| I think Troy did himself no favours with the Ducati Corse boys when he was seen as loosing the WSBK World championship (remember the rain at Assen) in 2002. He came into the Moto GP squad on the pretence of being a World Champion (he was signed before season end) so on World Champs wages, TB is not cheap these days, - and I think Ducati Corse have likely stretched themselves thin this year running MotoGP, WSBK, World Supersport and giving a lot of help to domestic BSB and AMA. Something has to give, and as Ducati Corse is a separate company (like HRC is) they are accountable to their parent company in a slightly different way. I do not think Troy is out of a job with Ducati, - I think he just might be out of a MotoGP factory ride with them.
Troy has a lot of fire in his belly and gives 100% but there are other young guns who will do the same job for less $.
I would not be surprised if nationality has some part to play in the process (Australia produces some of the best riders in the world why the hell can't Fosters put their hands in their pockets to back it up???) but I think it would be a minor part. Loris has done better this year than Troy.  |