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lorenzo to leave ducati?

It's typically bad translation so can't say it was written well or not.
The author does seem to have an axe to grind with Lorenzo though.
I'd take the article with a pinch of salt.
 
Sounds like the usual Spanish soap opera ......... I'm sure Lorenzo would like to go - but reckon he'd stick it out for one season... especially as he'd have no place to go till next year.
 
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I concur with Kesh on this.

For this to even be remotely plausible, he needs a destination.

I do however have a thought that would work well. Ducati and Suzuki doing what amounts to a rider swap; Lorenzo and Iannone. That would be the best possible scenario if Lorenzo were to leave at the end of 2017 (something I highly doubt would happen anyway but just entertaining it for a moment). Iannone is who he is, but he was better suited for the Desmosedici than Lorenzo was ever going to be, unless as previously stated, the GP18 is a radically different bike in terms of how to extract speed out of it. The GSX-RR would be far more complimentary bike for Lorenzo, and god knows Suzuki is lamenting the Rins signing since it's looking like mediocrity will reign for the better part of 2017 with that rider pairing there.
 
Just to play with Jums thoughts a second.

Lorenzo => Suzuki
Ianonne => MacVDS (seat is available at seasons end, said to be the only seat)
Miller => Ducati



Just to help the old rumour mill




As for JL, not sure he wants to leave yet although no doubt he is frustrated but it has been shown that the bike is thereabouts so the rest is now on him
 
Just Spanish clickbait fantasy. They would have got some more hits if they reported that JL woke up in his motorhome to find a horses head at the foot of his bed ...
 
I dont think Ducati wants Iannone back just yet, but Miler would be an interesting option... but as far as JLo is concerned, we have only had 2 races, and its a long season.
 
Keshav said:
Sounds like the usual Spanish soap opera ......... I'm sure Lorenzo would like to go - but reckon he'd stick it out for one season... especially as he'd have no place to go till next year.
Click to expand...

If no results (ie. Podiums and a win) by the summer break then he will pull a Cal and bail from the Big Red team.....that is of course he has a place to go like Suzuki....

Keep in mind Suzuki have been looking at adding a Satellite team in 2018, and no i am not suggesting the Majorcan primadonna go to that team. I am suggesting Suzuki would send Rins to the satellite team with factory support, and they'd take JLo to the full factory team alongside Ianonne. It would mean a substantial pay cut for JLo, but that would be the least of his worries at the moment....

Another option is LCR, they too were looking at adding a second bike to the team in 2018. However, the Honda is hard to ride at the moment and it wont become a Yamaha anytime soon....so i think this choice is less likely for JLo...also as long as MM is king....he wont want any real opposition anywhere near the RCV stables....

Lastly, KTM is an option....they are looking to expand with satellite bikes, and again i dont mean to put JLo on the second string bike but on the full factory while moving Smith or P.Asparagus to the b-team....this option though is a longer term prospect for JLo to really develop the bike to suit his needs....and would take an even bigger set than it did to jump to Ducati....

Personally, i dont see JLo staying at Ducati the full 2 years...let alone the rest of his career....

Links..
Suzuki eyes satellite MotoGP programme for 2018 - MotoGP - Autosport
KTM wants to supply MotoGP bikes for satellite team in 2018 - MotoGP - Autosport
https://www.superbikeplanet.com/ktm-intends-launch-satellite-motogp-squad-2018/
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...-teams-per-manufacturer-from-2018-109130.html
 
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I reckon he'll stay. I also think there'll be some turnaround in fortunes in the second half of the year.
 
Weird Ducati are, they make such wonderful road bikes but Grand Prix? They got lucky once in 2007 when the rules changed and their engine was light years ahead of anyone else, throw in a quality rider who gelled with the Bridgestones and it delivered a title.

