Who's where next year?

I think Spies window of opportunity has closed (hope i'm wrong, but it seems the Suzuki MotoGP team has been frustrated with him and he's not exactly very accommodating).

No sure why a team would want to take another risk with DePuniet. He obviously has talent, but two years of crashing is one too much. I'm sure they were hoping he would have a Stoner-improvement, but it hasn't happened.

I doubt Kawasaki/Suzuki will run three bikes. (Neither team/brand are fully committed to success, my opinion).

I predict Melandri will impress us all on the Kawasaki. Again this weekend showed a major improvement. (Hopkins faded understandably do to injury. He hasn't exactly had too much gym time with those sever injuries, so stamina suffered). But Hopkins/Melandri looks like a a strong team. This leave West out. (No doubt). In my opinion, West did earn a look with Kawasaki, but now that they signed two strong riders, there is no reason to keep the experiment going.

Elias may stay at Ducati, but Guintoli may be dropped. But if he is, who would replace him?

Nakano is better than we think, but if he remains on a satellite Honda, will will never really know. This weekend we saw him challenge for positions, something we almost never see. This was in large part to the Bridgestones on a factory bike. He will remain in MotoGP as filler.

This leads me to Nicky. If he makes the mistake and is bamboozeled into staying at a satellite Honda, his career is over. His only really option for improvement and a revitalization of his career is to go with the high risk of factory Ducati.

at Brno coverage there was a guy from a german Motorsport newspaper guest on German Eurosport, and he said he wouldn´t be surprised if Ben Spiess would end up at Gresini

because Honda America is very interested to have a US-Guy on a Honda, and they would even help with Money!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AlexdeAngelis-Fan @ Aug 21 2008, 04:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>at Brno coverage there was a guy from a german Motorsport newspaper guest on German Eurosport, and he said he wouldn´t be surprised if Ben Spiess would end up at Gresini

because Honda America is very interested to have a US-Guy on a Honda, and they would even help with Money!
I could see this being more feasable since he will be NO threat to fagdrosa.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Aug 21 2008, 04:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>No sure why a team would want to take another risk with DePuniet. He obviously has talent, but two years of crashing is one too much. I'm sure they were hoping he would have a Stoner-improvement, but it hasn't happened.

Elias may stay at Ducati, but Guintoli may be dropped. But if he is, who would replace him?

Nakano is better than we think, but if he remains on a satellite Honda, will will never really know. This weekend we saw him challenge for positions, something we almost never see. This was in large part to the Bridgestones on a factory bike. He will remain in MotoGP as filler.

RDP is on the LCR team, Casey was a bad crasher on that team, comments to that regard after Casey finished there revealed they were trying to set up a bike their way and not listening to their rider. Apparently Colin Stoner had listened to Casey say that he needed something done to the rear of the bike to suit his style and they did the opposite (because it suited Lucio's style).

I am so undecided on RDP because I think that team may be the problem.

As for Elias - love to see him on a factory Ducati (which they all are now) but I'd like Nicki on it more.

Guintoli I find to be rather repugnant and I hope he just goes away. He is right up there with Pedro for having a hopeless sense of entitlement and a head that big only acts as a counterweight on a motorcycle anyway.

I think secretly in their clever little Japanese heads they hold some idea that Nakano may be the local hope for Japan on a Factory/ Bridgestone Honda. If he does Dani will get to watch Honda cook a Puig on the spit so to speak.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Andy Roo @ Aug 22 2008, 07:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Guintoli I find to be rather repugnant and I hope he just goes away. He is right up there with Pedro for having a hopeless sense of entitlement and a head that big only acts as a counterweight on a motorcycle anyway.
Really? that is not the vibe I get from Guintoli. I realize he got into MotoGP rather mysteriously (having won nothing significant) but I don't know anything about his character. It seemed he didn't complain much last year when he was on Dunlops (unlike Pedro who feels Michelin engineers should be waterboarded while he is sipping on Margaritas in the south of Spain).

What has lead you to the conlusion that Guinters is so vain? (besides being French )

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Aug 23 2008, 05:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Really? that is not the vibe I get from Guintoli. I realize he got into MotoGP rather mysteriously (having won nothing significant) but I don't know anything about his character. It seemed he didn't complain much last year when he was on Dunlops (unlike Pedro who feels Michelin engineers should be waterboarded while he is sipping on Margaritas in the south of Spain).

What has lead you to the<u> conlusion</u> that Guinters is so vain? (besides being French )
yes i want to know the answer to this too. andy roo has made similar statements regarding guinters in another thread but so far not elaborated.

...., jumkie made a spelling mistake those red lines are there for a reason mate got ya back.