For Fred Corminboeuf's Swiss Innovative Investors team, the 2018 season was more difficult than expected.
More than likely due to a shady sponsor, the initial budget never fully materialized and the team CGBM, based in Signes, a stone's throw from the Paul Ricard circuit, has been juggling her bills all season, a situation far from ideal for focusing solely on sporting performances...
Within the French structure, everyone suffered, starting with Sam Lowes, guest this week on the MotoGP Season Wrap show BT Sport with Jorge Lorenzo as guest of honor, and who declared: “A very difficult season for me and for the team. There were many problems of an economic nature. I and many of the team members were not paid. The technical aspect was also affected and steadily deteriorated over the course of the season. I don't want to make excuses, there were some mechanical issues that I could have handled better, but in general it was the case. There were too many special situations, but I found something better and next year I will definitely be able to prove something more.”
The situation even appeared alarming in the eyes of the general public when CGBM, which will line up next year Iker Lecuona et Joe Roberts under the name “American Team”, was the only team not to have a motorcycle to participate in the IRTA test in Jerez, due to not being able to pay for its Triumph-powered KTMs on time. In Austria, we don't joke about that...
However, the situation seems to be being regularized and the Austrian manufacturer, through Pete Beirer, hopes to keep Iker Lecuona and its French-speaking team in its ranks, the latter now associated with the American businessman Eitan Butbul also manager of Joe Roberts.
Pete BeirerOn speedweek : “I know the money has arrived. The “Swiss” team paid all its bills. By the time of the Valencia GP, things were different. It is unusual in the racing world that after the finals money is still owed from a past season and open bills are paid. But that's what happened. That's why, personally, I would still be happy if the team could get its act together and raise funds for 2019. It would be a shame especially for Iker Lecuona, who is just starting to show signs towards the top and who only has 18 years old. We would be sorry if he couldn't ride for KTM in 2019. But there's only so much we can do for each other. Because he has a contract with the team, and the team wants to ride next year. So the driver is not free, we cannot put it elsewhere. So it would still be the best solution for everyone involved if the team could get the budget together and the rider stays where he is, and the team continues to ride KTM. That would always be my preferred solution.”
Si Sam Lowes hardly shone this year (16th in the championship with 49 points and 27 falls), Iker Lecuona (12th, 80 points and 18 falls) is visibly starting to attract attention, thanks to his progress materialized by his very good 2nd place at the last Valencia Grand Prix.
The CGBM team has always believed in him, since its debut in 2016, and it would be a shame if it was no longer able to support him to the top.
Difficulties in closing or implementing a budget are not the prerogative of the CGBM team, far from it, and if this part is generally unknown to the general public, hardly a year goes by without this or that team being the victim. very unintentional in the paddock.
In Grand Prix, fighting is not only essential on the track and that is what all the men of the CGBM team are doing at the moment...
