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Vosters and Coldenhoff have a lot of respect for each other (that is what I hear) but know each other weaknesses. Vosters will do everything to make this Ducati story a succesfull story. Coldenhoff on his part knows that he always needs a few months, sometimes half a season to get on par with a new bike or sometimes even with a new generation of bike from the same manufacturer. Put this together and both know their story ends. If Renaux needs half a season, no problem, he becomes 26 next year and they will call it a building year. But what if you lose half a season with a 35 year old Coldenhoff?
@Renner153 Are there rumors in the USA about the second MXGP rider at Yamaha? Because I heard that Monster would like to have an American, but that seems a bit unrealistic if they also want someone who's capable of riding top 5 on a 450...
I have not heard. I don’t have much contact with the Yamaha team. I couldn’t imagine anyone from over here that could be a top 5 rider.
Time to call Ty up.
I dont know Valins deal. Only thing i can add is that it would not be a strong move by kawa to put a rookie on a factory mx2 bike and then not have control over the rookies next contract year('s). So i would be surprised if Valin is free for next year.
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What is up with Max Werner and what is he going to do in 26?
3rd to reisulis and Valin in emx125, rookie year top 10 in emx250 with top 3 finish and this year now 5+ sec of the pace?
He had quite a heavy injury at the start of the year. Never really recovered from that it seems like
Exactly if that’s the case, then Kawasaki better throw some money over the fence to keep him. He’s looking solid on the bike, and it’s even better to see a kawi up front.
Maybe Martens goes Fantic with Coldenhoff and Geerts.
He got injured at First British MX at Hawkstone, missed a lot of the season.
That is what I also heard. But Fantic is bringing not much of financial funding with them. It won't be easy for Martens.
Maybe Maddii takes over Honda MX2 team.
Prado on Gasgas is faster than Febvre (and Seewer) on Kawasaki. I doubt Febvre would lead the championship with a healthy Herlings and Gajser this season.
Not looking good for Yamaha in the MX2 class.
K Resillus has been woeful. Struggles to make top ten. I swear every race he's hovering around 12-15.
I'd say his brother will be the same in his rookie year.
...someone could write a book one day about about what goes on inside the walls of Hutten Metaal Monster Energy Yamaha...
Changes are coming...
It’s crazy how no MX2 OEM really challenges the Austrian group out there. It seems like most MX2 teams don’t last very long like F&H Kawi, 114 motorsports honda, CLS Kawi or how when Standing Construct left Yamaha all the other Yamaha teams seemed to rotate up a tier. I don’t really see MX2 teams with longevity like the Austrian group or a BUD Kawi or Dixon Kawi, but that seems like equivalent to getting a BarX Yamaha or ClubMx Yamaha ride.
Benistant, Elzinga and Reisulis are all struggling with a non-competitive bike this year.
And I won't say anything about the team, but...
🙄
Prado was faster than Febvre last year. No way he could have been faster in 2025.
What happened to the Yamaha MX2 program leasing out Star engines and why’d they go away from that?
Pit Row
Money, Star wanted money and team felt they could do motors with less money. This year they had to meet new lower sound level rules and bike never looked to be as fast as others. KTM and specially Triump has been pulling this year.
Its clear that the Yamaha program has issues, and Brent what you did for Elzinga a few years ago is awesome and i really applaud you for that.
But Benistant is 5th in points, won a moto, had 6 other top 3 finishes in the motos and in total had 14 top 5 finishes in the motos (excluding sprint races where he actually had 7 top 3 finishes including 4 wins).
Your man Rick is 14th in points and scored exactly one (1!) 5th place finish in motos this year (and one fourth in the saturday sprint).
If all 3 Yamaha factory riders had a season like Benistant there would be a lot less negativity surrounding Yamaha, so instead of only blaming Yamaha maybe it is also time to look at the riders performance.
Agree. When Benistant gets the start he can run up front as he's shown plenty of times. Maybe he's a little heavier than others in the class so that affects his starts a little.
In MX2, no one really comes through the pack besides Simon and Kay. Hence why they're first and second. I don't think the Yamaha is as bad as some people are making out. If there are issues within the team, that's another thing altogether.
Lack of power on the 250 "factory" YZF this year, with the new noise reglementation.
Because Vlaanderen won on a Star engine and Rinaldi did not like that. Yamaha factory teams have little say in what they can do, thats why Wilvo left. Kemea took the 450 team because they will do whatever Yamaha ask, and Hutten kind of did the same so they had the factory support. MX2 riders are all doing about what they should, Reisulis did well when he got the call up, but IMO shouldn't really be a threat. Benistant, as much of a fan as I am, is doing what he always does...shows he has speed, but as inconsistent as they come. Elzinga, well hes just there.
Did he ever, before and after the injury, finish a race on par or better to his first lap position?
Rinaldi is the annoying mother-in-law, they are so damn close with Yamaha. It creates that weird construction that Rinaldi is the technical partner (building engines), the team owners need to find the budgets, pay and stfu about everything else. It creates a "I don't give a crap" mentality in the teams because you can do your utterly best as mechanic or technical chief. If your teamowner can't and doesn't want to fight for your ideas to improve the bikes. All fighting spirit leaves the riders, mechanics,... and firing them won't help anything if the system keeps the same. That is my idea, how do you look at it @Renner153?
If Rinaldi wants to be so involved in the process, why don’t they just run the 450 program like they used to?
They can't spit 50% - 70% of the year budget, something the rich team owners are doing.
What’s crazy to me is, how much power Rinaldi has over YME. They dictate what engine they use, stickers tires, basically everything. From what I can tell, Rinaldi wants to look like the best to YME which is why they blocked Star engines from being brought over. I believe if you asked Benistant if he would rather have his emx bike back or the one he’s on now he would go back. There’s a reason why Geerts signed with Yamaha and only did it if he was getting a star bike. Hopefully Gajser opens up the eyes of YME that Rinaldi is the issue.
It sounds like Rinaldi is Yamahas euro version of Keith McCarty 😆😆😆
Rinaldi will not be involved on development next year. Japan will get more involved
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