Predictions: Where will Zarco go next?

MigsAngel said:

What it like that....?

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Yeah! That's literally the actual footage.

Holypuck said:

This is what the stereotypical "friend of a friend" told me:

Zarco has a huge offer (money-wise) from KTM on the table. The factory team, not the one that Tech3 will build with KTM next year. KTM wants a top rider (don't give my words that look, Zarco IS a top rider) to make what they think will be the last step and to fully understand their bike's potential. Zarco has not accepted nor denied the offer yet.

Pedrosa seems to already have a foot out of HRC, which would be interested in Zarco and Dovizioso. Pedrosa is rumored to be ending up on a KTM.

Lorenzo is basically out of Ducati already. Dovizioso is ready to sign but wants a raise. Ducati offered him a 6 millions salary (he currently makes 1.5 million so I'd call that a raise) and he's "thinking" about it. The candidates for the second Ducati are Miller and Petrucci (in that order).

Suzuki wants to get rid of Iannone more than Palestine wants to get rid of Israel, and following up that "rumor" Aprilia started to talk with the Italian. They want to confirm Rins which they will do before Jerez. For the second bike, they are getting in touch with Zarco and Lorenzo.





Note I am not saying any of this is true, I am only saying a person I know who is rather close to the paddock told me.

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Holypuck said:

Lorenzo is basically out of Ducati already. Dovizioso is ready to sign but wants a raise. Ducati offered him a 6 millions salary (he currently makes 1.5 million so I'd call that a raise) and he's "thinking" about it. The candidates for the second Ducati are Miller and Petrucci (in that order).

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How much do they pay Lorenzo?

Holypuck said:

Exactly. As for me, I would love to see Zarco on a Honda. Don't get me wrong I love Pedro, but I think it's about time HRC puts two mad dogs in the team like Yamaha always did.

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If Honda do that its not 2 mad dogs its 3 with Puig.

Theo said:

If Honda do that its not 2 mad dogs its 3 with Puig.

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Why not? After all it's pronounced Pooch.

Theo said:

How much do they pay Lorenzo?

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Depending on where you read, it varies between $20 million over 2 years to $12 million a year.

Theo said:

How much do they pay Lorenzo?

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his Ducati contract is 25 million for 2 years, so he makes 12.5 million a year. I'm talking in Euros of course

Holypuck said:

his Ducati contract is 25 million for 2 years, so he makes 12.5 million a year. I'm talking in Euros of course

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Karel Abraham pays to ride his 83 year old Ducati and does better.

Zarco should be placed on a factory Yamaha, beside Vale and Maverick but yammis won't do it.
Anyway, I believe Yohan will get Pedrosa's place next year or will stay with Tech3.

Holypuck said:

his Ducati contract is 25 million for 2 years, so he makes 12.5 million a year. I'm talking in Euros of course

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So they could certainly pay Dovi 10 mill and thats a bargain when you look at what Lorenzo's doing, I thought he was having a holiday break there was no sign of him on track after the first 5 mins.

Watch the start of race again. Lorenzo gets shuffled wide in turn one, and exits in dead last. After that he was unable to maintain the pace of even the back markers. By the time MM done his ride through - Lap 4 or 5 - Bautista was leading Lorenzo by 2-3 seconds.

Marquez came out of pit lane just behind Bautista as Lorenzo was crossing the finish line.

In these conditions he surely is lost, and with performances like this he is killing his market value.

Lorenzo to Suzuki or KTM on maximum 4 million a year. If he's lucky!

Theo said:

So they could certainly pay Dovi 10 mill and thats a bargain when you look at what Lorenzo's doing, I thought he was having a holiday break there was no sign of him on track after the first 5 mins.

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Rumors say they are offering Dovi 6 (He gets 2, currently). He hasn’t accepted it yet.

The J.Lo paycheck almost broke the bank for Ducati. It put their WSBK effort in jeopardy until Melandri offered to pay for his ride. Unlikely they will go that high for any rider anymore.

Theo said:

How much do they pay Lorenzo?

