MotoGP 2009

[Rawwr]

With lots of rumours about who's going to which team next year, these are my predictions:

Ducati Marlboro:
27 - Casey Stoner
69 - Nicky Hayden

Rizla Suzuki:
7 - Chris Vermeulen
11 - Ben Spies

Fiat Yamaha:
46 - Valentino Rossi
48 - Jorge Lorenzo

Repsol Honda:
1 - Dani Pedrosa
4 - Andrea Dovizioso

Kawasaki Racing:
13 - Ant West
21 - John Hopkins

San Carlo Gresini:
15 - Alex de Angelis
33 - Marco Melandri

JiR:
19 - Alvaro Bautista

LCR:
14 - Randy de Puniet

Tech 3 Yamaha:
5 - Colin Edwards
52 - James Toseland

Alice Ducati:
24 - Tony Elias
50 - Sylvain Guintoli

[tim2100]

hmmmm interesting Dani as champ! good bet,

Agree with a lot of the things you have put, although I cannot see Kawasaki keeping Ant West as he is a long way behind Hopper.

I would think that Elias will take that ride as he is not getting showing what he can do on the Duke, so cannot see him staying there for long. and maybe Westie will take that ride or drop back down to 250/WSB

Nicky will be awesome on the Duke, it should suit his riding style.

I think Spies is confirm at Suzuki next year also.

Tim.

[Chilli]

Rawwr said:

With lots of rumours about who's going to which team next year, these are my predictions:

Ducati Marlboro:
27 - Casey Stoner
69 - RAWWR

Rizla Suzuki:
7 - Chris Vermeulen
11 - Ben Spies

Fiat Yamaha:
46 - Valentino Rossi
48 - Chilli

Repsol Honda:
1 - Dani Pedrosa
4 - Andrea Dovizioso

Kawasaki Racing:
13 - Ant West
21 - John Hopkins

San Carlo Gresini:
15 - Alex de Angelis
33 - Marco Melandri

JiR:
19 - Alvaro Bautista

LCR:
14 - Randy de Puniet

Tech 3 Yamaha:
5 - Colin Edwards
52 - James Toseland

Alice Ducati:
24 - Tony Elias
50 - Sylvain Guintoli

Hmmmm....could be interesting!!

[Johno]

Rawwr said:

With lots of rumours about who's going to which team next year, these are my predictions:

Ducati Marlboro:
27 - Casey Stoner
69 - Nicky Hayden

Rizla Suzuki:
7 - Chris Vermeulen
11 - Ben Spies

Fiat Yamaha:
46 - Valentino Rossi
48 - Jorge Lorenzo

Repsol Honda:
1 - Dani Pedrosa
4 - Andrea Dovizioso

Kawasaki Racing:
13 - Ant West
21 - John Hopkins

San Carlo Gresini:
15 - Alex de Angelis
33 - Marco Melandri

JiR:
19 - Alvaro Bautista

LCR:
14 - Randy de Puniet

Tech 3 Yamaha:
5 - Colin Edwards
52 - James Toseland

Alice Ducati:
24 - Tony Elias
50 - Sylvain Guintoli

Hayden to Ducati - Agreed

Spies to Suzuki - Disagree, I think Loris will keep his ride. Bare in mind Vermuelen is yet to sign for next year so it may be Spies and Capirossi

Melandri to Kawasaki - Ant West goes back to World Supersport

Bautista - Interesting a he is associated with a team who can't get a bike currently, so he would have to split from them to get the ride with JiR

Colin Edwards - Really interested here, he's delaying signing with Tech3. Does he want Bayliss' ride in WSB ? Would be his best chance of winning some races and maybe a championship in a paddock he loved before retiring stateside.

Tech3 - If Edwards doesn't sign and moves on then you could have Vermuelen, Barberra, Bautista etc there . . .

[FourWheelDrift]

Lots of talk of another team or teams, the desire for a 3rd (or 4th) Suzuki/Kawasaki is immense.

[Johno]

Agreed, however Suzuki have said they will not run a 3rd bike themselves and have strongly hinted their small race department couldn't cope with supporting a satellite squad.

I think Kawasaki are in a similar place and unless they can get some results other than DNF's with Hopkins I don't believe they'll want to divert the focus of the racing department to support Satellite suad bikes either.

It's a shame, but I'd be surprised to see additional Suzuki's or Kawasaki's on the grid in '09.

[FourWheelDrift]

They should look upon it as more bikes = more development.

Isn't Kevin Schwantz still talking to Suzuki about running a bike or two?

[Johno]

Dunno about Schwantz, that's gon very quiet for a while.

Bautista's team whose name escapes me right now is the one pushing factories for answers. Suzuki gave him an answer, one so expensive he refused. Ducati are saying they've already got 4 to look after and he's running out of options.

The developmen debate is an interesting one. All satellite squads appear to get developments after the full factory squad has had them, raced them and agreed it is the way forward, then they get passed on.

