2010 Silly Season

[gm2]

i hope he doesn't do it.  and i'd like to see what would happen if he did.

and +1, hope he stays on the yamaha in either series.

[Triple J]

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/MotoGP/2009/August/aug0509-ducati-ponder-ben-spies-swoop/?R=EPI-117354

That would be awesome! I'd love to see him take Haga's place. If he stays in WSBK, I think he'd be stupid not to join the Ducati team. Maybe then go to GP in a couple years if they can get that bike together.

However, if he goes straight to GP then Yamaha should be his choice.

[Spidey]

That would be awesome! I'd love to see him take Haga's place. If he stays in WSBK, I think he'd be stupid not to join the Ducati team.

Am I the only one who thinks that no matter what Lorenzo does, having Ben and Douchebrizio on the same WSBK team might not be an ideal coupling?

[Triple J]

Douchebrizio

  Harsh!

I think it would be great. They're the two fastest guys in the paddock right now. Great competition...and Ben would have the best factory support in WSBK.

[derby]

That would be awesome! I'd love to see him take Haga's place. If he stays in WSBK, I think he'd be stupid not to join the Ducati team. Maybe then go to GP in a couple years if they can get that bike together.

ben seems to be doing just fine in worldsbk on a first year development bike...

short term, he's not wanting for anything save some reliability. long term, the yamaha is a damn good bike in motogp.

what does he gain by going to ducati? a bike that's competitive with his current yamaha, but a complete crap shoot if he moves up to motogp.

[Triple J]

ben seems to be doing just fine in worldsbk on a first year development bike...

short term, he's not wanting for anything save some reliability. long term, the yamaha is a damn good bike in motogp.

what does he gain by going to ducati? a bike that's competitive with his current yamaha, but a complete crap shoot if he moves up to motogp.

In WSBK he gains a more reliable bike...something that may cost him a championship this year. Granted the Yamaha is a 1st year bike so reliability may not be an issue next year. Although, can all of the mechanicals this year be attributed to a 1st year bike? Anyway, Ducati seems to be the best paddock in WSBK, from fan support to factory support. I don't know for sure if it is from a factory support standpoint...but it seems that way. Fan support for sure...he could be the next Bayliss if he starts rattling off championships.

Agreed the Yamaha is the bike to be on in GP...and is awesome in WSBK as well. If he plans on jumping to GP in the next 2-3 years then the Yamaha is the safe choice...it will surely be an awesome motorcycle. The Duc might be better by then too though.

I expect him to stay on Yamaha...but I'd really like to see him on a Duc. 

[tufty]

IMO, it would be a questionable career move for Ben to move to MotoGP (especially a satellite team), without winning the WSBK championship first.

That's unless he's only interested in the paycheck.

[duccarlos]

Aren't we all just interested in a paycheck. Just because their work includes something they love to do, does not mean that they're willing to get paid less for it.

[Spidey]

IMO, it would be a questionable career move for Ben to move to MotoGP (especially a satellite team), without winning the WSBK championship first.

I thought the Yammie contract/offer was another year of WSK then MotoGP with factory support unless he wins the
WSBK title (or if other contingencies take place), in which case he'd go straight to MotoGP.

While Ben's got more than enough $ to keep him happy, his mom/manager has always made it clear that the benjamins matter.

[duccarlos]

Mommy loves her pretty meal ticket, yes she does.

[zooom]

Mommy loves her pretty meal ticket, yes she does.

insert Gollum chanting about "my precious"....

[derby]

Mommy loves her pretty meal ticket, yes she does.

you're waaaay off base there.

[gm2]

you're waaaay off base there.

indeed.

we're all cheering for ben now in large part due to her continuous efforts.

i don't think anyone can argue with the results.  she's just an easy target because she's also "mom".

[gm2]

In WSBK he gains a more reliable bike...something that may cost him a championship this year. Granted the Yamaha is a 1st year bike so reliability may not be an issue next year. Although, can all of the mechanicals this year be attributed to a 1st year bike? Anyway, Ducati seems to be the best paddock in WSBK, from fan support to factory support. I don't know for sure if it is from a factory support standpoint...but it seems that way. Fan support for sure...he could be the next Bayliss if he starts rattling off championships.

Agreed the Yamaha is the bike to be on in GP...and is awesome in WSBK as well. If he plans on jumping to GP in the next 2-3 years then the Yamaha is the safe choice...it will surely be an awesome motorcycle. The Duc might be better by then too though.

I expect him to stay on Yamaha...but I'd really like to see him on a Duc. 

"all of the mechanicals" - ?  running out of gas once is a technical screw up but not unique to yamaha at all.  a broken shifter is just.. a broken shifter.  shit happens.  so if you give them 1 fuk up, they've really only had 1 more: the clutch thing.  and they brought in new crew since then.

no argument that the duc is the most developed bike out there, has been for years.  but the guys in milan are doing pretty damn good for a year 1 bike.  ben is 1 win shy of twice as many as nori, even when you add in all the crashing/being taken out.


anyway, i have this sick little curiosity to see what ben would do on a GP10.  but mainly i hope he stays with yamaha in either series.

[Jester]

indeed.

we're all cheering for ben now in large part due to her continuous efforts.

i don't think anyone can argue with the results.  she's just an easy target because she's also "mom".

+1

No reason to hate on her just because she's family.  If you have a capable family member that can handle your management, its better than dropping your cash on a third party or management company.  Racer's families should be owed some of that money anyway, because many of them have to sacrifice a hell of a lot to support their kid's racing ambitions.