[kropotkin thinks...] - Repsol To Renew Sponsorship With HRC At Estoril

[Ninjette Newsbot]

If you enjoyed reading this article, please click here to view it on Kropotkin's site, MotoGP Matters.

-----------------

It's been a tough year for Honda. The season got off to a bad start with the injury to Dani Pedrosa, then when it came time for the team to sign new riders, it took a suspiciously long time to actually reach deals with both Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso, while rumors raged that HRC was also courting Jorge Lorenzo. Along with the rider difficulties, there have been continuing rumblings that Repsol, the factory Honda team's title sponsor, is dissatisfied with the way the team has performed and was looking at pulling its support for the squad.

To deal with this problem, Honda has invested a huge amount of time and effort to solve the problems they have faced. HRC vice president Shuhei Nakamoto has publicly admitted that the team's difficulties have been down to Honda's failure to produce a competitive motorcycle, rather than any shortcomings by the riders - as has been the previous practice. Honda has even started experimenting with Ohlins suspension, replacing the equipment produced by Honda subsidiary Showa.

read more