Het was er bijna van gekomen dat Franco Battaini dit jaar de TT gereden had voor het Martin Bullock Raceteam met een Suzuki K6. Zijn WSB verplichtingen maken dit helaas niet mogelijk, maar een start in 2007 lijkt niet uitgesloten..
Citaat:
Battaini ruled out of TT debut
Negotiations with 2005 Italian Moto GP rider, Franco Battaini, to compete at the 2006 Isle of Man TT Races have ended unsuccessfully. Having left the WCM team at the end of last season, the former 250cc GP podium finisher contacted TT race organisers in a view to contesting the 99-year-old event.
Terms had been agreed for the 33 year old to contest this year’s event, with local team Martin Bullock Raceteam, riding a Superstock GSXR Suzuki and Franco was due to visit the Island in the near future to learn the circuit.
However a late deal to ride in the 2005 World Superbike Championship for the Kawasaki Bertocchi team has put paid to his TT aspirations for this year. Franco hasn’t ruled out making his TT debut in the future however, and there is a chance he will visit this years event as a spectator.
Speaking about the situation Franco said:
“I must say thank you to the TT organisation and to Martin Bullock Raceteam for their patience in this matter, and I am sorry that this year I can not make my debut at the Isle of Man TT. I still hope that one day I can make it to this famous event to compete as it has always been a dream of mine.”
Team owner of Martin Bullock Raceteam, Martin Bullock commented saying:
“We are obviously disappointed that Franco will not be joining our team for this years TT, and we understand his decision fully. He is a professional rider and he has to earn a living for his family, and by riding in World Superbike he can still do this. As a team we were delighted to have been in a position to talk to a rider of this calibre, and it shows how far we have come to be in a position to work with a rider like Franco. Hopefully we will get the chance to work together in the near future and see Franco make his TT debut.”
reactie vh team
Citaat:
Well, we did drop a few hints that we may have been talking to someone quite BIG! And we don't think you could get a lot bigger than Franco as a prospective team member for the TT. This is a guy who has been on the Moto GP rostrum SEVEN times on a 250, and he's stood on the same podium as Vale Rossi. Can't be bad! We've been in talks since mid October time, via TT Riders' Liaison Officer Paul Phillips and a lot of e-mails. The financial side had been agreed with the Race Organisers, who were extremely keen on getting Franco here because they realised what a top draw he is.
Believe us, this would have been a massive deal for the TT and a big coup for us. Not bad for Small Team from Isle of Man who have no outside backing whatsoever! And Franco was, and still is, very keen to ride here. He was coming with a very clear target, to learn his way round the course in his first year. We were going to take it nice and steady, and just set out to finish each of the 3 big bike races, aboard a Superstock 1000 Suzuki K6
But we were always aware that Franco had to sort his own 2006 European and World plans out. He is a professional racer, just like Bruno was, and he needed a full time ride to pay the bills. Unfortunately, the schedule with Bartocchi WSB Team didn't quite coincide with the TT, but don't write this off for another year. Indeed, we are still hopeful to have Franco over for some part of the TT so that he can have a look around and get the atmosphere.
http://www.mbr.co.tt/