2012 Silly Season

[gm2]

here's a shocker ( insert sarcasm)

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Nov/111109a.htm

not like we all didn't see this coming....

..now they're saying that bautista will sign with gresini

=)

good move on both their parts, i'd say.  and those highlights will for sure sell some potato chips.

[thought]

i was still hoping that marquez would go to gresini.

here's hoping to him not messing anything up next year in moto2...  he did get kind of robbed this year.

[Speeddog]

Looks like DePuniet is the man left standing now that the music's stopped. 

I really had hoped he'd get a good ride, awesome in '10, snake-bit by the Duc in '11.

Off to the CRT's it seems....

[EvilSteve]

Granted I haven't watched a whole lot of the Moto2 races this season (I'm saving them for winter!) but why do people feel that Bradl is ok for MotoGP but Marquez isn't?

I *really* hope Suzuki stays in it, even if they just ran 1 800 next season it'd probably be in front of the CRT.

Come back Kawasaki, don't leave Suzuki!

[zooom]

Granted I haven't watched a whole lot of the Moto2 races this season (I'm saving them for winter!) but why do people feel that Bradl is ok for MotoGP but Marquez isn't?

I *really* hope Suzuki stays in it, even if they just ran 1 800 next season it'd probably be in front of the CRT.

Come back Kawasaki, don't leave Suzuki!

on Suzuki...I think Dorna will let them start with an 800, but will require them to field a bigger machine before mid-season, IIRC what I read elsewhere...

on Moto2 and Bradl...I think people generally want to see Marquez step up to the plate as fast as Bradl, but the money from Repsol Caixa won't go with him, which is 1 issue, the 2nd issue being that Marquez being the virtual phenom he is, is seemingly advancing up the ropes rather fast...he was in 125's in 2010 and started out rather slowly in Moto2, though when he got up to speed, he flew like a jet past alot of the pack...Bradl, has spent 2 years in Moto2, has a bit more riding experience in general and is a little older and shown a bit more racecraft, which seems to be a necessity in the GP class as of recent with singular race lines....so that maturity weighs in for sure...I am sure there is more others can say, but I'll leave it at that for now...

[fastwin]

It will be interesting (regardless the rider) how the current crop of 125cc (soon to be Moto3) and Moto2 graduates take to the more powerful 1,000cc MotoGP bikes. Not sure that any of them on the verge of moving up have any big bike/SBK racing experience.

[zooom]

admitting unnoficiality...

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Nov/111114suzukiout.htm

no 'Zuke in 2012

[desmoquattro]

admitting unnoficiality...

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Nov/111114suzukiout.htm

no 'Zuke in 2012

Aren't they obligated to race in '12 per contract? Or did the contract expire this year?

[thought]

at this rate ducs will def eventually win because every other manufacturer will have left the field.

[desmoquattro]

at this rate ducs will def eventually win because every other manufacturer will have left the field.

No...they'll probably be 5th or 6th in a field of Claiming Rule Teams

[zooom]

Aren't they obligated to race in '12 per contract? Or did the contract expire this year?

Ezplezeta was trying to get them to the table when they were threatening dropping altogether for 2011 and got them for 2011 with 1 bike as apposed to 2 from 2010....at the time, they were to come back to the table to discuss terms for 2012 based on 2011 performance....IIRC

[gm2]

Ezplezeta was trying to get them to the table when they were threatening dropping altogether for 2011 and got them for 2011 with 1 bike as apposed to 2 from 2010....at the time, they were to come back to the table to discuss terms for 2012 based on 2011 performance....IIRC

sorta.  they implied/half-promised to come back in 2012 with 2 bikes if they could run 1 in 2011 and not be sued for breach.  but that was never formalized to my knowledge.

considering that the crew has been job hunting for a couple weeks, it seems like Suzi told them on the DL that they needed new jobs.

[Speeddog]

Just IMO:
I think Suzuki has continued to say nothing.
I think it was Paul Denning telling the crew that he had no commitment from Suzuki.

[gm2]

http://motomatters.com/news/2011/11/11/bradl_to_sign_motogp_contract_with_lcr_h.html

not exactly surprising, or news for that matter.

does not bode well for the Hop to have a chair.. anywhere?

[desmoquattro]

does not bode well for the Hop to have a chair.. anywhere?

Except at the bar...sad.