2013 Silly Season?...maybe spoilers

[derby]

I read that.

The intimation was that HRC was pissed that Fausto wanted an ART bike in the same garage as the Honda.

I'm suggesting there will be no Gresini Honda in 2013.

Wanna bet?

Same deal as always...$25, or more if you wish, to the AFF. 

nah, i'd say it can go either way... ben won't go unless gresini is guaranteed a good bike and the presence of ben might even help fausto secure one from hrc...

at this point, i'm not sure if i'd rather see ben stick around motogp or go back to worldsbk.

all the "proper" factory gp rides are tied up for two years, so... i dunno.

[ducpainter]

nah, i'd say it can go either way... ben won't go unless gresini is guaranteed a good bike and the presence of ben might even help fausto secure one from hrc...

at this point, i'm not sure if i'd rather see ben stick around motogp or go back to worldsbk.

all the "proper" factory gp rides are tied up for two years, so... i dunno.

I agree...he won't 'stay' unless the deal is right.

To go to the other end...

does Ben have a WSBK ride with BMW or not?

Lots of wavering going on if you ask me.

Did BMW make promises to Ben and Haslam?

What's the deal?

[derby]

I agree...he won't 'stay' unless the deal is right.

To go to the other end...

does Ben have a WSBK ride with BMW or not?

Lots of wavering going on if you ask me.

Did BMW make promises to Ben and Haslam?

What's the deal?

"have" is a really funny word... there's obviously no ink on any paper.... i believe the article above charges that ride has now been promised to leon.

you'd think that somebody in the worldsbk paddock would be able to come up w/ a ride for ben without all the jackin' around given the way he decimated the field in his first/championship year.

[ducpainter]

Maybe the Flamini's like more even competition...

inspired by headlight decals.

[ZLTFUL]

I would almost take the spies to gresini *if* fausto can secure the Honda. Although Alvaro is the kind of guy that he loves representing his team...so is Ben. Hungry and charismatic.

[gm2]

I would almost take the spies to gresini *if* fausto can secure the Honda.

i think that's the only scenario he would possibly agree to

[zooom]

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Aug/120827a.htm

Today's Ben Spies rumour: Ducati junior team, really...

[gm2]

all the satellite RCs to Lucio, eh?  maybe fausto really did piss off HRC but good.

[thought]

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Aug/120827a.htm

Today's Ben Spies rumour: Ducati junior team, really...

I wonder if he's willing to take the "only factory bikes win" bet... that seems to be what everyone looks at the JV team as.  Because he's locked out for at least 2 years at this point and I havent heard anything about him and BMW at this point for a while.  And I'm iffy if Duc would push for him that hard as they already have a american rider though I would say that Ben prob has a better following than Nicky at this point.

Do you think HRC would spring for a full factory setup for Ben if he went to a satellite team?

[gm2]

I wonder if he's willing to take the "only factory bikes win" bet... that seems to be what everyone looks at the JV team as.  Because he's locked out for at least 2 years at this point and I havent heard anything about him and BMW at this point for a while.  And I'm iffy if Duc would push for him that hard as they already have a american rider though I would say that Ben prob has a better following than Nicky at this point.

Do you think HRC would spring for a full factory setup for Ben if he went to a satellite team?

that's what they did this year, bautista's bike.  one would have to assume that's what ben would be looking for as well.

ducati thing is odd but, yeah, it's naturally got to be a matter of factory-but-not-yamaha.  options are limited.  and there's a lot of upside potential for anyone on a duc next year, if someone can get some sort of better result on it.  cuz ducati is the only place with a factory seat open in 2014 (unless suzuki comes back).
 

[thought]

Bautista has a full factory bike?  I didnt know that, does Bradl have one too?  Because, while I like Bautista... his standings right now are looking a bit meh if he's not on a satellite spec bike.

[duccarlos]

From what I understand neither Bautista nor Bradl are on factory spec.

If HRC moves the second satellite to LCR, then that naggin question about Fausto looking for an Italian to sell chips for San Carlo is void. LCR would have their pick from some pretty talented guys that are not willing to kill their careers on a Duc.

[gm2]

From what I understand neither Bautista nor Bradl are on factory spec.

what makes you say this about the Gresini?  it may not be now, but it was supposed to be in the beginning of the year.

[duccarlos]

I believe I heard that from the EuroSport announcerrs (I think that's the feed that MotoGP.com uses). They mentioned that the biggest difference between the satellite Hondas (both Gresini and LRC) was the electronics. Leads me to believe that the "lower spec" is due to the electronic limitation.

[potomacduc]

I wonder if he's willing to take the "only factory bikes win" bet... that seems to be what everyone looks at the JV team as.  Because he's locked out for at least 2 years at this point and I havent heard anything about him and BMW at this point for a while.  And I'm iffy if Duc would push for him that hard as they already have a american rider though I would say that Ben prob has a better following than Nicky at this point.

Do you think HRC would spring for a full factory setup for Ben if he went to a satellite team?

Assuming Ben wants back on a factory MotoGP squad, the only factory seat available for 2014 is Nicky's.  If Ben is on a satellite Duc in 2013, he can figure out if the bike has any hope and whether he wants anything to do with Ducati GP.   If he decides the bike can be competitive, he makes a play for the open "American slot" on the factory squad.  If he decides the bike is rubbish and not getting better anytime soon, he can shuffle off to WSBK.  There are going to be several good seats open in WSBK in 2014. Riding a BMW WSBK in 2013 won't tell him anything about whether he wants to ride a Duc in 2014 or not and that BMW seat or one just as good (maybe Checa's at Ducati or Biaggi's at Aprilia, they're getting old) is likely to be available in 2014.