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MotoGP: Silly Season 2018
Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 12:39 am
by toratora
The Silly Season 2018 thread!
MotoGP: 2018 to be Petrucci’s last year in Pramac
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 8:40 am
by toratora
http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/888843 ... ear-pramac
Neil Morrison wrote:23 Jan 2018
Danilo Petrucci has admitted the 2018 season will be his last for Pramac Ducati after learning of the factory’s interest in Italian starlet Francesco Bagnaia.
Speaking to Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport, Petrucci revealed he will not continue in the satellite squad for a fifth year, but has an option in his current contract to move to Ducati’s official team for ’18.
However, Ducati management used its MotoGP team launch in Bologna last week to state how its priority was to renew the contracts of current factory riders Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo in the coming months.
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Furthermore, sporting director Paolo Ciabatti emphasised the importance of Pramac to act as Ducati’s ‘junior team’, to foster some of grand prix racing’s most exciting talent.
At 27 years old, Petrucci’s age may be a real factor in this decision, especially as new team-mate Jack Miller has recently turned 23.
“It’s important that 2019 started before 2018,” Petrucci is quoted as saying in the Gazzetta. “I read in the paper that I am already fired and that Bagnaia will take my place. Joking aside, Paolo Campinoti (Pramac team owner) and I were aware of this. He pulled me from nowhere [at the end of 2014].
“But we knew that this would be the last year together, the cycle is nearly completed. It is also the meaning of the Pramac project. I have a contract with Ducati, I have an option that expires in June to enter the official team, otherwise I will be free."
Should Peturcci’s option with Ducati’s factory team fail to materialise, he will be a free agent with former admirers Aprilia a possible destination for 2019.
The Noale factory showed an interest in the Terni rider's services mid-way through ’17 as it searched for a replacement for the out-of-favour Sam Lowes. After stirring performances at Mugello and Assen, Ducati moved promptly to sign Petrucci for another year.
“In 2017 the temptation to go to Aprilia was strong,” admitted Petrucci. “Becoming the rider of an Italian company attracted me a lot. But I did not want to end up in a different place. But after seven years in MotoGP the ambition is [to be a factory rider].
“I think everything will be decided at the first races and I do not find it very fair. If you sign after three GPs, you will do the 15 others with a different motivation. It puts a lot of pressure on."
The news comes soon after Petrucci’s most successful year in grand prix racing. The former CRT runner notched up four podium finishes in 2017 – the most by any satellite Ducati rider across a season – to claim eighth in the final world championship standings.
Ducati’s Ciabatti did admit the factory was keeping tabs on Bagnaia last week, but also mentioned the names of Moto2 world champion Franco Morbidelli and Moto3 champion Joan Mir as possibilities for the future.
MotoGP: Viñales kicks off silly season with two-year Yamaha extension
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 8:43 am
by toratora
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/sport/mo ... extension/
Simon Patterson wrote:January 24th 2018
Maverick Viñales has delivered the first deal of the 2018 MotoGP silly season by announcing a two-year contract extension with the Movistar Yamaha team at the squad’s launch event in Madrid this morning.
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Preparing to start his second season with the team this weekend at the first official test in Sepang, the surprise news confirms his presence at the factory team until at least the end of the 2020 championship.
However, while the move helps to secure the future for the Japanese manufacturer, it’s likely to ignite speculation about the future of teammate Valentino Rossi. Normal policy at Yamaha is to treat both riders equally and present them with similar contracts at the same time – meaning that the nine-time world champion is also likely to have an offer on the table as he continues to assess his future after 22 seasons in Grand Prix racing.
MotoGP: Hernandez to deputise for Folger at Sepang
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 1:06 pm
by toratora
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/sport/mo ... at-sepang/
Simon Patterson wrote:25 January 2018
Columbian rider Yonny Hernandez will replace Monster Yamaha Tech 3’s Jonas Folger at this weekend’s official MotoGP test at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit, as he lines himself up to replace the German full time for the 2018 season.
Struggling to find a replacement for Folger as he continues to recover from illness but unwilling to break a rider’s contract with another team, team boss Herve Poncharal admits that discovering that Hernandez has no contract in place yet allows them the possibility to test him at Sepang.
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“Before starting to talk about who will be on our second bike in Sepang, I would like to express one more time how sorry and sad I am, not having Jonas Folger with us in 2018. Having said that, we have to try to overcome this situation the best way we can and everybody knows it’s not easy. On the 20th of January, almost everyone with the required level is already under contract, therefore I am very happy to have found out that Yonny Hernandez was so far without a contract.
