THE LCR HONDA TEAM TO COMPETE IN THE MOTOGP CLASS FOR FURTHER 5 YEARS
67 years of history, 530 million youtube viewers, 100 million TV spectators for each race weekend, 16 million social medias fans, over 2.7 million spectators on track during the season… these are just few numbers of today’s MotoGP world assiduously managed by FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme), Dorna and IRTA (International Road Racing Teams Association).
During a press conference hosted yesterday at Sachsenring circuit, Dorna (that already announced a 5-year contract renewal with IRTA in Assen) officially disclosed their commitment to guarantee the actual independent Teams contractual participation to the MotoGP Championship (LCR, Tech 3, Gresini, Aspar, Pramac, Avintia and VDS).
The LCR Team and Lucio Cecchinello are pleased to announce their participation in the major class for further five years (till 2021 at least).
During the press conference Dorna CEO Mr Carmelo Ezpeleta also explained that, from 2018, they won’t accept more than 24 participants and the LCR Honda Team will have the priority to require the last available registration.
Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna CEO): “In Assen we renewed with IRTA for the next five years. Since then we have signed an agreement between IRTA and the seven Independent Teams in the MotoGP class. From now till 2021 this gives the teams the exclusive right to participate as Independent Teams. Lucio and LCR will have the chance to expand to fill the grid with a second bike for a total of 24 bikes, then all the teams have two slots. Never will there be more than 24 bikes, this is important. From 2016 to 2017 the payments to the teams is almost 100% more, with this money from IRTA the teams will be able to cover the cost of the bikes and improve stability in the championship. Thank you to the teams and IRTA for helping and making the championship sustainable.”
Lucio Cecchinello (LCR Honda Team Principal): “I am extremely happy to announce our participation to the MotoGP class championship for the next 5 years right from this season on that marks our 20th anniversary. I deeply thank all the Dorna representatives and IRTA executives that, together with the Manufacturers, settled new agreements to make this championship more stable, to contain the costs and to give an economical support to the Teams. In this occasion I want to thank all the sponsors and partners that have been alongside LCR so far and I wish to continue this important cooperation with them all for the future”.