Ben Spies to Ducati...

where did you see this, not finding it anywhere?

Superbikeplanet.com yesterday:

Italian Media: Spies-Iannone 'Done Deal' at Ducati
by staff
Thursday, September 06, 2012

Italian media reported Wednesday that the signing of American MotoGP standout Ben Spies and Italian Moto2 winner Andrea Iannone as the riders for the new Ducati junior team in 2013 is a "done deal."

Spies hinted to the same Italian media Tuesday that he would have more information to announce about 2013 later this week.

The pairing would pair two of the better nicknames in the MotoGP paddock in the same garage: "Elbowz" Spies and "Crazy Joe" Iannone.

He will spend the rest of his life regretting that he left wsbk.

WOW. This was highly unpredicted.

It's a hell of a talented group they have put together. They better get that bike figured out.

Whats crazy is that no other media is even reporting it, not even the Italian sites that I normally frequent. Soup beat everyone to the punch.

Very true about him leaving MotoGp then trying to get back in later. Too many young guns coming up for the teams to pick from.

I wonder who is going to run this team? The hot rumor is that it will be Marc VDS with Audi as the title sponsor. We'll see.

Im glad Spies stayed. Shows a lot of guts. Im 100% a Ducatsi right now. My favorite brand and my two favorite domestic riders. Plus Iannone whom Im a huge fan of.

And now Fujisawa's new firm might be doing the design work on the new Ducatis means that the Italians might build a winner again.

I like Ben but color his career over on the Ducati. The Yamaha was one of the best bikes out there and he couldn't get it done, yes he had mechanicals this year but the last two he had a good bike.

Spies was doing just fine until Yamaha started courting Rossi again and then his results went to shit.

"The Yamaha" was not the problem this year, Yamaha was.

I looked up Spies's record and while I never think of him as being a crasher, he's had a pretty fair number in MotoGP.

Its the money honey........

It's official

Ben Spies switches into Ducati satellite team in MotoGP
By Sam Tremayne

Ben Spies will remain a MotoGP rider in 2013 after agreeing a switch into a newly-established Ducati satellite squad.

The American will be joined at the outfit by Italian Moto2 race-winner Andrea Iannone.

It had long been rumoured that Ducati could set up a junior team for 2013. While the new squad does not bear the moniker, it will - as was expected of the junior team - enjoy close factory links, with Ducati supplying both riders with official equipment.

Pramac, which has run Spaniard Hector Barbera in this year's championship, will be entrusted to operate the duo.

Spies had been connected with a switch to Ducati ever since announcing his departure from the works Yamaha squad on the eve of the US Grand Prix at Laguna Seca.

At the same time however he has also been linked with a move to World Superbikes, having endured a torrid season.

He has retired from the last three grands prix, suffering an engine failure while running second at Indianapolis and crashing out after struggling with a slipping clutch at Brno.

Spies' arrival at Ducati's satellite operation follows from August's confirmation that Andrea Dovizioso will replace the outgoing Valentino Rossi in the works squad.

23-year-old Iannone meanwhile steps up into MotoGP after impressing during a recent private test at Mugello.

He becomes the second Moto2 rider to move onto a prototype machine in 2013, following confirmation of Moto2 championship leader Marc Marquez's move into the works Honda team as a replacement for the outgoing Casey Stoner.

In an official statement, Ducati said closer links with a satellite operation would "enable additional important support in the development of the Desmosedici MotoGP project."

Ducati has already committed to re-organising its racing department in order to take full advantage of its relationship with Audi.

It's weird that they are keeping the Prmac team afloat considering that Prmac is insolvent and basically out of business. I guess it is smart to keep the team and infrastructure together. They had a looong standing relationship with Ducati.

I expect a name change though.

And no, this decision was not "about the money". It was about staying in Italy and riding for a mfg where he felt he would get good support. Ducati has pledged that this JR team will be on Factory Spec bikes just the same as the senior squad. That is the way Ducati used to do it prior to Rossi showing up.

Ducati is basically going to run 4 full factory bikes next year. Yamaha and Honda cannot say the same. Satellite and Customer spec bikes are always several races behind in development once the season is about 1/3 of the way thru.