jwfzr

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Ducati comment on Bayliss and Biaggi test rumours

Wednesday, 16 April 2008
Ducati Marlboro MotoGP Project Director Livio Suppo has commented on the rumour that former MotoGP riders Troy Bayliss and Max Biaggi are being lined up to test the Desmosedici GP8, confirming that the Italian factory are considering such a move.



Ducati Marlboro MotoGP Project Director Livio Suppo has commented on the rumour that former MotoGP riders Troy Bayliss and Max Biaggi are being lined up to test the Desmosedici GP8, confirming that the Italian factory are considering such a move.
Both riders currently compete in Superbike racing on Ducati production machinery and could test the MotoGP 800cc prototype on which factory rider Marco Melandri and satellite pair Toni Elias and Sylvain Guintoli are currently struggling to achieve satisfactory results.
World Championship regulations state that MotoGP teams may only test with their nominated MotoGP riders on tracks that are part of the calendar along with their competitors on specific pre-defined dates, usually after Grands Prix - as seen recently at Jerez and Estoril.
But with only World Champion Casey Stoner able to produce anything resembling competitive lap times at present Ducati are reviewing their private testing options.
Bayliss has ridden for Ducati in MotoGP, whilst Biaggi boasts years of World Championship experience and both could provide crucial test insights to improve matters, with Honda and Yamaha having stepped up their game at the start of the 2008 campaign.
Suppo explained to motogp.com, `It´s not an easy situation to resolve with Marco. We have to try to understand if there is something on the bike that just suits Casey, or if it is just a feeling of Marco´s. The rules don´t allow us to test with the factory riders on the MotoGP circuits, apart from in certain circumstances, so we are thinking about having Max and Troy test the bike, but this is not for sure yet.´
`We have two riders in Superbikes with experience in MotoGP and they have different riding styles. They are both very fast with our Superbike so it could be interesting to have their feedback.´

jwfzr

No one has a comment about this? It's a pretty significant story.

mnewell

Meh...

It's just to test. I don't see anything that says they are actually going to ride in the MotoGP series.

I don't see how testing is considered significant news. The bikes don't work for anyone except Stoner. No real surprise there.

GixxerPete

^^ What he said.

If they hired Rossi to race, that would be news. Then they'd have the best bike AND the best rider, and be truly unstoppable.

jwfzr

Its clearly stating they are in trouble and are going to great lengths to try to make the bike work. That is news. Also I cannot see anyother company trying to aide their riders that suck "Melandri" in such a way.
Rossi would suck as bad as Melandri on the Duc, he's also not even in the top 3 talent wise in GP anymore Pete. You need to find another false Idol.

elizabethraab

Well I know for one that I'd be super bummed if Biaggi started riding GP again with Ducati. He is one of my least favorite riders. BUT, I'm also a big Ducati fan, so if they think it'll get the team going overall to a better level, rock on.

My favorite thing to think about during discussions of GP, is that even the worst dude, who comes in dead last is better than anyone of us has ever met by a huge distance (unless of course you've met a GP rider....).... And even the lamest bike is pretty damn sweet!

So, test on!

E

elizabethraab

I don't think that's the case though. It sounds more like they're trying to get a better fit for every rider/bike scenario. Obviosly they aren't in trouble if Stoner is kickin' ass on their bike.... He isn't number one at present. But in his second year he's still in the top 5. That says something. And Yamaha definitely has a better game this year than last.

GixxerPete

How about American Idol, Kelly Clarkson? With all the electronics on the Ducati doing the riding anyways, she could be just as fast as Stoner, is a lot cuter, and she sings a lot better.

Oh and Stoner would suck if he was on anything other than the Ducati. Or have you already forgotten his forgetable season on the 990 Honda, the most dominant bike of the 990 era?

mnewell

Elizabethraab brings the truth!

You rock.

elizabethraab

And for the record although I shoot Ducatis, I ride a Honda.


Thanks! You know, I try....

jwfzr

The past two races Stoner got his ass kicked. This is his third season, but I think you are right about the other rider.

jwfzr

Yes I think you might be onto something. All you have to do is anoint her the GOAT and you will be on your way Pete.
He did well on the 990 Sateliteteam when he kept it upright Pete.
I'd like you to explain why no one else has been able to ride the 800 duc to anything remotely resembeling success Pete? Capirossi has been a consitant top 5 guy his whole career. The new guy has not exactly been a slouch in his career. Really the only explanation is that Stoner is the best rider in GP at the moment.

late apex

Last year Ducati was up 10-20 hp on all the other teams and they had the best traction caontrol. To top it off, they had the best traction control rider.

This year Ducati seem to be up only 5-10 hp over the other teams. The others have evolved, or created better depending on your religious/scientific beliefs, their traction control to the same level. Riders like Rossi and The Pedrobot are learning to trust the electronics. Finally, something that Ducati had no control over, Rossi jumped ship from the Michelin to Bridgestone. Michelin will do, and spend, just about anything to make sure they win a championship this year. As a result, Ducati is now saddled with inferior tires.

GixxerPete

I think late apex pretty much answered your question for me.

GixxerPete

I shoot Ducatis too... they need to be put out of their misery. (sorry, coudn't resist that one )

elizabethraab

You sound like me talking about Mac computers.... All the style, elegance, engineering, better machinary etc. goes out the window with personal user preference

GixxerPete

Ruh-roh... the whole Rossi/Stoner thing is bad enough, but is this thread going to devolve into a PC/Mac thing too?

"Out the window" sounds like a good place for a Mac....

superslushpuppy

It's fairly simple. The reason Ducati did so well last year compared to this year is because they had a machine that was further along in the development cycle compared to the other mfr's. Ducatis production bikes are closer to an actual race bike compared to others that took a production bike and is developing it into a race bike. So the gap is closing. It all has to do with development cycles. IMHO.

elizabethraab

And there, we agree

vtwin

What considers an ass kicked really? In the motorcycle board world, people claim a .5 second on a bike is an ass kicking . Isnt the term "ass kicked" really over used for beat? Is being under 1 race win behind really getting your ass kicked? Hes won just as many races this year as anybody else, and at the widest margin. Hes had 1 bad race form his own riding that cost him some points. Ass kicked would be somebody more like Melandri who should be in the top 5 instead of 13th.
Im going to show you some ass kicking pretty soon when we get a nice day out, Vtwin powered style. So don't be running away to Alaska to soon.

mnewell

You keep getting cooler and cooler with every post you make.

E36M3K6GSXR

I've never seen Stoner start from 11th on the grid and then win the race. But whatever.

jwfzr

Yes but I've never seen Stoner racing with a bunch of crappy racers.

jwfzr

Am I gonna have to pull out a couple of sparkplugs again to go riding with you?

If you are the defending world champion anything other than a podium is an asskicking.

E36M3K6GSXR