Alto Evolution Honda part company with Josh Brookes

With their race trucks and bikes impounded, Alto Evolution Honda has got enough problems, but they were compounded further at Misano when their rider Josh Brookes left the team. 

Brookes was the first rider to join the Alto Evolution Honda squad having ridden for Bertocchi Kawasaki in 2006.

The Bertocchi team then evolved into Alto Evolution Honda and Brookes even bought members of his championship winning Australian Superbike squad from Australia to Europe.

But with no bikes to race after the team truck was hijacked and the then later impounded the 24-year-old saw no way to continue.

Brookes said: “It’s turned into a complete mess and I don’t want to be associated with it. We don’t have the tools to be competitive and it’s too dangerous to ride like that.

“Racing is hard enough anyway let alone if you have to deal with this kind of thing. Given a million different scenarios that could have happened this year, I still wouldn’t have thought of this.”

MCN has learned Brookes approached the official factory Yamaha World Supersport team due to a vacancy in the squad after Anthony West signed to race for Kawasaki in MotoGP.

Brookes also spoke with Craig Jones’ Reve/Ekerold Honda about the possibility of being part of a two man team, but this seems highly unlikely in the short term.

Brookes said: “There are a few opportunities out there, however at this point in the season it’s pretty hard to just pick up a ride.

“I’ve spoken to Honda Australia who sponsor me about getting another ride and we’ve come to an agreement that I can ride for another manufacturer. Something will come up.”

Whilst Brookes has quit the team, fellow countryman Karl Muggeridge intends to stay with Alto Evolution Honda and is holding out for the next race in Brno next month, but revealed he has made enquires with other teams. 

Muggeridge said: “The team are ringing me everyday to give me updates and I think we’re going to be OK for Brno. We were making some progress before all this so it’s no problem if we do the next race as a one man team.

“I’ve put a few feelers out anyway, especially with the SBK and Pirelli tests coming up in the next couple of weeks. If I did get a different ride for Brno it would be good to get on the bike first.”