Editor's Blog: More Paperwork, Another Hiatus

By David Emmett |

It's that time again. Firstly, it is nearly my wife's birthday, the woman without whom MotoMatters.com would not be possible. I wouldn't have started it, and I definitely wouldn't have been able to keep going without her support. So that means I have more important things to attend to for the next couple of days.Secondly, I have to once again travel to the UK to look after my late mother's affairs. 

What all this means is that the site will be going on another mini-hiatus. The moving of the Kazakhstan round of MotoGP to September has helped here, but with WorldSBK ace reporter Jared Earle also otherwise engaged, coverage of the Misano round of the WorldSBK series will be very minimal. 

As always apologies in advance. But I have a couple of things to help fill space in the intervening period. 

Thanks, as always, for your support and consideration. It is genuinely touching, and deeply appreciated.

David

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Comments

Take all the time you need David. We will still be here when you get back.

Hope your wife's birthday goes well. Take in some speedway while you are in the UK. It's fun.

HUG

I will be posting "Spring Breaktainment" review videos of the 2024 Rounds to date w some discussion points noted for us as well. (Readers can post links that Krop cannot fyi, he is monetized and we are free to share more).

We have had some great racing to unpack a bit. Pramac contract and rider signing news, got that too. Hope it helps and is enjoyed, I certainly appreciate our banter!

(Good luck w the estate, going ok here too aside from paying a lawyer and some short patience on my part). 

Happy Birthday Mrs Emmett! 

But first, happy Birthday Mrs Emmett! And thank you a thousand times for playing such an important part in creating and supporting this remarkable source of great journalism. 

David, enjoy the celebrations and good luck with the estate affairs. 

And don't worry, it seems that Motoshrink has plans to keep us entertained and has the (Moto)matter(s) in hand... 😉

Cheers

Yes, echoing mgm's sentiment of a Happy Birthday, Mrs. Emmett. I hope you don't mind if we keep it formal. But David keeping us in the loop is a nice little touch.

Hope things go well in the UK.

Hello Mr. Emmett and fellow muttererererers,

I didn’t put much thought into KTM going with 4 orange bikes next year, but the uncertainty surrounding Pramac’s future has raised an intriguing prospect: What happens to Tech3 GasGas?

Mr. Emmett, do you know what the contract situation is between Tech3 and KTM? Would KTM take full factory control over all 4 bikes? Or would both of them run 2 bikes each, regardless of branding?

If KTM takes full control and boots out Tech3, seems to me that Yamaha may not need Pramac after all. Could Yamaha and Tech3 reunite like the good ol’ days?

Does this train of thought have a destination or is it a dead end? Might just be wishful thinking on my part…

In WSBK there is a knock on of our silly season. BMW, Ducati and Kawasaki have places available in their factory teams.

Miller and Oliveira are two riders that come to mind for them. Iannone as well. News, breadcrumbs and thoughts?

I could see Iannone or Miller get that Duc seat. 

If current MotoGP riders end up in WSBK next year - who will be displaced? There is only room at Ducati Aruba.IT if Bautista retires? Similarly at BMW that would be van der Mark gets moved to Benovo in place of Redding or Gerloff? I can see the van der Mark -> Redding (Redding to Moto America) move opening a spot at BMW. Kawasaki would have to move either A Lowes or Bassani? I can't remember what their contract status is or when they expire.

Personal opinion based on no fact at all I think the most likely outcomes are if Bautista does retire Iannone takes his place. Maybe a MotoGP rider moves into the BMW fold either in factory in place of van der Mark or at Benovo in place of Redding.

In MotoGP the only confirmed movements in-out are Aleix Espargaro retiring and Aldeguer in, in theory that means everyone else just musical chairs. 

Assuming The Beast does go to KTM, Pramac does go to Yamaha (and Mir joins), and Roberts comes into Trackhouse, it could look like:

  • VR46 (GP25s): Bez and Franky (Franky still with testing duties)
  • Pramac Yamaha: Mir and Diggia
  • KTM Factory: Binder and Acosta
  • Tech3 KTM/GG: Beast and Miller
  • Trackhouse: Roberts and Olivera
  • Gresini: A Marquez + Aldegeur
  • HRC: Marini and Zarco
  • LCR: Taka and Raul F

It's likely that Augusto loses his seat (and heads to Benovo BMW?) and Olivera and Raul take the remaining Trackhouse / LCR seats

Or maybe Miller does go to Factory BMW, which would leave Augusto F at Tech3. Miller did a couple of wildcard appearances in ASBK on a Penigale while he was at Ducati which stokes the SBK angle. I think its unlikely Aldeguer ends up at VR46 as this means either a Rookie is doing the testing role or Bez is pushed into that testing role.

This speculation stuff is fun. Don't have to back anything with logic, just cos I reckon! 

Edit: I originally had Raul F staying a Trackhouse, but that's a bit of recency bias. Olivera a much better bet for Aprillia than Raul I think.

Yes it's fun. However, to my knowledge, Aldeguer has a contract with Ducati. Hence, he should join whichever team replaces Pramac. So, assuming that VR46 gets that spot, it's more likely that the line-up will be Aldeguer/Morbidelli. And Bez joins Martin in Aprilia, as rumors of Vinales leaving are getting more serious by the hour. 

It goes without saying, that the above is pure speculation. It's fun! 

Motosport just put out that Vinales has signed w KTM. Joining Bastianini at Gas Gas.

My first take is displeasure. Why? Well, I think because I prefer someone else in that seat. I am long past thinking anything more is coming from mercurial Maverick. He has been way overpaid the last 2 yrs, and I think deserves to be at Aprilia performing as he has or better but paid half.

Over time it may make more sense to me. I DO think he knows that with Martin there his value is down. He may have run away from being thoroughly beaten by his new team mate next year? And Black may have given him a tepid offer to stay that angered him? 

Has Vinales gotten tantilized by riding many different bikes? Is anyone excited or feeling really good about this? 

Well funnily enough, I heard the same thing said during his first year at Aprilia. 

If anyone can win on a KTM next year, it's Mav. He will be the KTM rider with the best potential to win, from pole and throw in more fastest laps than the race distance for good measure. He will be the fastest, potentially fastest, KTM rider of all time. Probably wont win though. However, when the moon is at the right angle...you cannot know, nobody can know. 

I did not see Maverick moving at all. So who at Aprillia with Martin? Bez or Diggia? My bet is on Diggia, which based on current form means it's completely wrong.

Interesting that KTM are filling Tech3 with experienced riders. Looking at the KTM Ajo riders in Moto2, neither Vietti or Oncu are setting the world alight, so they may be looking further out for a spot for a future rookie, although that would be more likely from their Tech3 Gas Gas Moto3 team at the moment, Holdgardo and Roulstone impressing more than the Ajo riders.

Question now is, what for Miller and Augusto? Is it to LCR for Miller? As a Miller fan I would prefer he goes to WSBK on either the Ducati or BMW, that would be a more competitive situation for him. 

Now it's out on official media channels as well, i understand signing Bastianini but i don't get the Vinales thing - why?

Curious to see if Herve is all smiles with Maverick at the end 2025.

The Aprilia vacancy will now draw even more interest, i would go for Oliveira alongside Jorge. 

I'd go with Bez! He's currently struggling on the Ducati, may be tempted to try something else. And we've seen last year he has it in him, and Aprilia wants an Italian rider on their bike. Plus I think he is much better PR than Jorge Martin. Seeing Bezzecchi's interactions with the audience after his victories, like in Assen last year, I think he could be gold for Aprilia.