“I know, that he has got some plans and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Pedercini letting Yonny test with us and give him the opportunity to show what he can do on a Yamaha M1 MotoGP bike. I am pleased to give him this possibility to test for three days and with it giving him the chance to show his potential to both, Yamaha Motor Corporation and the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team.
“Yet, no permanent decision will be taken before we fly back from Sepang. For sure, we will analyse in detail how Yonny performs during this test and obviously, he is one of the riders on our short list for 2018.”
Hernandez, set to ride for the Pedercini Kawasaki squad in the 2018 World Superbike championship, says he’s been given the opportunity of a lifetime as he jumps onto the bike that Folger took to an impressive podium finish in his rookie season alst year.
"First of all, I have to say, that I’m sorry for Jonas Folger. I hope he gets well very soon and back on track again, as he is an incredible fast and talented rider and I want to wish him all the best. At the same time, I’m obviously happy for myself to get such a fantastic opportunity riding a MotoGP bike again.
“I’m delighted I can do the test and work with a very good team and machine. I’m truly curious to ride a Yamaha bike, because in all my career I was sitting on a Ducati. I want to thank the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team and especially Herve Poncharal for giving me this unique chance."
Rossi likely to sign new deal before Qatar GP
Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:39 am
by toratora
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opin ... l-qatar-gp
Mat Oxley wrote:28 January 2018
Valentino Rossi’s impressive pace on the first day of 2018’s first test has convinced the veteran that he’s ready to continue MotoGP racing into 2019
“It’s only the first day, so it’s nothing,” said Valentino Rossi, on the first day of his 23rd season of Grand Prix racing.
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True, lap times from the first of three days of testing here at Sepang–topped by Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa – don’t necessarily mean anything when it comes to predicting what will happen during the 2018 MotoGP world championship. But in fact today wasn’t nothing at all, for the MotoGP championship as a whole, because something very big happened during Rossi’s media debrief.
The nine-time world champion had been hanging around at the top of the times throughout the afternoon, suggesting that he wasn’t in the same hellhole in which he found himself this time last year.
He didn’t even need to speak to tell us what he felt. He looked happy, upbeat, but more than anything relieved, confident that the worst season of his MotoGP career (apart from those two years at Ducati) is well and truly behind him. And you know what that means.
“I have the motivation, I want to try to continue,” he said.
So, will Rossi sign a new contract with Yamaha? “First, I want to do all the preseason tests, because I want to understand if I’m competitive, if the bike is competitive and also if I have enough power to do all the tests, then I will sign.”
So there you have it, Rossi looks 99.9 per cent certain to continue into 2019, when he will be 40 years old. What’s that sound? It’s the sound of champagne corks popping inside Dorna HQ.
Rossi’s problems last year were due to mistakes made by Yamaha, mostly in chassis design, but also in electronics set-up. The factory has learned its lesson and created a chassis that owes much to the 2016 design, which Rossi loved.
“I can ride the bike more naturally,” he said. “I can feel the front better and when I push hard, the lap times come.”
Rossi ended the day sixth fastest, about nine tenths down on Pedrosa, but that didn’t worry him, because he stopped early, when many other riders were putting in their fastest laps.
“The first day of testing is always a disaster, physically, so I wanted to save my energy for the next two days,” he said.
Pedrosa was impressive, half a second quicker than the fastest lap during last year’s Malaysian GP weekend and three tenths better than closest challenger Andrea Dovizioso, who led a whole posse of Ducatis: Jorge Lorenzo, Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller. Reigning champion Marc Márquez ended the day just behind Rossi and just ahead of Johann Zarco.
Honda’s focus here is working on its engine, after two years struggling with a lack of peak power. “Our engine package is our focus during this test,” affirmed Pedrosa. “The new engine I tried has more power, but we still need to work on smoothness to help tyre life.”
Dovizioso ran back-to-back tests with a GP17 and GP18 chassis, immediately finding an important positive with the latest unit. “It’s better on the last part of corner entry,” he said. “I can enter corners faster, so I’m very happy with that.”
Like Rossi, Zarco advised against making too much of today’s lap times. “The most difficult thing on the first day of testing is riding after two months without 300 kilometres an hour in your mind,” said the Frenchman, who was the first man out of pit lane this morning, when the track was still wet from a morning downpour.
