Rinaldi set sights on Philippaerts signing
By TMX Archives on 6th Jul 07
BOTH KTM and Rinaldi Yamaha expect to announce their 2008 racing plans at Faenza, Italy, next week, and the Italians are believed to have agreed terms with David Philippaerts on Saturday evening in Sweden.
Carlo Rinaldi would only say: There is a lot of talk about us and him, but we have been talking to several riders.
After Marc De Reuver again crashed in practice and knocked himself out of the GP, the Dutchman's fate appears sealed. It is expected he will be offered factory material again in 2008, but not working out of the factory awning; the Dutch Van Beers team, already a leading satellite team, would appear to be the most likely recipient of his services.
Over in the orange corner Philippaerts' departure would leave the MX1 team settled with Jonathan Barragan and Max Nagl, while Tommy Searle, though still non-committal about his decision, is expected to stay for one more year of GP racing, coupled with trips to America on his free weekends.
Tyla Rattray insisted that he still had several options, one of which is a renewal of his KTM MX2 contract, but if he does jump ship Radio Paddock tips a compatriot to be offered his place Gareth Swanepoel.
And Rattray? His name is linked with Suzuki, in an official entry to MX2!
HONDA Europe met with its leading team owners last week, and the indications are that CAS Honda will replace Team Martin as the number one team next year.
Harry Ainsworth confirmed that CAS will concentrate exclusively on MX1 next year, but the Italians expressed themselves unhappy with a request to restrict themselves to MX2 despite successful results this year with Pascal Leuret.
And Honda has an ace up its sleeve.
It is planning to use the Donington GP weekend to announce a new star name, contracted directly to Honda but placed at CAS for racing purposes. And he is supposedly coming from overseas.
Is Kevin Windham, without a hope against Stewart and the new generation in the States, finally coming to Europe? Stay tuned...
STEFAN Everts announced on Saturday that he will race two events this year, but neither will be at Namur.
Let me make it quite clear, I am NOT the mystery guest at Namur. I will race in my charity event one week later, but I have far too much to do at Namur without racing.
"I will, however, be racing the Gotland GN in November for KTM Sweden.
The mystery rider at Namur next month? Could Ricky Carmichael be racing a GP as he winds down his motocross career?
MAX Nagl will now definitely not race before Namur at the earliest. Mattighofen have put their foot down and insisted that their '08 investment gets fit before he races again.
KEVIN Strijbos and Stephen Sword both made an unexpectedly early return to the GP stage at Uddevalla.
The Belgian explained: I went to see my doctor on Monday and he gave me the all-clear to ride. I had a try-out on Tuesday and had no pain in my knee. We still don't know which component is missing from my blood, but I have no pain anymore.
And Kevin went straight out and set pole: Ken De Dycker was on a fast lap and I followed him and found the extra two tenths on a jump near the end of the lap.
Swordy was given the chance to ride on Wednesday when several riders withdrew and he got the call as reserve: Why not? I'm not in pain anymore, and I'm only going to get my speed back by racing.
Mechanic Serge Dijsselbloem brought Swordy's bike in the Molson Sprinter, but a fall at turn one in his qualifier as the Scot got closed down effectively ended his chances of making the race: I felt I could get through in the race with a decent start, but I don't have the outright speed for those flying laps yet. And he was right, but at least he got to ride Sunday morning after making it to second reserve.
SWIFT Suzuki's Sean Hamblin withdrew after practice, still not fully recovered from his Desertmartin crash: I rode on Thursday without any problems, but the ground here is too unpredicatable after the rain and you can't read where it is soft. I just don't have the strength in my hand yet and it was coming off the bars.
nSCOTT Columb was also a spectator after damaging his shoulder the previous week in Germany.
THE Swedes, for so long the leading nation in world motocross, were relieved on Saturday when they managed to get two qualifiers in MX2 and one in MX1. And 15-year-old Tom Soderstrom even scored points, three of them.
SPECIAL guest at Uddevalla was Swedish motocross legend, four-time world champion Torsten Hallman.
The motocross icon was at his home GP to celebrate the 40th anniversay of the founding of his famous THOR (Torsten Hallman Original Racewear) apparel brand and Hallman presented THOR backed riders Josh Coppins and Marc de Reuver with new 2008 kit to race in as well as presenting the 2008 range.
Hallman was also the guest TV commentator for the opening moto of the MX1 class.