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The usual rumour mills are rife for this time of the year for the '03 season.
The WCM team had secured a deal with Honda for RC211V engines in Moriwaki Frames; but Red Bull seem to have pulled out - leaving WCM scrambling to find some $ to make the deal work. However like F1 now the MotoGP teams are franchised so any new team wanting to take part may have buy out the incumbents; meaning a deal may still be struck between WCM and Moriwaki (ie Moriwaki pick up some of the tab) as Moriwaki are determined to race next year even if only in wild card appearances. So hopefully we’ll get to see McCoy sliding in an around the front of the pack like he did when everyone was on equal machinery.
Speaking of equal machinery; Barros proved at Motegi that while there is no doubt Rossi is a rare talent; the RCV211 is an incredible machine. Apart from Suzuka 8 hours Barros has been riding 2 strokes for over 15 years – following 2 hours on Friday and 2 hours on Saturday; he turns up and wins Motegi in his first race ever on a RC211V. Kind of makes Rossi’s dominance look a little less god like.
Meantime Kawasaki still haven’t got round to fitting a slipper clutch to their new GP weapon – the ZXRR and Yanagawa managed to escape only so many rear wheel engine lock up slides before he bit the tarmac; breaking his hip at Motegi. Ex 600 Super Sport World champ Pitt will fill his boots at Sepang – he’ll be hoping Kawaskai have worked out how to build a slipper clutch by then no doubt.
