Rumours Mills 2008/09

[jonny hurlock]

aspar and ducati may team up for motogp in 09?

http://www.crash.net/motorsport/moto...to_ducati.html

[ChrisS]

Perhaps Yamaha are trying to offset the cost of re hiring Rossi ? It makes sense, as some of the other manufacturers may be keen to get Rossi on board, and would be throwing some cash about to lure him. Yamaha would be trying hard to retain him, but want some more sponsors to help foot the bill.

Telefonica are there mainly because of Lorenzo, they always sponsored Spanish riders. Rossi is a "bonus"

[jonny hurlock]

I heard a rumour that marco melandri at ducati could be replace by Sete Gibernau!!! or alex barros for the rest of this season!

[NinjaMaster]

I find the Gibernau one very hard to believe. Barros would be more possible but still highly unlikely I would think. I don't think they will replace Marco til season's end unless they can test someone who proves to be faster on the bike.

[Roby44]

Sete back in motoGP on a Ducati!!

I'd like to see that.. Sete and KC as team mates... Crikey!!


Sete was at the track this weekend..maybe he was talking "comeback"


Wasn't there some talk of Marco "buying" his way out of his Ducati contract..

[Roby44]

Kawasaki closing in on 2009 MotoGP targets

By Matthew Birt
MotoGP
04 June 2008 13:19

will have whittled a 2009 rider shopping list down to just two riders after this weekend’s Catalunya MotoGP in Barcelona.
A short list of five riders, including struggling Aussie Anthony West, has been compiled and a final decision on who will partner John Hopkins in 2009 will be taken after the Dutch MotoGP in Assen at the end of June.
Colin Edwards is believed to be one name on Kawasaki’s hit list, with Chris Vermeulen and Andrea Dovizioso believed to be other targets.
Kawasaki team boss Michael Bartholemy refused to confirm any names in Mugello last weekend, but told MCN: “The list is finished and the final selection will be finished on Monday after Catalunya.
“We want to be down to two names by then. After Assen I will go to Japan and then we can decide.”
With Kawasaki still to commit to running a third motorbike in 2009, Bartholemy denied Edwards would be shrugged aside if the factory remained a two-rider effort.
Some Kawasaki management are believed to oppose to having two American riders, but Bartholemy added: “It is not a big advantage for the market to have two American riders but if our management says its okay for us I think he is very good to develop a bike and he has a lot of experience.
“I think that would be a benefit for us but we haven’t talked about money and signing. But he could be interested and I said to him we could be interested in having a rider with his experience.”
Edwards began tentative discussions with Kawasaki in Le Mans last month.

[Roby44]

Tech 3 Yamaha cool on Ben Spies link

By Matthew Birt
MotoGP
03 June 2008 18:30

Tech 3 Yamaha boss Herve Poncharal has played down speculation that he would look at signing reigning American Superbike champion Ben Spies if Colin Edwards departed from the Tech 3 team.
Poncharal is desperate to retain Edwards alongside fellow double World Superbike champion James Toseland in 2009, but the Texan has already held preliminary talks with Kawasaki’s factory squad.
Poncharal hasn’t targeted any potential replacements yet while he tries to secure a deal to retain Edwards, who is currently fifth in the world championship standings.
Poncharal met with Yamaha bosses again last weekend in Mugello to further discuss 2009, but while he confirmed Spies had made contact, no recent talks had taken place.
The Tech 3 Yamaha boss though would consider Spies as a serious option if Edwards moved, he confirmed to MCN.
“If Colin (Edwards) did leave the 250 class has been emptied of its main strengths with Dani (Pedrosa),Casey (Stoner), Andrea (Dovizioso), and Jorge (Lorenzo) all leaving.
“Now I think the 250 class has to rebuild strong talent to provide riders in the future and it will happen. I think Alvaro Bautista is clearly the main guy at the moment that could switch to MotoGP, but from what I have been told he is very much linked with Jorge Martinez.
“Marco Simoncelli is a good prospect but he needs at least one more year. We know that Ben is young and he is fast. I met him last year in Valencia.
“I know he has a big interest to come to MotoGP, ideally with Suzuki, but he is checking other options. One of them could be Ducati and if Colin would leave then Ben could be a candidate for sure and somebody we would look at. But I don’t want to talk to anybody because I want to keep Colin.”
See more on Edwards’ and Spies’ 2009 prospects in tomorrow’s MCN, out Wednesday, June 4, 2008

[jonny hurlock]

rubens xaus will be with BMW next season in the Wsb for a two year deal

http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wsbk..._for_bmw!.html

[jonny hurlock]

nicky hayden to ducati next season as a rumour what i heard on the bbc on sunday

[neninja]

Corser is rumoured to be the 2nd rider in the BMW team