Silly Season is on!

[red_dave]

What are the rider movements we all think may happen?

I'll start

Kawasaki:
Westy Gone - back to Supersports
Hopper and Melandri will head up Kawa GP 09

Ducati:
Stoner & Hayden @ Ducati 09
Elias & Guintoli no change

Honda:
Ped-sook & Dovisioso @ Repsol Honda 09
De-puniet stay with LCR
Simoncelli will ride for Ascot replacing Dovisioso
Nakkers & DeAngelo no change

Yamaha:
Rossi & Lorenzo no change
Edwards & Toseland no change

Suzuki:
Vermeulen & Capirossi no change

My only doubt is if Ducati pick Gibbersook instead of Hayden, Hayden may end up as Vermeulen's partner @ Suzuki

[Six Addict]

kawasaki should put randy back on the ZXRR

ducati should poach dovi... and start making a bike that other people, apart from stoner, can ride

gibernau is only there to help them develop this years and next years bike... i dont think he'll race again

honda should also try put randy on a factory bike...(long shot i know but im dreaming)... seems he's never really had top notch machinery... and he's going ok on the 3rd tier honda...

simoncelli should stick to 250s

suzuki need to pull their fingers out along with kawa....

de angelis should try and get off that dodgey honda,.... preferably dovisioso's ride....

my 2c

oh and lorenzo to win the title followed by rossi the dovi...

[red_dave]

oh and lorenzo to win the title followed by rossi the dovi...

Next year will be:
1. Dovisioso
2. Stoner
3. Rossi

[Six Addict]

Next year will be:

1. Dovisioso

brave man, will only happen if ( i know i know... when) he gets the factory ride

[Wattie]

lorenzo wont be around for much longer if he keeps highsiding it.

he'll be in a frikkin wheelchair

[aardvark]

ducati should poach dovi... and start making a bike that other people, apart from stoner, can ride

Gibernau proved that other people can ride it. Melandri has just lost all confidence and I doubt a switch to Kawasaki will help him.

Hayden has a similar style to Stoner and would do well to gt a ride aboard the red beast.

[sneakypete]

Kawasaki:
Hopper and Melandri

Ducati:
Stoner & Spies
Elias & Guintoli

Honda:
Pedrosa & Dovisioso
De-puniet stay with LCR
Hayden will ride for Ascot replacing Dovisioso
Nakkers & DeAngelis

Yamaha:
Rossi & Lorenzo
Edwards & Toseland

Suzuki:
Vermeulen & Capirossi


i dont know what will happen with Westy...i still pray Kwaka do the 3rd bike for him, Bartholemy has put alot of effort into him, and will give him these remaining races to prove he is worth Kwaka providing the 3rd bike...

[mick_dundee]

Gibernau proved that other people can ride it.

I thought Gibbersook has been out of it for 2 years now, the bike would have changed a bit since then IMO, happy to be called wrong if someone wants to correct me though...

[aardvark]

Gibernau proved that other people can ride it.

I thought Gibbersook has been out of it for 2 years now, the bike would have changed a bit since then IMO, happy to be called wrong if someone wants to correct me though...

This should make you happy then Mick.

From Crash.net (8/7/08):
"Despite a promising second test for Ducati, in which he circulated comfortably quicker than three of Ducati's four MotoGP riders had during the Italian Grand Prix, Sete Gibernau is still to give a clear answer regarding his future intentions."

From Crash.net (4/7/08):
"Sete had clocked a best lap time of 1min 51.7secs during his June test for Ducati, offered after an informal meeting at the Catalan Grand Prix, but set a very impressive 1min 50.5secs - with race tyres fitted to the GP8 - during this second outing.

Stoner set a new race lap record of 1min 50.003secs on his way to second place in June's Italian GP, but the next fastest Ducati lap was a 1min 51.181secs by Stoner's troubled team-mate Marco Melandri. Satellite Alice riders Toni Elias and Sylvain Guintoli set best race laps around the 1min 51.8secs mark.

Gibernau's best lap would have placed him fifth fastest during the race. "

[aardvark]

Well, after some thought, I'm going to make a prediction as well"

Kawasaki:
Hopkins and Melandri

Ducati:
Stoner & Hayden
Elias & Guintoli

Honda:
Pedrosa & Dovisioso with Repsol
De-puniet stay with LCR
Nakano with Gresini
DeAngelis

Yamaha:
Rossi & Lorenzo
Edwards & Toseland

Suzuki:
Spies & Capirossi
Vermeulen to take Bayliss' Ducati.

[Six Addict]

Well, after some thought, I'm going to make a prediction as well"

Suzuki:
Spies & Capirossi
Vermeulen to take Bayliss' Ducati.

u sure u thought that through??!!

i like your thinking tho ardie... not sure chris will want to move out of motogp....

i like the bold thinking tho...

do u think spies will be an upgrade on chris so to speak??

[aardvark]

i like your thinking tho ardie... not sure chris will want to move out of motogp....

I think he'd like to stay in MotoGP, but Suzuki aren't going to give him a championship winning bike any time soon and there's nothing on the table for him from any of the other manufacturers. I think the best he could hope for is a win every now and then on the Suzuki.

So, stay in the premier-class on a second rate bike without a hope in hell of winning a championship, or, jump ship and take up a ride with a proven championship winner? It's a hard call, but if I were CV I'd be asking Suzuki to make some pretty big promises.

[Lone Wolf]

Interesting to see Nakkers is getting a factory Honda next round

[Makybe05]

Interesting to see Nakkers is getting a factory Honda next round

What do you reckon that means for Dovi?
Surely Dovi deserves to ride for HRC over Nakano, I'm guessing its because Nakano has a bit of experience behind him and will be able to set up and develop the bike. Dovi to ride for HRC in 09?

[aardvark]

What do you reckon that means for Dovi?

I think it means that Dovisioso doesn't speak Japanese as well as Nakkers.

HRC only gave Hayden a ride this year because they felt they had to. He'll have the arse next year for sure and as I've predicted, Dovi will be on a Repsol bike.