Has anyone heard if Spies is going to do any testing before the end of the year? I haven't heard anything about him since he signed the contract with yamaha. The suspence is killing me.
didn't the anouncers at the last Moto GP race say something about the possibility of Ben getting Colins Moto GP ride and Colin getting the WSB yamaha ride. or something like that.. thought that's what I heard, but I could be wrong, and I was just dreaming..
I think the announcers said the rumor was dead. That was actually the first I'd heard of it but I guess it was in circulation in Europe. Interesting idea though.
Well, they (Yamaha) seriously looked into making it happen. They really believe in Ben and are committed to him. And Herve Poncharal has said publicly that he wasn't very unhappy with Edward's performance during the second third of the season. He said last week that he was much more satisfied with the end of the season but that the midseason drop in performance had really upset him. The swap was just too complicated from a contractual standpoint. That's just my Internet opinion and does not represent anyone else's.
If I was Yamaha, I would have put Colin on the new R1 to team with Sykes. They'll need some experience building that bike. Then I'd have put Ben on the Tech 3 bike and would have a constant top 5 rider that would be helping push under achieving James Toseland. I believe WSBK or SBK whatever the hell its name is now, is back to garnering the respect it had pre-2004 so it wouldn't be a knock to Colin who's basically riding for paychecks now anyways.
It looks like Ben will be testing the Yamaha Tues\Wed next week. He is in Portugal hanging with team as is Houseworth his AMA crew chief. http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Oct/081031h7ws.htm
I was wondering if House would go with Ben. Those two work really well together. I'm glad that worked out. :up:
It wasn't their decision to make, he has a contract. And he allegedly has no interest in going back to SBK, he'd rather go back to America than do that from what I've heard.
Colin has a contract, I know that's the point nothing but rumors ever existed. I said if I was Yamaha. I like Colin, but I don't see him as being able to win a GP anymore. I'd have thrown the $ at Spies if I was Herve.
And I am trying to tell you that you could not have done it. Yamaha is Yamaha, and they couldn't do it. Your only option would have been to fire him if he didn't want to go.
