Marc VDS Racing Mulls MotoGP Entry for 2015

The Marc VDS Racing team is considering moving up to MotoGP for the 2015 season. Team manager Michael Bartholémy has started the process which could lead to a MotoGP entry for next season.

A switch to MotoGP is far from being a foregone conclusion, Bartholémy was keen to emphasize. “This is the first step in a long, political process,” he said. The first stage would consist of talks with Marc van der Straten, the Belgian brewing magnate who owns the eponymous team, here at Jerez, then again two weeks later at Le Mans.

Bartholémy would also have to liaise with Carmelo Ezpeleta to make sure that there was a grid slot available for the team should they choose to move up to MotoGP. “The problem at the moment is that we do not have a place on the grid,” Bartholémy said.

No decision had been made regarding which bike the team might use. Bartholémy said that they were open to considering bikes from all the manufacturers, and would evaluate which manufacturer was the best option for the team.

The team had offers from all of the manufacturers when they previously considered a switch to MotoGP in the middle of last season, with Scott Redding. In the end, they decided against the switch, and Redding moved up to MotoGP with the Go&Fun Gresini Honda team.

The question of who would ride for Marc VDS Racing if they did go up to MotoGP was clear for Bartholémy. “Tito [Rabat] is our rider, and he’s doing a fantastic job,” the Belgian said.

Scott Redding joining Rabat with Marc VDS was unlikely, if not impossible. “Scott has a contract with Honda, so HRC decides,” Bartholémy said. Whatever Marc VDS decide to do, Redding will be on a Factory Option Honda RC213V in 2015, “100% for sure,” Bartholémy said.

This article was originally published on MotoMatters, and is republished here on Asphalt & Rubber with permission by the author.