The Brno MotoGP round is not known only for its racing, but for most team managers and sponsors its also time to settle talks with riders and their managers and confirm or deny contracts for the following season.
Friday saw the new HRC boss Tetsuo Suzuki confirm that both Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso would be racing for Repsol Honda in 2010 and 2011, only to have Pedrosa’s manager Alberto Puig, a few hours later, deny that the Spaniard had officially signed and that they are still working out minor details.
We also have Italian TV reporting that Andrea Dovizioso has been offered a one year contract with an option for the second and he too has not officially signed.
The other interesting thing that Suzuki said that they did have talks with Jorge Lorenzo but were unable to reach a tangible agreement and that they would not field a third full factory bike, thus leaving Lorenzo with little choice than accept Yamaha’s initial € 3.
500.
000 offer.
Livio Suppo may have announced that Casey Stoner will be out for the next three races, but apparently Ducati’s title sponsor Malboro is looking into an eventual plan B, because it’s being reported by the same Italian TV that Malboro honchos have been seen talking to Lorenzo’s management team, which was confirmed by Jorge Lorenzo who also stated that he has had contacts with Suzuki.
One satellite team is already settled for 2010 and that is Team Gresini.
Having already signed first draft rookie Marco Simoncelli, this morning Fausto Gresini announced that he has signed Marco Melandri for a year and an option fo the second and gossip has it that he has signed for € 250.
000.