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Max Gets The Goods
a seemingly unimportant sponsor move could mean more than you think
by toby hirst
Monday, May 17, 2004
Just when the political puzzle at HRC looked to be complicated enough, another layer of intrigue was added to the mix at the Le Mans MotoGP test on Monday. After all the pre-season talk of 6 equal machines for the 2004 HRC rider line-up, and then the subsequent non-delivery of that scenario and the constant guessing games as to who has 'factory support' and the latest developmental parts, we got a strong indication of future intent from the big red machine.
It was announced by the Sito Pons managed Camel Honda team that Max Biaggi will receive backing from Repsol for the remainder of the 2004 MotoGP season.
It has been agreed that Biaggi will carry the Repsol brand name on his RC211V Honda from the next scheduled race meeting, the Italian Grand Prix, to be held at Mugello on June 6th. The Spanish oil company already sits as title sponsor for the official works HRC team with riders Alex Barros and Nicky Hayden.
"We are very pleased to announce the renewal of the partnership, after many years working together in the past, with Repsol which will guarantee the provision of the highest quality racing products, specifically designed for our RC211V, to cover all our technical requirements," stated Camel Honda team principal Sito Pons.
With Biaggi moving into this apparent position of power at HRC and with Hayden and Barros looking to soon be out of title contention should recent results continue, there should be no more questions and politically motivated statements from the 4 time 250cc World Champion. He will have what he has been asking for since his move back to Honda in 2003, full factory support and development parts as they become available.
With Biaggi now a 'Repsol rider' -- to some degree-the political shackles look certain to be loosened for the Italian.
Honda will still have to play within the mainframe of the Repsol contract with the official team but the stretching of the parameters of that agreement will be more palatable with an official agreement in place with Pons.
Biaggi's Pramac contracted teammate, Makoto Tamada, will not be part of this new agreement. It had been previously believed that Repsol were keen to block any moves by HRC to give anywhere near full support to the satellite teams, the Camel outfit and the Gresini run Telefonica Movistar team, although it's rumored that Sete Gibernau was handed the keys to the HRC V.I.P. clubhouse after his win at the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez.
Biaggi lies in second place in the championship standings, ten points behind series leader Sete Gibernau, after the Telefonica backed Spaniard won the wet race at home in Spain and this weekend's French Grand Prix at Le Mans.
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