From thinking of fielding two Ducati in 2012, to fielding none.
This is the decision that Spanish manager Aspar Martinez has come to after leasing negotiations with Ducati fell through.
According to British website MCN will no longer be running a Ducati next season, and is thinking of forming a CRT team and is currently in negotiations with Suter for a BMW based machine and Aprilia for an RSV4 engine, but the chassis maker is unknown.
If his CRT project should fall through, the MotoGP grid could scream vendetta next season.
Of the six original teams that have applied for CRT status, only NGM Forward Racing has confirmed Colin Edwards, but not the bike, while BQR (FTR/Kawasaki) has the machine but not a rider and the rest of the applicants have more or less disappeared from the scene, with only Kawasaki WSBK outcast Paul Bird now wanting in and Dorna will no doubt be courting him strenuously.
And for the rest, Suzuki has yet to confirm if they’ll even be present in 2012 and if so in what manner, Pramac Ducati is most likely to cut back to one rider.
Gresini is thinking of splitting his garage, a factory RCV213V with Marco Simoncelli on one side and a CRT Honda machine on the other side, but he could decide to stay with a Honda 800cc instead, if the Japanese manufacturer decides to lower their exorbitant leasing costs.
The upcoming off season will be highly critical for the MotoGP grid and Dorna cannot rest on its laurels, and will no doubt have to help finance more teams or we could see a grid of twelve to fourteen riders in 2012 and then the FIM will be forced to step in and decide on the premier racing class.
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