It looks like there is some serious horse-trading already going on in advance of the January 7 MSMA 'Crisis Summit.' In order for Aspar to be able to bring in a Spanish rider and Spanish sponsorship, there are negotiations taking place between the Scot and San Carlo Gresini teams, both running satellite Hondas, to place Melandri on the Scot team along with Yuki Takahashi -- but this requires Scot taking one of the four bikes assigned to the Gresini Team (for Alex de Angelis and Toni Elias) and transferring it to the San Carlo Gresini Honda team. This plan could work, but needs Honda approval and also would require a major rule-change. (See “The Incredible Shrinking Grid,” also posted on this site today for more detail on this Gresini miracle of the loaves and fishes.)
The Italian press continues to make reference to some clause in the FIM-Dorna contract that requires
18 bikes on the grid, but articles in the Spanish press, citing an anonymous Dorna source, refer to a similar clause in TV agreements. As these agreements are confidential, these articles must be regarded as speculation. Ezpeleta has merely said that he considers 18 riders to be an acceptable minimum, although as recently as four years ago he said that the correct number of bikes on the grid would be 24. At present the Dorna website still shows a 19-rider list including the two Kawasaki riders, and if the complicated arrangements that are now going on between Dorna, Aspar, Team Scot, and Team San Carlo Gresini are approved by Honda and Kawasaki, that 19-rider grid could be saved.
The 'Crisis Summit' on the 7th will see the Japanese big four plus Ducati trying to hammer out compromises on future rules to lower costs and at the same time trying to find ways to keep the grid at 19.
