Rumour Mill 09/10

[Allyc85]

Cheers for the links Rod and Ninja

There does seem like alot of mights and maybes in those stories though and Moto GP cant afford to have two of its main stars missing.

Great news for Kenan, cant wait to see how he gets on against the GP pack

[NinjaMaster]

There does seem like alot of mights and maybes in those stories though and Moto GP cant afford to have two of its main stars missing.

That's why this is the rumour mill and not the fact file! Anyways, it is being reported today that Rossi has announced he intends to ride til the end of the season if his shoulder is fairly pain free.

[NinjaMaster]

It seems the optimism of the MotoGP grid being bigger by 1 next year with Karel Abraham's team is being sucked out by the likelihood of Interwetten Honda disappearing and Suzuki only running one bike. It is said that Interwetten are no longer interested in backing the MotoGP project and will now stick to Moto2 and 125. Suzuki are supposedly brokering a deal to run just the single bike (Bautista) next year with a promise of full support agin in 2012 with the 1000cc rule change. Thank goodness for the inclusion of the contentious Abraham Ducati team!

[tha_jackal]

pramac ducati are only running one bike next year too..

the current total of bikes running for 2011 is a dismal 15..

[alleskids]

So, if I get it right, the MotoGP grid for 2011 will be:
Respol Hona: Pedrosa / Stoner
San Carlo Honda: Dovizioso / Simoncelli
LCR Honda: ?
Petronas Yamaha: Lorenzo / Spies
Monster Yamaha: Edwards / Crutchlow
Marlboro Ducati: Rossi / Hayden
Pramac Ducati: Caparossi
Bancaja Ducati: Barbera
Cardion Ducati: Abraham
Rizzla Suzuki: Bautista

5x Honda, 4x Yamaha, 5x Ducati, 1x Suzuki
15 bikes, first 15 core points, so everyone scores points, even if there bike is broke, and they walk with the bike over the finishline in the last lap. Maybe it is a good idea to invite the top 5 from MotoGP 2 to race with the big bikes after they finished their own races. They might score regular points in MotoGP

[NinjaMaster]

MotoMatters now reports that Repsol Honda may now revert to the original plan of Dovi and Pedrosa at Repsol and Stoner in a satellite Factory team, which would have the side benefit of avoiding the internal friction from Alberto Puig towards Livio Suppo. Taking the sapre seat at Gresini would be Hiroshi Aoyama and they also say that Dorna will bankroll a second seat at Pramac for Toni Elias with Espargaro said to be in hot demand in Moto2. I really hope it works out this way.

[alleskids]

who will have the LCR Honda in 2011?

[NinjaMaster]

who will have the LCR Honda in 2011?

Likely either Elias or DePuniet.

[jonny hurlock]

possibility that Carlos Checa could be replacing Mika Kaillo for the last two rounds this season

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/164...gp_return.html

[CaptainRaiden]

So, has this been confirmed yet officially or is that website spreading a rumor?

http://www.twowheelsblog.com/post/52...ciani-for-2011

Noriyuki Haga signs with Aprilia DFX-Borciani for 2011

On writing our coverage of the WSBK Imola round we had said that Noriyuki Haga’s future for 2011 and beyond was uncertain but it had escaped our notice that in the last couple of days he has actually signed with team DFX-Borciani and will be riding an Aprilia next year. The team will be the new outfit of the current Team B&G of Marco Guendalini and Marco Borciani.

The new team will be officially supported by Aprilia and it will probably mark some rivalry between Max Biaggi and Haga who are not exactly friends as we understand. B&G won’t be signing Jakub Smrz next year as he will have his own full Czech team and will ride with a Ducati 1198RS again in 2011.

With Ducati pulling its SBK team continuing with a Ducati bike means either riding for a private team or going elsewhere and Nitronori will still find himself on an Italian bike, now the winner of the 2010 WSBK title. The official news of Haga in Aprilia will come after today’s SBK round as Aprilia was concentrating on Max Biaggi’s possible win. With that confirmed and the championship over apart from the remaining rounds, silly season should die down and we’ll be getting all the official news of riders and teams for next year.