Replies: 3
Views: 1259
Last Post By: rossispeed ON: Wed Jul 11, 2012 4:42 pm
Topic By: rossispeed ON: Wed Jul 11, 2012 4:42 pm
Yeah rumour from MCN is that Scott's manager and team boss are talking to Ducati about moving him up to Pramac or Marc VDS taking over a satellite bike.

If Cal does go, then I hope Audi will definitely do whatever they said to Valentino at Sachsenring and kick the Ducati's management into high gear.

I though Suzuki wasn't gonna be back for a few years and can't really see Alvaro doing well with a sabbatical in WSBK and returning with Suzuki.

Replies: 3
Views: 1259
Last Post By: rossispeed ON: Wed Jul 11, 2012 4:42 pm
Topic By: stop_killing_dead_things ON: Mon Jul 09, 2012 7:24 pm
Yeah Bradders is off to Tech3 (a move I really don't agree with.. i think Redding deserves/would do so much better on it)

Cal looks to be switching to a Duke (that makes me twitchy)

Aren't Suzuki rumoured to be making a comeback? I think he'd be welcomed back there..


What will be, will be I guess.. *sigh*

Replies: 96
Views: 8354
Last Post By: Pippin1974 ON: Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:50 am
Topic By: Pippin1974 ON: Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:50 am
Well...about Lorenzo's Aprilia...with an ALPS and a bit of patiente you can do this bike.....
The photos are the one I made for my collection...

Replies: 3
Views: 1259
Last Post By: rossispeed ON: Wed Jul 11, 2012 4:42 pm
Topic By: rossispeed ON: Wed Jun 20, 2012 9:29 pm
Also have to remember that Herve Poncharal has a contract with Bradley Smith to move him up to MotoGP too...

... Question is who out of Cal or Dovi will have to move and where to make way for Bradley.

Replies: 3
Views: 1259
Last Post By: rossispeed ON: Wed Jul 11, 2012 4:42 pm
Topic By: stv21 ON: Wed Jun 20, 2012 11:56 am
Right, let's try to get this started again, shall we? (Anyone still out there?)

With Stoner out for next season and Lorenzo already signed, plus the Rookie Rule obviously now abandoned, silly season for 2013 is already in full swing. Looks like Honda are set on keeping Pedrosa as their best bet for the title and get in their new golden boy Marquez alongside him.

Which, aside from the fact that Nakamoto previously said quite decisively something like "no two Spaniards in our factory team!" - yeah, right - pretty much limits Álvaro's options now to a) a satellite bike either with Gresini or Tech3, both of which are VERY highly contested, b) a CRT bike, which I doubt he would want or c) the possible return of Suzuki already in 2013.

Unfortunately, in Álvaro's case his passport is pretty much his worst enemy at this moment. A lot of non-Spanish (or non-Italian) riders keep complaining how much easier it is to get a ride with the right (Spanish/Italian) passport due to sponsors etc, but this only ever applies to getting into the championship and scoring a ride with ANY team to get a break. With currently so many Spaniards in the championship (and they are by far the biggest and most successful nation at the moment), being Spanish quickly becomes a disadvantage at a certain point, especially in the MotoGP class.

Both Pedrosa and Lorenzo moved up to the MotoGP class much earlier than Álvaro, both with excellent factory support and getting decent results over the years. With both of them looking to stay for a quite a while longer with what's currently the cream of the top manufacturers (which isn't so hard, considering there's only three left and Ducati... well, is Ducati), there's no need for the factories to look out for yet another Spaniard to join them, pretty much regardless of what results Álvaro brings.

If he suddenly scored a humongous sponsorship support and entourage while riding on a high wave of hype (looking at you, Marky Marquez), they'd simply have to. Or maybe if he would start winning every single race from now on. Which, regarding available material and current competition, seems unlikely.

So, what will be left for him to take is whatever the rest don't want. Which kinda pees me off, because it seems more a question of coming into this championship at the wrong time (Hello Rookie Rule and financial crisis) and especially with the "wrong" passport. I reckon a return of Suzuki in 2013, what with all the "spy" photos and busy testing, isn't that unlikely, but I'd really like to see him on a (competitive) factory bike at least for one year in his MotoGP career, to see if he can have a shot at the title. Because I'm convinced he brings the necessary talent, intelligence and speed to do that and become MotoGP champion with the right equipment. Certainly that won't happen in a satellite outfit, no matter how good the bike is.