This is a list of some of the riders who have ridden the factory Ducati in it's various incarnations

Troy Bayliss - 3 Superbike World Championships and 1 British Superbike Championship
Loris Capirossi - 2 125cc and 1 250cc World Championships
Sete Gibernau - twice MotoGP runner up
Casey Stoner - 250cc runner up went on to win 2 titles, one with Ducati
Marco Melandri - 250cc world champion
Nicky Hayden - MotoGP world champion and AMA champion
Valentino Rossi - 1 125 title, 1 250 title, 1 500 title, 6 MotoGP titles
Andrea Dovisioso - 125 champion
Cal Crutchlow - British and World supersport champion
Jorge Lorenzo - 2 250 titles, 3 in MotoGP

There's some serious talent who've thrown their leg over the various incarnations of that bike, more than 300 Grand Prix race wins between them and with that talent on the back of it the Ducati, the Ferrari of the bike world some people say has won 33 Grand Prix races and one Championship, 23 of those wins came from one man, Capirossi is the only other rider to win on it more than once.

I don't think Ducati are going to attract a big name rider again.
 
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Furiosa said:
I reckon he'll stay. I also think there'll be some turnaround in fortunes in the second half of the year.
Click to expand...

I expect him to stay as well (and want him to stay and see out the deal).

I do expect a turnaround but have to admit that it has not been a good start to the season (I have money on him for race wins so need him to improve) so I see this as a good spot for him to come from and show if he truly is good or great, or is a narrow banded rider that is suited to a specific type of bike (ie. the type that needs all to align).

I still expect to claim on my bet by seasons end 2018
 
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Surely he will stay til the end of the season at least? It's only been 2 races and it's a whole new bike for him to get used to... can't expect to be excellent from the start. I'm sure he will improve as time goes on...

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 
Well when you consider where Lorenzo was in 2008 in his 1st season with Yamaha and he came 2nd, 3rd, and 1st in the first 3 races, it shows how dire he is now. I think he's a one trick bike pony.
 
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Theo said:
Well when you consider where Lorenzo was in 2008 in his 1st season with Yamaha and he came 2nd, 3rd, and 1st in the first 3 races, it shows how dire he is now. I think he's a one trick bike pony.
Click to expand...

And for anyone else that has changed bikes, not such a massive learning curve for them. Isn't Bautista new onto the Ducati, allbeit a different one.

I always expected the first part of the season, possibly the first half, to be a big challenge to Lorenzo but even I, even I have to admit that the testing times, followed by the GPs haven't been great. Okay the one GP. Actually, no, I think I expected stuff like happened in Argentina as he's getting used to the unweildy Ducati not behaving like he expects to when the ....'s bouncing off all the fans. I didn't expect him to be a second and a half off the pace always. I expected the odd brilliant lap here and there.

We're only 2 in and it's a long season - his PR may be right and it might be one small tweak and boom, we're off. But through all the testing and stuff so far, it's not looking promising.

Got to say, I'm kinda girding my loins ready for the onslaught of all my friends throughout this season, who are in the main, Rossi lovers and Lorenzo haters.
 
Furiosa said:
And for anyone else that has changed bikes, not such a massive learning curve for them. Isn't Bautista new onto the Ducati, allbeit a different one.

I always expected the first part of the season, possibly the first half, to be a big challenge to Lorenzo but even I, even I have to admit that the testing times, followed by the GPs haven't been great. Okay the one GP. Actually, no, I think I expected stuff like happened in Argentina as he's getting used to the unweildy Ducati not behaving like he expects to when the ....'s bouncing off all the fans. I didn't expect him to be a second and a half off the pace always. I expected the odd brilliant lap here and there.

We're only 2 in and it's a long season - his PR may be right and it might be one small tweak and boom, we're off. But through all the testing and stuff so far, it's not looking promising.

Got to say, I'm kinda girding my loins ready for the onslaught of all my friends throughout this season, who are in the main, Rossi lovers and Lorenzo haters.
Click to expand...

