motogp silly season

the Low-side, the High-side, the Fire-side

With what we have heard so far, the following is the 2008 MotoGP lineup:

Stoner (1) stays with Marlboro Ducati factory team
Pedrosa (26) stays with Repsol Honda factory team
Hayden (69) stays with Repsol Honda factory team
Rossi (46) stays with Fiat Yamaha factory team
Vermeulen (71) stays with Rizla Suzuki factory team
West (13) stays with Kawasaki factory team

Nakano (56) changes from Konica Honda to Honda Gresini
Melandri (33) changes from Honda Gresini to Marlboro Ducati
Capirossi (65) changes from Marlboro Ducati to Rizla Suzuki
Hopkins (21) changes from Rizla Suzuki to Kawasaki
DePuniet (14) changes from Kawasaki to LCR Honda
Edwards (5) changes from Fiat Yamaha to Tech 3 Yamaha
Guintolli (50) changes from Tech 3 Yamaha to d'Antin Ducati
Elias (24) changes from Gresini Honda to d'Antin Ducati

Toseland (52) joins Tech 3 Yamaha from SBK Ten Kata Honda
Lorenzo (?48) joins Fiat Yamaha from 250 Aprilia
Dovizioso (?) joins Konica Honda from 250 Honda
de Angelis (?3) joins Honda Gresini from 250 Aprilia
James Toseland is the 2007 SBK world champion, and Lorenzo, Davizioso, and de Angelis came 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the 250cc World Championship... A little extra competition maybe?

Barros (4) was with d'Antin Ducati in 07, no new team yet
Checa (7) leaves MotoGP for SBK Ten Kata Honda team

Qatar is the initial MotoGP race of 2008 (March 8) and will be run (for the first ever time) at night under floodlights, with practice and qualifying also held after dark. The bikes apparently won't need their own headlights as with edurance races such as Le Mans 24 hr or Suzuka 8 hr.