Photo: motogp.com
This weekend could be a very important one for Fausto Gresini, the boss of the GO&FUN Gresini Honda satellite team, as the Silverstone round marks the deadline HRC gave him to make a choice as to which bike he will use in the future.
This season is the 18th year team Gresini has been tied to Honda, so you can figure out that making a choice to leave the house of Tokyo is not exactly easy. The past 18 years saw glorious moments win the history of Gresini and Honda, with Daijiro Katoh’s 250 world title in 2001, the one with Toni Elias in Moto2 in 2010, but also the second place in MotoGP with Sete Gibernau (2003, 2004) and Marco Melandri (2005). Even more, the last MotoGP victory of a satellite team came from a Gresini rider, as well, with Toni Elias’ Portugal win in 2006.
On the other hand, Fausto Gresini speaks about the ever-growing prices for the Honda machinery… prices which will go up once more for 2015, as the bikes will also receive pneumatic valves, with an expected cost of €200,000 ($264,000) per… leased engine! Even more, the Honda production racer performed way worse than advertised, making it an even less desirable alternative to the factory-backed motorcycle.
Gresini speaks about a €9 mil ($11.86 mil) direct bike cost for a Factory and an Open bike per season, and he’s not at all sure he can come up with the money… or whether if he would, despite the long common history. He openly speaks about the deteriorating relation between the two, and how Aprilia seems to get closer and closer. Even though the former champion knows the first years with the house of Noale will be very difficult, he does not fear making such a choice, as he expects that all the expertise of his team and the enthusiasm and support he will get form Aprilia will be able to produce good results.
On the other hand, Honda’s Livio Suppo says that HRC has not made any approaches to another racing outfit and it waiting for the decision of team Gresini. Marc van der Straten (Marc VDS) is rumored to be ready to make a step up in the premier class, and is regarded as the most likely team to get a satellite deal, in case Gresini and Honda divorce.
Suppo also says that it’s the riders making the big difference, and adds that nobody except Stoner, Rossi, Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Marquez is a regular presence on the podium. As for the prices, he also adds that since the bikes are getting closed to the works ones, it’s only natural that the prices do so too.
Clearly, there’s more than racing this weekend in Silverstone, as Fausto Gresini will meet Livio Suppo and Shuhei Nakamoto and decide who goes in which direction.
On the other hand, Fausto Gresini speaks about the ever-growing prices for the Honda machinery… prices which will go up once more for 2015, as the bikes will also receive pneumatic valves, with an expected cost of €200,000 ($264,000) per… leased engine! Even more, the Honda production racer performed way worse than advertised, making it an even less desirable alternative to the factory-backed motorcycle.
Gresini speaks about a €9 mil ($11.86 mil) direct bike cost for a Factory and an Open bike per season, and he’s not at all sure he can come up with the money… or whether if he would, despite the long common history. He openly speaks about the deteriorating relation between the two, and how Aprilia seems to get closer and closer. Even though the former champion knows the first years with the house of Noale will be very difficult, he does not fear making such a choice, as he expects that all the expertise of his team and the enthusiasm and support he will get form Aprilia will be able to produce good results.
On the other hand, Honda’s Livio Suppo says that HRC has not made any approaches to another racing outfit and it waiting for the decision of team Gresini. Marc van der Straten (Marc VDS) is rumored to be ready to make a step up in the premier class, and is regarded as the most likely team to get a satellite deal, in case Gresini and Honda divorce.
Suppo also says that it’s the riders making the big difference, and adds that nobody except Stoner, Rossi, Lorenzo, Pedrosa and Marquez is a regular presence on the podium. As for the prices, he also adds that since the bikes are getting closed to the works ones, it’s only natural that the prices do so too.
Clearly, there’s more than racing this weekend in Silverstone, as Fausto Gresini will meet Livio Suppo and Shuhei Nakamoto and decide who goes in which direction.
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