Ironically, Zarco is riding the 2017 chassis that both Rossi and Viñales hated. And he’s loving it. “What I feel from my new bike is that it gives me the confidence I never had last season,” said the double Moto2 world champion and 2017’s top MotoGP rookie. Who knows what he can achieve now that he feels fully confident on a MotoGP bike?
Zarco spent the winter training on a slick-equipped supermotard bike, working on riding fast with consistent laps times. His other training breakthrough was getting his backside well and truly kicked in December. This punishment was administered in Barcelona, during the Superprestigio dirt-track event.
“The Superprestigio is a totally different category, which is good for your riding technique and also good training for your mind,” he explained. “You feel you are a good rider, but then so many riders beat you and you get nervous. The work is always to learn to stay calm…”
Finally, spare a thought for Petrucci, who has been sacked even before the season starts. The likeable former Superstock champion has already been told that his contract with the Pramac Ducati team won’t be renewed at the end of this season.
Petrucci wants to stay in MotoGP, so he’s working on two main issues to improve his competitiveness in the hope of landing a good ride for 2019. The Italian is MotoGP’s Rob McElnea of the moment, of whose team-mate Eddie Lawson once said, “he drafts like a truck”.
Petrucci has had an abstemious winter, shedding four kilos, but he’s still bigger than anyone else. Now he wants to improve his throttle control to save the rear tyre and thereby improve his pace at the end of races.
“I am very aggressive with the throttle, especially at the first touch,” he said. “For me, it’s better to ride these bikes with some sliding, but I need to learn to save the tyre. I must learn to be smoother with the throttle, but it’s not easy to ignore your instincts, especially when you are riding very fast.”
In the old days, riders used to up their pace towards the end of each season to improve their chances of getting a good deal for the following season. More than anyone, Petrucci is already riding for 2019.
MotoGP: Bombshell: Yamaha And Tech3 To Part Ways For 2019 - Who Takes Yamahas, Who Supplies Tech3?
Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 9:39 am
by toratora
https://motomatters.com/news/2018/02/22 ... _ways.html
David Emmett wrote:Thu, 2018-02-22
If you thought the 2019 MotoGP Silly Season was already in high gear, a bombshell announcement has just put it into overdrive. Today, the Monster Tech3 Yamaha team announced that from 2019, they will be parting ways. Tech3 will no longer be a satellite Yamaha team.
The split brings to an end an association of nearly 20 years with Yamaha. They first started in 1999 with Shinya Nakano and Olivier Jacque in 250cc, before switching to the premier class with the same pair in 2001. Tech3 have been a loyal partner for many years, giving up one seat to a factory-backed rider on a number of occasions, as occurred with Ben Spies, Colin Edwards, and Pol Espargaro.
However, there had been a few signs of tension over the past few months. Although Hervé Poncharal remained ever the gentleman when talking about Yamaha, toeing the company line, there were occasional hints of frustration in his response to questions, though never anything explicit. With Tech3 having been given a better offer from a different manufacturer—as the press release states—that made it easier to end the association with Yamaha.
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That huge piece of news opens up a whole range of questions. Who will be supplying Tech3 with MotoGP bikes next year? Will Yamaha have a satellite team in 2019? And does this open the door to the VR46 team to make their entry into MotoGP?
To address the first question first, there are only really two candidates to supply Tech3 with MotoGP bikes from 2019: KTM and Suzuki. Neither the budget nor the size of the racing department at Aprilia would suggest that the Italian factory would be capable of offering Tech3 a better deal than Yamaha. Both Honda and Ducati are already supplying a lot of teams with bikes for 2019, and neither would be able to add another satellite squad.
Between KTM and Suzuki, a similar principle applies: KTM has one of the largest budgets in the paddock - the Austrian factory is investing €250 million over a five-year program - and the resources in the racing department to support a satellite team. Both KTM CEO Stefan Pierer and head of racing Pit Beirer have expressed an intention to have a satellite team in the near future. In an interview with MotoMatters held last year at Aragon, team boss Mike Leitner said "Of course, it would be nice to have a satellite team one day. This is clear. This is the commitment from Mr. Pierer and Pit."
Suzuki, on the other hand, has a much smaller racing department and budget. Team boss Davide Brivio has also expressed a desire to have a satellite team, but has always met with some resistance from senior management in the Japanese factory. When discussing the possibility of a satellite team, Brivio has always said that having a single satellite rider would be manageable, but supplying two riders would be more difficult.
