Could Honda Pull Out of MotoGP Because of the Economy?

[Asphalt & Rubber]

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This article comes from AsphaltandRubber.com
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With the Senate squashing the Detroit bailout loan last night, tougher economic times are surely ahead for us, not only in the States, but also abroad. Last week Honda announced that it was pulling out of Formula1 racing because of the extraordinary costs and tight fiscal situations. Could the same happen in MotoGP? Find out after the jump.

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HRC has confirmed its level of involvement in MotoGP in 2009 is “under consideration.” It’s also no secret that Honda has spent a considerable amount of money developing their four-stroke motor platform. Honda currently makes up nearly a third of the MotoGP grid,*with the Japanese factory planning to field 6 of the 19 bikes in 2009.

HRC’s official position has been that they “are under consideration, and cannot answer. More than we imagined, the economic crisis has had an influence on what we do.*Therefore, there is an implication for MotoGP as well. The situation is serious.”

Honda is likely not alone in feeling the crunch, we can only imagine what companies like Ducati, who rely on a “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” marketing scheme to push the relatively small numbers of motorcycles out the door each year, will do as belts tighten. Post your comments on how you think this will change MotoGP racing.



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