Predictions: Where will Zarco go next?

JPSLotus · Apr 4, 2018

Hollywood said:
he hasn't even won a race yet, a couple years ago Maverick was in this position, and before that Jack Miller... his riding style does not seem to fit the Honda or the Ducati, however Ducati has a better arrangement with their satellite teams, and might be able to work out a deal with Pramac (though a very good case can be made for keeping both Petrucci and Miller).

Honda would need to dump Pedrosa, and that could mean all sorts of rider moves.

Personally I think KTM might be his best fit, they have $$$, he would be a #1 rider, and soon they will have a competitive bike.

Yeah about KTM I think people haven't figured out they aren't going to be overhauling Honda, Yamaha, or Ducati any time soon. All this talk about KTM and their commitment means .... all as they have Mount Everest in front of them. Let me know when they can outperform Suzuki.

gbphantom · Apr 4, 2018

No, they aren’t yet, but they don’t have a proper rider either. I’ve never really rated smith or pol very highly. At the bottom of the mid-level riders. I also think they will outperform Suzuki within a few years. I would say they’ve already made huge leaps without the decades of experience with big bikes that Suzuki and aprillia have had, but hey seem to be taking it a little more seriously than them. They are both smaller factories but Suzuki is and always has been cheap. All that rbr money has to do something. They proved that with their dirty bikes. I know it’s not apples to apples, but saying their commitment means nothing seems short sighted. Look where Ducati was a few years ago.

Hollywood · Apr 4, 2018

JPSLotus said:
Yeah about KTM I think people haven't figured out they aren't going to be overhauling Honda, Yamaha, or Ducati any time soon. All this talk about KTM and their commitment means .... all as they have Mount Everest in front of them. Let me know when they can outperform Suzuki.

KTM's current riders are ...., Mika Kallio is probably the best rider they have. However KTM's focus is the bike right now, and whiles its not great right now, the company is willing to make the commitment needed to make it competitive. As long as they are willing to step up, hire the right engineers (they have the cash to lure people from other teams) they will make the bike competitive. then its just a matter of hiring the correct riders.

JPSLotus · Apr 4, 2018

gbphantom said:
No, they aren’t yet, but they don’t have a proper rider either. I’ve never really rated smith or pol very highly. At the bottom of the mid-level riders. I also think they will outperform Suzuki within a few years. I would say they’ve already made huge leaps without the decades of experience with big bikes that Suzuki and aprillia have had, but hey seem to be taking it a little more seriously than them. They are both smaller factories but Suzuki is and always has been cheap. All that rbr money has to do something. They proved that with their dirty bikes. I know it’s not apples to apples, but saying their commitment means nothing seems short sighted. Look where Ducati was a few years ago.

Since the 4-stroke era commenced, Ducati is the only non-Japanese factory to win a world championship.

Sure I don't rate their riders highly at all, but they need to be a consistent midfield bike to have a chance at a top rider, and reality is no top rider is going to commit potential career suicide by going to a team that is behind Suzuki. Suzuki may have been cheap in the past but they were willing to put the money in to fix their engine and it shows.

All the Red Bull money doesn't mean anything since HRC can just outspend them into oblivion. Too bad they don't do that for WSBK, but that's another story. Ducati was making progress over the past number of years going back to 2013. Hiring Gigi accelerated that process, but whether it results in a world title or not is another story since at the end of the day, going up against Marc Marquez is a colossal task. KTM isn't touching HRC this year, next year, or the year after that.

JPSLotus · Apr 4, 2018

Hollywood said:
KTM's current riders are ...., Mika Kallio is probably the best rider they have. However KTM's focus is the bike right now, and whiles its not great right now, the company is willing to make the commitment needed to make it competitive. As long as they are willing to step up, hire the right engineers (they have the cash to lure people from other teams) they will make the bike competitive. then its just a matter of hiring the correct riders.

They can make all the commitment they want, doesn't mean they are ever going to get to where they want.

Zarco isn't going to go to KTM you know why? He wants a competitive bike. KTM isn't it.

gbphantom · Apr 4, 2018

JPSLotus said:
Since the 4-stroke era commenced, Ducati is the only non-Japanese factory to win a world championship.

