Hofmann et McWilliams en discussion avec WCM

[theophil]

info crash.net

WCM racing director Peter Clifford has told Crash.net that his team are developing their 2006 plans around racing KTM V4 engines - and are 'in discussion' with Alex Hofmann and Jeremy McWilliams about riding the machines.

WCM had planned to campaign the Blata V6 in 2005, but delays left the team to run James Ellison and Franco Battaini on their own built four-cylinder instead. Nevertheless, the Dunlop shod outfit again punched well above its budget by scoring a total of 14-points and a best finish of eleventh, claimed by Ellison at the Japanese Grand Prix.

However, with the announcement of new 800cc engine rules from 2007, the overdue Blata project is looking increasingly unlikely to reach the racetrack - and it is in that backdrop that reports of WCM running KTM's MotoGP engine next year have emerged.

"We have been offered the KTM engines and are developing plans around that. We are making progress with the required funding and chassis builder etc," Clifford told Crash.net.

Although the use of the KTM engine makes good sense from the point of view of having a ready-to-race powerplant that - due to the future capacity changes - will have to be dropped at the end of the season, it has caused some surprise given the V4's previous problematic appearance with Team Roberts.

The engine was due to power Shane Byrne, in the Proton KR chassis, throughout this year, but - despite initial promise - would score only 1-point before KTM suddenly split with the Banbury based outfit after round ten, the German Grand Prix, on July 31.

Byrne and Team Roberts continually cited a lack of engine torque as the biggest barrier between making the Proton KR/KTM/Michelin package competitive, but Clifford believes that the engine isn't as bad as it appeared.
"We believe that the KTM engines are far better than was shown this year through lack of testing and track time," said Clifford, who was also asked if WCM planned to develop the engine themselves or seek some form of technical partnership with KTM: "(We) intend to make use of what is there first and see what might then be required from that."

Meanwhile, with star rider Ellison currently in a tug-of-love between d'Antin Ducati and Tech 3 Yamaha for 2006, Clifford looks like he'll need at least one new rider for next year - and revealed that two respected grand prix regulars have already shown interest in a WCM/KTM project.

"We are in discussion with Alex Hofmann and Jeremy McWilliams, who are interested in riding the bikes," he said.

Hofmann controversially lost his factory Kawasaki seat to MotoGP rookie Randy de Puniet for 2006 - but the popular 25-year-old, whose best finish from 31 Kawasaki starts was eighth, has made clear he wants to remain in MotoGP and a KTM powered WCM could be just the chance he needs.

With Hofmann the only German rider in MotoGP, and with Sachsenring producing a massive weekend crowd of 216,417 - a total beaten only by Jerez and Valencia - Dorna are also sure to do all they can to help keep Alex in the premier-class.

Meanwhile, the experienced McWilliams has long been linked with the KTM MotoGP project - having been expected to ride with the engine at Team Roberts this season, until behind the scenes politics saw it go to friend and countryman Byrne.

The 41-year-old rode a privateer Yamaha in 500GPs from 1993-1996, then switched to the 250cc class, before returning to 500cc with Aprilia in 2000. McWilliams would go on to claim two podium finishes that year, before following Aprilia back to 250s for 2001 - a move that later saw him clinch his first and so far only GP victory.

Two often tough seasons with Proton KR - first on the three-cylinder two-stroke (with which he took pole in Australia) and then the new V5 four-stroke - followed, before he and Byrne spent 2004 attempting to tame the underdeveloped RS Cube in Aprilia's final season of MotoGP competition.
Although McWilliams signed for what would be an unsuccessful and injury interrupted season in BSB with Stobart Honda in 2005, he did return to MotoGP with Team Roberts - after the KTM engine withdraw - when he was asked to ride at the Czech Republic Grand Prix.

McWilliams had appeared unworried about staying in BSB next year - even after the announcement that Stobart Honda had signed Michael Rutter for 2006 - and the Ulsterman's WCM/KTM discussions probably explain why.