Rumour Mill 09/10

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Not sure I agree on BMW's prospects of improving much to be honest - for their first year I thought they did a very solid job considering their lack of top-line race bike building experience but it's a tight field and if you're a little bit off you'll be at the bottom end of the points or worse. Not to mention the great job that Aprilia and *picks up humble pie* Max Biaggi did last year and with Leon Camier on board they should have another rider in the top ten ish.

Pitty may be helped by being with a small privateer squad with less pressure than Ten Kate, but realistically I see him being at the tail end of the points (and team-mate Resch propping up the field).

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By improving, I mean they'll be much more consistent top 10 runners. To really improve they need a gun (title challenging) rider and Corser is still very good but no longer anywhere near his peak and Xaus, Pitt and Resch aren't of the calibre of Troy. MotoMatters is now reporting Davide Tardozzi joining BMW so I guess my expectations of improvement have raised slightly more as well.

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GSE are still struggling for sponsorship so their participation is currently in doubt, but hopefully it'll come through for them.

Still can't understand why Yamaha don't put a decent satellite squad together to help out the Yam Italia bikes though - I understand GMT94 have gone back to just enduro and French champ racing so there are literally just the two bikes from Meregalli's squad for them so far.

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It would appear the Yamaha is an expensive beastie to run competitively. I'm starting to think the big-bang R1 may well be the new RC45 - only competitive in factory guise. And it would appear that Yamaha are concentrating their funds on their MotoGP and WSB teams with little support elsewhere, hence the end of their WSS team and apparently lots of privateer WSS runners are leaving the tuning forks for Honda and Kawasaki machinery.

[quote="patnicholls"]A confirmation rather than a rumour, but best in here probably: Ryuichi Kiyonari will be back in BSB next year with HM Plant Honda (the team he took the title with in 2006 and 2007) alongside Josh Brookes. A shame he couldn't produce consistently in WSB but that's the nature of the beast and he will of course be an asset to BSB once again as will Yukio Kagayama who'll be back with his old team from 2003/4 at Crescent Suzuki [the seat vacated by Sylvain Guintoli].

Thanks for Kiyonari info Pat. I wish him well back in BSB. I'm happy that Kagayama has returned to BSB as his WSBK crashes were getting very hard to watch. I would watch yet another crash and wonder how much a body could take. I feel that same about Hopper (re the crashes) so I hope his return to motogp goes well.

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Originally Posted by NinjaMaster

Finally, I'm hearing stronger rumours of Casey Stoner leaving Ducati and heading for Big Red in 2011. I wonder what odds are currently available on a Stoner-Honda, Rossi-Ducati lineup in 2011...

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That's an interesting scenario.

What might be even cooler (though I am only making this up) is a Rossi / Stoner pairing at Ducati. I would guess that there might be a wall in the pit box there, too ;)

Roger Lee Hayden has WSB an American presence for 2010 by signing with the Pedercini Kawasaki team.
http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/late...10-season.html

Also, Fabien Foret will race with the Lorenzini team on a ZX6R in WSS.
http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/late...lorenzini.html

Hiroshi Aoyama will run number 7 in MotoGP next season. His usual number 4 is taken by Dovizioso so he's taken 7 out of inspiration from Daijiro Kato.
http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/155...jiro_kato.html

Its strange that James Ellison does not have a ride in any championship.
I am going to re cap on his career.
British CB 500 Champion no offers
World Endurance Champion . Not offers the following year.
Two times European champion No offers the following years
Back to European championship 1/4 way through season having no ride
and finishes Third in Championship.
British Privater Champion /Jentin goes on to (replace injured Chris Burns)
Races for WCM on prototype Blata bike.
Motogp again Test rider for Dunlop in race situation
Ama Privateer Team
Back to BSB Privateer Team Mixed it with Factory bikes all year finished 5th in Champ[ionship
Rides with GSE / runner up in Championship
No offers.
World Endurance last round 2009 Puts bike in Pole position finishes
in second place elevates Team into 6th from 18th in standings.
YET all other Ridersin last years BSB have rides/s.
No crash Damage bill from Ellison and finished every round in the points.
Confused

Quote....."Its strange that James Ellison does not have a ride in any championship."

Yeah but..........may have to do with the lack of sponsorship funds he could bring with him! Having the raw talent is one thing but getting off the butt and marketing yourself to obtain sponsorship or having a manager do so is another.

The ongoing survival of the sport relies on sponsorship and I've said this before ........The marketing benefits need to exist to justify sponsors putting up their hard-earned funds to sponsor a rider (or team) but if the rider is not seen as a marketable proposition or tv coverage does not include reasonable footage of all bikes or riders showing the sponsor's name(s) or logos then it would be money down the drain.

IMO series organizers should address this important issue and encourage the tv rights holders to provide reasonable coverage of all competitors and their bikes with a view to attracting more sponsors and funding.

Well as for sponsorship. Its not easy to obtain. There are many people working on his behalf trying to get sponsorship. Do the Mechanics or team Managers have to Bring in Sponsorship? Do the Brolly Babes or Security men and woman at the Gates Have to Bring in Sponsorship. Does the guy who makes a mint selling Burgers Team Clopthing Photographs and Merchandise have to Bring in Sponsorship.
It seems to me that the only people NOT making a Living are the Riders themselves.

Sadly Ellison's problem isn't unique. Half the factory riders in the U.S. are out of a ride at them moment. Sign of the times unfortunately (economically and administratively). And if you want to talk riders not making a living from riding, most Aussie racers, including 'factory' riders all work a day job.

Sad to see that things look quiet at GSE, although I *presumed* that if they didn't show James Ellison would be back with Hydrex Honda alongside Stuart Easton (the second seat is still unconfirmed)?

Well Rod its always been the same old same old for as long as I can remember and thats a long long time.