IN
THE
WIND
P28
WORLD SUPERBIKE
SILLY SEASON
T
he shape and size of the 2016 grid is still very
much unknown, but there should be a nice
sized artery of opportunity for some new blood to
fill. BMW rider in IDM Markus Reiterberger and
half of his Werner Daemen-operated IDM team
will come to World Superbike to join Team BMW
Motorrad Italia in 2016, most likely with Ayrton
Badovini, the existing World Superbike rider.
Nicky Hayden is still being chased by Honda to
ride for its World Superbike team in 2016, along-
side Michael van der Mark. It seems Sylvain Guin-
toli is likely to leave the Pata/Ten Kate house and
be one half of the new Yamaha Crescent Team's
lineup. If Honda brings a new bike in 2017, a move
for Hayden, or a status quo season for Guintoli,
makes sense. But if the Yamaha is much more
official than his current improving Honda, moving
across to Yamaha may be more attractive.
Having a former MotoGP Champion, a still ac-
tive MotoGP rider and a character as well, known
as Hayden would be a coup—for the whole cham-
pionship as well as Honda and Dorna.
Alex Lowes has not quite signed a contract to
stay with Crescent in 2016, but it is apparently all
sorted, and just needs final details and a contract
to be signed.
The latest doomsday scenario of Aprilia not be-
ing in World Superbike racing in 2016 looks closer
than ever, and if Suzuki cannot find a suitable part-
ner, then there is the possibility that they will also
leave. With Yamaha entering in 2016 that would
Nicky Hayden
to Honda's
World Superbike
squad?
