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What Honda Plans for 2006 onda Racing Corporation managing H director Satoru Horiike contradicted earlier reports out of HRC that the company was developing its 2007 MotoGP machine specifically for a smaller rider. "I don't think so," he said. "Of course, we have to make a machine compact as much as possible. But the limitation of the geometry is there, because the acceleration or braking, a very short wheelbase is very difficult. So there is a suitable wheelbase and there is also a suitable center of mass. We have to make the machine compact, but there is a suitable size for any rider." Of more immediate concern is the more compact 2006 machine. It was briefly tested in Brno, Czech Republic, with an eye toward racing it later in the season. But that never happened, and rumors swirled about the reasons why. "The result was as good as we expected," Horiike said, "and after that, we tested to confirm the reliability and durability of each part, especially the engine, for the race, I mean. For the test, it's okay. For the race, we have to make sure. We find that some matter on the engine, so now we are working on thaI: matter for next year." Horiike said the problems were found during parallel testing in Japan. That caused a short delay in the appearance of the new bike in Brno. The problem, he said, was oil circulation. With Dani Pedrosa scheduled would stick with the current race bike. Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden will get factory bikes in 2006, but Marco Melandri won't. "The policy is only two factory machines next year," he said. Will Melandri be given a machine? "Depends on race Situation," Horiike said. With Dani Pedrosa in his first year on the big bike, speculation was that Nicky Hayden would lead development. Not so, Horiike said. "There will be two factory riders," he said. "We treat these riders always equal. So of course we have to listen to Nicky's opinion, and we have to listen to the other rider's opinion." That's a change of policy from this season, when the work was done by Max Biaggi, on the factory team, and Sete Gibernau of the MoviStar Honda MotoGP squad. The satellite teams will be using 2005-spec RC211 Vs. Presumably those machines will have the latest electronics, which includes updated traction control. Honda uses a throttle valve control system, with all five throttle valves being controlled mainly by the rider, unlike the systems of others, including Kawasaki and Ducati, which have two controlled by the rider and two controlled electronically. "So, compared to last year, traction con- to test at Valencia just after the final trol has progressed much," Horiike said. ''All the five throttle valves are treated equally. But the rider controls it and the computer supports it. First of all, the rider controls it, MotoGP of the year, Horiike said the team then the computer assists it. In case of emer- Camel Out After Biaggi Dispute Camel cigarettes suddenly pulled the plug on its sponsorship of the Pons team late on Sunday evening, October 6, after the Valencia MotoGP. The reason was Honda's insistence that Max Biaggi not be aboard a Honda in 2006. "We were having a project with Honda that included Max, and the agreement for that has not been fixed," said Daniel Torras, vice president and general manager of spon- sorship for JTI, Camel's parent company. Specifically, JTI wanted to build a team around the Italian, while Honda Racing Corporation thought differently. "And therefore we're moving into other options, other alternatives," Torras said. "That's basically what I've said, and that's what it is." Torras said the other alternatives were in the paddock. "So it's not like... MoviStar [the other major sponsor Honda lost this year], like they left, 'Okay, we leave.' No. We want to stay, and we will stay. Unless we don't reach agreement with others." And Biaggi could be included in any option. "It's obviously one of the options, but, again, we have to look at everything," Torras said. Torras and two other JTI officials were seen entering the office trailer of Suzuki team 8 gency, the rider can handle everything." For 2006, Honda will again supply seven machines. But Horiike said it would be difficult to keep the numbers up when the engines move to 800cc in 2007. "Seven machines, very tough," he said. "On the other hand, we, Honda, have to think about the GP future. Now with Aprilia gone, Kenny Roberts only one machine, WCM I don't know, so we have to consider about the future of the grand prix." Honda currently supplies a third of the MotoGP grid, and half the 250s and 125s. The factory will have two two-man 250cc