Ducati out of MotoGP? Interesting speculative article

[Raux]

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/race/motogp/ducati-out-of-motogp-its-not-impossible/

"And the fact that the sports bike market is shrinking only adds to that pressure – why spend millions going racing when it no longer promotes your core products?"

[gm2]

the concept of a rev limit has always made this a possibility..

[desmoquattro]

There are dozens of factors that would push them out of GP. I won't be the least bit surprised to see it.

How long does Ducati's contract with Dorna last?

[Raux]

I doubt cutting a contract short and paying some punitive costs would stop them from doing it, if Audi wants it that way.

[thought]

I thought they pulled out of WSBK to help develop the 1199 further for the series not to fund MotoGP.  And I remember someone saying they did the same thing when the 1098 came out?

[desmoquattro]

I thought they pulled out of WSBK to help develop the 1199 further for the series not to fund MotoGP.  And I remember someone saying they did the same thing when the 1098 came out?

Ducati delayed the 1098's entry for a year while they homologated it and ran the 999 one final year. But they never pulled out.

[gm2]

they didn't really pull out of WSBK this time, either.

[Goat_Herder]

I thought they pull out of WSBK to 1) allow developmental time for the 1199 and to 2) pay Rossi's salary.  Considering how far behind they are in GP, the new owner might as well cut the cord before finishing mid-pack further tarnish the Ducati's name...

[gm2]

it'll depend on what happens when they put out the non-90° GP engine + whatever the real feeling is of Audi towards motorcycle racing.  they're obviously big on racing cars.  either they also feel that way about (prototype) bikes, or they don't.

if valentino can win or challenge in the dry, i can't imagine walking away when you have the prospect of rossi-on-a-ducati GP title.  but maybe he still can't ride the new engine in the dry, in which case he won't be there.

[duccarlos]

The funny part is that if the 1199 is successful, they can only give credit to the failed experiment in MotoGP. The actual engine development is a waste of time, V4, but most electronics currently running in those bikes are directly related to what was developed in MotoGP.

[gm2]

checa and bayliss already call it a success.  and checa is talking about looking forward to riding it next year.

[derby]

The funny part is that if the 1199 is successful, they can only give credit to the failed experiment in MotoGP. The actual engine development is a waste of time, V4, but most electronics currently running in those bikes are directly related to what was developed in MotoGP.

with a longer view, i'd probably say most of it was developed in formula 1, adapted to gp, and then trickled down to production racing and eventually production bikes.

[zooom]

with a longer view, i'd probably say most of it was developed in formula 1, adapted to gp, and then trickled down to production racing and eventually production bikes.

it still goes to show the trickle down theory of using racing as an R&D mule for production for which Audi does currently with their own technology...look at the R18 and what they did in the 24 hours of LeMans for example...

[PhilB]

I don't see the point of Ducati being in MotoGP right now.  I did see the point when they did it -- they wanted to create the new frameless design because the trellis was/is reaching the end of what can be done with it.  They wanted to use racing to develop that design, and you can't do that in production-based racing if you don't have the technology in production yet.

They were not as successful in MotoGP with the frameless design as they would have liked (we'll call that an understatement), but they did learn enough to develop a production version of the technology that apparently works pretty well.  And then they went in MotoGP to a frame style that they have never used in production, and very likely never will.

So:
(a) They now can develop their frameless tech in Superbike racing.  And now that electronics are also on production bikes and prevalent in WSB, they can develop the electronics there as well.
And:
(b) MotoGP is developing nothing useful, and not garnering wins and good publicity either.

If I was in charge, I'd give it to the end of this season, and if the bike is good enough by then for Rossi to get regular podiums and at least contest seriously for wins on it, then I'd stay with it for the prestige factor.  And if not, I'd drop the whole MotoGP program.

PhilB

[OT]

Might not be developing too much for a little while....

http://www.twowheelsblog.com/post/10275/ducati-production-at-risk-after-earthquake

Or, did Audi send Wotan to Italy to shake things up and make a reason to move the factory to the Fatherland