No switch for Martin
By TMX Archives on 30th Jul 09
NO, Paolo Martin and his team are not switching to Yamaha, even if some online sources have wildly suggested that Claudio De Carli could take over the Honda deal. But the GP comebacks of both Kevin Strijbos and Marc De Reuver at Lommel this weekend are still not certain! The Dutchman pulled out of the ADAC Masters race at Tensfeld in Germany last weekend on the recommendation of Doctor Claes as the Antwerp specialist felt that his injuries were not yet sufficiently recovered to withstand a gruelling race.
An examination on Wednesday will decide whether or not Marc will risk competing at Lommel.
And Strijbos, or rather his doctor, was due to make a decision on Wednesday evening (after T+MX has went to the printers).
The Belgian crashed while training at Oss, Holland, last Saturday and dislocated his collarbone. There is nothing broken and the bone was put back into place the same day but a further examination is deemed necessary before he gets clearance to race.
Wild rumours circulated on the internet last weekend that Toni Cairoli would be switching to Honda together with Team De Carli, taking over the Martin deal.
This was dismissed, out of hand, by Roger Harvey of Honda Europe: Honda and Paolo Martin have worked together successfully for 20-years, and Honda does not break a relationship like that.