Well he's got 2 choices if it carries on like this, 1) Leave Ducati. 2) Tell them that as they have paid him so much money to ride it that they give him a bike he can ride and not expect him to adapt to. I'm not a Lorenzo fan but I do expect him to at least be in the 1st 6 riders at the end of a race and on the results so far I can't see him in the top 10 all season.
 
Why is Loris overlooked? I will put him in Legends before other people there. Capirossi won races on the Ducati. He was my pick to win the 'ship in 2006. Without the accident .... who knows? He also won on a Honda before Ducati, so he appears to be a superior rider to several people on that Ducati list. I think the rules change in 2007 gets too much attention. The timing was right for the rider, Stoner and the company, Ducati. I have never seen one side off that equation equal a championship. I bet Loris would out ride these guys on the current Ducati, too.

EDIT: Did I make my point? Don't know - but it is that the bike may be better than it gets credit for the last few years. Perhaps Casey and Loris would do okay. Championships? We can't even tell, because I don't think a Stoner or Capirossi has been on a Ducati since ....... Stoner or Capirossi. :p
 
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Gaz said:
Just to play with Jums thoughts a second.

Lorenzo => Suzuki
Ianonne => MacVDS (seat is available at seasons end, said to be the only seat)
Miller => Ducati
Click to expand...
Lorenzo -> Pons Suzuki
Bautista -> Ducati
Chaz Davies -> Aspar
Morbidelli -> MarcVDS

Tito Rabat is almost sure to lose his seat. Big question over Loris Baz's future.

Iannone has a two year deal. He's not going anywhere before 2019. Suzuki might be persuaded to buy off Lorenzo's Ducati contract, with a modest paycut if necessary (they reportedly offered Vinales a huge raise to stay on).

With Iannone looking erratic as ever and Rins is still a long term project - Suzuki have got no one that can be relied upon to fight for the podium on a regular basis despite the boffins having finally sorted out the GSX-RR's top-end woes. Meanwhile, Gigi probably has a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach having paid through the nose for the "last piece of the puzzle". A deal with Suzuki will at least save Audi €12 mil or €20 mil.
 
JKant said:
Lorenzo -> Pons Suzuki
Bautista -> Ducati
Chaz Davies -> Aspar
Morbidelli -> MarcVDS

Tito Rabat is almost sure to lose his seat. Big question over Loris Baz's future.

Iannone has a two year deal. He's not going anywhere before 2019. Suzuki might be persuaded to buy off Lorenzo's Ducati contract, with a modest paycut if necessary (they reportedly offered Vinales a huge raise to stay on).

With Iannone looking erratic as ever and Rins is still a long term project - Suzuki have got no one that can be relied upon to fight for the podium on a regular basis despite the boffins having finally sorted out the GSX-RR's top-end woes. Meanwhile, Gigi probably has a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach having paid through the nose for the "last piece of the puzzle". A deal with Suzuki will at least save Audi €12 mil or €20 mil.
Click to expand...

Pons Suzuki? Pons hasn't fielded a team in GP since 2005 and they never ran Suzuki bikes. ;)

Chaz Davies is no longer a sure bet to come back to GP anyhow. His return is largely predicated on winning the 2017 WSBK title. A prospect that looked far more possible prior to the season opener. Now? Jonathan Rea and the ZX-10R look stronger than they did last season at the moment, and replacing Giugliano with Marco Melandri only serves to hammer home that Giugliano was severely underachieving on the Ducati last season. I see Melandri getting stronger as the season goes on which is only going to add to Davies' challenge of having to bring the fight to a stronger Rea/Kawasaki combo while having to contend with a far stronger teammate. Leaving WSBK for MotoGP may also be a career killer since he's not going to be contending at the front on a satellite machine. The only way a move makes sense is if Lorenzo does decide to cut loose and run, and Ducati decides to promote Davies out of WSBK directly into the factory seat. Even at that, while it was a long time ago, when he rode 3 races for Pramac in 2007 on the GP7, he was completely unremarkable and never rode again after that in GP...so it would be a big risk to take him on whether it is on a satellite or factory machine IMO.
 

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