Pedrosa released from his Michelin contract

[Cajun]

HONDA AND MICHELIN REACH AGREEMENT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE 2008 MotoGP SEASON

For 24 years Michelin and Honda have worked together at the highest level of motorcycle racing. Together the two companies have won 14 premier-class World Championships.

The two companies fully understand the importance of the "feeling" between the rider and the equipment he has at his disposal, especially tires.

Despite making an excellent start to the season and leading the World Championship going into the German GP, during the last few races Dani Pedrosa has made it know to both Michelin and Honda that he doesn't feel at ease with the tires that Michelin have offered him.

Honda and Michelin believe that rider confidence needs to be at its maximum if the rider is to fully exploit the tactical potential of the tires.

In these circumstances Michelin and Honda have therefore decided not to equip Pedrosa with Michelin tires for the remainder of the 2008 season.

Pedrosa comments: "I thank Michelin and Honda for their mutual understanding and for agreeing to my personal demands. I am very conscious of the fact that I have made some excessively negative comments about Michelin tires, even though Michelin helped me make an exceptional start to the season."

Both Honda and Michelin hope that MotoGP World Championship will continue with a multi-tire brand regulation in 2009, Michelin will equip one of the Repsol Honda's two riders for the remainder of the 2008 season.
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http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Aug/080831d.htm

[Badjelly]

Thanks for that, Cajun. I must say it surprises me, though I knew Dani was pretty grumpy about the Michelins. It must be unusual to swap tyres mid-season.

That must be one of the most carefully crafted press releases ever. (Almost as good as the one Rossi released when he settled with the Italian tax department.)

Pedrosa comments: "I thank Michelin and Honda for their mutual understanding and for agreeing to my personal demands. I am very conscious of the fact that I have made some excessively negative comments about Michelin tires, even though Michelin helped me make an exceptional start to the season."

Priceless!

[slowpoke]

What a walloper! Sure the tyres aren't up to spec but he's not in the title race and has created acrimony to achieve nothing......unless Honda have got the shits and are using Pedrosa as an excuse......

[F5 Dave]

So he's going to be running on the rims?

[Badjelly]

....unless Honda have got the shits and are using Pedrosa as an excuse......

I very much doubt that. The press release talks up the history of the Honda-Michelin relationship and makes it very clear that the decision to drop Michelin is Pedrosa's. Honda are Japanese, remember, and this has caused them to lose face. They don't like that. I think we can expect a cooling of the relationship between Honda and its golden boy. In fact, I think they'll be looking for a new golden boy. Andrea Dovizioso perhaps?

This is almost more fun to watch than the racing!

[roogazza]

Pedrosa wanted Bridgestones when Rossi changed, but was denied. Gaz.

[pritch]

This move might be more help to Pedrosa next year than this. It might take a while for him to get the new tyres sorted.

Did any of the satellite Honda teams run Bridgestones?

[k14]

This move might be more help to Pedrosa next year than this. It might take a while for him to get the new tyres sorted.

Did any of the satellite Honda teams run Bridgestones?

Yes the gresini team runs them (nakano and de angelis). It won't solve the underlying problem of the honda being a bit of a nail at the moment though. Lorenzo finished what, 2 seconds behind rossi last night on michelin's. Who says they are crap??

[Crasherfromwayback]

Yes the gresini team runs them (nakano and de angelis). It won't solve the underlying problem of the honda being a bit of a nail at the moment though. Lorenzo finished what, 2 seconds behind rossi last night on michelin's. Who says they are crap??

They certainly had 'problems' with them at Laguna and Bruno...but hell...Pedrosa was winning the title until Germany on the fucking things...they can't be all that bad!

[svr]

Michelin struck a couple of bad tracks for them at the same time that their top riders (Lorenzo, Pedrosa) were riding hurt or out. Now they're fit again Michelin are back on the pace. Hopefully M come back and are the tires to have next year to repay their loyal riders.

[Mort]

From MotoGP.com

Dani Pedrosa will run Bridgestone tyres as of Monday´s post-race test in Misano, after HRC reached an agreement to change tyre brands.

Repsol Honda have announced that they will be running a split garage as of the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix, with Dani Pedrosa switching to Bridgestone tyres for the remaining races of the 2008 season.
Whilst the move was largely expected for 2009, with San Carlo Honda Gresini´s Shinya Nakano having tested the waters with a Bridgestone-shod factory spec RC212V as of Brno, the immediate nature of the switch comes as something of a surprise.

Pedrosa´s teammate Nicky Hayden will continue to use Michelin rubber in a similar arrangement to that used by Fiat Yamaha with riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo.
Pedrosa had requested the change previously, and a further catalyst came after he struggled with grip at Brno. The Spaniard described a feeling of `powerlessness´ after the Czech Republic race, and entered into discussions with HRC President Masumi Hamane and the team´s title sponsors regarding an immediate switch.

`It was a team decision; I just explained my feelings after every race, that´s all´ said Pedrosa, emphasising that he had not been solely responsible pushing the move through.
Repsol´s Sporting Sponsoring Director, Arturo Sus, commented on behalf of the company.

`On behalf of Repsol, we´d like to thank Michelin for their understanding of the situation and the way that they handled it. Having said this, our role as the main sponsor of the Repsol Honda team is to push the team, factory and even the rider when we think we have to push to get the results we expect to get from our investment in racing.


`For Repsol it was not good enough, and we decided to push Honda to do anything to get Bridgestone. It was not easy for us, Honda and Michelin of course. A decision like this implies some other movements and we thought it was the right thing to do. We talked to Michelin after Brno to agree on the fact it was the best decision for everybody.´


Pedrosa´s change of manufacturer was announced in a press conference held by Hamane after the MotoGP race at Misano, with the HRC head stating that Honda had agreed to support any rider with their choice of tyres and that Repsol had `strongly urged´ a swap `as soon as possible.´
As per the arrangement, Pedrosa will be able to make his debut with Bridgestone tyres at Monday´s post-race test in Misano.

[gav]

Michelin struck a couple of bad tracks for them at the same time that their top riders (Lorenzo, Pedrosa) were riding hurt or out. Now they're fit again Michelin are back on the pace. Hopefully M come back and are the tires to have next year to repay their loyal riders.

Yeah, both of them .....

[Cleve]

What a walloper! Sure the tyres aren't up to spec but he's not in the title race and has created acrimony to achieve nothing......unless Honda have got the shits and are using Pedrosa as an excuse......

actually he still has a mathematical chance to win the championship...

[Wingnut]

Thanks for that, Cajun. I must say it surprises me, though I knew Dani was pretty grumpy about the Michelins. It must be unusual to swap tyres mid-season.

That must be one of the most carefully crafted press releases ever. (Almost as good as the one Rossi released when he settled with the Italian tax department.)



Priceless!

Pedrosa - Grumpy?? Hmm that doesn't sound like danny. He seems like such a happy kind of bugger. Maybe I mistake his focussed attitude for grumpyness??

[Pwalo]

actually he still has a mathematical chance to win the championship...

And with swapping tyre manufacturer halfway through the year they will probably stay mathematical. It took Rossi and the Yamaha team a few meetings to get the M1 set up to work on Bridgestones so I think Pedrosa (and Honda) reckon that the title has gone for this year so they may as well use the rest of the season to get the bike/tyre combination sorted for next year.