MotoGP 2012

[Rod Richardson]

My guess is that Suzuki will be involved based on the fact that Bautista was doing so well toward the end of the season and the recent testing of the prototype at Valencia with DePuniet on board per the following news item.
De Puniet impresses at Valencia test


Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Rizla Suzuki gave an impromptu test to French MotoGP racer Randy de Puniet and he wasted no time impressing the team onboard the GSV-R




Suzuki gave de Puniet the opportunity to test the 800cc prototype bike at Valencia today to get another rider’s feedback on the machine and the Frenchman responded by recording the fourth quickest time of the day. De Puniet only took a few laps to make himself comfortable aboard the Suzuki GSV-R and continued to improve on his lap-times as the day progressed. His best time of 1'33.544 was recorded on his 35th lap as he ended the day completing 55 circulations of the 4,005m Valencia circuit.
Randy de Puniet
“I am very happy with the job I have done today and would like to thank Rizla Suzuki for giving me this opportunity. One hour before I rode the bike I didn’t know I was going to be on it, so I had to modify old leathers to remove the wrong brands! I had a good day and am very happy with the lap-time and position. The staff are very professional and it has been nice to have this day and to work with them. I was very impressed with the bike and I felt comfortable immediately and enjoyed it a lot. I would like to ride it next year, I’m not the boss, but I hope I did a good job for everybody! I think the bike has good potential and also the feeling with everybody in the team was good and this is the most important thing for me – to feel at home. I would like to say thank-you to my manager for pushing so hard to get me this opportunity, to Pramac for allowing me to take it and to Sahara san, Paul, Tom and the GSV-R for such a good day!”
Paul Denning – Team Manager
“We took this opportunity today to test with Randy because the bike has changed quite a lot over the year, and with John’s bad luck in Brno and Malaysia we didn’t get the chance to get the further feedback from a rider other than Álvaro. With that in mind it was an opportunity to properly test the 2012 Bridgestone tyres and receive detailed comments on the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R from another perspective. Frankly speaking we didn’t expect the result, but we are really pleased to see that Randy enjoyed the bike so much, was able to get a good feeling immediately and was very fast and consistent, as well as giving excellent technical feedback. I would like to say thank-you to him - I was very impressed with what he did today.”

[EavesFan09]

I assume then that any issues with VW's purchase of shares in Suzuki has been ironed out for Bautista to have signed and for the Pramac rider to test the bike.

I am no legal eagle but from what I gather Googling the issue, whilst VW want's to create a small car market in India (where Suzuki is strong) and Suzuki want's access to hybrid technologies. But VW seem to be denying Suzuki (a firm they have a 20% stake in) that access and Mr Suzuki appears to have ordered VW to give back the 20% stake if they are intent on denying them access to hybrid technologies and the like. Just my interpretation.

[NinjaMaster]

So what is the definite advantage to the CRT? According to motogp.com non-works Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Ducati bikes be given more engines (12 instead of 6 for the works teams) and 3ltrs more of fuel in the tank (24ltrs instead of 21ltrs for works teams).

I think the best advantage is that, presumably, since the Independent bikes will be giving away 200cc to the works teams who will be mostly taking up the 1000cc engine, the Indie teams like Pramac and Mapfre will have durability over the works bikes.

All the bikes (Suzuki aside) will be 1000's. As you say, the CRTs great hope is in good horsepower from extra engines (higher level of tune) and extra fuel. Their biggest disadvantage will be in electronics, especially the ones running inline multi 'screamer' engines that the MotoGP prototypes have discarded years ago as being too hard to deal with. It'sa hard to see the CRT bikes being points competitive unless amazing progress is made in the off season.

Do you guys think that Suzuki will stay or go in 2012? there should have been answer by now.

Suzuki had a deadline from Dorna to commit by Friday. Friday has passed and no commitment announced. If Suzuki really do pull out (which my expectation is leaning towards), I'd expect to see RdP land in WSB on a Kwak.

[jens]

It'sa hard to see the CRT bikes being points competitive unless amazing progress is made in the off season.

Well, considering that there are probably going to be only 12 1000cc bikes plus maybe one 800cc Suzuki as well, a couple of points are guaranteed for CRT-bikes. :

[MrMetro]

News about Suzuki: Suzuki pulls out of MotoGP? | MotoGP News | Nov 2011 | Crash.Net

[NinjaMaster]

Well, considering that there are probably going to be only 12 1000cc bikes plus maybe one 800cc Suzuki as well, a couple of points are guaranteed for CRT-bikes. :

Of course! Didn't think about that part so much, did I?

[EavesFan09]

News about Suzuki: Suzuki pulls out of MotoGP? | MotoGP News | Nov 2011 | Crash.Net

Sad news.

Regaring RdP, there is also new teams in MotoGP like BQR, Paddock GP Racing and Marc VDS. I would like to see Randy ride for one of those.

[Ranger]

Gresini Racing to run Honda-engined FTR to CRT rules in 2012 - MotoGP news - AUTOSPORT.com

The Italian squad, which signed Alvaro Bautista to race a fully-blown Honda RC213V MotoGP machine, will now also run an FTR chassis, powered by a Honda CBR 1000 engine.

[AndyRAC]

News about Suzuki: Suzuki pulls out of MotoGP? | MotoGP News | Nov 2011 | Crash.Net

Sad, and a shame, but like Kawasaki, weren't really committed - running a one bike team is no good to anybody. Is CRT the answer??? I wonder which direction MotoGP is going.....it used to be a Prototype class, now it's not sure what it is.

[Corny]

So guys, I have booked my hotel and fly tickets for Mugello 2012 So that will mean I should visit the Assen and Mugello GP's this year, as Germany comes too close after Assen

It will be my third MotoGP place, let's hope it's as good as people say it is.

Where are you guys going?