latest rumours from secret squirrel

[flash]

here is a link to the latest rumours these are not facts


http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2004/Dec/041223b.htm

[Ricky J]

It's hard to disagree with what's written there, MotoGP at the moment has some real health issues. Their ace in the hole right now is the wildly popular Clown Prince of Motorsports, Valentino Rossi- as long as #46 is around he can carry the show almost by himself, but for how much longer? Ferrari keep dangling an F1 car in front of him. When he finally departs I think the overall popularity of MotoGP would naturally decrease, and with that the interest to sponsors. If series costs are still uncontrolled when that happens then it becomes a real crisis.

2007 will see the reduction of displacement to 900cc and another round of very expensive updates to machinery. It's another critical period for MotoGP: will more manufacturers choose to bow out after 2006 rather than spend that money?

And when lower echelon teams struggle against not only their smaller budgets but inferior tires one simple way to help them is a spec tire rule. Maybe its time has come...

[dowzerr]

For the less competitive teams it'll be like a chance to start over (budgets allowing) and for the main competitors it'll be a chance for showing off new engineering (Honda)
The sport will lose some popularity due to Vale leaving for F1 (imagine if he did both??) but it will also level the playing field and give us something F1 doesnt have, an evenly balanced playing field.

[Steve / AF1 Racing]

Can anybody think of any racing series that has ever put into effect a successful cost containment program?

Even NASCAR, with thier twenty-five year old technology, have costs over 80million to run a two team car for one season.

Prototype racing, like Motogp, is necessarily more expensive due to the rarity of the racing equipment.

-Steve

[Dvus]

Originally posted by dowzerr
For the less competitive teams it'll be like a chance to start over (budgets allowing) and for the main competitors it'll be a chance for showing off new engineering (Honda)
The sport will lose some popularity due to Vale leaving for F1 (imagine if he did both??) but it will also level the playing field and give us something F1 doesnt have, an evenly balanced playing field.

Well I'm sure Rossi needed a challenge. He certainly got that this past year when he switched to Yamaha. He also created some excitement by making his nearest rival for the championship his feuding nemises. I'd like to see some more GP programs in the States. Watching the races on Sundays are great, but in order to win more viewers the marketing geniuses will have to tap into a storyline. Have more shows dedicated to the GP racing. Show Qualifying rounds and behind the paddock scenes. Place manufacturer vs manufacturer. Jibernau vs Rossi on and off the track would be cool. Drama and reality tv at the same time. It's what's popular here. Would certainly get the women more involved in the sport. Potential revenue boosts with merchandise and commercials.

[falco03]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dvus
I'd like to see some more GP programs in the States. Watching the races on Sundays are great, but in order to win more viewers the marketing geniuses will have to tap into a storyline. Have more shows dedicated to the GP racing. Show Qualifying rounds and behind the paddock scenes.

i totally agree with that. motorcycle sports (road racing, i mean) could really use a boost in this regard. i'm just not sure that anyone, as in speed tv, will make that leap of faith. they have their NASCRAP to keep them going and that's how it's going to be.