Sure I don't rate their riders highly at all, but they need to be a consistent midfield bike to have a chance at a top rider, and reality is no top rider is going to commit potential career suicide by going to a team that is behind Suzuki. Suzuki may have been cheap in the past but they were willing to put the money in to fix their engine and it shows.

All the Red Bull money doesn't mean anything since HRC can just outspend them into oblivion. Too bad they don't do that for WSBK, but that's another story. Ducati was making progress over the past number of years going back to 2013. Hiring Gigi accelerated that process, but whether it results in a world title or not is another story since at the end of the day, going up against Marc Marquez is a colossal task. KTM isn't touching HRC this year, next year, or the year after that.

I agree with you on many levels. I feel like they are willing to get the correct people and be typical German/Austrian and be very calculated about their program which is something I regard as being a japanese trait also. Getting a good rider is going to be difficult, I agree. I suppose they are going to have to hope that some of their moto2 talent pans out, which will set them back and it too bad.

As for going up against HRC and Marc, that’s unfair. You could put him on anything and he’s going to be at the pointy end of it. I get that hrc’s budget it nearly endless but that shouldn’t be in their field of vision. They also have a large budget so that should be a non issue to be able to capitalize. Ape and Suzuki should. I am a bit of a closet KTM fan so I suppose I’m jaded slightly. I don’t think of Hervé as a dumb or knee jerk type of guy so I suppose his move bolsters my opinion of KTM. (I understand money was a factor for him also) There is a steep cliff in front of those boys I won’t argue with that in he slightest. I’ve always respected your opinion of racing

Edit: plus I Enjoy the fact I can see bonhams kickdrum in your profile pic

JPSLotus · Apr 4, 2018

gbphantom said:
I agree with you on many levels. I feel like they are willing to get the correct people and be typical German/Austrian and be very calculated about their program which is something I regard as being a japanese trait also. Getting a good rider is going to be difficult, I agree. I suppose they are going to have to hope that some of their moto2 talent pans out, which will set them back and it too bad.

As for going up against HRC and Marc, that’s unfair. You could put him on anything and he’s going to be at the pointy end of it. I get that hrc’s budget it nearly endless but that shouldn’t be in their field of vision. They also have a large budget so that should be a non issue to be able to capitalize. Ape and Suzuki should. I am a bit of a closet KTM fan so I suppose I’m jaded slightly. I don’t think of Hervé as a dumb or knee jerk type of guy so I suppose his move bolsters my opinion of KTM. (I understand money was a factor for him also) There is a steep cliff in front of those boys I won’t argue with that in he slightest. I’ve always respected your opinion of racing

Edit: plus I Enjoy the fact I can see bonhams kickdrum in your profile pic

Their only hope is a rider better than their current crop is left without a seat somewhere and is forced to take the KTM ride due to necessity of staying on the grid. That might give them something. If they have to rely on Moto 2 talent, it's going to be a long time for them to make progress.

I think Herve had no choice at the end of the day and KTM were the only ones willing to supply extra bikes. Might work out well for both, or it might work out poorly. If Zarco leaves he better hope Folger comes back for 2019 assuming too of course that he wants to run Folger again. That though could be something KTM could do too, take a chance on Folger since we know he is better than either Pol or Smith. We'll see what happens. If they continue the same lineup, 2019 is going to be another waste of a year.

Thanks, loved that Vistalite Amber Ludwig set Bonham used in 1973. Wasn't as big of a fan of the Ludwig steel kit he used in 1977 even though that tour was epic. But that's really splitting hairs since he was absolutely on his game then. Madison Square Garden 1973...3 monster shows in a row...that was them at their best. Happen to be listening to the July 28th show as I type this.

gbphantom · Apr 4, 2018

JPSLotus said:
Their only hope is a rider better than their current crop is left without a seat somewhere and is forced to take the KTM ride due to necessity of staying on the grid. That might give them something. If they have to rely on Moto 2 talent, it's going to be a long time for them to make progress.

