When the music stops....

Now that Jorge Lorenzo has decided to stay with his Fiat Yamaha team for next year (an official announcement due at Misano) the silly season of seat swaps can really break into a canter and I can tell you who, where and why with the echoes still bouncing around these Brno paddock walls.

But it seems Jorge is still a bit wet behind the ears playing poker... Gorgeous Gorge had wanted a bigger slice of Fiat Yamaha’s money pie as he and the team have been touted on numerous occasions as Yamaha’s MotoGP future. Keen on commanding closer to Rossi’s millions, Jorge had a proposed Honda works contract in his hand either replacing Pedrosa, or his own dream team backed with returnee mega-sponsor Telefonica.

HRC then fanned the flames by stating that they would be happy to welcome Jorge should he decide to leave Yamaha. Yamaha offered Jorge a sum that fell well short of his figure and his huge ego also took a battering, believing Yamaha was now under-valuing their young protégé. Stalemate. Poker-faced Yamaha Racing Boss Lin Jarvis then announced Jorge would have to “take it or leave it” and that he was free to leave for Honda if he wanted. Lorenzo, knowing how good the bike and team are, has now decided to stay. Round 1 to Jarvis.

And now that this has taken place, the rest of the pieces can start to fall into place. Repsol Honda is likely to stick with Pedrosa and Dovizioso, after their recent purple patches. You’re only as good as your last result and they’ve both won very recently. Indeed the new HRC boss Mr. Suzuki (ironically) was here to meet the press and paddock and he said that Honda indeed intended to sign their existing riders for 2010 and beyond, although Pedrosa has told Spanish TV nothing is set in concrete yet.

Over at Ducati the same scenario is likely. Stoner is still in a multi-year contract, although his shocking withdrawal of this round and at least the next two due to his continuing health issues must be causing Team Director Livio Suppo sleepless nights. The ‘cup half-full’ version here is the little Australian will be back in time for Estoril. The ‘cup half empty’ view, or worst case scenario is he’s suffered a Spencer-like meltdown and burnt out, never to return to motorcycle racing again.

If you really want to throw the cat amongst the pigeons, a desperate and Stoner-less Ducati may want to try and nab Lorenzo? Nicky Hayden and Ducati are both understood to be keen on improving their marriage after a difficult honeymoon period. The USA market is also hugely important to the Bologna marquee. But the Hayden camp has also been exploring other options here over the weekend should Ducati decide not to stick with the Kentuckian in the worst case scenario.

The Pramac Ducati B team will stick with Kallio if Stoner returns, but the second bike is open. Italian 250cc star Mattia Pasini will test here on Monday in the short term as a replacement for Fabrizio, who returns back to WSB duty, for Kallio’s regular seat. Kallio is keeping Stoner's seat warm for the Ducati Marlboro Team. For next year, current 250cc championship leader, Japanese rider Hiroshi Aoyama, has been mentioned as a replacement for Niccolo Canepa, who is likely to return to WSB and Ducati test riding duties.

Suzuki has announced here that young Spanish 250 charger Alvaro Bautista will join them for the next two years. Capirossi is thought to be close to extending his deal, but has also been rumored to be considering retiring. Vermeulen is out and looking for a seat. Smart money is for him to return to WSB or maybe the Monster Tech 3 Yamaha squad.

Colin Edwards would like to stay with Tech 3 as Yamaha’s preferred choice. Yamaha and Bridgestone both value the Texan’s set up and development skills. The other seat currently belonging to James Toseland has a long list of admirer’s clambering to throw their leg over it. Vermeulen has killed any chance of Toseland commanding the sort of pre-credit crunch salary he is currently enjoying, by offering his services for free. Randy de Puniet is being linked as a French rider to a French team, but is most likely to stay at LCR Honda. If Ben Spies did leap across after securing the WSB title it would be at the expense of Edwards, as Yamaha’s choice for the team. Team owner Herve Poncharal has the nod on the second seat and it wouldn’t be an all-American team as Yamaha would only fund one seat.

At the Satellite Honda squads, Marco Simoncelli and Marco Melandri are confirmed at Gresini, with Elias and de Angelis now looking for work. Cash-strapped Scot Honda is also likely to stick with Talmacsi and the Hungarian oil money he brings with. Honda have made noises about supplying two further RC212Vs to teams that have the Euros. The latest possible team is the 250cc GP Caffe Latte squad, who would take Swiss 250cc rider Thomas Luthi with them. The championship loses another manufacturer next year as the Hayate Team (aka Kawasaki) will be disbanded at the end the end of the year. Kawasaki unwilling to plough further money into the project now that the threat of legal action from Dorna has been withdrawn. But a good chunk of this will remain up in the air because of the uncertainty of Stoner returning or not.

On another strange note, a really bizarre and embarrassing incident hit newly-announced Suzuki MotoGP rider Bautista, after he had claimed third-place in the 250cc race on the cool-down lap. The last long drag up the hill is overlooked by a huge crowd and provides an ideal opportunity to sort the men from the boys with their wheelie skills...or lack of them! Bautista tugged a little too enthusiastically on the handlebars and flipped his Aprilia, dumping the Spaniard on his backside, while the bike cart-wheeled to destruction. Thus, it’s probably just as well he has that Suzuki MotoGP contract in his back pocket, as current Aprilia team owner Aspar Martinez looked less than impressed while the podium ceremony took place without his rider in it!