Rumours won’t affect Honda pair

Honda has denied incessant rumours linking the Japanese factory with a double swoop for Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo is having a negative impact on its current line-up.

Speculation is rife that Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso will be bombed out of the HRC factory squad for 2011.

Rumours saying Aussie Stoner has already agreed a Repsol Honda deal have been strenuously denied by HRC management.

And HRC has now denied the constant speculation will impact on under pressure Pedrosa and Dovizioso, who have scored three podium finishes between them in the opening three races of the 2010 campaign.

Livio Suppo, who is in charge of Honda rider negotiations for 2011, said: “They know the game and they renewed the contract for only one year, so I don’t think the speculation will affect them.

“They know they have to prove they can keep their position. That is probably the bad part of their job but that’s the reality. But both of them are doing a really good job so far this season.”