VOL. 55 ISSUE 24 JUNE 19, 2018 P37
PEDROSA TO YAMAHA?
W
ill Dani Pedrosa switch straight from Honda to Yamaha?
The chances seemed to increase as the MotoGP weekend
progressed at Catalunya, June 16-17.
With all factory team slots now taken, the focus has switched
to Yamaha's customer team, with the factory yet to confirm
exactly how they will replace their departed long-time allies of
Tech3. With Suzuki already strong candidates to replace Honda
with the Marc VDS squad, the proposed Malaysian-backed Ya-
maha team sponsored by Petronas continued to take shape after
Sepang Circuit chief Razlan Razali visited Mugello. Speaking to Dorna TV, Yamaha
Racing boss Lin Jarvis said, "The situation is not confirmed, but things are progress-
ing quite well. There may be an announcement in the next couple of weeks."
And Pedrosa? "I've always been personally very curious to see how Dani Pedrosa
would go on a Yamaha," said Jarvis, adding that over the years there had been contact
with the rider. Michael Scott
MOTOGP BACK TO BRAZIL?
B
ring back Brazil! MotoGP veterans were heartened by the news of the intention to return to Rio after
an absence of 14 years, at a planned new track in the bustling port city.
Dorna has signed "a preliminary agreement" with Rio Motosports, a company formed to promote
racing in the South American country, for a return to the calendar in 2021. The circuit will first have to
be built and then homologated, and at this stage, J-R Pereira, the company's COO, could do more than
talk about "the racetrack we hope will be built in the city."
Brazil has a checkered history, with three races at the inland Goiania circuit between 1987 and 1989,
a single controversial outing at the Sao Paulo track in 1992—where a riders' strike on safety grounds
was narrowly averted, then a run from 1995 to 2004 at the now extinct Jacarepagua circuit outside Rio.
Michael Scott
There is talk that MotoGP
racing will return to Brazil.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GOLD
&
GOOSE
Will long-time
Honda face Dani
Pedrosa be on
a Yamaha next
year? Seems that
way.
