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Evil conspiracy, or just plain hatred of Italians? HRC

2K views 18 replies 9 participants last post by  sooperman12 
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#1 ·
Interesting...

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/s...ust/aug1910-dovizioso-contract-saga-drags-on/
Andrea Dovizoso’s quest to remain a factory Honda rider next season could end up in a bitter courtroom wrangle.

MCN sources say lawyers could settle the Italian’s contract dispute with HRC unless an amicable outcome is found imminently.

Dovizioso has invoked a performance clause in his current deal that if he was top five in the standings at the end of July, he automatically secured a ride in Honda’s factory team next season.

The issue has become murky to say the least by Honda’s signing of Aussie Casey Stoner to partner Dani Pedrosa.

Aware of its obligation to accommodate Dovizioso, HRC launched a sustained but unsuccessful attempt to secure fresh investment to run a three-pronged factory attack next season.

No money has meant no confirmation of Dovizioso’s 2011 ride, with Honda tapping up its satellite teams run by Fausto Gresini and Lucio Cecchinello to take the former 125GP world champion with the guarantee of full factory support.

Dovizioso’s manager Simone Batistella told MCN: “The contract is pretty clear and there are a few things that need to be clarified between us and HRC. We need to be clear on the project before we either force or change the contract.

"It is important to understand the will of both parties and if the project that we thought is in place is still there. If it is not there then there is a problem. If it is still there then we can see about a compromise.”

Dovizioso has exercised remarkable restraint given his somewhat shabby treatment by Honda, the Italian again stating his intention to remain a HRC rider without resorting to criticism of his plight.

But Batistella made it clear that the situation was becoming a source of considerable consternation for the 24-year-old when he added: “It would be a big, big blow and I can’t predict the reaction of the rider.”
 
#2 · (Edited)
honda has to keep a spanish rider (pedrosa) on board per their repsol contract. dovi is good as long as he is 5th or better. both riders should be good for next year.

honda decided to grab stoner while they could. me thinks they bit off more than they can chew after signing stoner and will have to choke on it somewhere down the line.
 
G
#4 ·
Well, there's the problem. Dovi was 3rd in the standings at the end of July, so now, he's entitled to a spot on Repsol Honda per his contract for 2011.
Now with HRC needing to keep a Spanish rider on board per their contract with Repsol, and Stoner already being signed, Repsol Honda is full yet now has a contractual obligation to hire Dovi to Repsol Honda.

Some other info that some may not know, but if Dovi is going to be kicked to another team, it'll be Gresini. The other problem there is, who is being kicked out? Simoncelli is a contracted HRC rider through 2011, and Melandri has a clause in his contract that guarantees him a ride in Gresini for 2011 if he finishes in the top 10. So far, Melandri is looking good to finish in the top 10. Though that's if he doesn't go to WSBK.

Now, DePuniet is contracted too for 2011 with LCR, so there is another possible Honda spot gone for Dovi. Aoyama too is signed for 2011.


Where can Dovi go?


"hatred of Italians?"

Am i missing something?
HRC trying to harm Rossi's 2004 season by not releasing him from contract early to test with Yamaha.
 
G
#6 ·
It's been something teams in racing always do, and always have done. Why do you think Ducati has already said Stoner is clear to break contract early and begin testing the day after the Valencia race?
 
#9 ·
Yamaha played their cards the way they wanted. They only signed Lorenzo to a 1 year contract last year forcing them to be able to only sign one top guy for 2011, since Rossi and Lorenzo's contracts are both up this year. Yamaha knew they had Spies waiting in the wings to fill the empty spot on the factory team, since they were going to lose either Lorenzo or Rossi cause they couldnt pay both.

Rossi left since he was upset that Yamaha gave Lorenzo a 1 year deal instead of a 2 year deal.

Yamaha is probaly happy to keep Lorenzo since he is younger than Rossi. I dont agree I would have kept Rossi over Lorenzo. Every year they say Rossi is old and every year he continues to dominate.
 
