Bayliss Shown the Door

[f1manoz]

Australian Troy Bayliss has been dumped by MotoGP team Ducati for the 2005 season.

Nearing the end of a disappointing second season in the premier league of motorcycle racing, Bayliss was told by Ducati at last weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix that his services were not required next year.

The team has not announced its decision and may have been trying to keep it under wraps, at least until after the penultimate round of the world championship at Phillip Island this weekend.

Bayliss will be 36 in March and is hopeful of finding another ride, although his options will be limited.

Ducati has Italian Loris Capirossi under contract for another year.

The team is reportedly eyeing Honda's Sete Gibernau or Suzuki rider John Hopkins, as the replacement for Bayliss.

Bayliss, the 2001 superbike world champion, was on the podium three times in his first year of MotoGP and was fifth in the 2003 championship.

At Phillip Island last October he was dicing for the lead when he crashed spectacularly on the third lap and was airlifted to hospital in Melbourne with concussion.

But this year his best result was fourth in the Italian GP ten races ago.

He is 14th in the championship, 206 points behind Yamaha star Valentino Rossi, who is set to clinch a fourth straight title at Phillip Island on Sunday.

Ducati has remained publicly upbeat this season but within the team there has been a lot of finger-pointing over the reason for its slide, especially as major sponsor Marlboro is accustomed to success.

Bayliss, who has been a Ducati factory rider since 2000, said the season had been a disaster and that his relations with the team had slipped.

"My first season was acceptable, although I wasn't all that happy with it," Bayliss said.

"But to go to where I am now is even worse.

"I have been so frustrated. I don't know what's going on - I'm not an engineer.

"I think Ducati have the equipment and I believe in the potential of this project, but it's a matter of making it work.

"It's not easy and motivation is definitely running out.

"You can only bang yourself around so much, and I know when the bike is about to say `You are going to crash today'.

"I'm an experienced rider and I don't have stupid crashes.

"I'm not going to put myself in hospital when it's not right, which I have done - like at Phillip Island last year - so it's a difficult situation."

Damn shame for Bayliss, but really no surprise. Ducati needed a scapegoat for the poor performance of their machinery this year, and Bayliss is it.

[BootsOntheSide]

Has he been scapegoated? The bike's difficult to ride competitively without falling off, and both he and Loris have appeared to throw away promising results over the course of the season. However, Troy isn't getting any younger, and Loris can offer much more on the development side.

As for the replacement, they're apparently offering Seté a huge salary to switch, which would frankly gift Rossi the 2005 championship barring a miracle. They've got more change of tempting Hopkins or promoting Xaus (assuming his Repsol links don't see him at Honda)

[chunder]

have to say I thinki Troy is s bit of a scapegoat, but then again he has had two years to sort it out. Wonder if he doesnt set the bike up like Loris and that might not help in an Italian team.
As for replacements, then Phillip Morris want to win, but they will have trouble tempting Sete away from his Spanish wonmderland of Telefonica, he is very clodsely linked with them.
As for Xaus, well he couldnt beat Troy in WSB so what gives.
THe only guy you can see able to win is maybe Vale, and he aint gonna go there, not yet anyway!!

[Hazza]

Ah drat.

Maybe he can get a works Suzuki ride? Or a factory WSB ride? Ducati obviously wasn't happy with a stable line-up, the only question I have is what happens to all of Bayliss' crew - thats his SBK crew, so would they go back or off to wherever he goes?

Good luck Troy - Godspeed!

[Winther]

Man I hope he gets a decent ride that will suit him.
Because that Duc is a dirty rotten dog!!!

[wreckless]

such a pity to see someone with the talent he has out of a ride. He has proven himself to be a veryself motivated and agressive rider and should be a great pick up for lower teams. He definetly doesnt belong back in wsb, he has proven himself there.

[SALEEN S7R]

Source:www.crash.net

By Peter Mclaren

The Ducati Marlboro Team has told Crash.net that, contrary to reports, no decision has yet been made about the future of Troy Bayliss at the factory team.

Some reports from Sepang stated that former World Superbike champion Bayliss had been told that he would not be joining Loris Capirossi at the factory outfit in 2005. Something the team denies...

"I know everybody is speaking about (Troy leaving), but in reality nothing has been decided for next year yet," a Ducati Marlboro spokesperson told Crash.net.

