Red Bull Indianapolis GP: No Rider, Team Announcements During Pre-Event Press Conference

Red Bull Indianapolis GP: No Rider, Team Announcements During Pre-Event Press Conference

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Some announcements regarding riders’ plans for the 2011 season are expected to come this weekend during the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but none were made during Thursday’s official pre-event press conference. While Casey Stoner and defending MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi have already announced their 2011 plans, including their headline-making moves to Honda and Ducati, respectively, the plans of Nicky Hayden, Ben Spies and current MotoGP World Championship leader Jorge Lorenzo, among others, have yet to be announced. And although that did not change during Thursday’s press conference, Hayden and Spies said announcements on their futures were coming soon and that there will be few surprises. “Certainly, we’re really close, and an announcement’s coming soon,” said Hayden, who is expected to renew his contract with the Marlboro Ducati factory team for 2011. “Officially, I can’t say a whole lot more than that, but everything’s looking good and soon we’ll know something. I don’t expect anybody to be shocked when they hear what’s happening.” “I think there’s a few riders who’ve been the worst kept secrets of all,” said Spies, who is expected to move up to the Yamaha factory team next season to fill the vacancy left by Rossi’s departure, “but like I said I don’t think a whole lot of people will be shocked. We have an announcement coming this weekend, and that’s pretty much all I can say right now.” But when Dorna’s moderator Nick Harris started talking to Lorenzo as if his future plans had already been announced, the young Spaniard pointed out that he has not publicized his 2011 plans even though he is expected to stay with the Yamaha factory team. “I still haven’t signed with Yamaha,” said Lorenzo, “but we all hope it comes very soon.” The future of Colin Edwards, who was also at the pre-event press conference, remains uncertain, but the Texan made it clear Thursday that he wants to stay in MotoGP, with Yamaha and with the Tech 3 team. “I would love to stay with Herve,” said Edwards, referring to Herve Poncharal, Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team Manager. “I would love to stay with Yamaha. That’s my number one goal at the moment. We just need to try and make it happen. I think there’s just a couple of chips that need to fall in the right place, and I think it can happen.”

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