The Official 2020 Silly Season Thread

I don’t get Zarco. Everyone knew it wasn’t easy to ride and that his style didn’t really match. I thought he went to KTM specifically to cash in on his talent and assure his future, results being secondary. Then he acts surprised that the bike doesn’t work, and instead of putting his head down and taking the money he walks around like someone shot his dog. So does that mean that KTM wasn’t primarily about the money? If that’s true, dude was delusional. I thought he wanted to put his head down, get rich and commit to a 5 year plan of improving the bike around him as lead rider. Expecting wins and podiums was insane.

I don’t speak French so I don’t see Zarco as being a head case. I think he’s pretty blunt and I like that.

Walking away is a ballsy move, but it looks ballsy on the level of jumping off a cliff into the water without knowing how deep it is. Reckless.

I don’t see how he has a path forward in MotoGP. There are no rides next year. He’s pushing 30, and his stock is way down after breaking a contract. There’s plenty of youngsters coming up, and no one finds there way back after taking a year off or in another series.

It’ll be off to WSBK with him, permanently. Shame. I think Zarco could’ve pulled off the same thing Dovi did with Ducati. Sign to a well funded turd, put your head down and commit to making it a winner. Now look at Dovi.

 

If people interpret it as Zarco being the problem, I don’t see it being a problem for KTM. Still a look to be avoided. I think KTM will become a winner, if they’re not dogmatically committed to particular technologies.

 

Like a steel trellis frame and WP suspension? I actually hope they can get it to work without having to switch to an aluminum chassis.

 

I think that KTM is on the right track. People keep saying they need a top rider, but I have been happy with Pol Aspargaro this year. He has been up there in qualifying and many of the races if you take out the Honda, Yamaha and Ducati factory bikes, figure in Rins, Miller Crutchlow and Quartararo, that is a pretty strong top 10. How well do you think Pol would do on one of the bikes that have been finishing in front of him? I think KTM should move Oliveria up to the factory bike, put Binder and Martin on the Tech 3 bikes and help Lecuona in Moto 2. I think KTM made a big mistake bringing Zarco in in the first place. They have enough talent in their pipeline to feed their Moto GP program for years.

 

Oh hell, now you're gonna John Hopkins a whole company??!!!

That is mean....

 

Wait, Hopkins on the KTM? Instant two time world champions ride there.

 

if you look at the KTM race times this year vs. last year, they made a big step. they are really faster.




but the others are even fasterer.

KTM might have overlooked Character and Development skills in zarco. he came off a great chassis. same for Syahrin ...

they are both not Lorenzos. dude got on a difficult bike, put his head down, burnt some tires, lead for a few laps and suddenly started winning.

but to do taht, you got to phase out emotions, media and what others thing of you. and maybe what you think of yourself.


maybe someone should send Zarco a JLo scarf.

 

Ducati started on a trellis frame, that morphed into the "frameless" design, and eventually bit the bullet and went to a twin spar. Granted they were using the same suspension as everyone else. IIRC they also had one team on Mich and one team on BS tires? The question really is, would Ducati have had continued success if they didn't run the "frameless" design and stuck with the trellis? KTM should be taking notes.

Also, Ducati brought a monster of an engine when they first started in GP. At least that much hasn't changed.

 

I mean, the bike cutting off mid-corner, causing a crasher to crash, in a race isn't such a great bike

 

An awesome article by Mat Oxley about Ducati and their lack of awareness when it comes to their riders. All of which ties in nicely with this years silly season.

LINK

They're honestly getting what they deserve. I hope they go winless in SBK next year and I hope Jack Miller is proactively looking for a contract with another manufacturer for 2021.

 

Ducati went to the twin spar frame because of Rossi/Burgess.

 

Within 6 minutes

 

alvaro out at wsbk ducati

 

Painfully true

 

Out or left? Where's he going?

 

Hoonda

 

Source?

 

https://www.visordown.com/news/racing/motogp/lorenzo-zarco-redding-bautista-–-who-goes-where-2020

 

So we're getting a V4 honder with wings?!

Yay!

 

Nothing but speculation there. No definitive confirmation of anything