So although it remains speculation at the current moment, it looks more likely that Tech3 will partner with KTM than anyone else. That would also make sense given KTM's expression of interest in having Johann Zarco ride for them in 2019. Zarco would then swap to the factory team from Tech3, and make room for new riders in the Tech3 satellite squad. Those riders would most likely be Miguel Oliveira and possibly Brad Binder, who are both under contract to KTM in Moto2, and are believed to have clauses in their contracts offering them a seat in MotoGP in the future.
Tech3 parting ways with Yamaha would almost certainly also mean a split with current title sponsor Monster. The obvious replacement for Monster would be Red Bull, and if Tech3 were to become a KTM satellite team, then the F1 Toro Rosso junior team would serve as an example.
If Tech3 are parting ways with Yamaha, where does that leave Yamaha in 2019? The most likely answer is, without a satellite team. Although Dorna is know to be keen to have the Sky VR46 team in MotoGP, the series organizers have guaranteed the grid slots to the current MotoGP teams for a five-year period ending in 2020, meaning that a vacancy for a new team would only open in 2021. Dorna has stated explicitly that they do not want to expand the grid beyond 24 riders, as that would require them to support those riders financially as well.
The current satellite teams know that any contract with Yamaha would be merely temporary, until the Sky VR46 team could take a grid slot in 2021. Given Valentino Rossi's strong association with Yamaha (beyond his own history with the brand, the VR46 Riders Academy also has a contract with Yamaha to supply bikes), there is no doubt that when the team bearing his name enters MotoGP, it will be with Yamaha. This would also open up a route for talented riders from the VR46 Academy into MotoGP, whoever is in the factory team.
The only realistic way for the Sky VR46 Racing Team to enter MotoGP before 2021 would be to either partner with an existing satellite team, or to purchase the grid slots of the team. Partnering with the VR46 organization would be a very one-sided affair, and basically amount to a takeover. Selling grid slots would be a better, more lucrative deal, though it would mean stepping out of MotoGP. With the money involved - an educated guess would put the price of two grid slots for two years somewhere in the low seven figures - a team would be able to race in Moto2 or Moto3 quite comfortably for several seasons.
All this is speculation, for the moment. What we do know is that Tech3 won't be with Yamaha from 2019. Who they will be with, we expect to find out fairly shortly.
Below is the press release announcing the split:
TECH3 AND YAMAHA TO PART WAYS FOR 2019
Yamaha and Tech3 announce that 2018 will be their last season as partners in the FIM Grand Prix MotoGP World Championship.
Gerno di Lesmo, Italy & Bormes les Mimosas, France - 22nd February 2018
After 20 mutually successful years of partnership, Tech3 have informed Yamaha that they will end their collaboration with Yamaha at the end of the 2018 season.
Yamaha have accepted Tech3‘s decision and will provide its full support to the team until the last race of the 2018 season.
Tech3 will continue its participation in the MotoGP (and Moto2) World Championship and will announce its plans for 2019 and beyond at a later date.
Yamaha is in the process of deciding whether they will run a satellite team for 2019 and, if so, what form that collaboration will take.
KOUICHI TSUJI
GENERAL MANAGER MOTORSPORTS DEVELOPMENT DIVISION, YMC | PRESIDENT, YMR
Very recently we were informed by Hervé Poncharal, the owner of Tech3, that he has decided not to extend his contract with Yamaha to lease YZR-M1 bikes. After discussions with Hervé it was clear that he has chosen to align with a new partner for the future and therefore, regretfully, we were obliged to respect and accept his decision.
The end of such a successful partnership is always a bit sad, as it also marks the end of a long-term relationship. We are very grateful for Hervé‘s loyalty and support to the Yamaha brand and for the excellent results obtained throughout that time.
We will continue to provide our full support to the Tech3 team and their riders throughout the 2018 season, while we simultaneously evaluate our options for an alternative team in the MotoGP World Championship class for 2019 and beyond.
HERVÉ PONCHARAL
MONSTER YAMAHA TECH3, OWNER & TEAM PRINCIPAL
To summarize 20 years of an incredible partnership between Tech3 and Yamaha in a few words is a very difficult mission. Since I first met Mr. Iio in 1998, where he gave me the opportunity to join Yamaha Motor Corporation, it has been an extraordinary journey together. All I remember are fantastic memories, great results, an awesome atmosphere and astonishing feelings we shared with the Yamaha family, which will always be in my mind and in my heart. Clearly, to end that kind of partnership is a big decision for me. All I want to say is more than a huge thank you to Yamaha, to Mr. Tsuji, Mr. Tsuya, Mr. Jarvis and Mr. Nakajima, plus all the guys that have been supporting and helping us.
