Hot topic the Silverstone World Superbike weekend was whether Aprilia would follow BMW out of World Superbikes at the end of 2013 and spend their budget putting more ART bikes on the MotoGP grid.
The weekend began with the rumour that Aprilia's racing supremo Gigi Dall'Igna had been handed a big-money offer to defect to Italian rivals Ducati in their MotoGP squad to replace the departed Filippo Preziosi.
Dorna, who own both series, are looking to bolster their cash cow's grid and recent rules changes allowing factories to have four factory bikes would play into Aprilia's favour if they are allowed to enter under the precedent set by Suzuki.
This would mean that although they would be an MSMA team, instead of a privateer, they could be allowed to use extra engines and have 22 litres of fuel instead of 20.
And the indecision over the 2014 World Superbikes rules, in particular the one forcing manufacturers to make six works bikes available for €300,000 each, may also be pushing the Noale factory towards MotoGP.
It would be almost impossible for Aprilia to make the bike that Eugene Laverty put on the podium twice at Silverstone without losing a lot of money on each one. That didn't stop Volkswagen with their record-breaking Bufgatti Veyron, which lost millions per unit.
Laverty himself is unsure of what 2014 holds, telling Bikesport News: "When BMW pulled out, I was aware that we have the same number of riders with fewer teams. The calibre of riders is really strong now in Superbikes.
"I'm lucky that I'm one one of the bikes that is capable of winning week in, week out and I am content where I am. I have no idea what the plans are."
The Irishman's management team were seen in conversation with Kawasaki top men more than once over the weekend.
