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US
Edited Date/Time
7/26/2012 5:43pm
Seems even the road racers are leaving.
(Reuters) - American MotoGP rider Ben Spies announced on Tuesday his departure from the Yamaha works team at the end of the season, leaving a vacancy alongside championship-leading Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo.
Spies sent a link from his Twitter account (@benspies11) to a story on the Superbike Planet website which quoted him saying via email that he had chosen to leave "for a litany of reasons".
"I will explain more when I feel it is appropriate," he added. "I'm discussing my situation with my sponsors and they are behind me."
Spies, preparing for this weekend's U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca in California, added in a separate message that next year would start a new chapter.
The Tennessee rider, a former world superbike champion, is in his second season at the works Yamaha team but has been outshone by Italian Andrea Dovizioso and Britain's Cal Crutchlow at the non-factory Tech3 Yamaha team.
(Reuters) - American MotoGP rider Ben Spies announced on Tuesday his departure from the Yamaha works team at the end of the season, leaving a vacancy alongside championship-leading Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo.
Spies sent a link from his Twitter account (@benspies11) to a story on the Superbike Planet website which quoted him saying via email that he had chosen to leave "for a litany of reasons".
"I will explain more when I feel it is appropriate," he added. "I'm discussing my situation with my sponsors and they are behind me."
Spies, preparing for this weekend's U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca in California, added in a separate message that next year would start a new chapter.
The Tennessee rider, a former world superbike champion, is in his second season at the works Yamaha team but has been outshone by Italian Andrea Dovizioso and Britain's Cal Crutchlow at the non-factory Tech3 Yamaha team.
The Shop
2 Dani PEDROSA Honda166
3 Casey STONER Honda148
4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Yamaha108
5 Cal CRUTCHLOW Yamaha 95
6 Valentino ROSSI Ducati 82
7 Stefan BRADL Honda 75
8 Nicky HAYDEN Ducati 74
9 Alvaro BAUTISTA Honda 73
10 Ben SPIES Yamaha 66
The bike does matter, but I don't think that it's the bike that is holding Spies back. MotoGP is even more competitive than MX. The sport has become very refined, with riders that are so very close in speed. Time is one thing, but to give a sense of the average speed difference, you have to look at race speed for these guys.
1 25 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 173.9 41'37.477
2 20 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 173.5 +5.223
3 16 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 173.2 +10.665
4 13 6 Stefan BRADL GER LCR Honda MotoGP Honda 173.1 +10.711
5 11 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Ducati Team Ducati 173.1 +11.695
6 10 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 173.1 +12.060
7 9 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Team Ducati 173.0 +12.235
8 8 1 Casey STONER AUS Repsol Honda Team Honda 171.8 +30.617
9 7 8 Hector BARBERA SPA Pramac Racing Team Ducati 171.7 +31.728
10 6 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini Honda 171.5 +34.589
11 5 11 Ben SPIES USA Yamaha Factory Racing Yamaha 170.0 +57.862
So from 1st to 11th position in the last race is the difference of 3.9 KM/h.
With that said, I don't think Yamaha is having a bad year in MotoGP at all. They are leading the points.
I think they are leaving him rather than him leaving them!!
The Yamaha is acknowledged to be a great bike in MotoGP, unlike what some have to say about the 450 mx bike!
Yamaha have to be disappointed in his performance this year, and remember that the team is based in Italy, and with Dovi doing so great with the Tech 3 bike, I am sure the Italians are pushing for him to be on the second bike.
Ben's going for the Tour.
But you could be right, maybe they made things untenable so that Spies would jump ship.
Anyway you look at it, it was a PR nightmare for them. Even if we all know they have the best bike.
And all this comes after the Bubba Stewart fiasco.
Yeah, I'd say it was not the best year for Yamaha despite the fact that they will win the premier motorcycle title in the world this year.
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