HRC: Less pressure on Redding racing new production bike

Honda believes Scott Redding’s deal to race the Japanese factory’s new production RCV1000R in 2014 will put the rising British star under much less pressure and scrutiny in his rookie MotoGP campaign.

Redding’s MotoGP move to ride a production version of Honda’s prototype RC213V with Fausto Gresini’s squad was officially announced in Silverstone last weekend.

Without the pressure of having to immediately battle for the top six on a factory prototype machine next season, HRC boss Shuhei Nakamoto reckons the RCV1000R will be competitive enough for Redding to show his potential ahead of a planned switch to an RC213V prototype in 2015.

Nakamoto told MCN: “Redding is a good rider. The production bike will be a good package for him to show his potential next year. Usually it takes time to adapt to MotoGP, although Marc (Marquez) is an exception to this. But one year with the production bike will mean less pressure for Scott and it will be interesting to see how he performs.”

Redding extended his lead in the Moto2 world championship to 38-points last weekend with a brilliant home victory in the British Grand Prix.