Here’s a couple of updates from the world of MotoGP.
Yamaha sponsor Petronas is not renewing its support for the manufacturer’s MotoGP factory team.
The Malaysian petroleum giant, Asia’s most profitable company, had sponsored Yamaha for the last three years, helping them win the 2009 and 2010 championships, piloted by Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, respectively.
Yamaha also lost major sponsor Fiat last season, so at this point, team management should be working overtime to bring in more money. After all, it’s not cheap running a race team, and you can bet Yamaha doesn’t want to fund it all themselves.
Yamaha isn’t the only team making moves these days, with news that Honda satellite team Ten Kate will provide engines and electronics to Claiming Rules team Gresini. The motors and fly-by-wire technology will be based on World Superbike-spec equipment, adding strength to claims CRT will threaten the World Superbike series.
The Gresini machine mates the Fireblade motor with a FTR chassis; Michele Pirro will ride it. Gresini will also be running a Honda RC213V with Alvaro Bautista aboard.
[…] tuning fork company’s MotoGP efforts looked like they could be on shaky ground when they lost major sponsor Petronas, after losing other major sponsor Fiat when Valentino Rossi left for Ducati’s team in before […]