Who's where next year?

I think it's still to early to tell, but if I had to guess I think it would look something like this:

Ducati Marlboro: Stoner and Hayden
Fiat Yamaha: Rossi and Lorenzo
Repsol Honda: Pedrosa and Dovizioso
Rizla Suzuki: Capirossi and Vermeulen
Monster Kawasaki: Hopkins and Spies
Gresini Honda: Nakano and Melandri
Tech 3 Yamaha: Edwards and Toseland
Alice Ducati: Gibernau and Kallio
Scot Honda: de Angelis
LCR Honda: de Puniet

Just remind me, how many season did Hopper sign on for wth Kwak?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Craig3089 @ Aug 14 2008, 10:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Who will be riding what next year?

here's what i think;

fiat yamaha; rossi and lorenzo
tech3; toseland and edwards
repsol honda; pedrosa and dovisioso
gresini honda; nakano and melandri
scot honda; takahashi
lcr; depuniet
marlboro ducati; stoner and hayden
alice ducati; canepa and kalio
suzuki; vermeulen and capirossi
kawasaki; hopkins and gibernau

West will end up in world supersport,
Deangelis will move back into 250s,
believe yamaha france has a spare seat next year in wsb, so reckon guintoli will end up there,
and Elias will end up in either wsb or wss.

what do u guys reckon?
My guess would be something like that too if Gibernau would go to Kawasaki that is.Maybe he would for the right amount of money.
What about Simoncelli ,does he want to stay in 250 ?And maybe Ducati need Canepa to relpace Baylis.

However things shake out I just hope Hayden gets the Ducati Factory ride cause I think he will feel at home. Kawi will still suck no matter who is on the bike. Even Valentino would struggle with the thing. MElandri will have a decent season if he isn't on anything but the Honda. If Dovi gets the Honda seat next to pedrosa GO DOVI GO.

My take:

Fiat Yamaha: Rossi / Lorenzo
No change, move along, nothing to see here.

Tech 3 Yamaha: Edwards / Toesland
No change here either, move along, nothing to see.

Rizla Suzuki: Vermi / Cappers
No change, they will both get their chances again to put that baby blue bike on the top of the podium on a dry track.

Repsol Honda: Pedrosa / Dovi
Dovi will get his chance on the factory team and then learn, its a one man team and he ain't that man.

Marlboro Ducati: Stoner / Hayden
The rumors surrounding the Hayden move to Ducati are too much. I have a feeling this is either a done deal or close to it.

Gresini Honda: Nakano / De Angelis
If Nakano stays on Gresini there is no need to bring up Takahashi, as the granted Japanese rider is taken care of with Nakano's presence. I also don't see De Angelis moving from Gresnini Honda, I believe their major sponsor is an Italian company so having him there may be good for marketing, although when he "comes out" during the off season it may create a stir. Melandri could also be here replacing De Angelis.

Kawasaki: Hopkins / De Puniet
We know Hopkins is going green for a few years (not sure how long though), but I have a feeling that the token French guy might be back with Kawa.


The following teams will be the hardest to try and guess, we probably won't hear much about who is going where on these teams until close to the end of the season as a lot of it depends on the riders performances on those teams. Melandri I have a feeling will be back on Honda somewhere, Guintoli and Elias may be gone. 250 riders that might come in, Bautista, Kallio, Simoncelli.

LCR Honda: Melandri or De Puniet stays or 250 rider?
I'm not sure what the politics are on LCR but it could be a possible seat to give Melandri back his Honda ride. We know Dorna wants a French rider so De Puniet is not gone, but he hasn't proved he deserves to stay on his current ride either, so perhaps Kawasaki will accept him back. LCR took a chance on a young rider a few years ago who now seems to be doing fairly well, maybe they will do the same and bring on a 250 rider?

Scot Honda: 250 rider (Kallio, Simoncelli, Bautista?)
Takahashi could be a possibility but I think unlikely since Nakano will stay in GP. Here again maybe a 250 rider?

Alice Ducati: Who knows? Biaggi! Hahaha. This one will really be up in the air.
Really a tough call, I have a feeling they may give Guintoli another chance or possibly Elias another chance. There has been talk of Kallio coming to Ducati with the Alice team. Gibernau certainly wants to come back, but will Alice Ducati's crappy performance scare him away and/or they won't pay him what he wants?


Spies - wont come to Moto GP unless he gets on a factory ride (his preferred will be Suzuiki). He will wait one more year and ride in the AMA until either Vermi leaves or the most likely, Cappers retires.

West - looking for a WSS ride.
others possibly looking for work: Guintoli, Elias

How about Vermi to Ducati, Spies to Suzuki, Hayden to kawasaki or Alice

Simoncelli is apparently staying down, Kallio its getting talked about alot, but now Aspar's team doesn't seem to be happening there isn't much talk about Bautista either (he's also having a pretty bad year).

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sleepy @ Aug 14 2008, 09:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>How about Vermi to Ducati, Spies to Suzuki, Hayden to kawasaki or Alice
I'd be very surprised if CV left Suzuki this season, Hayden's Ducati deal is all but wrapped up and Spies could be a candidate at Kawasaki or Alice. Personally I would like to see him at Alice but I think his passport could be quite valuable to the Kawasaki sponsors.

Fiat Yamaha: Rossi / Lorenzo

Tech 3 Yamaha: Edwards / Toesland

Marlboro Ducati: Stoner / Gibernau

Repsol Honda: Pedrosa / Dovi

Gresini Honda: Nakano / Hayden

Kawasaki: Hopkins / Melandri

Rizla Suzuki: Vermi / Cappers

Alice Ducati: Guintoli/Bautista

Scot Honda: Takahashi

LCR Honda: De Puniet

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rossifan @ Aug 15 2008, 10:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Gresini Honda: Nakano / Hayden
Hayden on a bike he's discarded in favor of developing the pneumo on-track? That sounds like a "roach, broke down, used, used-up well-ridden chick". Short being on a "factory" bike under the gresini banner, that seems like a pretty unappealing prospect (and even then it sorta does). That ride would just about be giving up for him, I'd think.

what if, and I'm just saying what if, nick is the one for the Duck and vice versa, and Ducati have and outstanding tandem next year? the one two punch might end up being a dominating twosome.,.
whatever, I think next season is going to be FANTASTIC, especially if dovi gets a factory ride

I'd hate to see Spies on a Kawasaki. What would it look like for team green to be all american? I can't even recall the last time one team riders were made up of fellow country men.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (kngadrok @ Aug 15 2008, 06:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>what if, and I'm just saying what if, nick is the one for the Duck and vice versa, and Ducati have and outstanding tandem next year? the one two punch might end up being a dominating twosome.,.
whatever, I think next season is going to be FANTASTIC, especially if dovi gets a factory ride
This is what I am hoping for a one two punch. SOmeone to get in vale's or whoever elses way so the Duc team can Dominate. So yea I always want Ducati to win the championship and I think these guys will be good for each other. Hayden is a pretty cool dude and for all the crap Stoner gets for his personality I think he is a pretty good guy much like Nick. I think the haters just say .... to say it and that is about the thick of it. I don't really see where Stoner is this prickly kid and such. I think he is a confident guy that has it just like anyone else. He did WIN that championship no matter how people try to devalue it.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ROCKGOD01 @ Aug 15 2008, 01:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>He did WIN that championship no matter how people try to devalue it.
in my book, if you win a championship, you WIN a championship!

I still think Nicky would have been fantastic on the 990 Ducati than the 800. His style is more like Melandri and Elias than anyone else. Look at them right now.

The Hayden/Ducati rumor is losing steam although I hope it's true.

FIAT Yamaha - Rossi/Lorenzo
Michelin Yamaha - Edwards/Toseland
Repsol Honda - Pedrosa/Dovi
Gresini Honda - Hayden/Melandri (with factory support)
Rizla Suzuki - Verme/Capi
Monster Kawasaki - Hopper/Elias or Nakano
Marlboro Ducati - Stoner/Gibbernau
Alice Ducati - DeAngelis/Spies
LCR Honda - 250 child or Nakano
JiR Honda - 250 child

Spies is really the best choice for Ducati in the long run. He's the only other person who's come up riding a brutally powerful bike with TC. Plus Spies has also been pushed by a great veteran and former champ as well. I think he would be better on the Duc than Hayden. For some reason I think Gibby gets a 1 season tour of duty.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sleepy @ Aug 14 2008, 09:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>How about Vermi to Ducati, Spies to Suzuki, Hayden to kawasaki or Alice
We might be the only 2 seeing Spies to Suzuki. Schwantz is joining suzuki GP next year and in his interview I read somewhere there's hints of it being a him and Spies move. Aside from experience and a rider that'll be in the top 10 every race what is Suzuki gaining from Loris that they won't get from Spies? Even though I don't think he would do much, strategically it makes sense to let Loris go and have 2 young teamates riding.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (kngadrok @ Aug 15 2008, 06:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>especially if dovi gets a factory ride

If he does get that ride I hope he does well, anything to get some close racing at the front end.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (spyderarm @ Aug 15 2008, 07:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Schwantz is joining suzuki GP next year and in his interview I read somewhere there's hints of it being a him and Spies move.

I thought Schwantz was committed to 2 more years of coaching the Red Bull rookies cup?