MotoGP 2022 lineup discussion

[hiccy18]

Yes I know this seems very premature, but it's interesting, promise!

At the end of 2021 the current team contracts with Dorna will expire which means there is scope for changes on the grid. This is how the current rumour mill suggests things might look:

Aprilia:
Factory - A. Esp, -
Leopard? - -, -

Ducati:
Factory - Miller, Bagnaia
Pramac - Martin, Marini?

Honda:
Factory - MM93, P. Esp
LCR - AM73, Nakagami

KTM:
Factory - Binder, Oliveira
Tech3 - -,-

Suzuki:
Factory - Rins, Mir
Gresini? - Fabio Di Giannantonio,-

Yamaha
Factory - Vinales, Quartararo
Petronas - Morbidelli, Rossi

I've pencilled in riders to give us an idea of how things would look. Also talk of VR46 pulling out of Moto3 and running a MotoGP team instead.

[the cueball]

I'll put a pound on some sort of Yamaha/VR46 team on the grid..

Would be nice to see another Suzuki outfit too...

[hiccy18]

Yes, I think there is a multi-team squabble looming over Suzuki satellite bikes with Gresini, Petronas, Leopard and VR46 interested, but I am not sure that we will see VR46 whilst the boss is still racing.

[Stuart Fordyce]

hiccy18 said:

Yes I know this seems very premature, but it's interesting, promise!

At the end of 2021 the current team contracts with Dorna will expire which means there is scope for changes on the grid. This is how the current rumour mill suggests things might look:

Aprilia:
Factory - A. Esp,Petrucci
Leopard? - -, -

Ducati:
Factory - Miller, Bagnaia
Pramac - Martin, Zarco

Honda:
Factory - MM93, P. Esp
LCR - AM73, Nakagami - think Taka is a shoe in for this as a Japanese who is there on merit and fits the sponsors nicely

KTM:
Factory - Binder, Oliveira
Tech3 Dovi, Joe Roberts

Suzuki:
Factory - Rins, Mir
Gresini? - Fabio Di Giannantonio,-

Yamaha
Factory - Vinales, Quartararo
Petronas - Morbidelli, Marini

I've pencilled in riders to give us an idea of how things would look. Also talk of VR46 pulling out of Moto3 and running a MotoGP team instead.

I think you'd have to be desperate to run in MotoGP to bother with a satellite Aprilia. I can see next year being Vale's last then VR46 and Petronas become the Yamaha teams - there's no way Yamaha would want to lose Rossi, and the marketing links for Petronas in the crucial SE Asia market are also too strong. Lin Jarvis and Maio Meregalli on the other hand...

If other Suzukis become available, Leopard and Gresini could be involved, as could Pons. Apparently Aprilia are taking the MotoGP team in house which frees Gresini up to run a decent motorcycle. We know Tech3 have a contract with KTM.

I've made some suggestions that I think might be the case in your quote...

[Steve Bass]

There's a glaring omission from the list.....

Zarco..

Do we think that this stint with Pramac will be his last?
Certainly age isn't on his side and I can't see him being promoted to the Factory team barring something extraordinary happening...

[hiccy18]

Coupla things:

When I heard Aprilia were taking over the race team and Gresini were planning on running a satellite team I assumed they would run Aprilia but apparently closer to Suzuki. Long way to go to resolve that though and VR46 on Yam with Petronas on Suzuki seems possible. I think Dorna would like to see four bikes from each team on the grid so someone's gotta take Aprilia.

Zarco I think will be either awesome or dropped next year with Marini taking his seat. I think it's in his hands and I'll be very much willing him on but unless VR46 appear in the top paddock I think there will be a lot of clamouring to see Marini on that seat so ideally JZ needs to finish the season no lower than second Ducati rider.

[stevemcs]

Other than Zarcos long lap penalty I don’t remember anything memorable this year from him, like others, I’m fairly sure there will be a team vr46 when he retires.

