Bautista backs Redding to challenge top four on factory Honda

Scott Redding can establish himself as a consistent podium threat in MotoGP after clinching a dream factory Honda deal for the 2015 world championship.

That’s the view of Redding’s former Gresini teammate Alvaro Bautista, who will lead Aprilia’s new MotoGP project in 2015.

Bautista was impressed with Redding’s performances as a premier class rookie in 2014, with the 2013 Moto2 runner-up scoring a series of impressive point scoring finishes on the underpowered production Honda RCV1000R machine.

Bautista struggled to pose a consistent rostrum threat on the factory RC213V that Redding will race next season, with both racing Nissin brakes and Showa suspension.

But with Redding on his preferred Ohlins suspension and Brembo brakes in the new Marc VDS Racing MotoGP squad, Spaniard Bautista believes the 22-year-old can threaten the elite top four this year.

Speaking to MCN, former 125GP world champion Bautista said: “Scott was like me in that he has had a lot of ups and downs with the material and in some tracks the bike worked very well and in others we had many problems. But with the new material he will be much more consistent and I think Scott has really good potential. With the production bike he already did really good races and now he has the opportunity to have a factory bike. MotoGP is not easy, so he has to work more to stay with the front guys by I am convinced that he will be battling close to the front.”