Tech 3 boss hails strongest ever MotoGP line-up

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Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso spearhead the strongest Tech 3 Yamaha line-up ever in MotoGP in 2012, according to team boss Herve Poncharal.

British rider Crutchlow has been in outstanding form during winter testing and at the last two sessions in Sepang and Jerez he posted the fifth quickest time.

Dovizioso meanwhile has been impressively getting to grips with the new Yamaha YZR-M1 1000cc machine after his switch from Honda at the end of last season.

The Italian brings proven premier class pedigree to Tech 3 after he finished third in the 2011 world championship rankings while riding for Repsol Honda with Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa.

Poncharal believes his French-based squad will start the season with its strongest line-up since it joined MotoGP back in 2001.

Poncharal told MCN: “When you look at Cal’s performances in winter testing and you consider the pace and experience Andrea has, maybe this is strongest MotoGP package that Tech 3 has ever had. And with only six factory riders I think we have some good cards to play.”

Poncharal is optimistic that both Crutchlow and Dovizioso can challenge for podium finishes in 2012, though he conceded that battling Stoner and factory Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo was a huge ask.

He added: “The big question mark is how will Ducati perform. For sure you have Casey, Dani, Jorge and Ben (Spies) at the front and after that we are in that zone and we could be close to Valentino (Rossi), Nicky (Hayden) and Alvaro (Bautista).

"But we could even be fighting with Ben and Dani in some races for the podium and that has to be the target. We are certainly very optimistic that 2012 is going to be a very successful year for Cal and Andrea.”

source: MCN

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Tech 3 halt work on new CRT machine

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Cal Crutchlow’s Tech 3 squad has suspended work on a proposed new CRT 1000cc MotoGP project.

The French-based squad planned to have a new prototype chassis ready for track testing by the middle of 2012, with a view to entering a new project in the MotoGP world championship in 2013 or ’14.

But with on-going discussions about sweeping rule changes in the premier class for 2013, which includes a maximum lease price for prototype machinery of 1m Euros (£835,000), Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal said work on the CRT project had not gone further than early designs of the chassis.

Tech 3 currently leases YZR-M1 machines off Yamaha and with the price of lease machinery set to be capped to save costs, Poncharal said the difficult and expensive task of developing a new CRT project from scratch was not the most viable option.

Poncharal told MCN: “I was very enthusiastic about CRT because I thought the only way to go racing in the future was to build your own bike. But now everything has been put on hold and I would like to see the final rules before deciding.

"If we can have a factory prototype for around one million Euros, you have to think twice and for me it is much more affordable and better from a performance point of view to lease a bike. 

"That doesn’t mean it is the end of CRT but if I have the chance to lease a YZR-M1 for one million Euros then I have no interest to build a CRT. A CRT could cost maybe more and for sure the performance on track would be less.”

Poncharal is also adamant that the technical specification of the YZR-M1 he plans to lease in the future will not be greatly reduced because of the lower fixed lease cost.

Ducati expressed concerns about leasing its current GP12 in its current spec for 1m Euros.

But Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis recently told MCN that the Japanese factory could still supply the current level of technology made available to British rider Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso, regardless of a reduction in lease price.

And Poncharal added: “Yamaha has always been the best factory in terms of how much they support their independent team and what level of specification they give with the bike.

"We always felt we were part of the factory team and the crucial point is cost. On the financial side Yamaha has always been good and competitive and they don’t make any money out of leasing.

"Our deal is really competitive and my only goal at the moment is to ensure it carries on for as much as possible.”

Speaking specifically about the proposal to limit the price of a lease machine to 1m Euros, Poncharal said it would represent a huge saving and he added: “For me the limit is a very good idea. Talk to all the independent team managers and I think all of us agree that this is a very reasonable price.

"We know the Honda figures are very high and when you hear that amount then you understand that switching to CRT could give you a big saving. CRT was a must and this is working because it is helping us have a decent grid in 2012.

"Now there have been a lot of talks and Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna CEO) has set June as a final deadline to have the rules to go to 2013.”

source: MCN

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Poncharal: Dovizioso ready for Sepang

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Hervé Poncharal isn't too worried about Andrea Dovizioso's recent injury suffered in a motocross training incident.  As a matter of fact, the French manager things he could be fit in time for the Sepang test session, scheduled for January 31st. 

