HONDA'S PUSH to regain supremacy may see the biggest factory field a three-rider super-team next year, including two of the four aliens while retaining the improving Andrea Dovizioso.
Casey Stoner’s move to the team is now taken for granted, even though there has been no official confirmation, and doubtless there are still details to be finalised.
The question was which of the current Repsol Honda riders would move out of the way? Current betting is that both will stay on the factory strength.
Dovizioso’s contract renewal depends on a top five championship finish; and he currently lies third. Pedrosa’s situation is also linked to a performance clause, as well as to sponsors Repsol.
Talk of Red Bull taking over the team was reported two weeks ago from Silverstone in a possible joint sponsorship deal with Repsol.
It is now considered more likely that Red Bull will run a two-rider team – Stoner and Dovizioso; while Repsol will stay with Pedrosa in a nominally independent team.
MotoGP is the only major motor sport in which Red Bull is not represented, while rival energy drink company Monster has been making inroads; the company runs two teams in Formula One.
However, the company would only come in at the highest level, and a link with Honda would be a perfect fit.
