In the hectic period since news of Kawasaki's withdrawal from MotoGP leaked out, speculation on the future of Team Green's riders has been widespread. Initial reports suggested that Marco Melandri would return to Gresini Honda, though there has also been talk of Melandri seriously considering World Superbikes as a viable alternative, while John Hopkins is widely predicted to either switch to the Tech 3 Yamaha squad, or else go back to Suzuki.
But now, the Italian site RacerGP.com is reporting another possible option for Melandri: It seems that Lucio Cecchinello of the LCR Honda team has already been in touch with Melandri to try and persuade the Italian to ride for him next year. Cecchinello's problem - and it is a considerable one - is that he would not be able to obtain two more bikes from Honda to support the usual team structure, where each team member has two machines, nor would he be able to afford the costs of running four bikes even if he could get the equipment from Honda.
Instead, Cecchinello has come up with an ingenious cost-cutting scheme whereby both Randy de Puniet and Marco Melandri would have one bike each. This would remove the expense of leasing extra equipment from Honda, as well as reducing the number of mechanics needed for each rider. Costs would further be cut by only attending test in Europe, saving the expense of the flyaway tests in Sepang, Qatar and Australia.
The disadvantages of such a scheme are obvious: If a rider crashes during practice, he would potentially face a long wait before he could get back out on track, as the bike would have to be returned to the pits, then repaired, instead of the rider just hopping on a scooter back to the pits and then leaping on his second bike. With Randy de Puniet's track record, that's a lot of lost track time. It would also mean more time spent sitting in the pits while the mechanics make changes to the bike, instead of having a second bike standing ready with revised settings - though as this is Casey Stoner's preferred method of working, it need not necessarily be unsuccessful. Finally, it would also leave both riders out of contention in flag-to-flag races. Instead of coming in and leaping on a different bike with rain tires, the wheels would have to be swapped and suspension altered, a time-consuming operation.
The other fact which has been heavily remarked upon is the silence of the MotoGP.com website on the Kawasaki situation. Part of this is down to the fact that all this has happened during the holiday season, which probably sees the Dorna offices at the very least seriously understaffed. But unverified reports from Spain indicate that, in an interview with a local radio station, Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta said that he has been desperately trying to get through to Kawasaki in Japan to find out more about the situation. Ezpeleta told the radio station that they had not yet been informed officially, which is why he was trying to contact Japan.
Further unconfirmed reports also stated that the Nietos - who run the GFH team with Sete Gibernau - were trying to organize a third Ducati, to expand their team to 3 riders, including Niccolo Canepa, as we reported yesterday. The GFH team had originally wanted to field Fonsi Nieto on the second Ducati, but pressure from the Bologna factory left them with no option but to accept Canepa. However, a third bike would allow them to give Fonsi a ride after all. The problem, as ever, remains in persuading Ducati to provide the extra equipment. The smallest manufacturer is already providing the second highest number of machines, and making 6 bikes available would put them level with the mighty Honda.
Of course, as reader Jim Race pointed out, with John Hopkins available, and along with him a big pile of energy drink sponsorship, the question of why Ducati hasn't jumped all over the perfect marketing opportunity arises. After all, how could they refuse to support Monster Ducati?
Comments
Just 1 bike for dePuniet?
As you suggest, it seems unlikely that Mr. Cecchinello could trust Randy dePuniet to keep his bike together for a whole weekend, every weekend. Unless, that is, he has some kind of magical insight into a possible parallel where his '06 rider switched from Michelin to Bridgestone in '07.
There is a paradox for Melandri as well. It seems that he can mostly stay aboard a bike that he has little confidence in, but he tossed a few of Gresini's Hondas away when he was winning often. It's hard to imagine that he would fare better aboard this bike than he did with Gresini in '07.
And what about a crash bad enough to total a frame? This would put the bike down for a weekend, or more, even if the rider isn't hurt. I would think Dorna may have a problem with this, too.
I am a supporter of 1 bike
I am a supporter of 1 bike per rider. It might even impact racing downstream. Of course I am biased in that way...
Something about a single
Something about a single bike per rider is appealing but I am concerned about it depleting the grid even more than economic issues.
We ask these riders to push their hardest because the stakes are so high. can we reasonably require them not to get as close to that edge as possible?