MM claims he's been put forward for every available seat with every team, I think he's now desperate to get on any other bike.
His choice is clearly anything but Honda or Yamaha. Ducati, KTM and Aprilia are all quite capable of winning without him, so that begs the question, what would any of them gain and would it risk disrupting their existing rider strategies they have already invested in? Presumably there is also a growing list of Japanese mounted ex-world champions looking for a hot seat in 2025.
He’s become the rinaldo of bike racing. Enviable talent, up as one of the best of all time, but comes with baggage and risk to stick him in a team with others…. So ends up at a poxy minor league with lots of cash as a way to end a career
The answer is that he will be a MASSIVE asset in Spain for Ducati, which isn’t the easiest market, as his picture is literally on giant cardboard cut outs at petrol stations! He will also take red bull money to Gresini. the issue is, he will win 10 races next year on a satellite bike which Ducati won’t like, and he will destroy his brothers career in the process as on the same bike/team with Alex already having been there a year, it will show the difference.
Why does anyone think he can just jump straight on the Ducati and be competitive? Plenty of top quality riders have jumped ship over the years, just to find they need time to adapt. In case anyone needs reminding, there are two other Honda riders ahead of him in the championship this year. Gresini will need to make sure they have plenty of spare bikes, ready for the guaranteed carnage that will follow his adapting to the new bike…and some more for if/when he starts to push again
Its the last thing i want to see and certainly not a 100% given but its bloody likely he's going to a) go better than on the honda and b) go better than his brother (whos already winning races on it).
I personally, think it's all hype, he's contacted to Honda for next season, and as mentioned none of the Europeans need him, I think he's playing mind games so Honda offer hime even more money. I think he's planning for his retirement with all injuries he's sustained.
Because he is the most naturally gifted rider in the last few decades and possibly ever. Honda riders are ahead of him partly due to the races he missed and partly because he always thinks finishing second is first loser.
I personally am sick of the rumour mill this week, I think Crash put up 4 articles on Friday with Inflammatory headlines and none had any real substance
yep, i think it proved to everybody how good the duc is and his talent - not that we didn't knew... we just didn't want to admit because of our love for Rossi
Early days but he’s taken to it like a duck to water ,on what I believe is Digi’s base set up ? Funny listening to Alberto Puig’s thoughts on MM being quickest at a one stage . He said to interviewer “ are you really surprised ?”
The thing is…. Mark looks so smooth, yeah he’s backing it in a bit, but he’s not having any front end movement, none of the bobbling and chatter that the Honda did everywhere, it’s very ominous, it gives me a jorge lorenzo when he was on form vibe
