Hodgson to MotoGP

[JohnnyFiama]

According to the BBC website Hodgson is 90% certain to join MotoGP next year. He will ride for a privateer team using 2003 spec Ducatis. “Expect an announcement with two weeks”.

[f1manoz]

As long as he doesn't take Bayliss or Capirossi's seats. But, then again, is he really deserving of being in the MotoGP field?

Although he's dominated WSB this year, he's looked quite fragile at times and is winning against a very weak field.

There is no doubting the guy has talents, but I don't think he'll do much in MotoGP.

Good luck to him if this deal is to be announced.

[Dani Filth]

no .. he;s not good enough to challenge for the championship

[BootsOntheSide]

I can't really see Neil as a frontrunner, even if he did get works bikes. He doesn't seem to be as good as Bayliss, who achieved a lot more in the timeframe in both World and British Superbikes.

[racer69]

He should stay where he is.

Isn't the rumour he might get a WCM-run Ducati, which would be the second-string Ducati team.

He could stay where he is, run at the front, win races, maybe even the Superbike Championship again (although next years SBK rules look like they may favour the 4 cylinder bikes quite abit)

[Rambo]

Neil has improved since he was Bayliss' team mate in BSB. Look at Chris Walker compared to Toseland and compare that to how Neil was thrashing Jamie last year. The fact that Neil couldn't beat Bayliss or Edwards' newer bikes last year (let's face it - no bugger else could, either) doesn't mean anything. Neil was fast enough to go quicker than Foggy in his prime when they were team mates. But he was an immature kid then - he's changed a lot: He's grown up. Look how much Edwards (even if I don't like him) has improved over time! Some riders don't get any better - some even get worse - but some, like a fine wine, mature with age.

[gomick]

i remember a young neil riding an roc yamaha in the early 90's - he finished 11th in the 500cc title if my memory serves me correct ..... why would he want to stay in the wsbk championship, moto gp is his only option

[racer69]

Why is it his only option, if all he'd be doing is playing second fiddle to the works Ducati's?

[Yoong Montoya]

Originally posted by gomick
i remember a young neil riding an roc yamaha in the early 90's - he finished 11th in the 500cc title if my memory serves me correct ..... why would he want to stay in the wsbk championship, moto gp is his only option

Why? Because WSBK is a sinking ship?

[paulzinho]

If Hodgson goes though doesn't that make the WSBK situation even more dire, it'd belosing its names as well as its bikes.

[gomick]

so does wsbk survival depend on hodgson staying - i thought manufacturers were more important than riders....

[f1manoz]

WSB is about manufacturers. Anyway, I don't think losing Hodgson is that big a deal. He's only a big name because everyone else left!

[racer69]

I agree, i hardly think Hodgson is a marketable name for the series.

It'll be interesting to see how the new 'team and wildcard emphasis' goes next year (provided they scrap the silly control tyre so wildcards can compete), as opposed to the manufacturer emphasis

[Rambo]

Originally posted by f1manoz
WSB is about manufacturers. Anyway, I don't think losing Hodgson is that big a deal. He's only a big name because everyone else left!

Rubbish. he made a name for himself before "everyone else" left. He made a name for himself as a wildcard, before coming 5th or 6th or wahtever in his first full season and then 3rd last year. Last year Bostrom didn't leave, he just did bugger-all - bu the year before he won what - 6 or 7 races? And saying there were only two good riders in a World Championship then doesn't say a lot for Baylis or Edwards, does it? You're saying they only looked good because everyone else is rubbish!

[gomick]

at the end of 2002 wsbk lost edwards and bayliss and survived..... losing hodgson at 2003's end, why would wsbk die - lack of manufacturer support

[paulzinho]

My point was that WSBK is losing its manufacturers and its champions to a rival series. That cannot be a good thing!!

[gomick]

true, wsbk should also be used as a feeder series to moto gp - what d'ya reckon!

[Rambo]

So without Foggy the series doesn't count in it's own right? So what does that make national Superbike championships?

[f1manoz]

Originally posted by Rambo
You're saying they only looked good because everyone else is rubbish!

Hodgson only looks good because he's on a clearly superior machine to everyone else and is partnered by a rider who clearly is second-rate.

If you stuck Chili on that machine, Hodgson wouldn't be walking away. I'd also add Lavilla to that list...

WSB will be fine without Hodgson anyway. But him going to MotoGP will destroy his career as he's clearly not good enough to ride there.

[racer69]

I agree with that. The 999 is a much better bike than Hodgson or Xaus have shown.

[blackx]

would that be the superior machine that didnt finish in the top 3 of race 2 ????
Or would that be the second rate rider who beat him in race 2 also ????

[bestfit]

I agree with that. The 999 is a much better bike than Hodgson or Xaus have shown.

How can you make a claim like that when there are no other riders using the bikes to compare them with?

[racer69]

Because the old bikes, and ancient one's at that in the likes of Chili and Laconi, can battle with and in some cases beat them, and also they are the factory Ducati team.

If there were other riders using the new bikes, maybe they would lift their game, who knows.

[kevf]

Hodgson deserves a chance at MotoGP saying he is not good enough after what he is doing this year si just the negative attitude i would expect from an englishman about an englsih sportsman. last year hodgie road an inferior bike to bayliss yet for most of the races was battling with him and edwards especially at the beginning of a race his tyres did go off and couldn't keep up the pace but he was there he is doing exactly this year what bayliss did last year.

So are we saying here hodgie is **** he only looks good because he's got a good bike.. so is rossi only looking good because he's got a good bike i think not..

WSBK is about manafacturers... hopefully they should come back into it next year which should add some fun monster mob should be back so will, give some more interest especially now shakey know he can beat the world boys...

[BootsOntheSide]

No no no Kev, I don't agree with much of that.

Hodgson isn't acheiving much this eyar, all he's doing is beating a crasher on an identical bike and a bunch of comparative nobodies (Chili and Toseland excepted) on aged machinery. You can't call it a topline chamopionship with the results guys like Borciani and amrtina re getting.

Rossi may have the top bike, but Biaggi's bike isn't far behind the pace, and we can't tell how much slower the Ducatis and Yamahas are. Certainly they are not as far back as everyone else is behidn the WSBK Ducatis.

Gibernau also has the works bike and is giving Rossi a run for his money in an increasingly thrilling title battle, and Ukawa and Hayden aren't brillaint, but aren't bad by any means. The overall competition level in MotoGP was always much higher than Superbikes, even before Bayliss and Edwards switched.

The works manufacturers won't return to Superbikes, Honda are the only possibility, and Suzuki will only stick around if the rules package is what they want. Even Ducati aren't certain yet.