Edwards demands to know his future

Colin Edwards is demanding to know by the end of this Malaysian Grand Prix weekend whether or not he will remain as Valentino Rossi’s team-mate next season. The American will be sitting down with Yamaha bosses at Sepang to find out if he has a job for 2007.

As his future remained undecided Edwards (picutured above with Rossi) told MCN: "I need to know something in Sepang.

"Results are the number one thing and if I'd had better results there is no question I'd be staying with Valentino."

The 2000 and 2002 World Superbike champion has already rejected a surprise offer to join Tech-3 Yamaha team who currently run Spaniard Carlos Checa and Brit James Ellison.

It is thought that Edwards rejected the offer because Tech 3 use Dunlop thres which he is unfamiliar with.

When asked, Edwards said: "I've been asked if that would be a consideration and my answer was absolutely not – I would go home before that, and that's nothing against Dunlop or the Tech 3 team. It's just not a vision I have; it doesn't even come into play."

It's a strong possibility that Edwards will remain with his current team, after an attempt to lure Australian rookie Casey Stoner away from LCR Honda failed.

Edwards added: "I know Yamaha had a plan to bring Stoner in so they're definitely looking around. I don't think its gone cold with Stoner. I think it just doesn't exist anymore."

Stoner, 20, though, has no intention of leaving Lucio Checchinello's team and said: "Everybody knew [Yamaha] were talking to us again and all of a sudden they stopped.

"I'm happy where I am. With Yamaha I don't really know what's going on. There were stories out in Italy that I wanted millions of dollars and the same bike as Valentino. That's a load of crap."

Silly season is in full swing in MotoGP as out-of-contract riders attempt to secure their position for 2007 and Edwards is not the only one whose future is in doubt.

Things are not looking good for Britain's James Ellison. Not only have his Tech 3 team attempted to replace him with Edwards, they are also talking to Japanese 250 rider Hiroshi Aoyama. German Alex Hofmann of d'Antin Ducati and French Tech 3 test rider Sylvain Guintoli.

 

How different is Edwards' M1 vs Rossi's?

From the results, you'd think he's riding a 2 year old chassis.

 

I'm not a politician, but I don't think Edwards is in a good position to be making demands of any kind right now...

 

Edwards is by no means is a ***** like Biaggi was. I'm pretty sure he wasn't whining about his bike. Edwards isn't placing podiums but he is a very solid rider. He's scored points in like the past 35 consecutive races or something like that. I wish the best for him.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ScareyH22A &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Edwards is by no means is a ***** like Biaggi was. I'm pretty sure he wasn't whining about his bike. Edwards isn't placing podiums but he is a very solid rider. He's scored points in like the past 35 consecutive races or something like that. I wish the best for him. </TD></TR></TABLE>

he has every right to demand his future. i like that he is asking - and he knows hismelf he is not placing top 3 all the time, but he wants to know his future.

his bike has the same motor, and design - i believe the only difference between the 2 bikes is the suspension set up

 

"Call me now for your free bumbaclot reading"

I don't know if Melandri is free but other than him or Stoner I can't think of anyone else to team with Rossi. It certainly is not going to be Gibernau. And Lorenzo said he's staying 250's next year.

 

I would actually like to see Edwards go back to WSBK, battle it out wth Troy. 2002 season was

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by backlash &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I would actually like to see Edwards go back to WSBK, battle it out wth Troy. 2002 season was </TD></TR></TABLE>

X2 for seeing Colin on the "analog" bikes!

 

They're not "analog" anymore.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JMU R1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">They're not "analog" anymore.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Traction control in WSB? Guess I shouldnt be surprised. More info?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EKsite &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Traction control in WSB? Guess I shouldnt be surprised. More info?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ducati and Suzuki have been using it for awhile, WSBK issued a rules revision to make it completely legal awhile ago. Ducati Corse is using the Moto GP electronics. The Honda teams (DFXtreme, Ten Kate, and Klaffi) were supposed to be getting together to buy one of the commercial off the shelf packages (I think from Pi Research). Don't know if they have it implemented yet. I don't know about the Yamaha teams either.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JMU R1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ducati and Suzuki have been using it for awhile.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yo G, Yamaha's not using it? I know Haga goes through his tires pretty quickly...so maybe not.