[Stuart Fordyce]

hiccy18 said:

Coupla things:

When I heard Aprilia were taking over the race team and Gresini were planning on running a satellite team I assumed they would run Aprilia but apparently closer to Suzuki. Long way to go to resolve that though and VR46 on Yam with Petronas on Suzuki seems possible. I think Dorna would like to see four bikes from each team on the grid so someone's gotta take Aprilia.

Zarco I think will be either awesome or dropped next year with Marini taking his seat. I think it's in his hands and I'll be very much willing him on but unless VR46 appear in the top paddock I think there will be a lot of clamouring to see Marini on that seat so ideally JZ needs to finish the season no lower than second Ducati rider.

I can see Dorna matchmaking an Aprilia / Avintia relationship. "Factory bikes lads, not last year's Ducati..." - and beggars can't be choosers on either side. Particularly as Tito Rabat and his cash will probably retire, he's not been the same since his horrible crash at Silverstone.

[LukeBrown66]

Have heard so many times about Suzuki building second bikes and it never comes off.

I doubt it ever will, they are not loaded and Yamaha putting Jorge on a 19 bike at Portimao sort of susses that money is tight for all teams.

VR will surely run Yams, I think Petronas might be the one to change, unless VR goes with them as a tie in.

I can only see Cal going to Aprilia not Dovi, he will take a test role I think.

[Zarco]

stevemcs said:

Other than Zarcos long lap penalty I don’t remember anything memorable this year from him, like others, I’m fairly sure there will be a team vr46 when he retires.

Pole and 3rd place at Brno has been the highlight.

[DarthtaterM16]

I read this morning that VR46 are already talking to Avintia about taking their place. Possibly as early as 2021.

[Turn7]

I suspect VR46 will pay Avintia to run Luca next year and then buy the grid slots in '22

I suspect JL's time at Yamaha is limited now, after it became common knowledge had had spoken to Ducati......

[hiccy18]

Raul Romero confirmed Avintia will not be renewing their contract with Dorna so will not take part beyond '21:

"If [Rossi] wants his brother to ride, he doesn't need to buy the grid slots, he just has to pay for the bike. I will be continuing with the team in 2021, but we won't be renewing our contract with Dorna from 2022."

[gareth_r]

Will there be any fallout from SARS-CoV-2, or, rather, from the economic effects of the response to the virus and any "climate change" crap that hangs on to its coat tails?

[poo at Paul's]

Do people think that the Championship next year will be the "normal" calendar?
I'm not convinced, and can see it being "European" based again, if only to help the logistics of it all, which are bound to have been affected by the downturn and changes in the aviation industry.
And if there are continued Covid issues as i think there will be, i can see some countries being off limits. Australian maybe?

Next year will be interesting for many reasons I think. 2022 also!

[hiccy18]

Engine development was frozen for next year to reduce spending, they could roll that forwards to '22 I guess.

I could easily see '21 being european based again, GP's in Holland, Germany, Finland and the UK with some strategic double headers could give us a good lineup. Running from May to October could be sensible.

[poo at Paul's]

hiccy18 said:

Engine development was frozen for next year to reduce spending, they could roll that forwards to '22 I guess.

I could easily see '21 being european based again, GP's in Holland, Germany, Finland and the UK with some strategic double headers could give us a good lineup. Running from May to October could be sensible.

Does that mean yamaha will have half their engines gone in winter testing! ?? lol

Euro based may not be a bad idea again, i cannot wait to see the Moto GP bikes round Portimao!

[Teddy Lop]

LukeBrown66 said:

I doubt it ever will, they are not loaded and Yamaha putting Jorge on a 19 bike at Portimao sort of susses that money is tight for all teams.

do they really save much running a 19 bike? I thought the cost was all in development. Seems slightly pointless with whatever the costs of having a test will be only to have a 19 bike.

[egor110]

See davies has lost his wsbk ride next year.