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Jorge Lorenzo has
dropped his manager Marcos
Hirsch amid rumours of a row over
negotiations with Honda before
he signed for Yamaha. There were
allegations that Hirsch had not been
open with his client over the full
amount offered by HRC, but Lorenzo
insisted that the break-up had been
amicable, and that it was time to
move on. Henceforth he would
handle more negotiations personally,
he said.
»»
The Marquez-Espargaro
incident may have been finally put to
bed after the FIM disciplinary court
refused the counter-protest from
Espargaro’s team concerning the
on-again/off-again penalty for their
clash at Catalunya. Marquez was
give a 60-second penalty by Race
Direction after he had cut across his
rival, causing him to crash out; but
this was overturned by FIM Stewards
in response to a protest. Espargaro’s
team boss Sito Pons appealed, but
this has now been turned down. This
is the last word, unless Pons takes
the case to the independent sport
arbitration court. He decline to reveal
his plans at Assen.
»»
Honda vehemently denied
Spanish rumours of a massive fee
cut for Dani Pedrosa, whose stock
stands to fall radically with both team
and sponsor Repsol with the arrival
of new Spanish hope Marc Marquez
in the factory squad next year. In any
case, said team manager Livio Suppo,
Dani was still a rider with winning
potential while Marquez would still
be learning next year. “To tell the
truth, neither Honda nor Dani have
much other choice for next year,” he
said.
REPSOL ROW SHADES
ARGIE PARTY
Spanish government ‘does not recommend’ travel to Argentina
The launch of next year’s proposed
Argentine GP was hijacked by
controversy at Assen, with international
politics overshadowing the
announcement of the new Termas de
Rio Honda circuit some 1,140 km from
Buenos Aires in the north of the country.
Argentine hosts of the launch included
the promoter of the race and the Minister
for Tourism, promising that work was well
advanced with the 4.885km circuit; that
temporary paddock facilities like those at
Laguna Seca (described as “US Style”)
would be to international standards; and
extolling the delights of the spa town less
than 100 km from the Andes.
Dorna’s Carmelo Ezpeleta also spoke at
the launch, confirming that the race was
scheduled to take place early next season,
pending circuit homologation, as the first
return to Argentina since 1999 at Buenos
Aires.
But questions homed in on the
controversy triggered earlier this year
when the Argentine government arbitrarily
nationalised Repsol’s 51percent majority
stake in fuel company YPF.
MotoGP could turn out to be a pawn
in a diplomatic row that simmers on,
as Ezpeleta revealed that the deeply
resentful Repsol had written to him to ask
“about the security of Repsol personnel
in Argentina.” He in turn had requested
clarification from the Spanish foreign office.
“Last week we received a letter from the
ministry saying that at this moment they do
not recommend Repsol personnel to visit
Argentina.”
Plans for the Argentine GP predated the
nationalisation, and neither Dorna nor the
event promoters were involved:
“This needs to be resolved between the
two governments,” said Ezpeleta. “I think
we have enough time before the race for
this to happen.
“If not, then Repsol will have to decide
for themselves whether they or their riders
will attend the race.”
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