Tech3 is a small company, which has to think about the future and has to weigh the different options. We‘ve been offered a deal, that includes something we‘ve been waiting for almost since we started with Tech3 and I couldn‘t say no. But obviously, we are the Monster Yamaha Team until the last lap of the Valencia GP 2018. Johann Zarco and Hafizh Syahrin will be fighting for top positions and without a doubt, Yamaha can count on us to be a loyal performant partner.
One more time a huge thank you for Yamaha‘s support. I hope they can carry on and have the success they deserve and eventually find a partner to replace Tech3.
MotoGP: Tech3 to leave Yamaha—join KTM?
Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 10:39 am
by toratora
http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/889921 ... a-join-ktm
Peter McLaren wrote:22 Feb 2018
Tech 3 will end its long association with Yamaha at the end of the 2018 MotoGP season.
Tech3 is to end its long association with Yamaha at the end of the 2018 MotoGP season.
And the hot rumour is that the French team will join KTM and receive the very latest factory machinery in 2019.
"We’ve been offered a deal, that includes something we’ve been waiting for almost since we started with Tech3 and I couldn’t say no," team boss Herve Poncharal explains below.
Tech3's surprise move also opens up the possibility of Valentino Rossi's VR46 joining MotoGP to run Yamaha's satellite machines, should existing teams agree to a new entry or if VR46 merge with a current team.
But perhaps 2019 is too soon for such a project, especially as Rossi seems set to continue racing.
Marc VDS, presently with Honda, is another team tipped as interested in the future satellite M1 supply.
If Tech3 are moving to KTM, heavily linked with Red Bull, it seems impossible that they can continue with title sponsor Monster.
“To summarize 20 years of an incredible partnership between Tech3 and Yamaha in a few words is a very difficult mission," said Poncharal.
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"Since I first met Mr. Iio in 1998, where he gave me the opportunity to join Yamaha Motor Corporation, it has been an extraordinary journey together.
"All I remember are fantastic memories, great results, an awesome atmosphere and astonishing feelings we shared with the Yamaha family, which will always be in my mind and in my heart.
"Clearly, to end that kind of partnership is a big decision for me. All I want to say is more than a huge thank you to Yamaha, to Mr. Tsuji, Mr. Tsuya, Mr. Jarvis and Mr. Nakajima, plus all the guys that have been supporting and helping us.
"Tech3 is a small company, which has to think about the future and has to weigh the different options.
"We’ve been offered a deal, that includes something we’ve been waiting for almost since we started with Tech3 and I couldn’t say no.
"But obviously, we are the Monster Yamaha Team until the last lap of the Valencia GP 2018. Johann Zarco and Hafizh Syahrin will be fighting for top positions and without a doubt, Yamaha can count on us to be a loyal performant partner.
"One more time a huge thank you for Yamaha’s support. I hope they can carry on and have the success they deserve and eventually find a partner to replace Tech3.”
Kouichi Tsuji, general manager of Yamaha motorsports, made clear it had been Tech3's decision to leave:
"Very recently we were informed by Hervé Poncharal, the owner of Tech3, that he has decided not to extend his contract with Yamaha to lease YZR-M1 bikes.
"After discussions with Hervé it was clear that he has chosen to align with a new partner for the future and therefore, regretfully, we were obliged to respect and accept his decision.
"The end of such a successful partnership is always a bit sad, as it also marks the end of a long-term relationship. We are very grateful for Hervé‘s loyalty and support to the Yamaha brand and for the excellent results obtained throughout that time.
"We will continue to provide our full support to the Tech3 team and their riders throughout the 2018 season, while we simultaneously evaluate our options for an alternative team in the MotoGP World Championship class for 2019 and beyond."
2017 star rookie Johann Zarco will again headline this year's Monster Yamaha Tech3 line-up, with rookie Hafizh Syahrin recently confirmed on the second machine, following the withdraw of Jonas Folger.
Zarco - who claimed three podiums, two poles, sixth in the world championship last year - has been linked with KTM since Valencia in November, where he came within 0.337s of what would have been Tech3's first MotoGP victory.
