MotoGP - Biaggi

[Highlander179]

Did anyone happen to read this one?

Biaggi gets Repsol backing



Max Biaggi could be edging ever closer to full backing from the Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) after his satellite Camel Honda team announced on Monday that the Italian is to receive backing from Repsol, the Spanish oil company that backs the factory Honda team, for the remainder of the season.


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Interestingly, the move comes just tree races into the 2004 season that has seen factory riders Alex Barros and Nicky Hayden produce unsatisfactory results, with neither even getting close to a place on a podium despite possessing the same backing that helped Valentino Rossi dominate the last two season.

It seems that Repsol has lost patience with the factory duo and has turned to Max Biaggi to bring home the results what with Sete Gibernau reported to be already receiving increased backing from HRC thanks to his win at the Jerez Grand Prix earlier in May and his current position of championship leader.

"We are very pleased to announce the renewal of the partnership with Repsol,” said Camel Honda team boss Sito Pons, “which will guarantee the provision of the highest quality racing products, specifically designed for our RC211V, to cover all our technical requirements.”

Further proving that Biaggi is Respol's man for the job, it is believed that the Italian's team-mate Makoto Tamada will not receive the same backing.

The Camel Honda team remained at the Le Mans circuit for an extra day's testing on Monday, where Biaggi is reported to have tested new parts for his RC211V. “We have tried a few different solutions with the electronics which have solved a major part of the problems and, above all, given us better traction,” said the Emperor.

“I have also done some endurance testing, working on the consistency of the bike with different front suspension settings and I am satisfied.”


from eurosport.com

[Highlander179]

or this....

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.

[Kenyapret]

So who will be the first to get the boot?? Nicky or Alex?? My bet is Nicky!!!! This will put a lot of pressure on Nicky. I just hope he does not do a Ben Bostrom and clam up in his sophmore year!!!