By the end of contracts:
Hayden and Spioes will go back to AMA
Dovi will ride SBK against Melandri
Iannone rides again Moto2
and the Ducati Factory Team will be vanished

On topic, it seems most posters either believe it's a waste of time for Ducati to go to Austin for the test or believe it's needed. Obviously for that race having time on a new track will help their results. In terms of long term results this season I'm sure the test will be marginally helpful.

It's too easy to blame Bridgestone for Ducati's ills it's their own fault for not changing enough. 2007 was a lucky year in that they caught Honda, Yamaha and others not projecting the right formula in terms of tires, electronics and yes even rider. After '07 the other teams corrected their problems and the rest is history as they say. Tires may be a component but not whole reason for their failure. After Rossi left they should have closed shop and concentrated in WSB and other National series with their new superbike.

MotoGp needs to behave like a prototype series if it is to have closer racing between all the marques. I agree with prof-x that tyres need to have competition as well. The one tyre rule is killing the competition. You can thank Valentino for that! His complaints about the Michelin tyres are what created problems in the paddock. For a real competitive sport, ypou need competition on all levels. tyres are very important and can make or break a team. Teams should be allowed to use any tyres they want, as long as everyone else has access to them as well.

Correction...

"I appreciate Ducati sticking to their guns..."

Ducati are here to race, not sell antiques. They have to wake up and shoot for the stars or else the CRTs will overtake them. They will never reach the stars by sticking with an airplane. They have to have a rocketship which Honda and Yamaka have.

"I appreciate Ducati sticking to their guns..."

Ducati are here to race, not sell antiques. They have to wake up and shoot for the starts or else the CRTs will overtake them. They will never reach the starts by just standing on the ground.

ya, unfortunately they won in 2007 and competed for the championship in 2008, they also had a shot in 2006.

The problem people are not acknowledging, is it right for Brigestone to determine who wins and who loses? Is it right to force all the makers to build their bike almost exactly alike in order to meet the demands of a single tire? Is that really competition or dictation?

Because Bridgestone could just as easily develop a tire for Ducati that forsakes the Yamaha and Honda. That fact alone says more than most of the haters could ever.

Bridgestone determine who wins and who loses in MotoGP. Not Yamaha, Ducati or Honda or their respective riders. Is that really racing???

Do you want competition? Or to see losers with out hope unless they conform to some homogenous standard? I appreciate Ducati sticking to their guns, its only a shame they are obliged the silly tire rule which has ruined them since 2009.

Ducati is just waistin money trying to compromise between tradition and prototype. They have all the data for the last two years. Data from a nine time world champion. Data that gave Yamaka multiple championships. They had arguably the best rider and crew for the past decade giving them on a silver platter all they need to create a winning bike. But Ducati's reluctance to acknowledge that the core of their bike, their tradition, could be the cause of the bike's underperformance, is the reason they could not create a bike at par with the Japanese. Ducati, ditch your design and just copy the Japanese. Plug in all the info that Rossi and Jeremy gave you, and I guarantee you you'll be at the front! 2007 was a fluke. Hell even your champion quit the sport as he is also a fluke. Copy the Japanese as they are ahead of you, there's no other way.

What makes anybody think that Audi can turn Ducatis fortunes around, I would imagine that Ducati with all their knowledge of world championships know more about racing 2 wheels than Audi , and I think you will find that Ducati have more championships than Audi has with 4 wheels

@ shamorone - $600k-$800k is never a paltry ampunt for anyone. Successful businesses do not become successful by squandering money. They do it through, among other things, good cost control.

And how on earth would a single test cost $600k? Are they flying there via the moon?