Scott Redding admits contact with Jerry Burgess about crew chief role

Scott Redding’s Marc VDS Racing squad contacted Jerry Burgess about a crew chief role with the British rider next season when he switches to a factory Honda RC213V, MCN can exclusively reveal.

The Marc VDS Racing squad will run a new premier class project for Redding next season in a two-year deal that was finally officially confirmed in Japan last weekend.
The late completion of the deal after Fausto Gresini confirmed he couldn’t meet

Honda’s lease fee to secure the factory RC213V for Redding meant it has been a difficult task searching out an experienced crew chief.

Redding’s first pick was Cristian Gabbarini, who won two world titles with Casey Stoner at Ducati in 2007 and HRC in 2012.

Gabbarini has worked with Redding this season overseeing the production Honda RCV1000R project, but the Italian will be crew chief to Aussie rookie Jack Miller at LCR in 2015.

While in pursuit of a crew chief, Redding asked personal manager and Marc VDS boss Michael Bartholemy to contact Burgess, having spotted the Aussie legend when he made a recent visit to the Indianapolis round in American.

Burgess was unceremoniously axed by Valentino Rossi at the end of last season after a distinguished career that took him to world titles with the Italian icon, Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan.

Burgess expressed interest in working with Redding but declined having been reluctant at the age of 62 to try and forge a long-term relationship with a young rider.

Redding, who will now work with Jonathan Rea’s Ten Kate Honda WSB crew chief Chris Pike, told MCN  he would have loved the chance to work with legendary Aussie crew chief Jerry Burgess in the 2015 MotoGP world championship.

Redding said: “I would have been really happy to work with Jerry. I mentioned him to Michael when I saw him wondering around in Indy. I put it out there and Michel got in touch and he said he would have been happy to do it. But he was talking about a multi-year relationship and he’s been in the paddock for many years, so I can understand why he wants to do his own thing and sit back and watch racing and not stress about it. But it would have been nice to work with him.”