Milwaukee U-turn on Honda TT blame

Power tool manufacturer Milwaukee issued a statement late on Monday night withdrawing claims they had made regarding Honda’s involvement in the change of technical regulations introduced for the 2014 TT.

TT bosses have introduced new rules that will bring them in line with current BSB regulations by introducing a controlled ECU. They have phased the option over two years, allowing manufacturer kit ECUs alongside the control Motec system for 2014, but Yamaha have argued that removing the option of their current Magneti Marelli system would leave their R1 machines uncompetitive.

After talks between Milwaukkee and TT bosses failed to find a solution Milwaukee announced they were withdrawing sponsorship of the SMR Yamaha team at the TT, leaving Ian Hutchinson and Josh Brookes without machinery.

However, in the statement announcing their withdrawal of sponsorship, Milwaukee went on to claim that the changes were “suggested at the outset by Honda,” something denied by Honda themselves as well as TT organisers, who released a statement to say that “at no point did any one manufacturer influence their decision.”

However, Milwaukee have now issued a retraction after rumours of legal action from the Honda squad run by experienced team boss Neil Tuxworth. In their latest statement, Milwaukee have clarified that “Honda has asked us to point out that the ACU consulted all manufacturers about the rule changes for the 2015 TT. Whilst not all manufacturers were in agreement with the rule changes, Honda took proactive steps to suggest a way to mitigate the significant rule changes being introduced by the ACU by suggesting limited engine changes for 2014. We therefore regret any interpretation that suggested Honda proposed rule changes by which it would gain any competitive advantage.”