Per MCN

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/mcn/2008/june/9-15/jun1108-ben-spies-to-ride-rizla-suzuki-motogp/

Talk about a lucky break (no pun intended). I don't expect Ben to set the world on fire at Donington but the more seat time he can get on the GP bike this year the better. If he is to get that $2.5 mil asking price he's looking for, here's his chance to do the business.

Wow... that was the first thought that wen't through my head when Dr. Costa said no Donington for Loris, but Loris said, "we'll see", so I brushed it off.

I'm gonna pull extra hard for Chrissy V in two weeks!

So it's not that you don't rate Spies but rather that you are anti-Spies. Interesting.

why you wanna hate on my boy like that, RR?

Has anyone else confirmed it? All the Brits I know say not to trust MCN.

cycle snooze confirms it: http://www.cyclenews.com/ShowStory.asp?HeadlineID=12433

soup confirms it: http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Jun/080612a.htm

motogp.com confirms: http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2008/Spies+confirmed+for+Donington+debut

Good! I was curious because Aoki's contract says he gets the ride, he must have agreed to be a team player.

The superbikeplanet article hardly confirms it saying "Spies didn't seem to know anything about it".

Either Ben was pulling Dean's leg or just waiting for something more official before saying anything?

He probably wanted to wait after the Mid Ohio test to confirm the Donington ride are until the Motogp team confirmed it like they did today before talking about it.

Gary, are the two mutually exclusive (not rating Spies and being anti-Spies)?

Zoot, it isn't a Texas thing (I do like Colin most of the time), it mostly has to do with the AMA. I mean, I don't like the kids attitude... but beyond that, if he gets shown up, well than that also throws it in the face of the AMA thugs who think they are big shots (mostly Mladin, but also Duhamel, the Hayden's, Yates).


I haven't heard anything confirming Spies, but it does make sense. I don't know about Aoki's contract though. I do know that everyone is talking about Spies, so everyone is curious to see how he does. But I think all the attention is due more to a thin rider market than to his ability.

Oh, and Motosprint confirmed that Nicky had an "interview" in the Ducati hospitality trailer after Saturday qualifying. They mentioned him walking in and out in broad daylight, wearing full HRC gear... hinting that as much as anything that it might be a tactic to try and make HRC more urgent to keep him. He is also said to have spoken to Kawasaki... which most definately is for the sake of appearance.

With Melandri 4 seconds slower than Stoner on the GP09, and 3 seconds slower than young Canepa... I think his fate is sealed. Too bad for him, but I'll be happy to see him back to his winning ways on another bike.

robertorolfo - 12 June 2008 10:11 AM

Gary, are the two mutually exclusive (not rating Spies and being anti-Spies)?

They are are not, but it is my experience that when one is the latter they have poor judgment on the former.

I don't rate Elias as a great GP rider but I have nothing against him and wish him well. I can't stand Biaggi and it clouds my judgment. See how it works?

As far as Melandri, if he keeps finding himself 3 seconds slower than a tester he may have an interesting time finding a team that wants him. A rider with his confidence that badly destroyed is not always a hot prospect!