I think it could happen. This could be his "ducati" moment. Why do all the top riders end up going there? For money? To prove something? Well ktm has that plus they have .... tons of money. I also think the move to bring Puig to honda could be telling of hondas future plans. Thats not a move to help Marc thats for sure.
Puig, no matter what people think of him has done some brilliant things in terms of development of riders and opening of doors that have gotten some into the big leagues, yet what we recall is the svengali ........ that followed Pedrosa everywhere.
There is a reason why HRC have bought him in and we will likely never know the full or true reason, but I do wonder if it has a lot of 'minimising' Alzamora and Marquez senior's power with in the team atmosphere. Basically bring in a string personality who simply can manage and can be as big an ......., to try to keep the other ........ in check.
None of this is on Marquez junior I may add
I don't think there is any evidence it was MM who vetoed it. Stoner certainly wanted to replace Pedrosa, and HRC said no thanks which I believe was widely reported.
It may not even have been Alzamora as was mooted at the time. Honda were trying to talk MM into not throwing the bike down the road if he was not capable of completely dominating a race as he had in most races in 2014, and having Stoner out there to race against as well, if Stoner was fast enough, would hardly have been conducive to that aim. If Stoner wasn't fast enough then there probably wasn't much point in him rather than another test rider or whomever replacing Dani either.
I do recall an article indicating that Alzamora did not want CS to ride but cannot find it anywhere on a quick search.
MM was labelled and included as it was MM who had already been critical of CS regards the engine characteristics of that machine so many included MM as not wanting CS to ride (remembering that by years end, MM was complaining of the same engine characteristics that CS identified). MM was attached purely because he was MM and had far more to lose, plus people needed someone to blame and Mm is a bigger name or easier target than Alzamora, particularly for us Aussies.
I've always stood by Honda not allowing Stoner to wild card if honda has riders in the chanpionship. Sure Austin is early but looking back and having a wildcard rider steal points would be a dumb way to lose a championship. Ducati has nothing to lose so they don't care. Why do you think Yamaha always replaces injured riders with test rider and parade lappers?
Totally IMO only here but HRC were somewhat damned if they did, and damned if they did not.
If they raced with CS they had a rider who by his own admission could not have finished higher than 5th (all being equal) due to his lack of race fitness and who really only wanted to ride as it was a circuit he had not ridden previously. However, that same rider may well have been able to get a few points from your title rivals (individual, team and manufacturer) so you had to weigh up priorities but above all, team harmony - why place pressure on your remaining rider, unnecessary pressure.
On the other, you put a rider who you know will not challenge the top teams or riders but who knows the bike intimately and thus us highly unlikely to need time to adjust or get to speed. You have the obligation to be there but that obligation does not mean you need to be at the top plus, as a fill in rider that person will get some level of coverage due to why they are there.
Yes, CS would have provided more coverage as he is a higher profile but still, do you want the coverage taken from your main man?
Totally my view only but the vast majority of people wanted CS because it was CS and they wanted to see how he would go but for mine, he was the one with all to lose as if he returned and did very well (ie.podium) then pressure would come from everywhere about a return and if he finished low in the points or outside then pressure would be applied about how he has lost it, something no rider wants to confront.
