With this announcement coming from the Gresini box, it seems that the Grand Prix paddock is experiencing the worst difficulties in developing its budgets for the 2022 season. A subject that we had already covered and which turns into a concrete case since the Flex Box brand would not follow through on its past commitments with the late Fausto's team, and which aims to be a Ducati satellite structure next year...
For that, Gresini must gather 15 million euros and to get there, and the Moto3 structure will be sacrificed. However, with this news, we will have to scrape the bottom line again. According to speedweek, in fact, Flex-Box is withdrawing. However, this company had to pay a large part of the budget necessary to hire two Ducatis for bastianini et Di Giannantonio. The promise of support had been made in Assen. This year the company is the main sponsor of the Pons Moto2 team with Stefano Manzi and Hector Garzo.
But now everything is different. Flex Box CEO Hendrik Nielsen has changed his marketing strategy and is withdrawing from Grand Prix sponsorship. A severe setback for Gresini Racing, for marketing director Carlo Merlini and Gresini's widow Nadia Padovani and their sons Luca and Lorenzo as well as for drivers Enea Bastianini and Fabio Di Giannantonio and for Ducati. Gresini Racing has ordered MotoGP equipment there for the next two years. The contract with Dorna has a duration of five years.
A budget of at least 15 million euros per year is needed for the MotoGP team. Also according to Speedweek, promoter Dorna advised Gresini Racing officials against continuing with their own MotoGP team. We should focus on Moto3, Moto2 and MotoE.
Will the Gresini team have to deal with Leopard?
After the 2014 season, Gresini's main sponsor Go & Fun left despite having a valid contract, which is why Fausto Gresini entered into a seven-year joint venture with Aprilia. Today, Gresini Racing is feverishly looking for a new financier. The continuation of the Moto3 team has been uncertain for weeks, both places could be given up, and there has also been talk of a collaboration with the MTA team.
Leopard Racing, could be salvation. The otherwise hard-to-find beverage brand has been trying to gain a foothold in the MotoGP category for years. Leopard wanted to take over Forward's MotoGP positions as early as 2015, negotiations with Avintia took place in 2020. Four months ago, Flavio Becca, owner of Leopard, wanted to buy shares in the company from Gresini Racing. Leopard race director Miodrag Kutur had negotiated with Nadia Padovani, but she declined the request. To be continued, especially since between WithU and the SRT it would no longer be very clear while the VR46 no longer believes in Saudi mirages...