The assumption had been that Zarco would race in the official KTM team, but perhaps the promise of full-factory KTMs will be enough to keep him at the familiar Tech 3 surroundings.
At present, Tech3 uses year-old Yamaha machinery, although problems with the 2017 chassis mean Zarco has opted to remain on the 2016 design.
Factory riders Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales are using a 2018 chassis very close to the 2016 version.
KTM joined MotoGP at the start of last season, impressing with its rate of progress during the year.
Dorna has been pushing for each factory to supply at least one satellite team and a Tech3-KTM tie-up would leave only Suzuki and Aprilia without a customer project, assuming Yamaha finds a replacement.
Like almost all the factory teams, both of KTM's rider contracts (with former Tech3 team-mates Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro) are up for renewal at the end of 2018.
Maverick Vinales has already re-signed for the official Yamaha team until 2020. Rossi says he intends to race on, but probably won't sign until at least the end of testing.
Today's Tech3-Yamaha statement ended with:
'Tech3 will continue its participation in the MotoGP (and Moto2) World Championship and will announce its plans for 2019 and beyond at a later date.
'Yamaha is in the process of deciding whether they will run a satellite team for 2019 and, if so, what form that collaboration will take.'
It is also rumoured that Tech3 will switch its Moto2 team to KTM machines in 2019.
Official KTM Moto2 riders Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder are thought to have some kind of performance-based MotoGP option in their contracts for 2019, either with a factory or satellite RC16 team.
MotoGP: Tech 3 to split with Yamaha after 2018
Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 11:39 am
by toratora
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/sport/mo ... fter-2018/
Simon Patterson wrote:February 22nd, 2018
The Monster Energy Tech 3 team have dramatically announced that they will split with manufacturer Yamaha at the end of the 2018 MotoGP season, bringing to an end a twenty-year partnership that has seen the French team cement their place as the series’ premier satellite team.
Speaking in a statement released only a day after confirmed that Hafizh Syahrin would ride for the team this coming season, Poncharal made it clear that the decision to walk away from Yamaha was his, opening up speculation that the team will make a switch to Suzuki, KTM or even Aprilia machinery for next season.
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“To summarize 20 years of an incredible partnership between Tech3 and Yamaha in a few words is a very difficult mission. Since I first met Mr. Iio in 1998, where he gave me the opportunity to join Yamaha Motor Corporation, it has been an extraordinary journey together. All I remember are fantastic memories, great results, an awesome atmosphere and astonishing feelings we shared with the Yamaha family, which will always be in my mind and in my heart. Clearly, to end that kind of partnership is a big decision for me."
“All I want to say is more than a huge thank you to Yamaha, to Mr. Tsuji, Mr. Tsuya, Mr. Jarvis and Mr. Nakajima, plus all the guys that have been supporting and helping us. Tech3 is a small company, which has to think about the future and has to weigh the different options."
“We’ve been offered a deal, that includes something we’ve been waiting for almost since we started with Tech3 and I couldn’t say no. But obviously, we are the Monster Yamaha Team until the last lap of the Valencia GP 2018. Johann Zarco and Hafizh Syahrin will be fighting for top positions and without a doubt, Yamaha can count on us to be a loyal performant partner. One more time a huge thank you for Yamaha’s support. I hope they can carry on and have the success they deserve and eventually find a partner to replace Tech3.”
MotoGP: Syahrin to line up full—time with Tech 3 in 2018
Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:39 pm
by toratora
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2018/02/2 ... 018/250389
MotoGP wrote:February 21, 2018
After an impressive #ThaiTest, the Malaysian will become the first from his country to compete in MotoGP™
Following his performance in testing at Buriram, Hafizh Syahrin has been confirmed as riding for Monster Yamaha Tech 3 in 2018. The Malaysian, who was the first from his nation to enter the premier class at the #ThaiTest, now becomes the first to compete full-time as he joins Johann Zarco in the French squad’s line up.
Syahrin impressed in Thailand with his rapid progress, high motivation and learning curve during his first ever test aboard the Yamaha YZR-M1, ending the test in P22 of 24 and only 1.7 seconds off the fastest laptime set by Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team).
