Marc VDS boss explains why no MotoGP switch in 2014

Scott Redding’s Marc VDS Racing squad would have been willing to move to MotoGP with the British rider next season if the Belgian-based team could have secured the lease of a factory prototype from Honda in 2015.

The Moto2 world championship leader’s future has been the subject of intense speculation until he inked a two-year deal with Fausto Gresini’s Honda squad that was confirmed in Silverstone last weekend.

The 20-year-old had been negotiating a range of deals that could have seen him riding a Yamaha YZR-M1 engine in a Kalex frame, a Ducati Desmosedici or a production Honda RCV1000R.

Redding’s final decision will see him campaign a production Honda before moving to a prototype RC213V with Gresini’s squad in 2015.

Redding’s Belgian-based Marc VDS Racing squad had seriously contemplated buying an RCV1000R to keep him on board.

But with no opportunity to lease a factory prototype RC213V for 2015 because of Honda’s long-standing and loyal relationship with Gresini and Lucio Cecchinello’s LCR outfit, Marc VDS will remain in Moto2 and Moto3.

Marc VDS Racing boss Michael Bartholemy told MCN: “We had some hope that we could move into MotoGP together with Scott but the biggest problem was we never had any guarantee from a manufacturer that we could have a factory bike for the second year and that was a shame because most people know we have the financing.

“Marc VDS would never have a factory bike. If this was an option for Scott with us in 2015 then we would keep him with us in 2014 on one of the production bikes. We would make it ourselves but we don’t have that option and we have to accept that Scott is going to have to make is own way without us.”