So Gerloff and Redding will need to find new seats next year. I can see Scott in Moto America next year, close to family and bringing up his kid.
The writing was on the wall the moment FIM announced they were planning changes to WSBK and I’m not surprised. Pretty sure Bonovo won’t be the last team to withdraw at the end (if not before the end) of the season. The Kawasaki factory team withdrawal is a huge hit to WSBK credibility. IMO, Redding should have left BMW the moment it was announced Toprak was taking the lead ride role. Any credibility he had, has been overshadowed by Toprak’s amazing success on what is ostensibly, similar machinery. Gerloff’s reckless reputation will hang around his neck like an albatross, not sure any team will take him on. Yamaha’s awful start to the season hasn’t gone unnoticed either. Andy
what changes did FIM announce? Also Kawasaki aren’t pulling out of WSBK, they just signed both their riders back as Bimota by Kawasaki so it’s literally a rebrand to promote the Bimota brand. I think WSBK will find another BMW team but I agree that redding will likely end up in MotoAmerica where there is some cash to be earned.
Brutal assessment and I agree with it all except as Phil says the green meanies aren’t pulling out. One can only imagine how a Bimota chassis is going to compare and compete these days though.
No specifics, the statement I saw, was in response to a question about the MotoGP changes, the essence of which was, will MotoGP still be the premier series, which in reality means dumbing down WSBK so the MotoGP changes don’t look quite so shit. I’m too long in the tooth and predisposed towards cynicism to see the Bimota move as anything more than a cop out for Kawasaki. I don’t see them selling the numbers to homologate the race bike unless FIM/Dorna/Liberty bend the rules yet again. Andy