#11 ·
HRC treating one of its riders like they're nobody? Hmm, that's never happened before (sarcasm). Let's just start a list:

1) Rossi, 5-time GP world champion
2) Biaggi, leading the WSBK championship
3) Hayden, 2006 GP WC, last one for Honda

We can add Dovizioso who's factory career was cut short before it even started. Let's hope he gets another ride somewhere that he can shove it in Honda's face.
 
#12 ·
dont be surprised if they bump dovi down to gresini (just to save face) to take melandri's place since he's leaving. the issue will come down over money due to stoner & pedrosa eating up the rider budget for honda. melandri is leaving gp and will be off to wsbk next year and riding for yamaha (taking cal crutchlow's spot). and cal is moving up to gp and taking ben spies spot on tech3 team due to ben leaving for fiat yamaha once rossi goes off to ducati. :blahblah:

anybody know how long dovi's contract is/was with repsol?
 
#14 ·
if he wants to remain being a honda rider he wont win that fight. HRC will use money to swoon him over to Gresini (and lock him in for 2yrs) so he will stay put for a while.

be a miracle for them to keep all 3 (stoner/pedrosa/dovi) riding on factory repsol bikes. i just dont see it happening!
 
#16 ·
Someone will end up on a satellite team with a factory bike (allegedly) and it won't be Repsol's man Pedrosa or Suppo's golden boy Stoner. No matter how many lawyers get involved I think we will see Dovi on a satellite team but with factory equipment, how "factory" that equipment is will be up to interpretation.
 
#17 ·
I think if Dovizioso take a satellite "factory" ride then that would be a weak move. There would always be room to question just how factory supported his equipment was.

He should be looking for a ride elsewhere on the sly at the moment (whether MotoGP or WSBK). If he isn't then he's a chump. At least then, when HRC come to him and say they can only offer a satellite ride (probably taking Melandri's place at Gresini) then he can tell them to swivel and take a pretty penny at the same time for breach of contract. HRC couldn't enforce garden leave against him as the development rate in MotoGP is too great and he has to be able to update and practice his skills in a real environment. HRC's actions here would be a form of constructive dismissal anyway.

On another note, HRC going for Stoner probably wasn't a great idea anyway. He'll be costing them an absolute fortune, clearly isn't a great development rider (which is what they badly need), nor is he much of a team player (Stoner the moaner comes to mind). He's a great rider, but only when the equipment is perfect.

If HRC needed a change, what was wrong with giving De Puniet a boost up. Broken leg aside, he's been having a stellar year, on Honda equipment.
 
G
#18 ·
From what I've been hearing, Dovi is in talks with Suzuki for next year. I can't see him backing down and accepting a satellite Honda ride, since his contract specifically says his spot will be in the factory team.

It's also not in Gresini's best interest to allow Dovi into their team. Sure, they'll have another great rider, but then they lose all control over their riders, as neither Dovi or Simonchelli would be contracted to the Gresini team, as they'd be HRC employees. I could see harboring one rider for a factory in good faith, but two is a bit excessive.

The fact that Pedrosa still hasn't been signed yet raises some questions. Why Stoner before Pedrosa, when Pedrosa is key to HRC having a sponsor for next year. Then again, Repsol still hasn't sign on with HRC again which might explain Pedrosa's lack of signing. If Respol backs off, Pedrosa can be tossed aside and Dovi kept in HRC in the factory team and avoid all of the legal issues.

But then again, that doesn't even make sense, because come 2012 when the 1000cc machines are back, the men to have will be Rossi, Spies, Pedrosa, Hayden, Capirossi, and Edwards. On a 1000cc bike, Pedrosa would be a rocket.
 
#19 ·
Dovizioso was looking at Suzuki two years ago when he was looking for a ride. I think Dovi might be the kind of rider that turns the Suzuki around. That bike is not as bad as the current riders make it look. It's solidly a top 10 bike, if not for LC crashing it every other race and Bautista not being injured the majority of the season.
 
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