We can’t ignore one of the stranger rumors circulating in Europe right now. You have probably seen the Sauber three-cylinder MotoGP prototype engine, as well as photos of the prototype machine as it recently appeared to take demonstration laps at a GP race. Sauber will not be on the MotoGP grid next year. If the latest rumors are correct, however, it may be on the WSB grid with the Triumph marque on its gas tank. Who will manage this team? Why, Carl Fogarty, of course.
Sounds strange, doesn’t it? Triumph says it can’t afford to go racing — certainly not at the WSB level. Fogarty bleeds Ducati red. Sauber’s engine was developed for MotoGP, not WSB.
Nevertheless, the Sauber is a triple, and Triumph is known for triples. Moreover, Triumph could campaign the machine without homologating a street-legal version before the season starts — just as Benelli has done with its triple.
If it is going to happen, there will have to be an announcement soon. Preparations for the 2002 WSB season are in full swing. By the way, Harris Performance, a British chassis specialist, designed the frame used by the prototype Sauber, and may play a role in the WSB machine’s preparation.
