PRIORITY FOR BIAGGI
19 January 2005 - Honda Racing

Max Biaggi will be HRC’s main focus as they look to wrestle the MotoGP World Championship back from Valentino Rossi in 2005.

Yesterday, Biaggi was confirmed Nicky Hayden’s team-mate in the factory Repsol Honda team and the Japanese company’s Sport Manager Carlo Fiorani said the Italian will be receiving maximum support.

“HRC has to pull in one direction so it is important that we follow one rider,” said Fiorani. “It is the way Honda have always worked. The input of all the riders is important to take back to Japan and use for development with the test riders, but the benefit of that development has to be focussed on one person.”

Fiorani also hinted that Biaggi will be joined by Technical Director Erv Kanemoto at Repsol Honda, but said he was unable to comment officially on the news. “I can’t say anything about Erv at this point,” he said. “But the first test is this weekend and people will see our team’s structure then.”

The expected arrival of Kanemoto will complete an overhauled team structure that also sees Nicky Hayden’s former telemetry engineer Pete Benson move up to the position of Chief Mechanic in place of Trevor Morris.

The new-look Repsol Honda team will begin their preparations for the new season alongside several rivals at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia this weekend and Fiorani outlined the importance of the first test.

“We’ll be testing on the 23 January and it will be an important session to check Max’s physical condition,” continued Fiorani. “The fracture has healed now but his ankle is still very painful, so the only question mark is how he will manage on the bike.

“I think his motivation and adrenalin will see him through and we are very pleased that Max will be present at the test because it is important that we establish the direction of development of the new Honda RC211V.”

www.honda-racing.co.uk

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