Carter: Bike racing will survive

Eurosport - Fri, 19 Dec 17:03:00 2008

Strange things are afoot in motorcycle racing, not least of all caused by the global financial crisis - but none of them mean the end of racing as we know it.

2009 Tests Jerez Honda Pedrosa - 0

We have rumours of Honda's reduced short-, mid- and long-term involvement in MotoGP doing the rounds, spurred on by the factory's recent announcement that it was pulling out of F1.

Honda bosses have been quick to reassure everyone that they will remain in MotoGP, but they have also spoken out recently about how many fewer motorcycles they are going to sell over the coming year, too.

Something may have to give somewhere. Of course, the factory's huge investment and interest in motorcycling racing is down more to the several hundreds of millions of pounds it makes as a company than how many motorcycles it sells, but the two are obviously linked in both a creative and passionate way.

The Honda involvement in World Superbikes seems sturdy though. The main team there is the Ten Kate set-up, run by Ronald and Gerrit Ten Kate. They have been, and continue to be, something of a satellite squad, getting some assistance from Honda, but maybe not quite as much as people would like to think.

Where the current situation plays well for the Ten Kate lads is that their team has been run as a separate, stand-alone concern for years. They are not based on big handouts or financial backing from a manufacturer so the problems and blips that might affect others may not be felt quite so sharply by them in the immediate future.

Long-term finances may be squeezed by the economic downturn, but if that happens the Ten Kate boys have enough experience , flexibility and intelligence to deal with it and keep on racing.

But it is in the British Superbike Championship that the first rumbling of a big factory not racing next year is being felt, with Ducati not represented in the big bike class next season.

Both Team GSE and the North West 200 concerns have found favour elsewhere for 2009. The GSE boys have signed with Yamaha and will field the four-cylinder machines for the next three years - in 2009 they will take to the track in Airwaves colours, which shows that the Wrigleys people value the series - while the North West 200 backing has moved with Michael Rutter to one side of the Rob Mac Racing set-up.

So while there has been some gnashing of teeth and prophecies of doom and gloom around our sport, it would appear that even when factory bosses decide that they don't want to take part in something for a season, the riders, money and passion to keep racing will find a way through.

As well it should.

Tony Carter / Eurosport

Comment 8 - 27 of 27

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  1. Mvanja have you not been listening to the MotoGP­ coverage last season??? Dorna has switched to the BBC­ (God help us) The Eirosport commentary team i.e. Julian­ and Toby are out of work (Randy is still doing the­ Ducati thing for the posh people).
    It's all about­ the money and not the fans as far as the fat cats at­ Dorna are concerned. I personally am learning Spanish­ as the commentary will be more exciting than the drivel­ spouted out by the kings of mogadon at the­ BBC!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    P.S. The BBC have also been given the­ F1 coverage instead of ITV!!!!

    From Martie_46, on Sat 10 Jan 10:15AM

  2. I have just seen the comercial on eurosport about the­ program for 2009 and it never mentioned moto gp for­ this year. Is it possible that they are not planing to­ cover this year moto gp live??????????????? Please­ somebody answer

    From Vanja, on Fri 9 Jan 11:58PM

  3. lose the traction control

    From Benjamin M, on Sun 4 Jan 11:29PM

  4. Whats to say if Honda dont start winning races they­ might take there bat and ball home half way through the­ season. Lets face it if there not winning they dont­ like playing. see F1 for instance.

    From carl.shackleton, on Thu 1 Jan 8:42PM

  5. I agree Barry. Rossi, Stoner, Lorenzo, Dovisioso in­ that order for 2009 I think. Dani will win the odd race­ I'm sure but will be found wanting again over the­ full season. Best hope is challenging Dovi for fourth­ place I reckon.

    From Holty, on Thu 1 Jan 2:27PM

  6. Rrcarsofgosport you should calm down. Everyone is­ entitled to their opinion. But you must face the facts.­ Dani only has one advantage, he weighs the same as an­ empty @#$% packet. In a world were power to weight is­ half the equation being 15kg lighter will give him the­ advantage in tyre ware and low, mid and top end power.­ Even with this he has under achieved this year and his­ back biting has not helped him either, he also needs to­ find a personality because frankly he is as exciting as­ a damp dish cloth. For me this year will be about­ finding out how good Casey is? I hope that Nicky can­ master the monster Ducati and the change of tyres. The­ first few races will be about Rossi and Casey again but­ as all the others get use to the tyres and bikes it­ should be a ding @#$% of a year. I don’t care who wins­ but let’s have entertaining racing.

    From barry.riddell, on Wed 31 Dec 1:25PM

  7. Global financial crunch has just hit­ Kawasaki.............so NO Kawasaki MotoGP team for­ 2009...............! Melandri and Hopkins both out of­ a job..............!!!

    From Poison, on Tue 30 Dec 1:18PM

  8. Dani won't do it again this year and will try to­ blame everyone else again !!!! It will be between the­ Ducati's and Rossi . Be nice to see Haydon win it­ just to stick it to Honda like Rossi did .

    From pdmcosworth, on Fri 26 Dec 12:41AM

  9. and with this reccesion they still want to kill of the­ 250's and increase the costs accross the board for­ r-n-d and getting the new class to the track then­ convince us the buying public that it is in our favour?

    From piers, on Thu 25 Dec 9:21PM

  10. If Lorenzo stays fit and Dovi is looked after by Honda­ these two could run it close - they'll both­ certainly chalk up a win or two. Can't really see­ pass Rossi for the winner but it will be very close.­ Pedrosa will always do well and / or win on the tracks­ that suit him, however on those that don't he seems­ almost like an also ran - Don't think he's got­ the consistency to match Rossi

    From pfy1101, on Tue 23 Dec 5:25PM

  11. matthew, Nice one you have Stoner 1st and 4th, I reckon­ the 4th is about right.

    From GEORGE, on Tue 23 Dec 11:31AM

  12. rrcarsofgosport i promise you, that you won't see­ Pedrobot near top 3 next season 2009, so CHILL OUT!­

    FACK PEPSOL!

    From sputnik_nyc, on Mon 22 Dec 8:58PM

  13. Boy am I desprate. I accualy read this stuff. there a­ few knodledgeable people out there. And the rest are­ amuseing. I am hopeing for rain every race. But I never­ get it. Oh well. Everybody keep typeing till the first­ race. Merry Christmas.

    From X RACER, on Mon 22 Dec 6:48PM

  14. every one that races moto gp are very very talanted,­ give dani a break dont forget he was leading the­ championship at one point this season. but like a few­ of you have said he is going to struggle in 09. i recon­ it will finish as followed:­ stoner,rossi,lorenzo,stoner,hayden,dovizosa,pedrosa,gib­ ernau,toseland,edwards. what every1 else think,please­ no abuse

    From matthewschris55, on Mon 22 Dec 10:22AM

  15. Without F1,I don't think entertainment is a­ different thing.But without motorcycle racing,either­ MotoGP,WSBK,BSB,etc.,there will be no entertainment.And­ by the way,2009 MotoGP champion will go to Valentino­ Rossi again.If not,to Jorge Lorenzo.

    From Guyver_3, on Mon 22 Dec 2:27AM

  16. Never seen a bike race n99edw? , i've seen more­ bike races home and abroad and have the ticket stubs to­ prove, it how the @#$% can you say dani is useless, not­ even rossi, stoner,hayden etc would say that or anyone­ else with an IQ above 3, !!!!REPSOL ROSS

    From REPSOL ROSS, on Mon 22 Dec 12:17AM

  17. Post 9, Dani, not sly, dream on. Which Honda rider­ looked at the settings of all other Honda riders last­ year but refused to let anyone look at his settings?­ Answer: Dani Pedrosa!!!! He also jumped ship from­ Michelin halfway through the season because he's a­ dummy spitting spoilt brat, but not sly and devious,­ yeah right!!!

    From GEORGE, on Sun 21 Dec 4:49PM

  18. Wake up Repsol Ross, You obviously haven't seen a­ bike race in your life, I wouldn't let Dani ride my­ bike! He's useless and will never be a Moto Gp­ World Champion. Rossi, Stoner, Hayden and Lorenzo are­ all way better than Dani and will all finish above him.­ Even Dovi would if he got equal treatment from Honda!

    From n99edw, on Sun 21 Dec 3:57PM

  19. At least Dani is not the sly devious person Rossi is­ lets hope he kicks that fat @#$%" of his

    From maxijak, on Sun 21 Dec 1:55PM

  20. Not really seen Dani do any real racing since he came­ to Moto GP, leading from the front of the grid and­ winning is one thing but getting involved in a dogfight­ and then winning is not something he's seems to be­ capable of. If he doesn't pull a rabbit out of his­ hat this year he'll be on his way out of Honda I­ reckon.

    From GEORGE, on Sun 21 Dec 8:24AM
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