STEVE MARTIN LEFT WITHOUT A RIDE
Steve Martin was today unexpectedly informed that his ride with the DFX
Honda World Superbike team was no longer available, due to lack of
finances for the Italian squad.
Just
days before being due to leave his home in Switzerland for the next
round of the championship at Donington in the UK, the vastly
experienced Aussie rider was clearly disappointed and bemused by the
news, commenting, “I’m absolutely gutted. Not just for me but also my
whole bike crew.
“Just before the start of the season I was
reassured by DFX that they definitely had sufficient money to run both
me and Fabrizio for the whole year, and on that basis I decided to
continue with the team, despite still having other options of rides at
that time. So to now be told, just two races into the season, that the
team doesn’t actually have enough budget is unbelievable and puts me in
a position that could have been avoided.
“It’s also so
disappointing after how much progress we’ve made with the bike during
testing over the off-season, to now not be able to progress with that
and turn it into some good results.
“But most of all I’m a racer
and just want to race, as I know I’m as capable and competitive as ever
to run with the front of the field.
“I’ve obviously spent the day
on the phone talking to everyone to try and secure funding or avenues
for another ride, but as expected, so early into the season is not the
time of the year to be trying to find either of those.”
The DFX
team will continue to run with team-mate Fabrizio in the 2007 Superbike
World Championship as he is a Honda Europe rider, and therefore
financed from that source.
Steve will still be at Donington for
the third round of the championship on 30/31 March - 1 April, and plans
to remain in Europe for the remainder of the racing season, rather than
return to his native Australia, in order to try and secure sponsorship
or an alternative place on the World Superbike grid.
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