Both Gresini and Tech3 are good options, but Poncharal has so many interested riders that he'll have a hard time chosing the right one and I believe he'll either take a promising Rookie or someone with Yamaha experience. And the Gresini seat looks all but set to go to an Italian rider next year, to please the sponsors (there's that pesky passport again).

All in all not the best situation for Álvaro to be in, he's got almost zero chance to get into the Yamaha or Honda factory team (I don't think anyone would take Ducati as the best option at the moment) no matter his results, while the competitive satellite rides currently look for other riders than him. Which, in a career overview mode and looking at what Álvaro would be capable of in my opinion, is such a waste of talent and as I said, pees me off. I think any team boss would be fortunate to have him, but time is ticking and in MotoGP world he's not the youngest anymore and I want him to win that title, dammit!

But anyhow, let's see what he can do for the rest of the season, I can't wait for that first podium to arrive.

Replies: 0
Views: 396
Last Post By: stv21 ON: Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:26 pm
Topic By: stv21 ON: Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:26 pm
Date – Grand Prix – Circuit

8 April, Qatar* – Doha/Losail
29 April – Spain – Jerez de la Frontera
6 May – Portugal – Estoril
20 May – France – Le Mans
3 June – Catalunya – Catalunya
17 June – Great Britain – Silverstone
30 June – Netherlands** – Assen
8 July – Germany – Sachsenring
15 July – Italy – Mugello
29 July – United States*** – Laguna Seca
19 August – Indianapolis – Indianapolis
26 August – Czech Rep. – Brno
16 September – San Marino & Riviera di Rimini – Misano
30 September – Aragon – Motorland
14 October – Japan – Motegi
21 October – Malaysia – Sepang
28 October – Australia – Phillip Island
11 November – Valencia – Ricardo Tormo – Valencia

* Evening Race
** Saturday Race
*** Only MotoGP class

Replies: 28
Views: 5131
Last Post By: stv21 ON: Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:15 pm
Topic By: stv21 ON: Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:15 pm
Nope, no competition this year, sorry. Forum activity has slowly died away in the last months as more and more is done through the alvarobautista.co.uk news site, Twitter, Facebook etc, so participation in another competition simply wouldn't be high enough to actually have enough people play to make it interesting.

Maybe we can get a few discussions going again and do another one next year, who knows.

Replies: 28
Views: 5131
Last Post By: stv21 ON: Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:15 pm
Topic By: Neilr68 ON: Mon Apr 30, 2012 5:22 pm
hi,i don't think there is one this year.Enjoy your present!!!

Replies: 28
Views: 5131
Last Post By: stv21 ON: Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:15 pm
Topic By: papersun ON: Fri Apr 27, 2012 8:34 am
[quote="Neilr68"]hope you get a nice present!!!!!![/quote]

Hi Neil,

I get a little Suzuki Booklet.

You are a true forum-fan!!

No 2012 Racecard Competition?????????

Have a nice day

Replies: 28
Views: 5131
Last Post By: stv21 ON: Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:15 pm
Topic By: Neilr68 ON: Sun Nov 27, 2011 8:12 pm
hope you get a nice present!!!!!!

Replies: 28
Views: 5131
Last Post By: stv21 ON: Tue Jun 05, 2012 11:15 pm
Topic By: papersun ON: Fri Nov 25, 2011 4:24 pm
Here I am....




[quote="Neilr68"]Well done Papersun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.[/quote]


Thank you Neil , I m so happy gg

@stv

Thank you stv. I m a lucky winner :-))

Replies: 6
Views: 1492
Last Post By: The Fizz ON: Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:13 pm
Topic By: The Fizz ON: Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:13 pm
Now I look that Bautista did make a smart move after all. I didn't know if it was smart at first but now quite clearly I could tell where Bautista was coming from in order to make that move.

Replies: 6
Views: 1492
Last Post By: The Fizz ON: Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:13 pm
Topic By: stv21 ON: Mon Nov 14, 2011 5:47 pm
Wrote a [long, long] article with pretty much every bit of information that's out there about Álvaro's move to Gresini Honda: http://www.alvarobautista.co.uk/2011/11 ... irst-time/

Meanwhile, looks like he got away just in time with Suzuki apparently not being on the grid the next two years...

Replies: 6
Views: 1492
Last Post By: The Fizz ON: Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:13 pm
Topic By: Vane ON: Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:56 am

Replies: 6
Views: 1492
Last Post By: The Fizz ON: Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:13 pm
Topic By: Neilr68 ON: Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:27 pm
Great move by Alvaro!!!!!!!