teams next year. Horiike expects the power loss from the 800s to be commensurate with their displacement loss - about 20 percent. He thinks they'll recover 5 percent of that by the next year. On the Superbike front, Horiike said that Suzuka 8 Hours. "As you know, this year we achieved V- American Honda will continue its policy of 9, victory nine consecutive wins," he said. building machines in-house. "Before we supported with full factory machine, but recently they want to have independence," he said. "So we supported with key parts and with some special parts for the Suzuka 8 Hours, special front forks or Stoner's move to Yamaha does nothing to But even later Sunday night, it was revealed that Suzuki was to have sponsorship from Rizla tobacco papers, Suzuki's longtime sponsor in British Superbike. Which left Kawasaki, which would be reluctant to run a yellow motorcycle; Tech 3 Yamaha, a some- bike to learn for a young rider. For a beginner, in the sponsorship fiasco. On race morning, Stoner's team and personal manager, Lucio Cechinello, said: "It looks that Casey has a very interesting offer from Honda Pons. And at the moment, it looks like the direction is to go in this team in MotoGP. Stoner had also been talking to Yamaha, to join the Tech 3 team, but that offer was less generous and would include Dunlop tires. The third option NOVEMBER 16,2005 • CYCLE NEWS It Horiike said that he didn't rule out taking Honda riders from the MotoGP paddock for the 8 Hours. Henny Ray Abrams resolve the Yamaha situation. Currently, the team, and Honda I think also is a very good always attracted publicity, almost always positive, despite a lack of results since embarking on his own. The team will have the use of Honda RC21 IV engines in 2006 and, Roberts hopes, Michelin tires. His first choice for a rider is his son Kenny Jr. But if Camel were to supply sufficient funds, he could possibly run Junior and Biaggi - unless Honda refused to supply engines. Australian Casey Stoner also got caught up "Next year V-I O. Very important year, so we have to consider the rider or team. for Stoner was to stay in the 250cc class. At manager Paul Denning, but he refused to Team Roberts is the most intriguing option. Team owner Kenny Roberts has Flammini is like this," he said, pounding his knuckles against each other. But he said there was hope of a resolution. One race getting added attention is the comment on the meeting. is hoping for Dunlop backing in 2006; and Team Roberts. ''As you know, the current situation between Japanese manufacturer and Mr. the end of the year, with the same amount the moment, we will respect, of course, his choice, because Pons is a very experienced what second-tier team at the moment, which something like that. And sometimes our staff will go to AMA." Honda's team in British Superbike will get full factory machines, as it did this year. In World Superbike, the support is merely technical, Horiike said. I think that maybe it's easier than Yamaha, I don't know. I can say I spoke with Melandri, and Melandri says that at the moment this bike is very, very good. So I think that Casey will take this decision. But you have to ask him what exactly his feeling is." Cecchinello, one of the more open and candid managers in the paddock, said that he hadn't signed anything. "What can I say?" " Cechinello said. "I can say that I saw his father and the family, his mother, I saw his father around this paper. I suppose that they had some drafts to adjust or something like that. At the moment, nothing is decided." Where does that leave Cechinello's Carrera LCR Safilo team? '1\t the moment, we have a B plan," he said, "which is to stay in 250 and to continue in a program with Aprilia [with one or two Italian riders]. One of them could be Alex de Angelis, but nothing is signed, nothing is decided. This is just my feeling." factory team consists of Valentino Rossi and Colin Edwards in corporate colors. Stoner was expected to take one of the remaining two seats, but his move to Pons would leave another vacancy. The Tech 3 Yamaha team, running this year in Fortuna colors, is expect- ed to field Roberto Rolfo on a Yamaha with major backing from Dunlop. Whether the team can afford a second rider is still unknown. Henny Ray Abrams w 8 . C!J g >- '" • ..~~f' ,~ . . . . . . . . 0. It won't be Stoner. "For sure, Casey will be in MotoGp, said Cecchinello, who added that if Stoner signed a MotoGP deal this weekend, he'd release him from his contract so that he could test whatever machine he chose. An argument over Max 8iaggi's future with Honda has left the Italian withaut a ride, Pons Honda without a sponsor, and Camel without a team for 2006.