Rumour Mill 09/10

[jonny hurlock]

Looks like there will not be any Stiggy team next year..

also, looks like no gse yamaha next season in bsb

http://www.crash.net/british+superbi...ithdrawal.html

[Allyc85]

Would be shocking for there to be no GSE with their history and the amazing season that theyve just had. Fingers crossed they can find some backing from somewhere

What are the chances of Kiyonari getting a ride? I think he is a much better rider than what we saw this year.

[patnicholls]

The Stiggy team's unfortunate demise confirmed today - a big shame.

[axxexs]

"The Stiggy Racing Honda team has under it's five years of participation been very successful, but never the less found it self put in a difficult economical situation and has been forced to withdrawal from the Superbike and Supersport World Championships in 2010
The decision has been made after an close evaluation of the teams poor economical situation which was created during this years expanded venture by participating in both Championship classes. A hugh financial project that was poorly executed by the teams investors as a result of failure to it's financial commitments of the 2009 season.
The Stiggy Racing Honda team has since its beginning shown great potential. Starting up in 2005 in the SSP class slowly building it's ground in the championship and year by year advancing to finally set a solid mark as a top contender in the Championship. The team managed its best result in 2008 by finishing third in the SSP championship with Australian rider Joshua Brookes.
Being a private team in a Championship like Superbike, consisting of seven factory teams means not only stiff competition on track but also means a beforehand financial weakness, making it very difficult to survive without a solid financial backup and support from it's surroundings. Despite financial disadvantages the team has been able to achieve incredible performance in its SBK rookie year. Debuting the season with a third place podium finish, repeating another three podiums places during the season including 11 top five finishes. Giving Leon Halsam the title as best privateer rider, taking a sixth place in the Championship. The team ended its year as the fifth best ranked team in both SSP and SBK classes 2009.
A magnificent result by everyone involved with the Stiggy Racing Honda team since its beginning. An achievement to be proud of and by that finishing it's career with heads held high."

//Stiggy Racing Honda

[axxexs]

The other Swedish team in WSS 600, VEIDEC Racing, is also going to stop racing in the world championship. Dont have any press realese from them but in the december number of the Swedish magazine "Highsider" the team owner Milan says he will stop in WSS after 3 years there and they is going to concentrate on there Swedish national SBK-team instead.

[Glen 320]

any news where Chris Walker will be next year?

[TheFamousEccles]

Further BMW news - http://www.mcnews.com.au/ has a report that Andrew Pitt will be riding a private BMW for Reitwagen BMW - Stiggy as Technical Manager and Peter Goddard as Chassis Engineer.

Hope this marks a ramping up of BMW's intensity regarding WSBK, (that would be good...), they have too strong a pedigree to be wobbling around mid-pack.

[NinjaMaster]

Further BMW news - http://www.mcnews.com.au/ has a report that Andrew Pitt will be riding a private BMW for Reitwagen BMW - Stiggy as Technical Manager and Peter Goddard as Chassis Engineer.

Hope this marks a ramping up of BMW's intensity regarding WSBK, (that would be good...), they have too strong a pedigree to be wobbling around mid-pack.

BMW were always going to be mid-pack this year with the depth of talent currently available in WSB. They will be improved next year, more consistently top 10 but with all of Corser, Xaus and Pitt passed their best, the Bavarian marque won't be frontrunners I don't think.

Also of news, Johnny Hopper has apparently signed to race/ride/test in MotoGP for the new FB Corse team. It seems another case of is it better to be on poor equipment in the right paddock or on good equipment in a lesser paddock. Good luck to him, he's too good not to be on a good grid.

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...

[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].

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

----

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).

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.