Title: Toseland to leave World Superbikes
Paul_Murtagh - August 1, 2007 01:24 PM (GMT)
BBC Sport - Toseland confirms move to MotoGPWorld Superbike championship leader James Toseland has announced he is to ride for the Yamaha factory team in next year's MotoGP championship.
The Ten Kate Honda rider, who won the world title in 2004, leads this year's superbike championship standings by 43 points with four rounds remaining.
The 26-year-old has made no secret of wanting to race in MotoGP, but only if offered a competitive bike. Will this affect the popularity of World Superbikes in Britain? And who will replace him?
ppparkinson9 - August 1, 2007 05:17 PM (GMT)
It will have an effect on WSB's UK popularity, but FGSport who run WSB have always tried to make sure there is at least one Brit on the grid. When Carl Fogarty's career ended they helped GSE (Now back in BSB as Airwaves Ducati) move up to WSB with Neil Hodgson and Toseland.
I assume they will attempt to get a British rider into WSB, who this would be I don't know. Neil Hodgson wants to come back for certain. But constant rumours suggest that Airwaves GSE want to go to WSB for a second time, and if they did they would take Gregorio Lavilla and Leon Haslam with them.
But home favourites or not WSB still provides probably the best World Championship level racing in terms of on track action so it still has that in its favour.
Morpun94 - August 1, 2007 09:59 PM (GMT)
Johnny Rea will be in WSB next season I reckon.
Does that confirm Lorenzo on Tech 3 then? or am i being presumptive?
Morpun94 - August 2, 2007 01:05 AM (GMT)
I've now read it'll be Toseland on the tech 3. Thats bad news for James, looks like another year wasted...
ppparkinson9 - August 2, 2007 04:24 PM (GMT)
I don't think JT would be signing for Tech 3 unless it was confirmed to him that they will be moving onto Michelins or Bridgestones. Probably Michelins.
Morpun94 - August 2, 2007 04:44 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (ppparkinson9 @ Aug 2 2007, 05:24 PM) |
| I don't think JT would be signing for Tech 3 unless it was confirmed to him that they will be moving onto Michelins or Bridgestones. Probably Michelins. |
No-one is going to win the title on a satelite team. He's sold himself short somewhere...
ppparkinson9 - August 2, 2007 04:55 PM (GMT)
Well I don't think Repsol Honda was on after he binned it on Sunday...
I think he's going to try and earn a works seat. But I expect he got some "Same bike as Rossi" assurances before signing.
Yamaha do want Tech 3 to be closer to FIAT simply because it will help the main team, so JT might benefit from that.