Silly Season 2026

[Pirahna]

I've just seen a very short video on Facebook with the rumor that Maverick Vinales has already signed for KTM in 2027, and Acosta has signed for the factory Ducati team.

The Facebook link

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DoTx9m3Dq/

[Yorick]

Just seen first rumour on Crash.net that Fab Frog has signed for Honda for 2027.

He had to do something to get back to the top.

[Skub]

There is some serious kak regarding bike racing being peddled on facebook,the past while. All kinds of mad rumours and hearsay touted as fact. Fucking 'digital creators' making up any old blether to get clicks. It's become much more difficult to divine what's an educated guess and what is shite.

I dunno about Maverick. He's had more opportunities than most,yet he's still utterly unpredictable. Maybe Lorenzo's tuition will give him the missing part of the jigsaw.

[mangocrazy]

Quite a few people are saying that Pedro Acosta to the Ducati Factory team in 2027 is a done deal, similarly Fabio Q to Honda. To me it seems counter productive for riders to lock themselves into a deal before they've even ridden the 2026 bikes, let alone the 2027 ones, but what do I know?

If Fabio Q has signed for Honda, I'd hazard a guess that there's a fat pay cheque involved, as well as the promise of big improvements to the bike. He's a canny operator, but it remains to be seen if Honda can get back to the top step.

[Yorick]

Jorge Martin to Yamaha??

Hmm. There must be a seat available?
Bit surprised as Aprilia have been patient and he hasn't really ridden the bike in anger.

Hmm

https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10887 ... otogp-2027

[Skub]

If Martin wasn't having bad luck,he'd have no luck at all.

[mangocrazy]

I think that Martin is ill-advised to leave Aprilia. Aprilia are on an upward curve, very close to Ducati, Yamaha are in the doldrums. I wouldn't be surprised if this was mainly his manager's doing and probably a large pay packet is part of the allure. If Fabio really has left Yamaha, then they have (allegedly) 12 million €uros doing nothing. It strikes me that Jorge makes decisions based on emotion rather than logic.

[mangocrazy]

So if Jorge Martin is off to Yamaha and Pedro Acosta is pencilled in for the second factory seat at Ducati, what odds of Pecco Bagnaia joining his buddy Marco Bezzecchi at Aprilia?

[Yorick]

Just seen first rumour on Crash.net that Fab Frog has signed for Honda for 2027.

He had to do something to get back to the top.

Wafting the flames a bit

https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10887 ... gp-rumours

[Yorick]

Young Pedro to join MM93 at Ducati?

Great for Ducati and the fans.

And he wants to prove himself against the best. He can do so now on equal machinery

https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/10891 ... -good-move

[mangocrazy]

Not exactly confirmed though, is it? Not even Marc has officially signed yet, so I'd wait for the first shoe to drop before calling it a done deal.

[mangocrazy]

So things do appear to be firming up for 2027, although no-one seems to want to be the one that sets the dominoes falling. This is what most commentators seem to predict for 2027:

Factory Ducati: Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta
Factory Aprilia: Marco Bezzecchi and Pecco Bagnaia
Factory KTM: Alex Marquez and Maverick Vinales
Factory Honda: Fabio Quartararo and Joan Mir
Factory Yamaha: Jorge Martin and Luca Marini
Gresini Ducati: Fermin Alduguer and TBC
VR46 Ducati: No change (at present, anyway)
Trackhouse Aprilia: Raul Fernandez and Ai Ogura
Tech3 KTM: Brad Binder and Enea Bastianini (although this looks shaky)
LCR Honda: Johann Zarco and Diogo Moreira
Pramac Yamaha: Jack Miller and Toprak Razgatlioglu

This leaves Alex Rins potentially without a seat and no space at the inn for any arrivals from Moto2, but things may change here.

All this could change very quickly, of course...

[Supermofo]

Let's be honest by 2027 there should be some people moved on to make way for new blood. Jack Miller, Franko 'The torpedo', Marv, Rins, Mir, Fernandez, Binder, without thinking too hard about it. All good riders in a mid pack sense. But all had their chance and very unlikely to get to the sharp end any time soon, why not gamble on some new blood.

[weeksy]

Let's be honest by 2027 there should be some people moved on to make way for new blood. Jack Miller, Franko 'The torpedo', Marv, Rins, Mir, Fernandez, Binder, without thinking too hard about it. All good riders in a mid pack sense. But all had their chance and very unlikely to get to the sharp end any time soon, why not gamble on some new blood.

money.

Well known riders bring more money to the setup by the fact they're an establish budget source with sponsors. Don't think for a second anyone is doing favours for people these days, it's ALL about the money.

[mangocrazy]

Let's be honest by 2027 there should be some people moved on to make way for new blood. Jack Miller, Franko 'The torpedo', Marv, Rins, Mir, Fernandez, Binder, without thinking too hard about it. All good riders in a mid pack sense. But all had their chance and very unlikely to get to the sharp end any time soon, why not gamble on some new blood.

I agree that the grid does seem to have too many journeymen, but all of those in your list have won at least one MotoGP race, although for most it's a fairly distant memory. I'd say Rins has to go, as he's not the same rider he was after his most recent big crash. But don't forget he beat Marc in a straight head to head at Silverstone.

Also Frankie the Destroyer of Worlds has had more than enough chances, so it's the exit for him. Jack Miller has been hired for his development skills and knowledge of V4 motorcycles, so he's just about safe for now, and Mav is highly regarded in KTM, so he's probably safe. Mir is a former World Champion and put the Honda on the podium in a dry race last year, so he gets some slack and Fernandez won one race last year and finished a very close second in another so he gets a pass from me. Binder has been out-qualified 50 to zero (or close to that) by his team mate, so he's for the dumpster as well.

Get Alonso and Holgado in and see if they've got what it takes...