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12million per year, but they have already publicly said that he wasn’t going to get anywhere near that amount if the re sign him. Lorenzo’s recent attack on Dovi says his stint st Ducati is over and they will mutually part ways. Suzuki does not want Ianonne for numerous reasons and is almost assuredly gone. Zarco has a decision to make, financial security and never winning or going to a proven winner for less money and no guarantee at all that him and the bike will coexist. Smooth riders need not apply to the RCV, The only riders to have success on it are riders who grab a bull by the horns and force their will upon it. If I were him I would take the chance on Honda for less money and if it foesnt work out, one or both of the Yamahas will be available In 2021.

povol said:

12million per year, but they have already publicly said that he wasn’t going to get anywhere near that amount if the re sign him. Lorenzo’s recent attack on Dovi says his stint st Ducati is over and they will mutually part ways. Suzuki does not want Ianonne for numerous reasons and is almost assuredly gone. Zarco has a decision to make, financial security and never winning or going to a proven winner for less money and no guarantee at all that him and the bike will coexist. Smooth riders need not apply to the RCV, The only riders to have success on it are riders who grab a bull by the horns and force their will upon it. If I were him I would take the chance on Honda for less money and if it foesnt work out, one or both of the Yamahas will be available In 2021.

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I agree re 2015 screamer Honda. The current bike looks more rideable. I rate him more talented than Cal. Zarco likely won’t go on winning streaks like Marquez but then he probably doesn’t have to, just be a consistent points compiler like Dovi, no bad rounds or unwise collisions would keep him in the running

Ive been wondering why very little has been said about the Zarco/Pedrosa incident. Looked far more serious than old sookentinos attempted late door close thence soccer dive. But apart from Pedrosa saying he has a sore wrist ..... its all been pretty hush hush. Honda have said nothing. Could this be a sign that Zarco/Honda negotiations are quite progressed?

BarryMachine said:

Ive been wondering why very little has been said about the Zarco/Pedrosa incident. Looked far more serious than old sookentinos attempted late door close thence soccer dive. But apart from Pedrosa saying he has a sore wrist ..... its all been pretty hush hush. Honda have said nothing. Could this be a sign that Zarco/Honda negotiations are quite progressed?

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The journalists don't care as a Zarco-Pedrosa drama would never sell as much as a Rossi-Marquez one.

Rossi does not care about other riders either, his safety "concerns" are only attacks to Marquez. Yet when Zarco overtook him a bit aggressively (Austin 2017 I think) he accused him on the Italian TV, stating that "Zarco is not mean, he is just unable to ride at times".

And yet a lot of my mates keep asking me why I dislike the doctor. Lol

The difference the way I saw it was Pedrosa opened the throttle on the wet part of track and highsided, making the whole thing look a lot worse than it was. Zarco didn’t make him high side he only pushed him wide.

All Ducati needs to do IMHO is bringing Miller to the factory team.

One young, "impulsive" rider and a "quieter" veteran. They both seem easy going so I seriously doubt they'd have issues relating with each other.

I'm not even close to being a fan but I don't dislike Lorenzo at all. I really wanted him to do well on the Duc, but at this point it just can't be argued that it's not the bike for him.

I think he would perform fairly well on a Suzuki.

Also if things would go this way, Team Pramac could have a similar scenario with the younger guy/guy who's got more experience lining up Petrux and Bagnaia.

Although Petrux is rumored to be leaving, his possible destination being Aprilia or KTM.

UPDATE: Alex Rins just re-signed with Suzuki for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

Barbedwirebikerr said:

Watch the start of race again. Lorenzo gets shuffled wide in turn one, and exits in dead last. After that he was unable to maintain the pace of even the back markers. By the time MM done his ride through - Lap 4 or 5 - Bautista was leading Lorenzo by 2-3 seconds.

Marquez came out of pit lane just behind Bautista as Lorenzo was crossing the finish line.

In these conditions he surely is lost, and with performances like this he is killing his market value.

Lorenzo to Suzuki or KTM on maximum 4 million a year. If he's lucky!

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It's pretty sad to watch. Lorenzo's only saviour this weekend is that other events will overshadow the issue of MM getting a ride through and still coming out ahead of him. And, as you say, that he can't maintain the back marker pace. I'd have thought someone of his calibre would have been able to keep up on my mum's step thru. Well, maybe not, but however awful he says the ducati is, it's not a step thru. And isn't Jack doing well on his first season with Ducati?

And I'm sorry, hate me all you want, but "The Incident" was hilarious. It was very clear very quickly that nobody was getting hurt - I'm not going to laugh at that. I think it might have been the gentle plop onto the grass, not sure. My over-riding thought when watching it was "holy .... if we thought he was getting booed before..."

The booing, incidentally, is why I haven't managed to regain any respect for Rossi since 2015, and why I cannot take any Rossi fan's comments to heart - massive crowds of yellow booing... get over yourselves .... heads, and read some of Rossi's earlier press releases/comments - he's well known as an agressive ride and now says he's scared... Maybe there'll be big boo signs with a 46 in the corner on sale soon, to save the voices of the folowwy ones.