300% from 2 to 4 strokes

I've got high hopes that kenny has something up his sleeve for next year. Wishful thinking tells me he's just riding out the 07 season in the knowledge that Honda or someone else for that matter will supply engine(s) for 2008 and with two US GP's and the subsequent extra TV coverage he can attract some big-time sponsorship dollars which would probably mean we get to see jr on a start grid again. It would be a travesty for Kenny Roberts to leave Gp's with just a whimper, it just can't happen!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(skidmark @ Aug 30 2007, 04:44 PM) [snapback]87664[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
I've got high hopes that kenny has something up his sleeve for next year. Wishful thinking tells me he's just riding out the 07 season in the knowledge that Honda or someone else for that matter will supply engine(s) for 2008 and with two US GP's and the subsequent extra TV coverage he can attract some big-time sponsorship dollars which would probably mean we get to see jr on a start grid again. It would be a travesty for Kenny Roberts to leave Gp's with just a whimper, it just can't happen!

i hope your right skid, my fingers are crossed