Hayden not on a Ducati in MotoGP 2014

BSB would be cool

 

It's no great surprise and probably a good thing, if Ducati ever want to win another title.

I really like Hayden, but you have to be honest, if he were going to win the title, Ducati would have to produce a totally dominant machine - in which case anyone of a number of other riders could take it to victory.

It's not looking too good for them. I don't think that Spies will ever get back to MotoGP winning ways, if he returns at all. Iannone is clearly at sea. Dovi looks good on some tracks and Hayden is over the hill. If I were them, I'd be reaching out to Espargaro, he of CRT fame. He's probably still affordable. Of course, they'd have to explain to him how the Ducati will be better than his CRT next year, which is currently isn't much, but you'd hope they'd have something figured out, or they might just as well pack it in.

Crutchlow is a bit old to take a gamble on the Ducati. If it doesn't come off, that's the end of his MotoGP career. He wouldn't have time to bounce back.

 

I feel sorry for Hayden, he seems like a genuinely nice guy but I do think Ducati (and he) need to move on. The bike needs development, at the moment they just seem to be maintaining a 30 sec gap during the race from the winner. That simply isn't good enough.

Also, I'm not sure they made the right move going to an aluminium frame, of which they have no experience of making. Sticking with and developing the carbon frame may have been more productive.

 

Scott Redding, come on down.

 

Hayden was just taking the money i reckon not improving the bike at all .but this is a poisioned chalice this ride ..cant they just put the gp engine in the wsb frame?

Stoners setting the last time he won a race

 

Im sure a WSBK role on a panigale would sell enough in the USA, lets face it, he's got a better chance there than he has at GP level but even then I'm not sure he'd live with sykes, Guintoli etc but he may well be better than checa at the moment so worth a shot.

besides, there needs to be a point where Audi/Ducati stop worrying about the marketing side and get the racing right, after all without any wins there goes your main marketing point. They hardly have much to shout about do they ?

haydens a nice guy but still not top rider material any longer, Ben spies I doubt will ever get back to winning ways, unless he drops his mummy manager and has somebody there to give him some fire in his belly, that boys heads gone.

 

Hayden Sacked

At last some good news from Ducati.....

http://www.cyclenews.com/61/21985/Ra...t-Of-Work.aspx

 

Agree with this! Blinding opportunity for Scott on a bike that would suit him better given his size...

 

They can change riders till the cows come home, until the bike gets a new lighter & physically smaller engine it won't be running anywhere near the front any time soon. I think the best bet is to re-classify the Desmo as a CRT bike, then at least it will be near to the front of that series.

 

Jesus, he's 27. As is Pedrosa, Stoner (Who'd be welcomed back with open arms), Dovizioso, Lorenzo is 26. Why are people obsessed with finding an 18year old wonderkid. If it didn't pay off, he'd still only be 29 in a couple of years. That's hardly pensionable.

I don't know the figures involved, but he'd be mad not to move if Tech3 are paying him a quarter of what Ducati would, whatever the equipment. Yamaha have already told him that he's not getting a factory ride. I'd move jobs for 4 times the salary. As you've just implied, he has a very short window to set himself up financially for the years to come. It's easy to sit on the outside and say he should stay on the better bike, you aren't in his leathers !

 

Also imagine if you were Crutchlow and you were the rider to turn the Factory's fortunes round?

You would have a job for life with Ducati just as Carl Fogarty has.

 

I get your point, but you are missing one. Pedrosa may have not won a title yet (in Moto GP) but he did in 250s. Stoner and Lorenzo are already proven champions. Dovi - didn't he win in 125s? (er...) Crutchlow has just arrived in the premier class having never won anything internationally - so he's not a proven quantity.

He may not be old, but that is how it works. Hit 40 these days and you are virtually unemployable. Hit 50 and unless you've already had high-powered directorships, in the world of management, you've had it. People no longer bet on older people - it's an aged obsessed thing.

I agree that if he wants a couple of seasons of top salary, sure, go to Ducati. If he still wants to win a title, it's probably not the place to be.

 

I totally agree, if he wants to win a title, he's not going to do it on a Ducati at the moment. Nor is he going to do it on the Tech3 bike frankly. He's said that he'll stay with Tech3 for another season if he gets the chance of the factory ride in 2015. Yamaha have said no. If I were Crutchlow, I'd be off. By then Rossi will be 36 and still in the factory team. Tell me that's not about money and selling motorcycles.

The fact that Crutchlow didn't come up through the accepted route of the smaller MotoGP classes, makes his performances even more special for me. Dovizioso won championships in the smaller classes, so did Bradl, Hayden is a MotoGP world champion. Which of those would you rather have as your pilot? I couldn't disagree with you more in saying that Crutchlow isn't proven quality. I think his performances now show that's exactly what he is.

And as for being old, he's not old now, were talking about him riding the bike now, not in 5 years time. You don't always have to look for the next World champ of 2020, look for the class act of the next 2 seasons. Crutchlow is in the top 4 riders in the top class of motorcycle racing if you ask me at this time.

All said with due respect of course

 

I think he'd be a better bet on Bradl's bike than Bradl is. Isn't that a full fat factory machine?

But Marquez, Lorenzo, Pedders aren't going anywhere. And Rossi will probably have a factory bike for as long as he wants one. How many others are there? It's a game of musical chairs. It's not that Crutchlow doesn't deserve one - which he clearly does. But there aren't that many to go around. You factor in the nationality, marketing potential, age and CV and Crutchlow is clearly at a slight disadvantage for sponsors.

 

I can't disagree with any of that..............apart from age :biggrin: and marketing potential. I get the feeling Crutchlow is becoming popular with fans of many nationalities, very like a Schwantz for his swashbuckling style. If played right he could become second to Mr Rossi in the marketability stakes in my opinion. Spain is always going to favour it's nationals. But personality wise, Crutchlow vs Pedrosa, Lorenzo, Marquez, Bradl...another win for Crutchlow for me. I think he's becoming more media savvy about this too.

 

Nothing wrong with Hayden, he is riding the bike to its full potential as is Dovi. Crutchlow needs to stay well away from Ducati until they prove they can make a competitive bike