I think Herve had no choice at the end of the day and KTM were the only ones willing to supply extra bikes. Might work out well for both, or it might work out poorly. If Zarco leaves he better hope Folger comes back for 2019 assuming too of course that he wants to run Folger again. That though could be something KTM could do too, take a chance on Folger since we know he is better than either Pol or Smith. We'll see what happens. If they continue the same lineup, 2019 is going to be another waste of a year.

Thanks, loved that Vistalite Amber Ludwig set Bonham used in 1973. Wasn't as big of a fan of the Ludwig steel kit he used in 1977 even though that tour was epic. But that's really splitting hairs since he was absolutely on his game then. Madison Square Garden 1973...3 monster shows in a row...that was them at their best. Happen to be listening to the July 28th show as I type this.

For huge arenas those vistalite kits sang. I always felt steel should be reserved strictly for a snare. Steel kits don’t have the depth and warmth. Supraphonic snare with the vista and 2002/giant beatS, get out of here. I hate I was born in the wrong era. There are a few bands from the modern era that play heavy blues rock but they are far and few between.

JPSLotus · Apr 4, 2018

gbphantom said:
For huge arenas those vistalite kits sang. I always felt steel should be reserved strictly for a snare. Steel kits don’t have the depth and warmth. Supraphonic snare with the vista and 2002/giant beatS, get out of here. I hate I was born in the wrong era. There are a few bands from the modern era that play heavy blues rock but they are far and few between.

Agreed about the steel kit, always thought that was what was lacking during the 77 tour. It didnt have the warmth the Vistalite kit had. It's always jarring listening to the Rock and Roll encore opening because it's just harsh in sound compared to the past tours. But I always felt 77 could be described as manic in overall sound.

Ditto on being born in the wrong era, my old boss saw Zep at the Garden on February 12, 1975. Said it was at that time the loudest concert she ever heard. Great show overall. The soundboard bootleg was phenomenal for that show.

Theo · Apr 5, 2018

Okay so Honda used to make the odd crap bike, but the bike now isn't crap, I feel its made for MM and thats why some think its hard work, but does MM think its bad or not good, I don't think so, after all a bike thats made to suit a rider is the way to go, not make a bike thats crowd friendly. I've ridden bikes that others can't and I've been on bikes that I can't ride properly, they don't suit me. So maybe in a few years we will see 2 bikes in a garage that look totally different to each other, just the name on the bike is the same.

BarryMachine · Apr 5, 2018

A bit of a crime has been committed with regards Zarco not getting a good Yammy ride.

Yamaha are dicks.

#22 · Apr 5, 2018

JPSLotus said:
Yeah about KTM I think people haven't figured out they aren't going to be overhauling Honda, Yamaha, or Ducati any time soon. All this talk about KTM and their commitment means .... all as they have Mount Everest in front of them. Let me know when they can outperform Suzuki.

JPSLotus said:
Since the 4-stroke era commenced, Ducati is the only non-Japanese factory to win a world championship.

And that was really only because of the huge regulation change that Ducati got on top of before everyone else, along with the perfect storm of Stoner joining the team. I expect KTM to become a regular front runner in a few years, but I agree they won't be overhauling HRC soon. I believe they have a 5 year plan.

BarryMachine said:
A bit of a crime has been committed with regards Zarco not getting a good Yammy ride.

Yamaha are dicks.

Yup, they have decided that selling T Shirts is a priority over having 2 race winning riders.

Hollywood · Apr 5, 2018

other then Honda and Ducati, KTM is the only other factory that has really made a significant commitment in recent years to their Motogp program in terms of capital and personal... look at what Red Bull did in F1, they put up the money and that got them the top engineers on the grid. its going to take some time to recruit those engineers, and build the bike, but I do not doubt that KTM will be a solid contender in the year future.

just another thought, should Honda dump Pedrosa for Zarco, would Pedrosa be a good fit for KTM?

JPSLotus · Apr 5, 2018

Hollywood said:
other then Honda and Ducati, KTM is the only other factory that has really made a significant commitment in recent years to their Motogp program in terms of capital and personal... look at what Red Bull did in F1, they put up the money and that got them the top engineers on the grid. its going to take some time to recruit those engineers, and build the bike, but I do not doubt that KTM will be a solid contender in the year future.

just another thought, should Honda dump Pedrosa for Zarco, would Pedrosa be a good fit for KTM?

