British MotoGP: Dunlop confident of retaining MotoGP status

Dunlop bosses are confident that its tyres will remain in the MotoGP world championship in 2008.

Dunlop currently supplies tyres to Yamaha’s satellite Tech 3 squad with Makoto Tamada and Sylvain Guintoli.

But there has been intense speculation that the Tech 3 squad will switch to either Michelin or Bridgestone tyres for the 2008 MotoGP world championship, though team boss Herve Poncharal has refused point-blank to discuss the issue of tyres.

Tech 3 recently signed a new deal to continue as Yamaha’s second team next season, but one stipulation is believed to be that the French-based squad must switch tyre brands for next season to help get more Yamaha’s challenging at the front in MotoGP.

Dunlop hasn’t won a premier class since Simon Crafar’s 1998 British GP success and
Race chief Jeremy Ferguson has told MCN: “We want to continue in MotoGP.

“There is no formal agreement in place beyond 2007 but we have a clear objective, which has always been the same, to develop, improve and close the gap to the other guys.

“There’s no reason in a situation where we are showing improvement that we can’t continue.

“Talks are on-going but talks are taking place all of the time. Obviously much will depend on the results in the second part of the season.”

Ferguson said he expected to have an answer in August.