MotoGP: Hoffman to contest dismissal

Hoffman...will contest dismissal from team

SACKED MOTOGP rider Alex Hoffman has issued this statement concerning his dismissal from Pramac D'Antin Ducati:

According to a recent press release issued by my team, my contract as a rider for Team Pramac D'Antin was terminated on the evening after the Portuguese Grand Prix (September 16th, 2007), with immediate effect.

I consider the termination of my contract unjustified, and I will fight this decision with all legal resources at my disposal.

The written dismissal was not based on the race day events, but on my allegedly poor performance throughout the season.

This performance was not as poor as to justify my dismissal. After all, I held eleventh position in the MotoGP World Championship rankings, only nine points behind my team-mate Alex Barros, before I was forced to take time out from racing due to an injury caused by another rider.

My conduct during the race at Estoril also does not justify a dismissal. Because it was always my intention to devote all my efforts in the race to my team, I entered the race with an injury to my hand that had not properly healed. In the warm-up lap, I realised that there was a clutch problem on my number one bike. After changing to the spare bike that was not equipped with the race tyres I had chosen, I then faced a considerable time handicap through having to start from pit lane. Although the field had opened a gap of 11 second in the opening lap of the race, I made every effort to catch up. I was however forced to accept the unfortunate reality that it would be impossible to achieve this goal onboard the spare bike I was riding. Indeed my only hope of improving my position was that if other riders crashed or suffered technical difficulties.

Bearing in mind these circumstances, I felt I could not take any more risks that might endanger the healing process of my injured hand. I therefore decided to retire from the race.

Disappointed and frustrated as I was at the time, I was not really able to properly express my feelings about what had happened immediately after the conclusion of the Portuguese Grand Prix. Considering that I have always made a point of proving my unconditional dedication to Team Pramac d'Antin during 2006 and 2007, I feel that it would have been sufficient to give me a warning.

I would have accepted this course of action, but I will certainly not accept a dismissal without notice. My goal is to conclude the season for my team, and to start again for Team Pramac D'Antin as of the Australian Grand Prix on Phillip Island, October 12th thru 14th, 2007.

I have forwarded this request in writing to my Italian and Dutch employers. I have called upon them to reinstate me as a MotoGP rider in the team, and to duly fulfil the conditions of the existing contracts.