There was a time when when a rider signed in 500cc GP with Honda or Yamaha, there was a paragraph in his contract which stipulated that he would race the Suzuka 3H. The winners included Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson, Mick Doohan, Wayne Gardner and of course Valentino Rossi.
It was excellent for the prestige of the race organized by Honda on the circuit which it owns, but a real hassle for the drivers who, in the middle of the GP season, had to make several trips for tests and the event (jet lag , horrible heat and risk of injury included). Rossi was the first to have enough influence to make the Japanese understand that participation in the 8H could cost victory in the World Championship. The manufacturers therefore decided to fall back on the “B” series pilots, that is to say from the Superbike and the satellite GP teams.
According to this good principle, Kawasaki has just recruited the reigning World Superbike Champion Jonathan Rhea, while Honda tries to strengthen its crews with Franco Morbidelli et Tom Luthi to counter Yamaha's three recent successive victories.
Michael Bartholémy, the team manager of the Marc VDS Estrella Galicia team, is not at all in favor of the participation of his two drivers.
“I can confirm that we have received a request from Honda for Tom and Franco, and the decision must be made by our riders, although I am not a fan of it “, commented the Belgian manager to Sebastian Fränzschky for motorsport-total.com.
“Suzuka is an excellent opportunity for drivers to showcase themselves in front of Japanese manufacturers for the future.
“However, I am against participation for a good reason: I would like Morbidelli and Lüthi to focus on MotoGP, it is their first season and that is why it is very important to stay focused ". And not to hurt yourself unnecessarily.
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Photos © Marc VDS Estrella Galicia