"I spoke with Andrea, and he sounds like he is doing well - the team Tech 3 manager said - There are three weeks before the Sepang Test, which is only the first Test of the year. Also, both Colin (Edwards) and Cal (Crutchlow) recovered very quickly from similar injuries last season.  Just thinking about Colin's recovery convinces me that Dovizioso can be ready for the tests.  And in the end, even if he was unlucky, it's better now than right before the season starts."

Andrea Dovizioso will likely be operated on by Dr. Porcellini, the same surgeon who repaired Valentino Rossi's shoulder in the fall of 2010.

source: GP One

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Tough to let Colin Edwards leave, admits Tech 3 boss

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Monster Yamaha Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal has said the decision not to offer a new deal to popular American Colin Edwards for 2012 was one the toughest he’s ever had to make.

The 37-year-old left Tech 3 after four years to join the Forward Racing squad where he will ride the new Suter/BMW 1000cc machine next season.

With Yamaha looking to invest in younger talent for the future, Edwards briefly flirted with the idea of a return to World Superbikes with BMW before clinching a deal to remain in MotoGP for a 10th successive campaign next year.

Edwards scored four podiums and one pole position during his career with Tech 3, the last of his top three finishes coming with a fantastic third in a rain-lashed British Grand Prix at Silverstone back in June.

Edwards has been replaced by Italian Andrea Dovizioso who will partner Briton Cal Crutchlow and Poncharal told MCN: “It was a very difficult decision not to offer Colin a new deal. In Misano back in 2010 Colin requested that he have one more year and everybody in Yamaha agreed. Once the 2011 season started we thought it was going to be his last one and then through the season, helped by the good results he was having, it gave him the wish to stay more. He told me this and we were thinking and talking and for me it was not out of the question for us for him to stay. But my team is more like a feeder team for Yamaha and the perfect scenario was like what happened with Ben (Spies), where a young rider can show his potential before moving to the factory team.

"Colin knew it wasn’t going to be easy to stay and I think he is a guy who likes a challenge and he loves racing and developing a bike and for him the CRT project with Forward Racing is a new adventure. For him this challenge it is very exciting and he knows it is the future of MotoGP. But for Tech 3 it is a shame. We knew one day this story would come to and end but he has been the best rider we ever had in the MotoGP class. Not only in terms of the results but the atmosphere he bought to the garage was incredible and he has been a really good team player. The whole team loves him and has been fantastic for us. To turn the Colin Edwards page in our history is difficult, but I am happy he is still going to be in the paddock."

source: MCN

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Tech 3 to build MotoGP chassis

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Cal Crutchlow’s Tech 3 MotoGP squad will design and build a chassis for a new 1000cc MotoGP bike that could be raced as early as 2013.

The French-based squad will commence work on developing its own 1000cc project as part of a master plan by MotoGP bosses to get all current satellite teams to instigate a drastic change in their racing strategy.

MotoGP chief Carmelo Ezpeleta’s vision for the future is for teams like Tech 3 to develop their own 1000cc machines at a cheaper cost rather than paying factories exorbitant fees to lease full prototypes.

The Spaniard wants to make MotoGP a more financially viable proposition for the existing independent teams, who are finding it harder in the current economic climate to continue leasing super expensive factory bikes.

Ezpeleta’s blueprint for the future would see the likes of Tech 3, LCR Honda and Gresini Honda completely sever ties with the major factories to design, develop and race their own bikes based on highly-tuned production engines using prototype chassis.

Despite signing a new two-year deal with Yamaha to lease 1000cc prototype YZR-M1 bikes until the end of 2013, Tech 3 has already committed to developing its own project for the future.

Team boss Herve Poncharal said Guy Coulon and Nico Goyon, who designed the Tech 3 Mistral 610 Moto2 machine, which Bradley Smith has raced to three podiums in 2011, will design the 1000cc chassis.

The bike should be ready for track testing by early summer next year and Poncharal told MCN: “We will start working on a project but that won’t be on track until 2013 at the earliest. This is a completely different programme and we have a contract with Yamaha until the end of 2013, so this is something that is not going to be mixed.

"During 2012 we are going to build a bike and in late spring or early summer we will be on track and testing. As Tech 3 we will only take care of the two M1s we will have off Yamaha in 2012 and 2013, but if the bike is showing good potential during 2012 tests then why not put it on track and let it be run by somebody else.”

Even if Tech 3 doesn’t continue to lease bikes off Yamaha beyond 2013, Poncharal doesn’t want to cut links to the Japanese factory after a long and successful relationship spanning more than a decade.

Poncharal plans to use a highly-tuned R1 engine and he has outlined his plans to Yamaha management during meetings over the past weeks.

“We would use an R1 engine, so I explained my idea to Yamaha and see what kind of support we could get. If we can have an engine that is close to the spec they were using in World Superbikes then I think that bike would be competitive,“ added Poncharal.

Tech 3 will field Crutchlow and Italian rider Andrea Dovizioso in 2012.

source: MCN

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Fantastic fourth clinches Rookie of the Year title for Crutchlow

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Cal Crutchlow and the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team ended the 2011 MotoGP World Championship in fantastic fashion this afternoon, the British rider claiming a career best fourth position to win the coveted Rookie of the Year title in a dramatic race in Valencia.

The 30-lap encounter started with light rain falling on the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, and the unpredictable conditions posing a major challenge for Crutchlow and stand-in team-mate Josh Hayes as both quickly tried to assess grip levels on the slippery surface. Starting from 11th on the grid, Crutchlow immediately found himself elevated into the top five when he avoided a four-rider collision at the first corner. The British rider then found himself locked in a tense battle with Rookie of the Year rival Karel Abraham, who was riding an inspired race to try and deny Crutchlow from claiming the title for the second year running for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team. Just one point split the pair going into the race and they exchanged fifth place several times, but the battle became even more nail-biting when rain started to fall heavily five laps from the end.

Crutchlow took fourth place from Spaniard Dani Pedrosa with a clinical overtake on the final lap, Abraham though was refusing to lie down, but as their fight intensified, he made a mistake in the braking zone at Turn 11 and crashed out. Crutchlow ended fourth to claim his best ever result and by claiming the highest finish by a British rider in the 800cc era, his result moved him into 12th place in the final rankings as he jumped ahead of Alvaro Bautista.

Hayes was another star performer in today's race, the American showing outstanding skill to finish in a stunning seventh place in demanding conditions. The conditions couldn't have made his MotoGP debut any tougher, but he brilliantly adapted to riding Bridgestone slicks on a greasy surface to finish in front of the some of the most experienced rider competing in the World Championship, finishing in the top ten in his MotoGP debut.

Cal Crutchlow:

“That was a pretty dramatic way to finish the season and I am obviously thrilled to win the Rookie of the Year title. But I'm equally happy to have finished in fourth place because that was an incredibly difficult race. I'm not sure what happened at the first corner but I came out of it in sixth place and just pushed as hard as I could. It was a really intense battle with Karel right to the end and both of us were giving it everything we had. The track was so greasy it felt like you could crash so easily and when the rain started getting heavier I just got my head down again and kept pushing. I started to catch Dani really fast and I wasn't sure if he had a problem or whether I was pushing too hard. I slowed down because of that and Karel caught me back up, so it came down to the last lap and he obviously made a small mistake. He hit me from behind but I managed to stay on and to finish t he season with my best ever result is a great way to start planning for 2012. This year has been an incredible learning experience and we have a lot to work on for next season, but I feel confident I can make the step to the next level. I can hold my held up high and now I am looking forward to getting my first experience of the Yamaha 1000cc bike on Tuesday.”

Josh Hayes:

"It was a very exciting and difficult race but certainly an experience I will never forget. I had a joke with my crew that I should have packed up at lunch after I was fastest in the warm-up! The conditions were really difficult with the rain but riding the Yamaha YZR-M1 with the carbon brakes and Bridgestone tyres was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it. The bike felt perfect each time I went out of the pits and it is a real bonus to finish inside the top 10. It i s not exactly how I wanted to do it with so many guys going down at the first corner but I am happy with my race and how I rode. It was a successful race for me and I managed to beat a lot of experienced riders, which is something to be proud of. Riding a MotoGP is definitely something I would like to do again in my career. I want to send a big thank you to everybody who helped me be here. Yamaha US, GYTR, YES and of course Hervé Poncharal gave me a great opportunity and everybody has been so nice to me. Hopefully people enjoyed seeing me out on track, because I definitely enjoyed being out there."

Hervé Poncharal – Team Manager:

“Today's race was incredibly difficult because the conditions were very tough and it was hard to understand how much grip there was. But I have to say that Cal did an amazing job and I'm really happy he ended his f irst season in MotoGP with such a positive result. It is never easy to finish so high in MotoGP in such demanding conditions, so he deserves a lot of credit. He was very fast all through the race and it was a fantastic battle with Karel right to the end. For the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team to win the Rookie of the Year title again is an achievement to be proud of, and we hope that the experience gained by Cal in 2011 will help him a lot next season. I can't praise Josh enough either. He had a lot to cope with this weekend in learning the track and the bike and the conditions made it even more difficult. He is a fast rider but also a great professional. He didn't make one mistake all weekend and we couldn't have had a better replacement for Colin Edwards.Finally I would like to say goodbye and a million thanks to Colin. I hope he is recovering well at home with his family and we will see him back on track again soon. Colin has been a fantastic ambassador for Tech 3 and without doubt the most successful rider we've ever had in MotoGP. We will miss him a lot and the memories he has given us will stay with us forever. We wish him all the success in the future with his new adventure.”

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team press release

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Andrea Dovizioso gets LCR Honda offer

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Andrea Dovizioso can begin the process of working out where he will ride in the 2012 MotoGP world championship having received a formal offer from the LCR Honda squad in Japan last night.

The Italian rider now has to decide whether he will join Lucio Cecchinello’s squad or partner Cal Crutchlow in the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad next season.

Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal made an offer to the former 125GP world champion during the last round at the Motorland Aragon in Spain, but he couldn’t make a decision until he received a proposal from LCR.

That came at the Twin Ring Motegi last night, and the deal includes full factory support for the current Repsol Honda rider, just like compatriot Marco Simoncelli’s new contract with the San Carlo Gresini squad.

Cecchinello told MCN in Japan today: "We made it clear here what LCR and Honda can offer Andrea. I sent our updated offer to Andrea yesterday and now it is up to him to think about this. Everything is in his hands now. From our side we are doing the maximum to sign Andrea."

If Dovizioso declines the offer to remain with Honda and ride a factory-backed new 1000cc RC213V machine, Cecchinello has been in contact with current British Superbike championship leader John Hopkins and former LCR rider Randy de Puniet.

source: MCN

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Three 'names' linked to Tech 3 ride

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THREE candidates have been recognised as the strongest possibilities to join Tech 3 Yamaha in 2012.

Tech 3 team manager Hervé Poncheral has said that the team have identified "three names" to take the vacated seat of Colin Edwards, naming Álvaro Bautista, Andrea Dovizioso and Eugene Laverty as the favourites and adding that the decision of who will take the Texan's place should be clear by Japan.

Commenting on the subject to Motorcycle USA, Poncheral said: "I would say the two strongest candidates at the moment are Eugene Laverty and Andrea Dovizioso. It is not an easy decision."

Stepping up from WSS to WSB, Laverty has displayed himself as a promising talent, with a highlight being his flawless double victory at Monza, but as Yamaha withdraw from the production-based series the Irishman finds himself in the shopping window. "Eugene is young and really fast and he made a good step from Supersport to World Superbikes this year," said Poncheral. "With Yamaha stopping in World Superbike he’s facing a tough situation right now, but I have a lot of faith and trust in his potential."

Dovizioso appears to be holding out for a place on a competitive Honda for when MotoGP shifts to 1000s next season, however the Italian does not want to take a step backwards from a factory bike and is running out of time to make his decision.

But Hervé acknowledges his experience: "On the other hand Dovizioso is third in the championship and a proven performer in MotoGP. We know immediately he would understand the bike and he could deliver good results straightaway and that is something we have to consider.”

Riding in his second year and as the sole Rizla Suzuki rider, Bautista has made progress into MotoGP's second group behind the leaders, taking a best finish of fifth in the rain at Silverstone and sixth in the dry at Indianapolis. Commenting on the Spaniard, Poncheral said: "I believe Alvaro is giving the priority to Suzuki first and if nothing works out there it could be Aspar or us." As Bautista awaits news of Suzuki's involvement in MotoGP for 2012 and whether a 1000cc GSV-R will come out of the Hamamatsu workshops.

source: visordown

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Bradley Smith renews Tech 3: 2012 Moto2 then MotoGP until 2014

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Hervé Poncharal chose as Bradley Smith . The British driver has renewed the contract for the next three years with the team Alps. Smith will race one more season in Moto2 before moving to Team Monster Yamaha Tech 3 MotoGP in two successive seasons, 2013 and 2014.

Poncharal has therefore accepted the request of Bradley Smith wants to stay one more season in Moto2 to try and win the title before moving into the premier class. "I am thrilled to have signed a three-year agreement with the Tech 3 team and I look forward to continue the excellent relationship that we started in 2011, " Smith said.

"I have a fantastic relationship with Herve, with my chief mechanic Tom Jojic, and with all my team, who all have an incredible passion for racing. It 'just the dedication and desire for success that convinced me to renew until 2014. I never had any doubts about my choice. I'm flattered to have attracted the interest of many top teams in Moto2, but the ability to switch to MotoGP in 2013 was too tempting to pass up. It 'hard to imagine that I drive a Yamaha 1000cc in just over a year. It was not easy to decide to stay another season in Moto2, but I think we can fight for the title. " - said the young driver.

The same team has announced the renewal of the contract will run for Xavier Simeon Moto2 next to Bradley Smith. For MotoGP but the French manager is still looking for a driver to place alongside Cal Crutchlow.

source: motoblog.it

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Bradley Smith chooses Moto2 over MotoGP

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Bradley Smith, in contention for the vacant Monster Yamaha Tech 3 seat alongside Cal Crutchlow in MotoGP next season, has decided to stay in the Moto2 class. 

"I've made a decision about next season," Smith wrote in his latest Crash.net column. 

"I've decided I will stay in the Moto2 World Championship and push really hard for the title next year. 

"I have some options to consider but hopefully will be able to reveal my plans by the time we race in the next round at Aragon in Spain."

Smith, a triple 125cc grand prix winner, has taken three podiums during his rookie Moto2 season with Tech 3. The 20-year-old is fifth in the championship with five rounds remaining.

"Racing against the top guys both at Indianapolis and Misano made me realise just how much I'm learning and there is still so much more to come," Smith continued.

"At my age another year will really benefit my career and so MotoGP can wait although of course it's my ultimate aim to ride in the greatest Championship in the world."

Andrea Dovizioso, Eugene Laverty, Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl are some of the other names linked with the Tech 3 Yamaha MotoGP ride.

Edwards has announced that he will switch to the Forward Racing team, on a 'CRT' motorcycle, for 2012.

source: crash.net

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Tech 3 Yamaha keen on Eugene Laverty

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Monster Yamaha Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal has confirmed he is interested in signing Eugene Laverty for the 2012 MotoGP world championship.

Laverty travelled to Brno last week for talks with the French team owner after he was left without a ride next year following Yamaha’s bombshell decision to axe its factory World Superbike squad.

Laverty spoke to Poncharal last year about a possible Moto2 ride for Tech 3, but the Irish racer is now concentrating on joining Cal Crutchlow in MotoGP next season.

Laverty is one of several names being linked with the Tech 3 rider including current rider Colin Edwards, Andrea Iannone and Briton Bradley Smith.

Poncharal told MCN: "Eugene visited us in Brno and he has a strong interest. I spoke with him last year for Moto2 but he is a strong candidate. He is young and fast and he’s a Yamaha rider at the moment, so that’s also a possibility."

Laverty, who raced in the 250GP world championship in 2007 and ’08, said he wasn’t expecting any news on the Tech 3 talks until around the Misano race early next month.

He told MCN: "There’s nothing happening any time soon and it really is a waiting game. I wasn’t looking in MotoGP two weeks ago, so that’s all changed and we need to see what the powers that be want. It’s Herve’s decision and his team, so he makes the final choice on the rider and we will see how that develops."

For more on Laverty talking about the Tech 3 talks, see today’s issue of Motor Cycle News.

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Edwards and Crutchlow set sights on double top 10 result

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Edwards will start from the middle of the third row in eighth position, the American brilliantly capitalising on a range of set-up modifications to his YZR-M1 machine to post a best time of 1’57.676. The popular 37 year-old was able to run consistently inside the top 10 for the entire session, the set-up changes drastically improving front and rear grip to allow Edwards to qualify leading non-factory rider once again in 2011.

His best time was just over 0.3s away from the second row and the Texan is now confident he can challenge for his first ever top six finish at the Brno circuit in tomorrow's race, which is the 11th round of this year's MotoGP World Championship.

Crutchlow too demonstrated his encouraging speed in the early part of the session, the British rider reaping the benefits of major front-end set-up changes to give him more turning performance. Crutchlow, who was an impressive seventh quickest in a rain-affected final practice session this morning, was able to run inside the top three at one stage, as he worked on fine-tuning the race set-up of his YZR-M1 machine.

The 25 year-old seemed certain to challenge for a spot on the third row of the grid when a small mistake at Turn 10 resulted in an unfortunate crash with 12 minutes remaining. Crutchlow sprinted back to the pits to jump on his second YZR-M1 bike, but he was unable to improve on his time of 1’57.797 and will start the race from 11th. The major front-end modifications though have boosted Crutchlow's confidence in full race trim and he is aiming to battle for a top seven finish tomorrow.

Colin Edwards, 8th:

“I'm much happier today with the performance of the bike and I need to say a big thanks to my Monster Yamaha Tech 3 crew again for their incredible work. Yesterday I just wasn't comfortable at all and had no feeling with the front or rear of the bike. I told my crew what I was feeling on the track and it is up to them to interpret that and try and improve the bike. And today they did an absolutely awesome job and I had a much better package. I went from feeling like I was riding on marbles yesterday to having a lot of traction today and I felt much more comfortable. We actually just threw in last year's race set-up and even though I'm using a completely different chassis, it worked brilliantly, although I'm still 0.4s slower than last year. I'm not sure why that is. I'm not sure if the track lost some grip after the rain this morning because this afternoon in the dry my bike was so much better than yesterday, so I can't really compare. Looking at the calibre of the guys in front of me and what they are riding, I think to be completely realistic, I wouldn't be upset to finis h where I qualified.”

Cal Crutchlow, 11th:

“I'm happy on one hand because we made a big change to the bike to help it turn better and it was a really good step. But I'm a little disappointed on the other hand because I made a silly little mistake that probably cost me the chance to get on the third row. We were making some good progress with the new front set-up and I was faster in the first two splits than my previous best lap when I just ran in too hot at Turn 10. I should have just ran into the gravel but I tried to make the corner, squeezed the brake a bit harder and down I went. It's one of those things when you're pushing hard against this level of competition but I've felt much better on the bike here this weekend. My times have been consistently on the edge of the top six and I felt I could have probably qualified sixth or seventh. My race pace has been strong so I'm just looking forward to having a good race tomorrow and picking up valuable points.”

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 press release

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Herve Poncharal For 2010 Yamaha Tech 3 Result

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Hervé Poncharal, Yamaha Tech 3 boss was pleasure with his team result on 2010 MotoGP. He said that combination between Colin Edwards and Ben Spies are very good.

“We knew we would receive a very strong and talented rider in Ben and while we had high expectations we also knew the year would be a tough one. We have had some riders from superbikes who have had difficulties with the transition, but Ben has done incredibly well,” said Poncharal in review. “He was Rookie of the Year and he has done more than we expected; a pole position in Indy, he led the race for seven laps and finished on the podium, had front row starts at Brno and Phillip Island, and had a podium at Silverstone too. We cannot forget he also had to learn the tyres, the bike, some tracks, so considering all this he has done so well. Now he’ll go to the factory team which he deserves. We are losing a very good rider, but I think we helped him understand MotoGP and now he is ready to win.”

Poncharal continued: “Colin has had a strong year too. He has helped Ben in his approach to MotoGP and gave him good support, advice and information. He has been a solid team player and I’m really happy to have him for next season.”

“For sure this was Tech 3’s best combination in MotoGP, because they get along and have a lot of respect for one another, and they laugh a lot together.”

Picking out the highlights of the campaign, Poncharal said: “I think the best moment, because it came so early, was the podium at Silverstone. Ben was incredible in difficult conditions, he had crashed on the Saturday (aggravating an injured ankle) and in the race he was just so good. It wasn’t an easy race. Of course we were disappointed for him at Laguna Seca (sixth position), his home race, but in the second race in the US at Indianapolis he took his chance, got pole, led the race and finished second in front of both factory riders. For me that was the second best moment.”

“I’m really happy to have Cal next season. I think he is the best man to replace Ben. He did extremely well in 600cc (world supersport) and won that. He won a few races in his first world superbike season and finished fifth, and I think he is ready to come to MotoGP,” stated Poncharal. “He is so hungry and passionate and the kind of rider that will give 100% every day. I am very excited and it’s like a new story starting.”

“I’m highly confident we can do something very strong together. I’m hopeful we can give the same support to Cal as we have to Ben, and that he can have the same results too. I am quite sure Colin will help Cal as he helped Ben. He is very fast and a team player and has played a big role in Ben’s success, and I hope he does in Cal’s too.”

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