Stoner signs 2 Year LCR Honda Deal (Confirmed)

[asha]

Randy Mamola spilled the beans.

Eurosport commentator Randy Mamola revealed exclusively on air that a three-year deal had been signed on Saturday evening.

http://www.eurosport.com/home/pages/...to786448.shtml
Although, other reports state that this is just a 'letter of intent', so lets just say that "if there is a Camel Honda, then Casey wil ride for them".

The same day the Ducati anounced that sete is confirmed for 2006 (apparently $3million euros)
http://www.ducati.com/racing/home_ne...l?newsId=26038

[Gerben24]

The big question is going to be, will it be Biaggi or Checa as teammate? I would go for Biaggi.

[Hazza]

With Biaggi comes Camel Ciggaretes.

With Checa comes crashes, and two fifths of bugger all results, and what would you expect from someone who's only won two races.

[Gerben24]

However, the twist is that Camel are eager to have either Checa or Max Biaggi on their second Pons Honda next season. Both are backed by the tobacco company...

With Biaggi comes a lot of moaning and not always the best publicity. That's I believe, the reason Honda don't want him on their bike anymore.

I would still choose him over Checa!

[chunder]

I very much doubt Honda will ever have anything to do with Biaggii again after he accused them of sabotaging one of his bikes!
I think that maybe Checa will get the ride, you have to say he has been impressive the last few races since Bridgestone gave the team a decent tyre.
And I think he is still hungry for success. I dont think Sito would want a team with two yougsters unless he was getting something from Dorna to do it!
But then again Max went well with Sito's team before so you never know, but I very much doubt HRC will let him ride a Honda again!

[asha]

A Stoner / Max team would be very good for both I think.

I can't understand all this "never again on a Honda" talk. The head of HRC said it was rubbish, but that doesn't always mean its true. I reckon Max will get the ride, has there been a season that Checa has beaten Max in the championship?

[BootsOntheSide]

Casey should be a great addition to the series, he's looking like a strong guy for the future. He and Dani Pedorsa could be leading the Honda charge by 2007 on the 800cc bikes. As for his team-mate, the risk Camel run form hiring Biaggi is that Honda might be less supportive of them if things go wrong after some of Max's 2005 behaviour. Any chance of Barros staying?

[venturi]

That's fantastic news for Casey and us , the bike fans . With Hayden and Melandri having good recent results and being settled in to their teams for next year it should be a great season next year !!

With the added bonus of Vermuelen on the suzuki hopefully showing some form when he gets up to speed with them , it looks like a great year in 2006 for Motogp.

Can't Wait

[JulianF]

"...2007 on the 800cc bikes."

I know that this is getting a bit OT, but I haven't been keeping in touch with the MotoGP of late. Are they reducing the capacity of the bikes for '07 to 800cc? Why's that - too quick in current spec?


Cheers
Julian F

[Dani Filth]

the shortest answer .. YES

[SALEEN S7R]

Originally Posted by JulianF

Are they reducing the capacity of the bikes for '07 to 800cc? Why's that - too quick in current spec?


Cheers
Julian F

Yes. Cant blame the FIM really either, top speed wise they are faster than GP2 cars, if you crash at 215mph at Mugello your dead, most likely.

[JulianF]

Thanks - agreed! They are bloody quick at Mugello - and still popping the front wheel just before the put the brakes on

Cheers
JulianF

[BootsOntheSide]

The new specification is ideal for Honda, as they can converty their exisitng engine much more easily than most other manufacturers. Needless to say, 800cc bikes were Honda's idea. Some kind of power reduction is required - the bikes are at the point where they can potentially have too much power to be rideable - but maybe by different means.

[chunder]

Rumours are that Honda are going to run a three cylinder, so yes Boots in theory they can ust lop the back pair of cylinders off the twin and go that way.
Tell you what intrigues me about all this and that is the Foggy Petronas machine, that was originally built for GP and was boosted in capacity a bit to comply wi the WSB rules, maybe that machine might now be ideal as a platform for a GP bike, the chassis has always been good and I think thay have got pretto good results for what is a drastically underpowered machine!
As for Max going to Camel, I fear he really won't, HRC play their cards close to their chest and the other quote from the same boss was that "we are very disappointed with his results on a factory machine!" hardly glowing praise considering all his *****ing in years past about not getting the right machine!
Checa has been very6 consistent since Brno, is sponsor friendly and would surely help Casey out with setup and stuff, plus he is Spanish in a Spanish team which alwasy helps.
If he had done a Jacque and only got one good result I could see a point, but he has been regular top six since he got good tyres and that aint bad, not winning but aint bad!

[asha]

Stoner top rookie on Valencia day one.

Stoner is set to spend his debut premier-class season with Honda Pons, after also agreeing a multiple year deal which Crash.net understands is directly with HRC (rather than with Pons).

If true, that would mean that Honda can place him in whichever of their MotoGP teams they wish - and that Stoner has a better chance of graduating to a full factory ride in future seasons.

http://www.crash.net/uk/en/news_view...d=6&nid=121933

[HDTVKSS]

and Checa binned it on lap 3 huritng his chest......

Stoner setting the 4th fastest time is a great start. interesting that Vermulen also says that the bike is easy to ride?? thats a lot different from what other motoGP debutants have said. i hope they get their act togeather and get the bike up there. i just fear that 06 will end up being a development year for the 07 machine

[chunder]

Interestingly enough when Sir Alan of Cathcart tested the 04 bike for a magazine he said it was quite easy to ride, feeling like it had superbike power in a GP frame.
It does amazxe me how Suzuki just cannot ever seem to be able to get enough power to compete in GP's.
the stroker always made the power in the wrong places and Kenny won the title that year because they made a great chassis and he adn Warren just clicked with something, nest year he was 16.5 tyres and it was a shed and has been ever since!
Surely it cant be that hard to make the motor make more power!
Sad to hear Carlos binned it, but how about Casey, man was he quick, and quicker that Dani!!
#Also shout for Ellison, 9th quickest out of a few more than that and quicker than Rolfo who has been on the thing all year!

[f1manoz]

I can see Checa riding for Pons next year in some sort of swansong. Stoner already quick on the bike eh? C'arn Casey!!!!

[gomick]

great news for casey....

[pink69]

Casey is out of the Pons set up and has signed for Ceccinello's team again who have graduated to motogp with a Honda, not a Yamaha as first speculated. Apprently lack of funding is to cause for the Pons fall thru, had Camel of been there it wouldnt have been a problem. Looks more likely now Biaggi will sign for Kawasaki cause if he didn't have a ride, Camel would have stayed with Pons.

[Hazza]

http://www.crash.net/uk/en/news_view...d=6&nid=123223

Seems that it will be a one bike LCR Deal and a one bike Pons deal (Just like th e old days eh? Now all we need is Barros on the other bike ) if he can get enough money to run Checa...and if Checa doesn't pull him under with crash damage.

And apparently the rumour about LCR + Yamaha was in fact true!

[Alan Jones]

Great news for Casey , can't wait for the new season to start.