Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/361826
IN THE WIND P22 MOTOGP: WHO GOES WHERE T he Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP on Sunday end- ed a busy summer break, with a flurry of contracts and signings, including a rapid volte face by Cal Crutchlow, signing to ride a Honda in 2015 a week after announc- ing he planned to stay with Ducati. Here's the latest round up. * Jorge Lorenzo: signed for two years, saying, "I want to finish my career with Ya- maha." As hinted at the last race, where he spoke about preferring a one-year deal, the contract is thought to be "one-plus-one," with a mid-term get-out clause for both sides. With Valentino Ros- si signed for two more years, access to factory Yamahas is closed until 2017. * Cal Crutchlow has signed with LCR Honda, taking over Stefan Bradl's satellite bike. This took all by surprise after his affir- mation at World Ducati Week he would be staying put and striving to improve his so-far dour re- sults. He declined to reveal de- tails of what he and Ducati said had been an amicable divorce; and has also gone into reverse over his previous rejection of stepping back again to a satellite ride. Good move, all the same. * This leaves a factory Ducati team slot open for Andrea Ian- none, solving an awkward situa- tion and giving Ducati an all-Ital- ian team. Andrea Dovizioso stays put at Ducati, pinning his hopes on the new bike promised by Gigi Dall'Igna, taken on board from Aprilia to save the day. * Pramac Ducati is expected to keep Yonny Hernandez, who has impressed this season. Mo- to2's Dominique Aegerter has been mentioned as a possible teammate, with some outside money going on Eugene La- verty or rising AMA Superbike rider Cameron Beaubier. * Aprilia's return may also come next season, a year ear- lier than expected. Names on the short-list range from Mar- co Melandri and Mika Kallio to Eugene Laverty. * Displaced Stefan Bradl was snapped up by NGM Forward Racing, to replace Aleix Espargaro – also a good move, given the Spaniard's demonstration of the team's and the Open Yamaha's strengths. * Aleix Espargaro, mean- time, confirmed he is well advanced in negotiations with Suzuki for the factory's 2015 re- turn. * Maverick Vinales is also on the brink of final confirmation with Suzuki: a bold move for the Moto3 World Champion, cur- rently finding Moto2 a bit easier than he expected, with one win already. * The Open-class Avintia team is set to abandon its long and frustrating attempts at turning a production Kawasaki engine into a GP racer to join the Ducati ranks next year, making six Des- mosedicis on the grid. Among the Spanish squad's efforts has been the fitment of pneumatic valve springs. Michael Scott Jorge Lorenzo (left) has signed up for two more years with the factory Movistar Yamaha team. Valentino Rossi (right) signed a few weeks ago, keeping the team intact through the 2015 and 2016 seasons. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE