MotoGP 2003: The teams, the riders
This year’s MotoGP silly season, as the annual contract hunt is known,
will go down as one of the most unpredictable and protracted in living
memory. But the fog of confusion has lifted and here’s your list of
who’s gone where…
(Repsol) Honda
Reigning champion Valentino Rossi and AMA Superbike champion Nicky
Hayden will pair up as the Honda spearhead on the RCV, possibly
retaining Spanish oil giant Repsol as title sponsor. Repsol has signed
a letter of intent, but nothing is yet confirmed. Further rumours put
Jerry Burgess, Rossi’s crew-chief and engineering guru, in total
charge of both crews.
Aprilia
Last week Aprilia confirmed what everyone had suspected for sometime,
that Nori Haga would seal his return to the Grand Prix paddock with a
ride on the RS3, alongside WSB champion Colin Edwards. Edwards has
persuaded the squad to switch to his favoured Michelins for 2003.
Haga’s preference is for Dunlop’s – his last experience on the
Michelin’s was in the 2001 season, during his forgettable season with
Red Bull Yamaha on a two-stroke YZR.
Kawasaki
Kawasaki has confirmed Garry McCoy will fill the vacant slot on the
factory ZX-RR alongside 2001 World Supersport champion Andrew Pitt in
an all-Aussie dream team. In recent tests at Valencia in Spain the
in-line four ZX-RR was a good 1.5 seconds off the pace, although the
factory’s president Shinichi Morita is on the record as saying: "
Money is no object. We will do whatever it takes to make sure we
challenge for the world championship. "
Suzuki
2000 500cc champion Kenny Roberts has signed a two-year deal with
Suzuki on the GSV-R. His erstwhile partner Sete Gibernau has jumped
ship to Honda, taking his lucrative Telefonica deal with him and
Suzuki hopes to announce its new title sponsor soon. American Roberts
will be joined by countryman John Hopkins, the young hot-shot who rode
under Red Bull Yamaha colours in the WCM team with Garry McCoy in
2002.
Fortuna Yamaha
Altadis, the Spanish tobacco empire, brings a new name to the Yamaha
squad. Fortuna Yamaha as it will be known has retained the services of
Spaniard Carlos Checa, with newly-crowned 250cc world champion Marco
Melandri filling Max Biaggi’s now vacant space in the pits. According
to Yamaha, there’ll be no preferential treatment – both Yamaha squads
will share factory parts and development.
Gauloises Yamaha
Big-selling French cigarette brand Gauloises, also part of the
Altadis/Yamaha tie-up, has one of the brightest prospects for 2003 in
Alex Barros. Brazilian Barros made good on his switch from Honda RCV
to Yamaha in the post-season test at Valencia, slotting the top times.
He’ll partner Frenchman Olivier Jacques on the M1.
Malboro Ducati
Two of the hardest men in racing, 2001 WSB champion Troy Bayliss and
multiple 125 and 250cc world champion Loris Capirossi will ride the
new Desmosedeci MotoGP machines. The engine firing format is yet to be
decided – whether they go for a ‘screamer’, where the cylinders in the
V4 format fire independently or whether they fire in double V-twin
style – one half of the V, followed by the next. When asked which he
would ride Bayliss said: " Which ever is fastest. I don’t care whether
it’s go square wheels so long as it’s quick. "
Telefonica Honda
Communications giant Telefonica has taken its Movistar mobile phone
millions from Suzuki to Sete Giberanau’s new home at Honda alongside
2001 world 250 champion Daijiro Kato. They will form a second factory
squad alongside the Rossi/ Hayden one.
Proton KR
Kenny Roberts has retained the services of both Nobuatsu Aoki and
Jeremy McWilliams on the new Proton KR V5. They will continue to run
on Bridgestone tyres.
McWilliams said: " I’ve never raced a four-stroke before and I don’t
say it’ll be easy, but I don’t have any fears and I’m really looking
forward to it. "
Pons Honda
There’s a possible tie-up with Pramac still under discussion, but with
multiple 250 world champion Max Biaggi and MotoGP race winner Tohru
Ukawa signed up, sponsorship shouldn’t be hard to find. The team will
campaign leased Honda RCV’s, though development parts will only be
forthcoming if the riders get the results.
D’Antin Yamaha
The likely team is Shinya Nakano and Norick Abe on a pair of M1s.
There are still more questions than answers though.
WCM
With the Red Bull company pulling its money from the MotoGP class, WCM
boss Peter Clifford has been forced to release riders Garry McCoy and
John Hopkins to other teams. Clifford has said he’ll definitely be
back in 2003, possibly running a road bike like a GSX-R1000, heavily
modified to comply with MotoGP prototype rules. He has been casting
around for riders, but without a solid sponsor he may well struggle to
attract top names.
--
-Michael
Div. Aprilia RS250-dele til salg på:
http://medlem.jubii.dk/lightrabbit