How much is fed from the satellite teams back to the factory other than data is very debatable. Tyre feedback is difficult as wll as they will not get the full factory rubber either . .

[FourWheelDrift]

I can see one other team that has the resources and riders that could make the jump to MotoGP, the Aspar team. But I couldn't see them running a Suzuki or Kawasaki.

[Rawwr]

Hasn't Lucio Cechinello hinted at running a 2nd bike next year, too? I also think it may be possible for Kawasaki to run a third bike - at least there have been rumours of this since Roger Lee Hayden's run at Laguna last year.

[Johno]

Aspar is the name that was escaping me, he's finding it very difficult o secure a satellite bike currently.

[FourWheelDrift]

Rawwr said:

Hasn't Lucio Cechinello hinted at running a 2nd bike next year, too?

I think would just depend on sponsorship, possibly brought in by the rider as his bike for the last 2 years and this has been a bit of a Heinz 57 when it comes to stickers.

[Farky]

According to MCN, Edwards is looking for FAR too much cash to stay at Tech 3. The owner says that there is NO WAY possible that he can meet Edwards demands and Edwards isnt budging on his 'offer'

[FeatherZ]

Agree alot with the original poster,

My 2'cents...

Melandri to Kawazaki (although i would say a bad move for him, Kawazaki have been nothing but under achievers for years, in everywhere but america)

Elias will move on i think also, struggling on the duke also super talented same as Melandri, seriously struggling on the duke but has proven his abilities in past, which people seem to forget ever so quickly!!

Hayden at Ducati is pretty much a dead cert i reckon..

Edwards to run a 3rd bike at Kawazaki?? Theres rumours, but i think they wouldnt want 2 americans for sponser reasons, and if westie shows some turn of pace (which he is capable of!)...

Wouldnt surprise me to see Spies at tech 3 yamaha, he wants a good bike and i would go as far as saying that tech 3 is a better bike than suzuki or kawazki have the rresources produce...

Lots of questions for me still though, some riders show burst of talent like de-puniet (great pace - great crasher) Guintolli (top rookie last season) Nakano (reliable - yet not very explosive)....

I belive theres still great talent in the 250 gp's which has only emerged this season, simmoncelli, bautista and kallio have all shown glimpses of greatness, alot has been said that the 250 has run dry of talent as its lost all the big guns from last few years, simply not true, these 3 have all been near the lap records of last 2 years from the other now moto gp stars...

One thing is for sure we need more bikes on the grid.... so come on other factories join in, iv missed the roberts team though!

(woah essay - sorry lol)

[YamR1V64motion]

i think Hayden and Ducati will happen, in fact most of what you said i think will, except Pedrosa getting the number 1 plate

[castrolcraig]

righty ho, heres my little take on the silly season rumours and how i think it will look next year.

1.casey stoner, malboro ducati.
69. nicky hayden marlboro ducati

46 valentino rossi yamaha team.
48. gormless george lorenzo yamaha team

26. dani pedrosa repsol honda hrc
5.andrea dovizioso repsol honda hrc

5. colin edwards tech 3 yamaha
52. james toseland tech 3 yamaha

33. marco melandri kawasaki motogp
21 john hopkins kawasaki motogp

?? alvaro bautista jir team scott honda

?? hector barbera pramac aspar ducati
?? sylvain guintoli pramac aspar ducati

65 loris capirossi rizla suzuki
?? ben spies rizla suzuki

7 chris vermulen san carlo gresini honda
?? shinya nakano san carlo gresini honda

3 max biaggi kenny roberts ducati team

23 riyuichi kiyonari ten kate motogp
?? carlos checa ten kate motogp

randy de puniet lcr team



thats my take on it.

westy will go either ama or wsb and the pramac sponsorship will go to aspar as will the bikes.

kwak wont get colin, theres too many sponsors lining tech 3 up for next year because of him and james, and he is very good value for money

ten kate will either this year or next make the jump to motogp so thereeligible for the new gp2 600 category as they need to be an existing team to enter, obviously kiyo will go and it would be wise to let carlos have a year to help him.

id say that bradley will end up in 250's next year as well either as team mate to or replacement for matteo pasini in the polaris world 250 team and scott redding will probably get the current champs bike as he will be too old for the class.

[Rubin215]

Biaggi and Gibernau to come back on Ducatis (team porn-star), taking it in turns to petulantly huff with Rossi, thus ensuring this years champ has too much on his mind to focus on racing, leaving the title open for George Lawrence to stroll home race after race.




But I won't hold my breath waiting...

[castrolcraig]

Rubin215 said:

Biaggi and Gibernau to come back on Ducatis (team porn-star), taking it in turns to petulantly huff with Rossi, thus ensuring this years champ has too much on his mind to focus on racing, leaving the title open for George Lawrence to stroll home race after race.




But I won't hold my breath waiting...

he he he that would be funny, 2 egomaniac nearly but not quite nancy boys in the same team.

sponsored by durex, obviously.