The following is a press release from Honda racing Corporation regarding the renewal of its sponsorship relationship with Repsol, and the decision to run a three-rider team at the factory level in MotoGP next year. The riders will be Dani Pedrosa, Andrea Dovisioso and Casey Stoner. It had been speculated Dovisioso would move down to a satellite team to make room for Stoner on the factory squad. The press release notes that Repsol Honda ran a three-rider team in the mid-90s, when the sponsorship relationship first began. Here is the press release.
HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) is delighted to announce the extension of the long-standing partnership with Repsol as title sponsor of its factory team for another two seasons.
In addition, HRC is pleased to confirm that the Repsol Honda Team will race with three riders next year, just as it did when Repsol and Honda first joined forces in 1995.
Dani Pedrosa, Andrea Dovizioso and Casey Stoner will form a very strong factory Honda team line-up in 2011, evoking memories of the mid-nineties, when Mick Doohan, Alex Criville and Shinichi Ito first rode in Repsol Honda colours.
The new deal with Repsol extends the instantly recognisable Repsol Honda Team partnership which has resulted in eight riders World Championships, 90 race victories and 252 podium finishes.
Tetsuo Suzuki, HRC President:
“We are delighted to announce that our valued partners at Repsol will once again join us in our quest for the MotoGP World Championship next year. Honda’s partnership with Repsol has been long and successful and we are very proud to be together again for this challenge into the future. We are also very pleased to expand the Repsol Honda Team to once again include three riders next year. Our current riders Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso will be joined by Casey Stoner, all racing in Repsol Honda colours to form a truly formidable line-up that we believe can fight for victory at every race and achieve our joint goals: recapturing all three MotoGP World Championship titles.”
Begoña Elices, Repsol Corporate Director of Communication:
“Repsol is extremely satisfied to be able to extend for another two seasons such a successful relationship with HRC, which will reach 18 years and during which we have achieved 90 victories in the premier class of motorcycle racing. The combination of a reference manufacturer like Honda and three riders like Dani, Andrea and Casey, guarantees us a permanent hope for the whole championship as well as a place in the leading positions of the standings. Competing in the top class is intrinsic to Repsol; it is part of the corporate philosophy and strategy of our company. Top competition gives us the opportunity to be leaders in research and development of new fuels and lubricants while allowing us to maintain a much closer relationship with our customers.”
I’m glad to see Honda getting back in the game… All this Rossi talk is blah blah blah… Lorenzo cleaned his clock and now he will loose again on the Ducati and all the big Ducati fans will cry yet again…
Congratulations for Repsol Honda that has chosen three best riders to join MotoGP next year. I hope one of them will be the winner of MotoGP championship next year.
Honda is reminding me of the Yankees. A 3-to-1 ratio sounds about right when the one is Rossi on a Ducati.
And just like Rothman’s Honda GP teams in the 80’s with Mick Doohan, Eddie Lawson, and Wayne Gardner. I suppose in the days of shrinking fields of MotoGP bikes, the manufacturers can have as many team riders as they want. They just have to pay for it or find sponsorships for them.
So Dorna/MSMA/etc ruled on engine limitations, but not this?
3 great riders who will battle for podiums all season, but how will this affect team and constructor points? Whatever the case, next year is going to be great; go Ben!