Sure Red Bull F1 did good for 4 years when the engines were frozen and the chassis specs were of benefit to Adrian Newey in order to design. But Red Bull was also cheating with their flexi-wings and other flexi-parts. As soon as the engine formula changed they were done and have been done. They got outspent by Mercedes who put over 1 billion into the design of their hybrid engine and the rest of manufacturers were caught napping. They are at the front part of the grid yes, but they have no real chance of winning the title. The best they can hope for is to pick off a win or two if that's even possible.

In this scenario you could swap Mercedes for HRC.

gbphantom · Apr 5, 2018

Hollywood said:
other then Honda and Ducati, KTM is the only other factory that has really made a significant commitment in recent years to their Motogp program in terms of capital and personal... look at what Red Bull did in F1, they put up the money and that got them the top engineers on the grid. its going to take some time to recruit those engineers, and build the bike, but I do not doubt that KTM will be a solid contender in the year future.

just another thought, should Honda dump Pedrosa for Zarco, would Pedrosa be a good fit for KTM?

I think Pedro going to ktm would be good for ktm to get them some higher grid positions. If so they can’t tailor a bike to him or they will be doing their program a disservice. He’s tiny and Honda tried that in 07-08. That worked out poorly as we know. He would probably help identify problems But I’ve never heard a lot about his development skills. Maybe make the jump seem more inticinf for otherrs. I would like to see him end up there but I don’t know why he would want to at this point. As for Zarco, others have mentioned this but he would have a struggle on his hands with that Honda. Between being paired with the best rider on the grid and a bike many have said is a bear to ride with a steep learning curve. And I know because I know the jNitor at the local Honda shop. Kidding of corse.

p4p1 · Apr 5, 2018

Hollywood said:
other then Honda and Ducati, KTM is the only other factory that has really made a significant commitment in recent years to their Motogp program in terms of capital and personal... look at what Red Bull did in F1, they put up the money and that got them the top engineers on the grid. its going to take some time to recruit those engineers, and build the bike, but I do not doubt that KTM will be a solid contender in the year future.

just another thought, should Honda dump Pedrosa for Zarco, would Pedrosa be a good fit for KTM?

Pedrosa would be a great signing for either KTM or Suzuki. The jury is still out on whether Zarco will be as good as Pedrosa in the class and for KTM or Suzuki there would be no better rider available to show the true level of their bike with genuinely elite rider on it.

JPSLotus · Apr 5, 2018

p4p1 said:
Pedrosa would be a great signing for either KTM or Suzuki. The jury is still out on whether Zarco will be as good as Pedrosa in the class and for KTM or Suzuki there would be no better rider available to show the true level of their bike with genuinely elite rider on it.

Lorenzo really needs to be on the Suzuki. Don't think he will leave Ducati unless they show him the door, or he has another questionable season. It's a shame Rossi re-upped as I think him retiring would have led Lorenzo back to Yamaha. Plus he wouldn't have to deal with the toxic atmosphere.

Pedrosa might do better on a easier to turn bike that doesn't require the physicality of the RCV. But whether HRC is ready to cut him loose is another story. Having him as the second to MM keeps harmony in the garage. Zarco in there might not, and as I said, I'm not convinced he could make the jump from the M1 to the RCV. But anything is possible. This year's RCV looked really good at Losail which is a revelation for Honda.

Hollywood · Apr 5, 2018

I don't see why Ducati want to keep Lorenzo, buy him out of his contract and promote either Petrucci or Miller.

having just watched an interview with Zarco, he says he does not like when the front wheel starts to slide, which is exactly what the Honda does.

JohnnyKnockdown · Apr 5, 2018

gbphantom said:
For huge arenas those vistalite kits sang. I always felt steel should be reserved strictly for a snare. Steel kits don’t have the depth and warmth. Supraphonic snare with the vista and 2002/giant beatS, get out of here. I hate I was born in the wrong era. There are a few bands from the modern era that play heavy blues rock but they are far and few between.

Theo · Apr 6, 2018

Here's a prediction for you, Zarco will ride for KTM.

Predictions: Where will Zarco go next?

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