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“I’m incredibly delighted after receiving the good news that I will ride with Monster Yamaha Tech3 in 2018,” says Syahrin. “Following three very interesting and great days of testing in Buriram, where I learned a lot, I want to thank my crew again, especially Nico and Maxime, but also Johann and Laurent for their advices. In just a short time, I really learned to fully control a MotoGP bike, which is still unbelievable for me. I’ll try to do my best and will give all I have this year. I want to thank Hervé, Yamaha Motor Corporation, Monster and the entire Tech3 team to believe in me and giving me this fantastic opportunity to compete full season in MotoGP. Thank you to my family, that always supported me to make this dream come true, especially my father, plus thanks to my fans and of course to Razlan. I’m looking forward to test again in Qatar and I’ll be even more motivated. Honestly, I can’t wait for the season to start. I’m just overwhelmed!”
“The recent test in Buriram was already history made for Hafizh,” adds Razlan Razali, Sepang International Circuit Chief Executive Officer. “This official announcement of Hafizh competing the full season with Monster Yamaha Tech3 team is the biggest announcement and achievement for a Malaysian rider after more than 26 years of Malaysia hosting MotoGP. It is also a fantastic news for the Asian region. I must thank Hervé Poncharal for this opportunity, his faith and confidence in Hafizh. We will now hand over Hafizh in his good care for him to be developed into a better, competitive and complete MotoGP rider.”
For his part, Team Manager Herve Poncharal had already stated his wish to keep the Malaysian – and is now happy the deal is done: “I’m really happy to announce that Hafizh Syahrin will be the second Monster Yamaha Tech3 rider alongside Johann Zarco. It’s been a tough time since we heard from Jonas Folger, that unfortunately he decided not to race in 2018 in order to look after his health and try to fully recover. It has been a long process to find somebody, who could be the one. In Sepang I met Razlan Razali, we were just chatting and now and then you have crazy ideas, which are sometimes the ones that bring the best result. I would like to thank Razlan Razali for his passion, his contagious energy and the involvement he has for MotoGP racing and for the sport in general, plus to support Hafizh Syahrin to climb the last step to the premier class. We had to convince all the people around us, that Hafizh is going to be a good MotoGP rider. Therefore, we had to give him a tough task during the three days of testing in Buriram. In the end, he did a tremendous job, he fulfilled the mission. Yamaha was more than happy with his performance and the whole Tech3 team was delighted. I am very honored and proud to give him this chance and I know this is going to be something historical, because it’s the first time that a Malaysian rider is racing a full season on a MotoGP bike and we know how popular our sport in this part of the world is. I want to tell Hafizh: Welcome in our family! We will take care of you like our son and I’m quite sure we can have a great season. You can learn from the team, from Johann. Thank you for your enthusiasm and for your involvement. I can’t wait to be in Qatar with you on our bike.”
First, the grid visit Qatar to test from the 1st March—before the race weekend begins on the 16th.
Marquez to stay at Repsol Honda in 2019 and 2020
Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:39 pm
by toratora
http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2018/02/2 ... 020/250512
MotoGP wrote:February 26, 2018
Marc Marquez will be staying at the Repsol Honda Team for two further seasons, having signed a contract to remain at Honda in 2019 and 2020. Marquez, who joined the team in 2013 as a rookie and went on to take his first premier class crown that year, will have raced with the squad for a total of eight seasons by the conclusion of the 2020 season—and it has been quite a ride.
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So far, the number 93 has only lost the title once, in 2015, and has been a multiple race winner every year. In 2018, the rider from Cervera is looking to defend the MotoGP™ crown and take premier class title number five, with Honda also defending a crown as they head into the year as reigning Manufacturers’ Champions.
“I’m excited to continue to race for Honda’s factory team in the MotoGP class,” says Marquez. “I’m proud to race as a member of the Honda family, and I appreciate how Honda and the team always do their best to provide me with everything I need. I would also like to thank everyone who has given me such warm support over the years. The first two official tests went well and, with my contract renewed, I can focus on racing in the new season. I will continue to enjoy racing, share my joy with everybody and do my best to reach our shared goals. Thank you!”
Yoshishige Nomura, HRC President, adds: “I am very pleased that Marc Márquez will continue to ride for our factory team. Márquez has consistently pushed himself to the limit and matured as a rider, and given Honda many titles. We were able to announce the contract renewal at such an early stage due to our mutual trust, and our common passion for racing. I am certain that we can provide an environment for him to concentrate on the final tests in Qatar this week and in the lead-up to the opening round, and that we can start the 2018 season strongly. HRC will continue its challenge with Márquez, a vital rider in the future of MotoGP. I appreciate and look forward to everyone’s continued support for the Repsol Honda Team.”