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Here's another good one, lots of tid-bits in here...
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opinion/motogp/motogp-mutterings-jer…
Lorenzo gear at the factory Ducati store in Bologna is 50% off currently. Make of that what you will.
Word is Lorenzo is bringing Monster Energy over as a title sponsor for Suzuki. (Monster’s relationship with Tech3 to end for obvious reasons).
That would shift Iannone to Aprilia. (Petrux is still the backup plan).
And Petrucci to the #2 Ducati with Jack getting the #3 bike. Recently some Ducati execs (who are in love with Jack, they think he’s their next Stoner) spoke to media about wanting to be patient with him. Rebuild him slowly after the Honda debacle.
Damn!
The Shop
This could press Honda (who really wants Mir) to sign him sooner than they’d like. Effectively bumping Pedrosa out of MotoGP.
Iannone has first dibs at Aprilia. His backup plan is Pramac. Bumping Jack to the factory bike. And Petrucci would be the odd man out. Which is lame.
Everyone is waiting on Lorenzo’s decision. Then the dominos will fall into place.
Personally I thinkbthe Mir rumors are being put out there to nudge negotiations. Mir can be patient and is all but guaranteed the #2 HRC bike in 2 yrs.
Iannone won on the Ducati
Lorenzo is a back marker
Iannone is 4th in the current championship
Lorenzo is 20th
Iannone asked that they change the Suzuki to suit his style, and they did, effectively making it LESS like the Yamaha that Lorenzo wishes he was back on. So why go back to Lorenzo?
Heck, even Petrucci & Miller are making Lorenzo look bad.
I think it’s obvious Lorenzo is talented, but i also think it’s obvious that he’s not the most talented out of the remaining guys vying for a Factory bike.
Funny interview there with the duc rider talking about teammate who're hey .
Zarco is hungery crazy ,that quali lap was nuts.
https://www.facebook.com/LaCriccadellamotogpofficial/videos/10321390502…
Zarco is on a 2015 chassis with older engine & electronics that were sorted out.
Yamaha updated the chassis in 2016 and engine in 2017 significantly. And figuring out the electronics is taking longer than most other teams because...
1. Yamaha only has 2 factory bikes on the grid
2. Yamaha does all of it’s electronics work in house. Whereas every other team either sends techs to Italy for special training with the spec ECU mfg or simply hired away experienced staff from Magneti.
The upside is the long term gains could be huge and will stay proprietary. But boy is it hurting matters in the now.
https://www.facebook.com/MotoGP/videos/10156855926540769/
Pit Row
Suzuki pulled out of the MarcVDS deal a couple weeks ago. Now the details as to why are becoming VERY clear.
The team manager fires an employee. The employee goes to the team manager and makes claims of embezzlement. The team owner now suspects that 10-15 million euros are missing over the course of the last 8 years.
According to the team manager, only about 24,000 are missing, and it can be accounted for as it's in one of his personal business accounts. Seems like a small amount over the course of 8 years. Especially when you consider the convoluted mess that is their team structure. The team manager has his own management company of which some of the riders are signed too. Some are signed directly to MarcVDS. And even HRC's lease agreement is with the management company, not with the team itself. Which is how he was able to cancel the team's participation in this weeks Barcelona test. The fired manager effectively owns the bikes.
He asked for a 3million euro buyout. MarcVDS told him no. And now it just continues to get uglier by the day. Rumors that they may not make it to Mugello.
FWIW, a VERY similar situation happened between MVDS and it's former manager in auto racing. Forcing the team to pull out and only focus on motorcycles. Some have suspected that this is going to lead to MVDS quitting. Selling their grid spots to Rossi's team.
What. A. Mess.
And what a shame for the sport. We were this close to seeing Suzuki with satellite bikes. MVDS has a ton of former factory team staff and is well funded. The futures of Joan Mir, Alex Marquez, and Morbidelli are now all up in the air at the moment. Thus the reason Joan is looking to jump ship. Just a few weeks ago he was looking at getting a factory Suzuki bike with the MVDS team. Suzuki was set to have Morbidelli & Mir in their pipleline. Now? Nothing. Everyone will be looking to jump ship.
I expect Morbidelli to end up on a customer Ducati or with VR46 if they join and link up with Yamaha.
Mir has a factory Suzuki contract offer on the table (which would be CRUSHING for Lorenzo as Ducati publicly stated that Petrucci has earned #2 Ducati next year). Mir also has a offer from HRC but they want him to wait another year.
I dont expect MVDS to be in the sport next year.
https://as.com/motor/2018/05/25/motociclismo/1527205307_812046.html?id_…
Suzuki just signed Mir.
MVDS Suzuki deal has gone dead and the Yamaha deal is in jeopardy as well. The entire program looks like it's on shaky ground.
Lorenzo is looking at facing retirement or a satellite team. All the factory bikes are basically spoken for. All this while he's got Monster Energy offering 2m euro to whomever signs him. Wow.
His only last hope is a 3rd Yamaha. And Yamaha has publicly said it's a possibility to run a third factory bike. Which is weird considering that if Rossi really did block Zarco, why would he let Lorenzo back in the fold?
HRC #1 (factory) - MM
HRC #2 (factory) - Pedrosa (until Alex Marquez is ready)
LCR #1 (factory) - Cal
LCR #2 (satellite) - Naka
Ducati #1 (factory) - Dovi
Ducati #2 (factory) - Petrucci
Pramac #1 (factory) - Miller
Pramac #2 (satellite) - Bagnia
KTM #1 (factory) - Zarco
KTM #2 (factory) - Pol
Tech3 #1 (factory) - Olivera
Tech3 #2 (factory) - Fish (factory bike)
Yamaha #1 (factory) - Rossi
Yamaha #2 (factory) - Mav
Yamaha #3 (factory) - Lorenzo???
Does VR46 enter early and bring Morbidelli to Yamaha on a customer bike?
Suzuki #1 (factory) - Rins
Suzuki #2 (factory) - Mir
Aprilia #1 (factory) - Iannone
Aprilia #2 (factory) - Aleix
Aspar #1 (customer) - probably going to stay Ducati
Aspar #2 (customer) - ?
Avintia #1 (customer) - probably going to stay Ducati, although Dorna will try to help them land a deal with Aprilia
Avintia #2 (customer)
I could see MVDS selling their grid spots.
I don't think this is how he expected his career to end and his ego will not allow it to go down like this. On the flip side, his ego wont allow him to ride a satellite bike either. Or take the offer Suzuki made (rumor is he and his manager made asses of themselves when they met with Suzuki).
I think we will see Monster Energy MVDS Yamahas next year. One for Lorenzo (factory spec) and one for Morbidelli (Zarco's old bike).
That'll give Lorenzo 3 years to try for another title, then he can retire, ego intact. Speed up Yamaha's development.
That is... if Rossi allows it. haha
https://www.motorsport.com/motogp/news/rea-reveals-he-has-motogp-factor…
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