MotoGP – Delicate situation for the Tech 3 team

Should Yamaha's plan to field only three YZR M1s next season materialize (for Rossi with his own team, Edwards and probably De Puniet), Hervè Poncharal's Tech 3 would find itself in serious trouble. At the beginning of the season the French team manager had denounced his impossibility of building a team without the contributions of Yamaha, Altadis (Fortuna) and Dorna, an eventuality destined to materialize for 2006. A delicate situation to say the least for the ex-champion team of the 250 with Olivier Jacque, who is starting to look around for sponsors as well as a company that would offer the management of one or two motorbikes at favorable prices. In France the press went wild, offering possible scenarios that have long been included in the various "Paddock rumours".

The first news would speak of a marriage with Ducati, in the case of D'Antin, as it seems, moving to Kawasaki. A Desmosedici available, for a project to be financed exclusively with a significant sponsor behind it. Otherwise Poncharal would find itself in difficulty, and hence the thesis of an agreement with Luis D'Antin for the creation of a structure on the France-Spain axis. Just unsubstantiated summer rumors? Likely. What is certain, Hervè Poncharal is not having a peaceful holiday... and seeing the fairings of his M1s with the writing "Fortuna", he will recriminate with unrepeatable words...

Alessio Piana