The delay, if there is one, would be caused by Suzuki's desire not to divert attention from their factory team when riders
John Hopkins and
Chris Vermeulen are now pushing the Ducati-Yamaha-Honda big three. They also want to ensure that they can give Aspar the backing that a team owner of his stature deserves.
If the deal comes off, Aspar would become the biggest private team in the
MotoGP circus, with the 250cc Master MVA Aspar and 125cc Bancaja Aspar squads.
Saturday 10.30am - Last Night I Said Too Much
I'm still regretting last night's gobby bet. "Next year I'll interview you in Italian," I pledged to
Valentino Rossi in the Fiat Yamaha hospitality unit. "Really – I'll hold you to that," he replied.
The thing is, motorcycle champions are such competitive bastards that he'll think I'm a total wuss if I shamble up to him next year mumbling excuses in English about lack of time, bla-bla-bla. Oh well, Italian classes will block out the dark winter nights. Any Italian speakers out there want to become my email chums?
Saturday 10.00am - Rickety Donington Loses its Friends
I've never known so much ill-feeling about Donington as a grand prix venue as there is in the air this morning. It's not just the track's dangerous lack of grip in the wet - 54 riders fell off yesterday - but the whole package that comes with the place.
"This is the worst round of the year," one tyre company manager said. "The hotels are over-priced and poor quality - it's rip-off Britain all over."
I agree: in the paddock a fast-food stall is charging £3.30 for a primitive burger and £2 for a small Styrofoam tray of chips. Total value of ingredients? Probably about 60p. There's the usual clutter of grubby sauce bottles on a rickety metal table perched on the grass. I commented earlier this year on the over-priced beer served in wobbly plastic glasses in the Redgate bar.
