Sito Pons admits to failed attempt at replacing Suzuki in MotoGP
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Pons, who recently avoided a 24-year prison sentence and 12 million euro fine due to tax related issues, has been in discussion with MotoGP since 2013 regarding a return.The last satellite team to be run by Pons was during the 2005 season when Alex Barros and Troy Bayliss competed for the Camel Honda outfit. The craziest bill Jorge Martin ever paid: “I said to myself ‘you’re an a******’”Valentino Rossi’s old enemy: “Marc Marquez the strongest in history”Pons did complete a return to Grand Prix racing as a team owner in 2009, however, this was part of the 250cc championship. A return to MotoGP remains unsuccessful for the Spaniard, who’s latest bid to enter the premier class was as a replacement for Suzuki following the Japanese manufacturer’s shocking withdrawal announcement last season.However, Dorna remains insistent on a full factory team replacing Suzuki and not a new satellite team, which is why Pons’ latest effort failed. “We have had many discussions about MotoGP with Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta,” Pons told Speedweek.com. “We officially asked him if we could come back to the MotoGP class with Team Pons. “But Carmelo has made it clear to me that he wants a manufacturer and is not signing any additional satellite teams at the moment. Related Sito Pons escapes 24-year prison sentence and €12m fine MotoGP Gossip: Sito Pons facing long jail term over tax evasion case”That was his clear answer. We have been asking him for many years if we can get MotoGP slots. There was an opportunity once, but we missed it because no factory would give us bikes.””When Suzuki announced its withdrawal in May, we did it again. We talked to Carmelo. “We have the resources, we have the experience. But unfortunately there is not one. Private team – no place.”Should Yamaha manage to complete a return to four bikes in 2024, which would mean re-establishing a satellite team, then it’s likely to do so by taking over one of the teams already on the grid, making a return for Pons even more unlikely next season.
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