Ducati rider Neil Hodgson, who leads the World Superbike championship, looks set to move to MotoGP next season.
Ducati rider Neil Hodgson, who leads the World Superbike championship, looks set to move to MotoGP next season.
The website quoted a Ducati source as saying that it is “90 per cent certain” that Hodgson will be in MotoGP next year. “I would say the deal will be done within the next two weeks,” the source said.
The British rider has said he would like to race in MotoGP. “I wouldn’t want to end my career like Carl Fogarty did, never having been measured against the best in the world. And to do that you’ve got to go to MotoGP,” he said.
Hodgson’s manager Roger Burnett told the that there are discussions about a move. “Neil has entered into discussions about MotoGP with Ducati,” Burnett said. “He has a two-year contract with them and Ducati spoke to Neil to ask what he thought about MotoGP and whether he would be prepared to make the switch – because his contract is for WSB.
“We all know how good (MotoGP champion) Valentino Rossi is and I think Neil would fancy his chances against riders like that.
“(Troy) Bayliss and (Colin) Edwards have done quite well in MotoGP this year and Neil challenged them in World Superbikes on a year-old bike and what could be said to be not the best tyres, so he feels he can measure himself against the MotoGP riders. The other danger is that if you don’t move on, you don’t get better.”