Casey and Marco for Ducati in 2008? - Ducati.ms

cotton_duc · Jul 13th, 2007, 9:06 pm

http://www.bikebuyersguide.ie/Articl...or_Ducati.aspx

Maximus-Speedicus · Jul 13th, 2007, 10:30 pm

Oh no...

I rate Marco only slightly higher than Biaggi.. Probably because he took out Troy B when he got his first ride in MotoGp a few years ago with Honda.

I think Max and Marco have the same Nono's(?)

Oh well, looks like I'm not fussed on ANYONE Ducati has riding for them hahaha.. what a hard person to please. Grab Ant West.. hahahaha He's such an unknown that no-one will know if it's the bike or the kid.

In accordance with the prophecy...

Mal

Mal

748girl · Jul 14th, 2007, 8:41 pm

Last year at the Ducati Champions Club at Phillip Island we were supposed to have the riders come over to visit us on the Sunday. They didn't front, but Livio Suppo did. At first we were disappointed not to see Loris as could not care about Sete, but Livio had come to talk about the season so far and then to talk about 2007. After a while he asked the assembled crowd who Ducati should have for a team member to accompany Loris, we all said Stoner!!! He said that they had thoughts for him, but perhaps if he read us out a list of names we could show our support by cheering, or such. So he started reciting names, Hayden was met with a fervent "No" from the gathered faithful and we started chanting for Stoner. Melandri was mentioned we grumbled and so it went on. We suggested West, Livio said "if it rained all the time West would be good". As we know they got Casey. Did they really listen I don't know.

I don't personally think Melandri has what it takes, I can't forgive him for knocking Troy off at PI - it was a truly awful sight as Troy rolled and then lay unconscious directly in front of us in the corporate marquee at Honda Corner. However Melandri was horrendously injured by Sete's stupidity last year and went back on to race whilst still carrying those injuries.

I actually would like to see Chris Vermuleun as Casey's team mate. However they won't consider it - two Australians - one is okay but being Ducati they will have to have at least one Italian. It is just the way they are. I don't know what has happened to Loris, is it fatherhood - a lot of riders go off the boil after a new baby arrives and some come back, is it too many late nights, or the realisation that something new and precious has arrived and they are both responsible and mortal? Or is he just stale and needs a new challenge?

MikeM · Jul 14th, 2007, 9:50 pm

Loris is over the hill. He contributed a lot but his day is done. Meanwhile Ducati and Stoner both gambled on each other and it's paying off big time. Unlike a couple of years ago, riders are chasing rides on the Ducati instead of Ducati struggling to sign a decent pilot. If I were in their shoes I'd sign Lorenzo - they'd win a bunch of races and they'd sell boatload after boatload of bikes in Spain.

rcrob · Jul 15th, 2007, 2:37 pm

Lorenzo is signed with Yamaha for next year riding a third M1 on a one man team.

Dunlop · Jul 15th, 2007, 5:11 pm

748girl said: "I actually would like to see Chris Vermuleun as Casey's team mate. However they won't consider it - two Australians - one is okay but being Ducati they will have to have at least one Italian"

Andrea Dovizioso is another Italian kid from 250 then, however, I'd rather see Melandri riding on some sort of probationary 1 year deal pending podium results.
If not then a shootout between Fonsi Nieto, Roberto Rolfo, Lorenzo Lanzi, Troy Bayliss, Neil Hodgson, Leon Haslam, Gregorio Lavilla and Garry McCoy (biased selection-personal favourite) on the same equipment at several tracks would satisfy my curiousity. (No Xaus or Biaggi!)

As for 748girls comment (no two Austrailians) it is dead on. Ducati's race decisions are VERY VERY politically influenced. Ducati is very well represented in the Austrailian marketplace since they have had Bayliss in SBK and now Stoner in GP. The Spanish market is probaly where Ducati is weakest in all of Europe (they were 15th last I remember in 2005 behind manufacturers like Gas Gas, Derbi, and Gilera!) and Spain is a huge market for bikes, plus Dorna is headquartered in Spain (Madrid) run by Carmelo Ezpeleta. That may give you an idea of why Ducati has had the likes of Xaus, Gibernau, Lavilla, and Checa in recent years.