Interview
MotoGP
Former MotoGP winner Spies considers comeback to racing
One-time MotoGP race winner Ben Spies says he is considering a comeback to racing – but admits having had four years on the sidelines means any return to competition will be “tough”.
Jamie Klein Toni Börner
Edited: Dec 10, 2017, 1:38 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Texan-born Spies, 33, raced in MotoGP full-time from 2010-12, joining the factory Yamaha squad alongside Jorge Lorenzo after an impressive rookie season at Tech 3.
He moved over to the Pramac Ducati squad in 2013, but was recovering from a major shoulder injury sustained the previous year when another crash at Indianapolis effectively forced him to call time on his professional career.
Since then, the former AMA and World Superbike champion has not raced, although recent reports have suggested Spies could be planning a racing comeback, possibly in the MotoAmerica series.
Speaking to Motorsport.com at the EICMA motorcycle show, Spies confirmed his shoulder had become strong enough for him to begin considering a return to racing.
But he admits that putting together a deal to race after such a lengthy absence will be a tall order.
“I’ve been riding a lot of dirt bikes this year,” former Dutch TT winner Spies said. “Now I am able to ride my dirt bike as hard as I can again, it’s only been like that through the last year.
“So we started to think about what options are out there. But it’s tough. I’ve been away for four and a half years now, so, for something to happen the way I want it to happen, it is probably difficult.
“Being away for four and a half years, if I was to come back, it would have to be the same deals as what I left, or I do not come back.
"That’s the problem. There is not much money in racing right now.
“We’ll see, my door is kind of open and we’ll see what happens, but I think it’s been a little bit too late now, so it will be tough.”
Spies says a decision on his future will come in the next two weeks, but if a return to circuit racing doesn’t come off, he could try his hand in off-road competition.
“Next year I am actually starting to plan to race off-road, dirt bikes, professionally,” he revealed.
“So, if I don’t come back on the road, I’ll be on the dirt in the US.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Marquez is now MotoGP's only "alien" - Crutchlow
Next article Dovizioso: New Yamaha fairing makes winglet ban "a farce"
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jamie Klein
Super Formula Fuji: Ayumu Iwasa wins as Kakunoshin Ohta misses chance to seal title
Super Formula
Super Formula
Fuji II
Super Formula Fuji: Ayumu Iwasa wins as Kakunoshin Ohta misses chance to seal title
Super Formula Fuji: Igor Fraga wins while Kakunoshin Ohta closes on title
Super Formula
Super Formula
Fuji II
Super Formula Fuji: Igor Fraga wins while Kakunoshin Ohta closes on title
More from
Ben Spies
Why an IndyCar stalwart is supporting a bike racing gamechanger
IndyCar
IndyCar
St. Petersburg
Why an IndyCar stalwart is supporting a bike racing gamechanger
Graham Rahal forms Rahal Ducati Moto with father for MotoAmerica entry for’24
MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica
Graham Rahal forms Rahal Ducati Moto with father for MotoAmerica entry for’24
Portugal in WorldSBK history
World Superbike
World Superbike
Portimao
Portugal in WorldSBK history
Latest news
Jesse Love barely holds off Sam Mayer for NASCAR O'Reilly win at Phoenix
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Phoenix II
48 min
Jesse Love barely holds off Sam Mayer for NASCAR O'Reilly win at Phoenix
Lando Norris faces anxious wait as F2 prepares to decide future of his racing team
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
3 h
Lando Norris faces anxious wait as F2 prepares to decide future of his racing team
NASCAR Cup Phoenix starting lineup: Blaney earns pole as Larson struggles
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
4 h
NASCAR Cup Phoenix starting lineup: Blaney earns pole as Larson struggles
Ryan Blaney kind of faces a must-win scenario this weekend at Phoenix
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
5 h
Ryan Blaney kind of faces a must-win scenario this weekend at Phoenix
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe