The MotoGP foolish season has kicked into overdrive over the summer season break amidst Honda’s woes, with a lot of the hypothesis centring on the Japanese marque’s riders.
Marc Marquez’s future with the brand has been thrown into the air following a bruising begin to the 2023 season, through which he has scored simply 5 factors, regardless of his contract operating to the tip of 2024.
He has as soon as once more been linked to KTM, with a report in German publication Speedweek final week stating the Austrian marque might discipline Marquez and Pedro Acosta on RC16s run by the LCR squad.
In an interview with Autosport’s Italian language sister website GPone, Cecchinello has performed this down, insisting he’ll see out his present contract with Honda via to the tip of subsequent 12 months.
“I wish to be completely trustworthy and clear: about 10 days in the past I obtained a form telephone name from Francesco Guidotti (KTM crew principal) through which he instructed me, calmly and independently, that from the Silverstone Grand Prix KTM want to start to grasp the way to transfer ahead,” Cecchinello instructed GPone.
“They’re all for lining up one other crew in MotoGP, and never solely primarily based on Pedro Acosta, for subsequent 12 months.
“He requested me what my scenario was for 2024 and I replied that I signed a three-year contract with Honda that expires on the finish of 2024.
“The telephone name ended like that and we did not communicate to one another once more.
“I’ve a contract with Honda for 2024 and it isn’t my intention to interrupt it. I’ve been in MotoGP with Honda for 18 years, subsequent 12 months would be the nineteenth.
Lucio Cecchinello, LCR Honda crew principal
Picture by: Alexander Trienitz
“There are very stable human {and professional} relationships. It’s clear that it could be troublesome for me to go away them. I really feel like a Honda man.”
KTM had already sought the opportunity of shopping for out the grid slots vacated by Suzuki on the finish of final 12 months to discipline a second satellite tv for pc squad, however was denied by Dorna Sports activities, who’s reserving this for a manufacturing unit entrant.
It’s thought KTM approached Gresini Racing a couple of potential tie-up for 2024 on the Dutch GP forward of the summer season break, however Ducati is about to increase its contract with the Italian squad.
Acosta, presently second within the Moto2 standings, is confirmed to be coming to MotoGP in 2024, however KTM has an absence of area.
Its manufacturing unit crew seats belonging to Jack Miller and Brad Binder are secured till the tip of 2024, whereas Tech3’s Pol Espargaro can be contracted for 2 seasons.
Stefan Pierer, KTM CEO, instructed Speedweek that Augusto Fernandez has been signed up once more for 2024, creating additional confusion round Acosta’s promotion.
In the identical GPone interview with Cecchinello, he additionally confirmed Alex Rins has “obtained a suggestion” from Yamaha and talks between his administration, Yamaha and Honda are underway.
Rins, who has been absent because the Italian GP due to a badly broken leg, is Honda’s solely race winner in 2023 after scoring victory on the Americas GP.
Nonetheless, the Spaniard has been unhappy with his treatment at Honda and his two-year deal is assumed to have a clause in it that might enable him to interrupt free if a manufacturing unit crew provided a contract.