MotoGP: Indy!

It's only been a couple of weeks chronologically since Brno but a veritable eon in Gossip/Intrigue years. Everyone with even a passing interest in MotoGP has been aware of the Jorge Lorenzo attention whoring contract situtation. Will he sign with Ducati for big bux? Will he have a rare attack of good sense and re-sign with Yamaha? If he does jump to Ducati, who will go where? :nailbiting

All that folderol came to a screeching halt yesterday when Lorenzo decided not to commit career suicide to re-sign with Yamaha. Suffice to say that the rest of the silly season will probably not be nearly as dramatic.

Back to the matter at hand, which, in case you've forgotten, is racing. Valentino Rossi leads the title chase by 50 points, not an insurmountable amount to be sure, but you'd be a brave man indeed to risk much in the way of a bet against him. Last year at Indy in a monsoon the Doctor made it look easy and this year, if the good lord's willing and the creek don't rise (or even if it does), it looks to be more of the same.

Of course, if the weather cooperates, the competition should have more for the doctor. By competition, I mean Jorge "I never really meant to leave Yamaha" And Dani Pedrosa. The Honda was very strong here last year and Pedrosa is reasonably healthy. Expect Mini-P's teammate Andrea Dovizioso to be near the front as well.

Homeboy Nicky Hayden will look to do his best and this year that translates to 5-6th place. Now that Lorenzo isn't being fitted for red leathers, Hayden will probably be confirmed at Ducati for 2010, maybe this weekend or shortly thereafter.

This is America, and a circus would be woefully incomplete without a sideshow or two. Kevin Schwantz will take a parade lap on his 1993 title winning Suzuki and Kenny Roberts will reportedly take the bike they couldn't pay him enough to ride, the truly evil TZ-750 based dirt tracker, for a spin around the Indy Mile. Rumor has it that Valentino Rossi will give the TZ a shot, but this commentator is somewhat dubious.

Speaking of this commentator, I'll be at Indy (I rode halfway there today) and will hopefully post some pitiful pix and commentary when I can.

Lorenzo Re-Signs with Yamaha

According to MotoGP.com, Jorge Lorenzo has re-signed with Fiat Yamaha, for 1 year instead of the two that the team seeking. Everybody's happy. Expect to see announcements shortly that the Repsol Honda duo of Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso have signed and for Ducati to give Nicky Hayden another year to figure out the Desmosedici. Still up in the air is the line-up of the Tech 3 Yamaha team with Colin Edwards' future largely in the hands of fellow Texan Ben Spies.

Ryder on Radio

Roger Edmundson and Julian Ryder live on racefanradio 12PM ET 8/24/09

Lorenzo to Ducati -- Not so done deal?

The folks at RTVE.com are reporting that Ducati has made an offer to Lorenzo (through his agent) but Lorenzo has not accepted. Also, contrary to what was published in El Periodico, RTVE is claiming that Ducati team boss Livio Suppo did not stop off in Barcelona prior to winging his way to the US.

Lorenzo to Ducati -- Done Deal?

That's what the folks at motocuatro are saying.

The dominoes start to fall...

Nicky and 'tino -- Together Again?

More from the Bizarro universe that this year's MotoGP Silly Season has become.

Ready?

If Jorge Lorenzo takes a dump on Yamaha and signs with Ducati for Mega-Euro, then the #1 candidate to replace him at Fiat Yamaha becomes...





Wait for it...






None other than Nicky Hayden!




According to those wacky Italians over at GPone.com, Rossi has already given his stamp of approval to the deal...

Pedrosa Plan "B" for Ducati?

Mela Chercoles, writing in AS.com, is reporting that Ducati has talked to Dani Pedrosa about moving over to the red team in 2010. Reportedly, discussions are not as advanced as the widely publicized approach to Jorge Lorenzo, but it is an indication of how batshit crazy concerned Ducati is over Casey Stoner's (ostensibly) temporary departure from the team.