25' MotoGP/WSBK/MotoAmerica discussion thread **SPOILER ALERT**

[The Black Knight]

2025 begins now

[madvlad]

The paddock sees a pretty good shake up and the rider musical chairs are as follows:

Martin from Pramac Ducati to Aprilia Factory
Enea from Factory Ducati to Tech 3 KTM
Viñales from Aprilia to Tech 3 KTM
Acosta from Tech 3 KTM to Factory KTM
Miller from Factory KTM to Pramac Yamaha
Oliveira from Trackhouse Aprilia to Pramac Yamaha
Bez from VR46 Ducati to Aprilia Factory
Morbidelli from Pramac Ducati to VR46 Ducati
MM from Gresini Ducati to Factory Ducati

New riders are:

Newly crowned Moto2 champion Ai Ogura replaces Oliveira at Trackhouse Racing Aprilia
Fermin Aldeguer from Moto2 replaces MM at Gresini Racing Ducati. This move here for me is a bit premature from Ducati, this kid could have benefitted from another year in Moto2, he's got talent but is too emotional and very inconsistent still for a GP move. IMO Canet deserved more of a look to step into the GP paddock than anyone else besides Ai as he won the championship. Hope he gets a chance soon and with the way he's riding, he just may this upcoming season.
Somkiat Chantra from Moto2 replaces Taka Nakagami at Idemitsu LCR Honda (first ever Thai rider to be in the GP paddock)


Test rider roles:

Dani Pedrosa renews with Factory KTM for another year in that role with wild card entries as a possibility
Pol Espargaro has another year left with Factory KTM as a test rider as well with also wild card entries possible
Aleix Espargaro signed with HRC for a test riding role after he announced his retirement earlier this year, given that HRC have concessions, they will have ample wild card entry opportunities BUT Aleix hasn't confirmed if he will partake or not yet.
Taka Nakagami also remains signed with HRC on a test rider role as he also announced retirement from being a full time rider to make way for Chantra, it is confirmed he will do ample testing and also wild card race entries to gather information and test parts for HRC as they try to find answers to climb back to the top of the ladder
Augusto Fernandez signed with Factory Yamaha as a full time test rider as Tech 3 KTM did not renew his contract


The initial tests seemed very positive for Yamaha mainly, both riders were very happy with the new chassis and engine tested and even Oliveira had some good things to say about it, hope they can keep trucking that way. Bez and Martin seemed to adapt to the RS-GP well already and it'll be a matter of trying to fine tune to their styles and such in February at Sepang, sure hope they can bring the fight to Ducati as this Ducati cup is getting rather boring, we need more close racing. We'll check back in come test time in February!

[madvlad]

WSBK -

Bimota, Puccetti Kawasaki and Pata Yamaha just finished a two day test in Jerez. Bassani and Lowes hit the ground running on the Bimotas and looks like they have minor work to do to get the set up like they want it. Gerloff also hit the ground running with the 24' Factory Kawasaki set up that Lowes ran for this season, which he will be running next year. The test seemed like a very positive one for him, he's saying he is working on superpole pace, which is where he is struggling at the moment but seems very encouraged by the project and ran great and consistent times just barely behind the Bimotas. Yamaha tested a new chassis and some more aero, seems like they made some minor steps but doesn't seem like anything that will threaten BMW/Ducati for next year. Unfortunately that engine of theirs is tapped out performance wise and with the Euro6 emissions on the homologation, they no longer make R1 street bikes after 2025 (track only) so Yamaha won't dump insane money into developing a better engine. Rea also debuts a new crew chief and is looking to approach next year from another angle and see if he can salvage anything, I foresee Rea hanging it up after 2025 along with Bautista. Overall looks like Rea and Locatelli are SOL and will have to keep limping an aging and regressing R1 package, unless they switch to another manufacturer, just like in GP Yamaha just keeps putting lipstick on a pig.

[madvlad]

It is laughable the amount of grief Jorge Martin is receiving from fans and bench racers because during the Aprilia unveiling, he confirmed the #1 plate on his bike this upcoming season. I mean, it's not like he didn't earn it lmao, fans don't realize that this has nothing to do with Aprilia but more with the fact that he fought to earn that number and now because he switched manufacturers (because he got tossed to the dogs by the Ducati bosses to get their hands on an aging Marquez all due to marketing $$$), he is supposed to not have the number? It's absolutely ridiculous. Sure hope Martin and Aprilia find a way to shove it up Ducati and the fans asses this year and they keep that #1 plate. The day Marquez retires, it'll be a glorious day for this sport because it'll be able to move forward. That douche has become nothing but a nuisance for the sport