Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
Just thought I'd open up a consolidated thread to keep all the silly season moves, rumors, and signings together in one place.
-Confirmed but not yet come to pass: Stoner retirement (but likely)
-Confirmed: Lorenzo signed 2 year contract with factory Yamaha.
-Not confirmed but highly likely: Pedro at HRC. Puig still pulls the Dorna stings here.
-Not confirmed but highly likely: Marquez at HRC (but this can change and wouldn't be surprised if it did given the event no Moto2 title and orRossi Carmelo horse trades HRC something to get him on that seat. Which could send Marc to a satellite for a year.
-Confirmed but unlikely: Bradley Smith has a signed contract for Tech3, but I think lawyers are hard at work looking for a 'get out' clause.
-Offers confirmed: Ducati have offered Crutchlow a 2 year contract. So far Cal has taken a wait and see approach given the new offers to Dovi for contacts elsewhere.
-Offers confirmed: Dovi offered a factory seat with BMW and Aprillia WSBK. Will he forgo his GP future for a possible Wsbk title? Given his balsy move to Tech3, he might just say FU to GP and move on. Sidenote, what does this mean for Haslam in Wsbk, given that surely they would hang on to their weaker and more marketable Italian Melandri, or possible 3 man factory team?
-Rumors but likely: Hayden stays at Ducati and GP continues to waste his great talent.
-Rumors but likely: Rossi goes on to a Japanese bike, but this perhaps the most anticipated move of this year's rider moves. His agent, Carmelo is hard at work despite denials.
Up in the air: Ben Spies, will he keep his seat or be replaced by Rossi, Crutchlow, Dovi? I think Ben can decide this with a good or bad 3-5 races, but time is running out, Yamaha won't wait until end of season. Hes got the 3 remaining Euro GPs and two US rounds, maybe even Brno to make something happen. But I think a decision will be made by September.
Other mentionables: Abraham, will he continue to lease a ...... CRT disguised as a Ducati?
Honda CRT: Will they have a CRT (being cutely called a "production racer" ready for people to lease next year possibly mixing up the CRT picture?
If, and this is only if, Pol Espargaro wins the Moto2, will Marquez be promoted? Or would HRC pick up Rossi and let Marc pick up another learning year while they see what happens with VR? Just a thought. Or is VR completely out at HRC and regardless of what happens to Marc, he will be on a Repsol Honda next year? Food for thought.
WSBK: Given their offer to Dovi, will more offers come to other good riders, like say DePuniet, Barbera (yes, hate him or hate him, that Pramac Duc is complete ...., possibly worse than ARTs, would he be offered something).
Anything I've missed?
-Confirmed but not yet come to pass: Stoner retirement (but likely)
-Confirmed: Lorenzo signed 2 year contract with factory Yamaha.
-Not confirmed but highly likely: Pedro at HRC. Puig still pulls the Dorna stings here.
-Not confirmed but highly likely: Marquez at HRC (but this can change and wouldn't be surprised if it did given the event no Moto2 title and or
-Confirmed but unlikely: Bradley Smith has a signed contract for Tech3, but I think lawyers are hard at work looking for a 'get out' clause.
-Offers confirmed: Ducati have offered Crutchlow a 2 year contract. So far Cal has taken a wait and see approach given the new offers to Dovi for contacts elsewhere.
-Offers confirmed: Dovi offered a factory seat with BMW and Aprillia WSBK. Will he forgo his GP future for a possible Wsbk title? Given his balsy move to Tech3, he might just say FU to GP and move on. Sidenote, what does this mean for Haslam in Wsbk, given that surely they would hang on to their weaker and more marketable Italian Melandri, or possible 3 man factory team?
-Rumors but likely: Hayden stays at Ducati and GP continues to waste his great talent.
-Rumors but likely: Rossi goes on to a Japanese bike, but this perhaps the most anticipated move of this year's rider moves. His agent, Carmelo is hard at work despite denials.
Up in the air: Ben Spies, will he keep his seat or be replaced by Rossi, Crutchlow, Dovi? I think Ben can decide this with a good or bad 3-5 races, but time is running out, Yamaha won't wait until end of season. Hes got the 3 remaining Euro GPs and two US rounds, maybe even Brno to make something happen. But I think a decision will be made by September.
Other mentionables: Abraham, will he continue to lease a ...... CRT disguised as a Ducati?
Honda CRT: Will they have a CRT (being cutely called a "production racer" ready for people to lease next year possibly mixing up the CRT picture?
If, and this is only if, Pol Espargaro wins the Moto2, will Marquez be promoted? Or would HRC pick up Rossi and let Marc pick up another learning year while they see what happens with VR? Just a thought. Or is VR completely out at HRC and regardless of what happens to Marc, he will be on a Repsol Honda next year? Food for thought.
WSBK: Given their offer to Dovi, will more offers come to other good riders, like say DePuniet, Barbera (yes, hate him or hate him, that Pramac Duc is complete ...., possibly worse than ARTs, would he be offered something).
Anything I've missed?
