MotoGP – Market, good news from Brno

Every race new news, upheavals of a 2007 MotoGP chessboard that is far from definitive. The motorcycle market in Brno offered some rumors that can really represent news to be placed under the "Incredibles" heading. Let's start immediately with the man for whom everything seemed to revolve until Laguna Seca: Casey Stoner. The Australian, after Yamaha's two spades, returned to Lucio Cecchinello to talk about a renewal. The prodigal son, however, made the same request in economic terms (2.5 million euros), forcing the former 125cc star to let him go free. In short, "Rolling Stoner" has pulled too far with his technical (factory bike) and monetary demands, currently finding himself literally on...foot for the 2007 season. Stoner seems to have proposed himself to Ducati, who however is thinking of finding an agreement with Loris Capirossi.

The difference currently lies on the economic level: the Bridgestones, for better or for worse, will also remain next season, so the obstacle to overcome remains exclusively the salary. Carlo Pernat, rightly, asks for 4 million euros, practically the same fee as Sete Gibernau (to which, it seems, Marlboro also contributed). In Ducati they hesitate, but the feeling that sooner or later everything will be put in black and white and this winning marriage will continue in 2007.

At this point it is fair to ask who will join Capirossi in Ducati with the Desmosedici GP7: with Gibernau there will not be a sequel, Biaggi is a separate chapter which we will return to later, Melandri, well, Marco Melandri could be the right man. In the summer of 2004 the two teams seemed close to an agreement, and now the marriage that was almost achieved some time ago could materialise. In Ducati they have respect and admiration for the man from Ravenna, who did not receive technical guarantees from Honda to develop the bike in 2007. Marriage in sight? Possible, otherwise in Borgo Panigale they might think, who knows, of Nicky Hayden, who would divorce Honda in the unfortunate event of losing the world title.

Max Biaggi chapter: with Capirossi confirmed there will be no room for him in the internal Ducati team, if anything in the d'Antin team, where Campinoti, majority shareholder of the team and main sponsor with the Pramac brand, is pushing to have him back and to close the lawsuit that sees them involved due to past contractual events. The problem is understanding how the Roman can sneak into a team where he will have a good bike-tyre package (Desmosedici GP7 and Bridgestone tyres), but where he will have no say in the development (entrusted, obviously, to the official riders).

If Biaggi wants to return to MotoGP, he could do so either with d'Antin or with Ilmor, who even contacted him to take part in the last two races as a wild card. It will be mostly up to Max to decide what to do with his future. We close now by talking about other negotiations leaked at the Masaryk Circuit: Tamada, not confirmed by Honda, could return to a Superbike championship (even if in the world championship his hypothetical bike has already been taken by Kiyonari), in his place Luca Montiron thinks of Shinya Nakano, inclined but to stay at Kawasaki where he is the top man in every sense (and at Honda he would certainly be a top-3 rider, but he would count for less than zero in the development of the 800, give or take). Elias will not be confirmed by Gresini, in his place there is talk of a return of Gibernau, Dovizioso (who would like to stay in 250) and James Toseland, with the latter also courted by Luis d'Antin. The KR team will have a second bike, with Leon Haslam favored for this place in the team. After Sepang, obviously, there will be more news..

Alessio Piana