Post by BADGER on Aug 4, 2006 6:27:34 GMT
Legendary racer Carl Fogarty is promising fellow Briton James Toseland a MotoGP ride next season - if only the four-time World Superbike champion can form a team in time. With the Foggy Petronas World Superbike outfit destined to die a death at the end of the current season, Fogarty is seeking pastures new and has confirmed World and British Superbike options as well as interest in adding to the MotoGP field for 2007.
But first Fogarty needs to secure finance.
Meanwhile, Winston Ten Kate rider Toseland, who won the world championship on the factory Ducati machine in 2004, has already been linked with a possible move to MotoGP next season.
But the Isle of Man-based Toseland currently lies third in the 2006 rankings and has plenty of hard work ahead of him if he is to catch leader Troy Bayliss, who stands 74 points clear of the Englishman and 63 in front of second-placed Noriyuki Haga.
But Fogarty said: "James is an aggressive rider and if he wanted a MotoGP ride, I would give him one.
"I own all the infrastructure for the team and getting bikes won't be a problem so all we need is the sponsorship deal to be slotted into place and we can go racing next year.
"We have developed a fantastic infrastructure throughout this project and that would be at the disposal of any new venture, although it's still too early to say in which series or with which manufacturer we'll be racing next year because we have yet to secure a new sponsor.
"There are a lot of options and discussions are going on at the moment.
"I'm optimistic something might happen within the next couple of months because a lot of major decisions seem to be taken during August and September."
Heading into the championship's British round at Brands Hatch this weekend, Foggy Petronas racer Steve Martin lies 25th and fifth-last in the rankings with just four points while Craig Jones has yet to register a solitary point so far in 2006.
Fogarty said: "I remember the first time we got the bike out on the track for practice at a race meeting there was a tear in my eye.
"We had built something which was drawn on a scrap of paper into a bike which could go racing.
"And in some ways it will be emotional to appear for the last time in the UK as Foggy Petronas Racing.
But first Fogarty needs to secure finance.
Meanwhile, Winston Ten Kate rider Toseland, who won the world championship on the factory Ducati machine in 2004, has already been linked with a possible move to MotoGP next season.
But the Isle of Man-based Toseland currently lies third in the 2006 rankings and has plenty of hard work ahead of him if he is to catch leader Troy Bayliss, who stands 74 points clear of the Englishman and 63 in front of second-placed Noriyuki Haga.
But Fogarty said: "James is an aggressive rider and if he wanted a MotoGP ride, I would give him one.
"I own all the infrastructure for the team and getting bikes won't be a problem so all we need is the sponsorship deal to be slotted into place and we can go racing next year.
"We have developed a fantastic infrastructure throughout this project and that would be at the disposal of any new venture, although it's still too early to say in which series or with which manufacturer we'll be racing next year because we have yet to secure a new sponsor.
"There are a lot of options and discussions are going on at the moment.
"I'm optimistic something might happen within the next couple of months because a lot of major decisions seem to be taken during August and September."
Heading into the championship's British round at Brands Hatch this weekend, Foggy Petronas racer Steve Martin lies 25th and fifth-last in the rankings with just four points while Craig Jones has yet to register a solitary point so far in 2006.
Fogarty said: "I remember the first time we got the bike out on the track for practice at a race meeting there was a tear in my eye.
"We had built something which was drawn on a scrap of paper into a bike which could go racing.
"And in some ways it will be emotional to appear for the last time in the UK as Foggy Petronas Racing.