With four of the five
MotoGP manufacturers based in Japan, this weekend's grand prix is expected to see plenty of developments off track.
Honda built the Motegi circuit and Repsol Honda is now the only factory team still to officially complete its 2009 rider line-up, although there is little doubt that
Andrea Dovizioso will be placed alongside
Dani Pedrosa.
The logical location for Dovi's HRC contract to be signed is Motegi, when the occupants of the other unconfirmed RCV seats might also be revealed.
Officially, there is still one ride free at Gresini Honda and another in place of Dovizioso at JiR, although Team Scot - which will split from JiR at the end of the year - had also stated its intention to run a one rider Honda team, potentially expanding the RCV line-up from six to seven.
That appears unlikely and, with Alice Ducati's
Toni Elias believed to have agreed terms for the vacant Gresini seat alongside
Alex de Angelis, the complex JiR/Scot situation provides the greatest RCV unknown.
JiR previously told
Crash.net it has the team, a place on the grid, infrastructure and contract with Honda for 2009. Scot claims to have a contract with Dovizioso through to the end of 2009, plus the 250cc team and, presumably, much of the funding needed to run a MotoGP team. Team Scot has said it will announce its plans this weekend.
If JiR/Scot are left to fight over just one RCV, then it is assumed that it will go to their 250cc rider Yuki Takahashi (presumably contracted to Scot at present). With Elias taking
Shinya Nakano's Gresini ride - and the former 250cc title contender thought to be heading for a HRC testing role - Honda and Japan would otherwise be without a full time MotoGP rider next season.
If JiR and Scot do both get an RCV then the extra seat could provide AMA Superbike champion Ben Spies with his last chance of a 2009 grand prix ride. Spies is known to have held detailed discussions with JiR.