"Troy is one of the best riders in the world, he's strong and determined, and so it wouldn't be an easy matter to find a suitable substitute.

"I'm afraid we will have to wait some more time before knowing exactly what will happen next year..."

Bayliss has endured a tough 2004 season, with a best finish of fourth and only six points' finishes from the fourteen races so far held. However, the 2004 Desmosedici - unlike its predecessor - has rarely been a match for the leading Hondas and Yamahas.

Indeed, highly-rated Capirossi, although having almost doubled Troy's present 48 world championship points, has also failed to reach the podium in 2004 and – like his team-mate – has a solitary fourth place finish to his credit.

Should Bayliss be replaced, the popular Australian's options are likely to include a move to a rival MotoGP team, perhaps staying within the Ducati 'family' by switching to the satellite d'Antin team, or a return to World Superbikes.

Suzuki's John Hopkins, Yamaha's Carlos Checa and even Honda's Sete Gibernau have all been linked to the second factory Ducati ride - with Hopkins fast emerging as favourite.

Bayliss's home event, the Australian Grand Prix at Philip Island, starts this Friday.

It would appear Bayliss isnt done and dusted yet at Ducati, lets hope Ducati see sense and retain him for 2005.

[Hazza]

HURAAH

[HDTVKSS]

in other words it would appear that Gibbernau hasnt taken the cash yet. Unfortunatley id say hes good as gone. from waht ive heard there have been certain equipment things on his bike, such as older engines that had alot of test miles, being used on his race bike. If that is the case, then not good enough Duc. I hope he finds a good ride. hes a world class rider and deserves a world class bike.

[f1manoz]

I'd be very surprised if Sete ended up at Ducati. Sete appears to be a guy after success, not after cash. Going to Ducati will assure him of the latter, not the former...

[BootsOntheSide]

I'd be very disappointed in Seté if he moved to Ducati. Ideally he'd get a Repsol ride, or Gresini would get equal support, but he's still got a far better chance of success the way things stand.

[chunder]

Seems like they have announvced they are ditching him. As for Sete, he won't go there as he is too tied up with Telefoninca and Honda. Gresini are practically a works team anyway and Sete has been able to choose what he wahnts usually only a race after the Repsol riders got it.
Dunno what to say about Troy, he is a superbly talented rider but did get a little beat up by Loris, how much of that is the Italian thing in the garage and how much is the bike built round Loris I dont know, but Troy can win races as Colin has proved he could do on a top bike. Someone pick him up please, maybe Suzuki where he started his big bike career?

[ASCII Man]

Go Xaus!

[BootsOntheSide]

Troy's problem is that, partly due to lacking funding, he took a long time to reach the international scene - as such, he doesn't have many years left, and doesn't have all the experience yet. On the plus side, he's probably learnt more this year on a difficult bike than he did on the much more ride-able 2003 model (similarly to Jenson Button in F1) (as an aside, I guess Ruben and Neil have an ideal My First MotoGP Bike - handles well but isn't blisteringly fast).

He'd be a good option for Suzuki, especially as their bike is similarly difficult to the Ducati, but more rumours seem to link him with WSBK or BSB, perhaps with the revived GSE team he won with in 1999.

[f1manoz]

IMO he may be better off going back to Superbikes - he certainly enjoyed himself more there but I'm sure he won't be giving up on MotoGP just yet.

However, I'm also sure that he won't want to be twiddling his thumbs at Suzuki next year either. Bayliss wants results now, not three years down the road.

[Hazza]

Quote from the Australian Magazine, MotorsportNews:
"Bayliss V. Vermulan for the 2005 WSBK title? Sounds like a plan to us!"

[pplater]

It's over.

See www.crash.net

Speaking at the pre-event press conference for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix, Troy Bayliss has ended growing speculation over his future by officially confirming that he and the Ducati Marlboro Team will part company at the end of this season...

Some quotes:

"It's been a tough season for me and everybody at Ducati so to be leaving at the end of the season is like a final kick in the teeth"

"I don't feel as though I've really shown what I can do in MotoGP yet, but that's racing and you've got to take it on the chin"

"I would like to stay in MotoGP because I don't think I've shown what I can do and time will tell," he said. "It's a bit unclear at the moment how it's going to turn out but I'm sure that in the next week or two weeks things are going to unfold for me"