SPOILER: Silly season 2016

[pompone]

The 2016 season has only just started but with a couple of contracts already signed it won't surprise me if this turns out to be true..

https://m.motomatters.com/analysis/2016/03/31/motogp_silly_season l (https://m.motomatters.com/analysis/2016/03/31/motogp_silly_season_has_jorge_lorenzo.html)

Ducati needs an alien but I thought they'd go for Vinales, instead looks like they went for a more known quantity

[Ursa]

Hummm, as long as lovely Iannone keeps his seat at Ducati, I don't mind. He was much more consistent than Dovi last season, only crashing out in Valencia, although as a former Moto GP mechanic and I discussed a few weeks ago, we don't know what parts and settings that Dovi may have been testing throughout last season that differed from Iannone. Or if it was just a dip in form.

[slob]

Have you checked the date?

[Ursa]

Yup. The Motomatters article was published yesterday and the Agostini one has been circulating all week...no April fool I think!

[LouSCannon]

I said the same on Facebook, money was on it being a April fools... last race could have sworn they confirmed Lorenzo had extended his contract though?

[pompone]

Regardless of that I'm not sure Jarvis could take another 2 years of this madness. Rossi made the smart move in signing right away and now JL has to make his move.

[Dirty]

It's not an April fool, it's official silly season rumour and conjecture.

Might make sense. He's got enough chpshps so nothing to prove on the top bikes. If he can ride a Duke to the prize he'd go a long way to cementing Lege status and if they really are offering that sort of cash to ride then.......

[slob]

After two years of unrealised high hopes with Vale cost so much in rider wages it nearly stopped the Superbike team/Panigale's development hopes in their tracks, I just don't see it myself...

[Dirty]

Who knows? They now have the PIN number for Audi's bank card though.

[slob]

that should free up the requisite tens of millions

[pompone]

Philip Morris is rumoured to be the one footing the bill

[Dirty]

Phillip Morris bankrolled the Goat's time at Ducati. Its possible they could be persuaded to open the chequebook again, even though that didn't go too well. It's not like they have a plethora of places to spend their marketing billions any more.

[Dirty]

Well after today this rumour could only get stronger :)

[pompone]

Well after today this rumour could only get stronger :)

Well, Lorenzo dropped it too..

[Dirty]

Slightly different circumstances

*********Spoiler Alert*********

ie - not into his team mate on the last lap when a double podium was a shoe in. If Ducati were considering dropping one of their riders prior to that then I suspect that became a little more likely

[jonzi]

https://www.facebook.com/GPOnecom/videos/1242340245779699/

Think he needs a bit of practise

[slob]

awesome! easily done... massive brakes plus one nugget of gravel

[J.P]

awesome! easily done... massive brakes plus one nugget of gravel

what they need is a sweeper in the pits...

[LouSCannon]

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/sport/motogp/2016/april/lorenzo-to-make-ducati-switch/

No April fools... What I've not read is who he is going to be replacing??

[Ursa]

Ooooh noooooooo, after Sunday I hate to think who might go. Rumour I read was (lovely) Iannone to Suzuki :grump:

[LouSCannon]

I have to admit I have a soft spot for Dovi after meeting him and his bike a couple of years back. It was the tiny picture of his wife and kids he has stuck on the dash that won me over... But I do think Iannone would be the better rider... To be honest I'd be sad to see either go especially as I'm not overly keen on Lorenzo and his attitude.

[bigredduke]

https://www.facebook.com/GPOnecom/videos/1242340245779699/

Think he needs a bit of practise

Yes, it's not like Bautista is in the habit of dropping bikes is it? Almost unheard of.

[Dirty]

Susuki have already made an offer to Ianone

http://s17.postimg.org/ukv0bqxfj/image.jpg

[Dirty]

Rumour is the confirmation of the rumour will be announced at Jerez this week, but it's just a rumour! :)

[Ursa]

And it's all official, in some precision timing, there was 15 minutes or so between Lorenzo leaves Yamaha, to Lorenzo signs for Ducati...

[Dirty]

Yippeee

So who is taking odds on which rider is getting dumped? :)

[pompone]

So with DP going to Yamaha, who will fill the HRC seat?

[Ursa]

HRC have confirmed they don't want lovely Iannone. Viñales is staying with Suzuki, so maybe Alex Rins? I doubt they would take Cal, too gobby and inconsistent.

[Dirty]

Good move for DP in my opinion. He's getting on but a change could be just what he needs to inject a bit of vigour into his riding.

I also heard that Yamaha have won some new sponsorships with Saga, Stannah Stairlifts, Werthers originals and Senokot :)

[pompone]

I for one don't get the issue with twenty-going-to-thirty riders being labelled as too old. It has been proved that you can win races and championships even if you're more mature, Doohan was hardly spring chicken... Beside I don't see this huge pool of talent in their early twenties, at least apart for MM. On another point he won't have anyone that challenges him as the first seat at HRC. So, despite my previous post, Crutchlow looks like the perfect candidate :D (I think they'll be getting Dovi though)

[Dirty]

Got a birthday coming up old man? :mand:

I just find it interesting when a team chooses 2 riders/drivers closer to the end of their career than the beginning. I'm a big fan of both of them so will be stocking up on my werthers and booking a granny cruise :)

[pompone]

Got a birthday coming up old man? :mand:

I just find it interesting when a team chooses 2 riders/drivers closer to the end of their career than the beginning. I'm a big fan of both of them so will be stocking up on my werthers and booking a granny cruise :)

Not yet, but I'll let you know what I want as a present well ahead, don't worry ;)

I know what you mean with being a unorthodox choice or they may be just tired of the whole two big egos thing.

On a footnote if Dani hasn't signed yet surely it'll make Maverick decide what he wants, and quick!

[Dirty]

Not yet, but I'll let you know what I want as a present well ahead, don't worry ;)

I know what you mean with being a unorthodox choice or they may be just tired of the whole two big egos thing.

On a footnote if Dani hasn't signed yet surely it'll make Maverick decide what he wants, and quick!

I thought exactly that when I heard it, a hurry up and sign rumour perhaps.

On the subject of geriatric racers Mansell, one of my favourites was 39 and 40 when he won F1 and CART. Prost won one at 38, Piquet 35, Foggy 34, Doohan 33, Rainey 32. Champ Car and Nascar are virtual retirement homes! :)

[Ursa]

Not to mention Mike Hailwood's astonishing come back at the age of 38 (yes I know TT is a whole different beast).

Lovely Iannone is stressing me so much I can barely watch the racing this season. As for Dovi, he must have done something bad in a past life...

[Dirty]

Not to mention Mike Hailwood's astonishing come back at the age of 38 (yes I know TT is a whole different beast).

Lovely Iannone is stressing me so much I can barely watch the racing this season. As for Dovi, he must have done something bad in a past life...

Yes the TT. I didn't go there as it seemed too easy. It's as if if age is an advantage. Perhaps because the track takes many years of racing and a special kind of stupid to properly learn :) Dunlop 43 McGuinness 43

Forget Ianone, he'll be lucky to get a seat on a bus next year however Dovi is hoping to change career and trying to persuade Marc to join him in synchronised swimming lessons :)

[Ursa]

Hmph, poor Iannone, seems like Aprilia are desperate to sign him, to ride alongside Sam Lowes next year. But where does that leave Bautista and Bradl?

I think Petrucci done very well today, top Ducati, and still nursing a horrendous hand injury. If anything, he'd be an ideal number 2 for Lorenzo, happy, cheerful, pleasant and willing to do all the press without grumble.

[pompone]

And here we are, poor Dani ended up coming home second, as always! Will he stay at HRC or go to KTM now?
I do hope they keep Iannone, but I'd love to see someone new, I think too many dead weights around(and not only at Ducati)..

[chris.p]

Vinales confirmed to ride alongside Rossi at Yamaha.

[slob]

still just a strong rumour right now, not confirmed by Vinales, Yamaha or Dorna

[chris.p]

I reckon it must be due pretty soon then.

http://www.cyclenews.com/2016/05/article/motogp-vinales-goes-to-yamaha/

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/230355/1/maverick-vinales-signs-for-yamaha.html

[Dirty]

Dani confirmed 2 more years at Hondo, nothing solid re the spare Yamaha seat yet

[LouSCannon]

http://www.ducati.com/racing/motogp/news/andrea_dovizioso_confirmed_in_ducati_team_for_2017 _and_2018/2016/05/17/2375/index.do

Dovi stays!

[jonzi]

Iannone to Suzuki
Vinales to Yamaha
Crutchlow to WSBK

[Ursa]

Crutchlow to WSBK

I'm not sure Cal is good enough for WSBK to be honest. It's a pretty strong field, and I don't think he's been able to demonstrate the consistency that the current front runners are showing. Be interesting if he ended up back in BSB after the nastiness he dished out to Tommy Bridewell on Twitter last year. *handbags*