MotoGP Blog

Tech 3 have a number of issues to get sorted. One of them, riders, seems to be done: Edwards and Toseland. There are some great advantages for this pairing. Former team-mates in World Supers, Edwards can also help Toseland adapt to the bike, and perhaps something more difficult, the three-ring-circus that MotoGP is. It’s rather more anal and up itself than the more laid-back World Supers.

Next to sort out for Tech 3 is tyres. Rumours continue to circulate that they could be on Bridgestones next year. Nonsense. Michelins it will be, to help the development of the Yamaha bike for the factory team. Next year they will have twice as much data as this year, and Michelin will be working flat out to close the gap. Expect a Ducati/Bridgestone type relationship with Yamaha/Michelin and Honda/Michelin.

Switching the Tech 3 tyres will allow the team capitalise on Edwards’ relationship with Michelin and his willingness to test tyres endlessley. Expect a tyre announcement soon, as I am sure Michelin want to quash the rumours of a switch quickly.

In the Yamaha garage next door, the situation is likely to be less convivial. Rossi apparently has no great friendship with Lorenzo, and if some are to be believed, more of a strong dislike of him. I would not think there will be much love lost between the two. This could give Rossi something he has been missing this year: someone to hate. It’s way back to the days of Biaggi and perhaps Gibernau that Rossi had a big, long running fall-out with someone. It may be just the thing he needs to spur him on to another title.

Finally, engine and chassis. Toseland has confirmed that the Yamaha bikes will be the same for both teams, and this is borne out by Edwards agreement to ride for Tech 3. Anything less and MotoGPBlog thinks he would have gone back to AMA next year. This makes sense for Yamaha and bike development. Could we see Tech 3 bikes beating the factory bikes? Almost certainly, but given the public “no difference in the machines” stance, this is not such a big deal as say a Konica Minolta Honda seeing off a Repsol Honda would be.

Any way you cut it, Yamaha are looking strong next year.