I wonder if Toseland is better than Bayliss...if they had the same bike.

I think Edwards still deserves to be in gp. He showed flashes of brilliance at Assen (maybe some other races too, I haven't caught up since leaving for Japan).

Anyways it'd be exciting if they brought up Aoyama...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mr. PengUIN &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yo G, Yamaha's not using it? I know Haga goes through his tires pretty quickly...so maybe not.

I wonder if Toseland is better than Bayliss...if they had the same bike.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't know either way if Yamaha has TC. They could get it if they wanted it though.

I don't think Toseland is better than Bayliss. Toseland raced with Bayliss for several years before Bayliss went to GP and he never beat him back then. Nowadays I think Toseland is better than he was but I still think Bayliss is a bit faster. We'll see in 07 I guess.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JMU R1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Ducati and Suzuki have been using it for awhile, WSBK issued a rules revision to make it completely legal awhile ago. Ducati Corse is using the Moto GP electronics. The Honda teams (DFXtreme, Ten Kate, and Klaffi) were supposed to be getting together to buy one of the commercial off the shelf packages (I think from Pi Research). Don't know if they have it implemented yet. I don't know about the Yamaha teams either.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Good info. I cant keep up with WSB like I do GP because I have to rely on speed channels patchy coverage... I wonder why Ducati gets the goods from thier GP team and other makes dont. Cost or compatability I suspect?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EKsite &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Good info. I cant keep up with WSB like I do GP because I have to rely on speed channels patchy coverage... I wonder why Ducati gets the goods from thier GP team and other makes dont. Cost or compatability I suspect?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Cost and secrecy. None of the other manufacturers have full-on factory teams in WSBK so naturally they're not going to be gung ho about giving them their coveted electronics.

Honda in particular told their teams it would be cost prohibitive to give them the Moto GP traction control (several hundred thou). I think its also a matter of having to allocate personnel to support the systems too (HRC only has 125 or so people).

 

I can't see how Edwards benefits from discussing this in public. He sounds desperate.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ross &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I can't see how Edwards benefits from discussing this in public. He sounds desperate.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I refuse to go to the front page of motogp.com since I haven't caught up yet; but he's in the top 10, right? I've watched up to round 10 so far, and he was 7th in points at that time. Isn't he good enough to make 'demands'? He's good enough where another team wanted to pick him up, right. Maybe I'm seeing it as if people want him out of gp?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mr. PengUIN &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I refuse to go to the front page of motogp.com since I haven't caught up yet; but he's in the top 10, right? I've watched up to round 10 so far, and he was 7th in points at that time. Isn't he good enough to make 'demands'? He's good enough where another team wanted to pick him up, right. Maybe I'm seeing it as if people want him out of gp?</TD></TR></TABLE>

If he was younger Id say so. Top 10 isnt good enough when there are only 19 bikes on the grid.

But it seems that the "superbike rider experiment" has run its course. The thinking was that since the new bikes are 4 stroke, a superbike rider would be best suited to ride the new bike. The only superbike rider that is showing anything is Hayden. The rest are sitting pretty at the bottom of the top 10 standings or have already been dismissed. I dont know where to put Hopkins as an FX champ and a 250cc AMA champ, but only Hayden, Roberts Jr and Edwards have riden superbikes. 3 of the top 10. The remaining 7 all came up through the GP system.

He certainly has a right to demand to know his future. Any racer at that level does. Is he supposed to wait on Yamaha to see if Hayden doesnt get a contract offer from Honda next year so Yamaha can pick up Hayden and Edwards passes up on opportunity to ride in WSBK. Whether its smart or not is a different discusion. He is easily one of the best motorcycle racers in the world and in that position he can demand what ever he wants.

The only way you will see an American World Champion after this year(I hope) will be if American managers and racers form American MotoGP teams and ride in the 250 and 125 GPs. We simply race different types of bikes here in the states. I think that with the 800cc, its going to be especially tough and take a very special american rider to get a ride and then win in MotoGP when the switch happens.