Bimota partenaire de WCM ??

[theophil]

info crash.net

MOTOGP News Monday, 16th January 2006

Bimota to partner WCM in 2006?






With testing in the middle of a pre-season hiatus at present, the MotoGP rumour mill has a chance to get into full swing, with the latest offering suggesting that perennial battler WCM will carry Bimota branding in the 2006 championship.

A source close to Crash.net suggests that the Italian marque will team up with Peter Clifford's hard-trying equipe in the wake of the latter's failed Blata project, although further details of the tie-up remain sketchy beyond the two names apparently appearing together on the official entry list.

Clifford told Crash.net back in November that his plans revolved around the use of KTM V4 units, and it could be that Bimota has been persuaded to put its name - and finance - behind the project, but it could be equally plausible that the Italian's have come up with an alternative plan to provide the team with its own powerplant.

WCM had planned to campaign the Blata V6 in 2005, but delays left the team to run James Ellison and Franco Battaini on its own four-cylinder design instead. However, the announcement of new 800cc engine rules, to come into use from 2007, meant that the long-overdue Blata project became increasingly unlikely to reach fruition, leading to Clifford's proposed tie-up with KTM, which had withdrawn its own engines from Team Roberts midway through the 2005 campaign.



Bimota has not been seen in international motorsport since being forced to 'temporarily' withdraw from the 2000 World Superbike Championship after a sponsorship deal fell through and left the team with a financial shortfall to run its Suzuki-powered machines. Australian rider Anthony Gobert had been given the number 501 in deference to expected Levi's backing, but saw his campaign cut short.

Perhaps understandably, WCM has yet to sign riders for 2006, with both Battaini and Ellison expected to race elsewhere this season. The Italian has already inked a WSBK deal, while Ellison is all but certain to ride a Dunlop shod Tech 3 Yamaha.

Clifford earlier told Crash.net that several riders had shown an interest in the WCM vacancies, with Alex Hofmann and Jeremy McWilliams the pre-Christmas favourites until the German opted for d'Antin.

McWilliams, however, could still be a good bet for a team attempting to refine a new package, with his experience out-weighing his 41 years. The Irish veteran campaigned a Stobart Honda in the British Superbike series in 2005, but has made no secret of his desire to return to grands prix.

Neither Clifford or Bimota was available to comment on the latest rumour, which will be monitored with interest in the coming weeks.