Yesterday’s WSBK season finale at Magny-Cours left some open questions of where some of the riders will be heading next season.
Max Biaggi confirmed during a special TV interview with LA7 that he is thinking of retiring and will make his final decision this week if he’ll continue with Aprilia.
Sylvain Guintoli will be leaving Alstare Suzuki after team manager Francis Batta confirmed that they will be fielding only a one rider team next year, seems on the verge of signing with the new Libery Racing Team to be paired up with Jakub Smrz.
With the factory Ducati team officially out of the series, Noriyuki Haga has found a home in the newly formed B&G Racing/DFX Aprilia squad, while Michel Fabrizio talking to Fabrizio Calia of the La7 before the start of race 2 confirmed that 99,9% he’ll be in Alstare Suzuki and the only thing missing was his signature.
On the byside, Batta supposedly told Italian reporters that he had news from Suzuki management and that they’ll be fielding a one bike team also in MotoGP, which no doubt will send Carmelo Ezpeleta running back to Japan waving Suzuki’s MotoGP contract.
James Toseland told British Eurosport yesterday that he is in talks with the new BMW Motorrad privateer team.
Ruben Xaus is in talks with anyone who’ll listen to him.
Shane Byrne was linked to Pedercini but we haven’t heard anything more.
This is a list of teams and riders officially confirmed and others which could be confirmed and teams that we have no idea if they’ll be in the championship in 2011.
Althea Racing: Carlos ChecaB&G Racing/DFX Aprilia: Noriyuki HagaBMW Motorrad Motorsport: Troy Corser and Leon HaslamHonda Ten Kate: Jonathan ReaYamaha Sterilgarda: Eugene Laverty and Marco MelandriAprilia Alitalia Racing: Leon Camier (confirmed) and Max Biaggi (?)Alstare Suzuki: Michel Fabrizio (?)BMW Motorrad Italia: Ayrton Badovini (?) and James Toseland (?)Kawasaki Motorsport: Chris Vermeulen (confirmed) and Joan Lascorz (?)Kawasaki Pedercini: Tom Sykes (?)Liberty Ducati: Jakub Smrz – Sylvain Guintoli (?)Supersonic Ducati: ?Echo CR Honda: ?Squadra Corse Italia Honda Garvie Image: ?Judging by this provisional list the situation in WSBK isn’t all that rosy and looks too much like the scrawny MotoGP grid.