LCR wants to negotiate with Honda to continue with two motorcycles

Since 2018, the LCR team has had two bikes, thanks to the agreement with Honda to make room for Takaaki Nakagami. Although this alliance is bearing fruit, the owner of the formation, Lucio Cecchinello , does not consider the situation to be permanent, since it is based on a project of the Tokyo brand to promote Asian pilots, reflected in the fact that the Japanese driver show off their own sponsors.

“I think that LCR has been able to reduce risk compared to many other teams, because we have always based our policy on medium-low investments, but with a multitude of collaborators. In terms of image, it is not the most pleasant, because you have to to fit many brands in the available space. It is also a very complicated job, because I have to follow 35 customers,” Cecchinello explains to Motorsport.com.

“I meet them at least three or four times a year to keep our relationship going, so that’s 150 dates a year, all of that taking into account all the weeks we’re away for testing and grands prix. It’s a huge job.” .

“But on the other hand, the fact that we have many clients, and that the largest does not represent more than 10% of our budget, puts me in a safe situation, because if we lose one of the largest, we are left without the 10 % or 15% of the budget, not 60% or 70%”, emphasizes the former rider, who since entering the MotoGP category in 2006, did not want to base his business model on the financial support of a large brand, like the Pons team, which it replaced.

“Sito Pons found himself without a budget overnight [when Camel stopped sponsoring the team]. I never wanted to take that risk, so I always tried to apply a low-risk business policy,” he says.

Precisely the model that has made it possible to double the workforce since 2018 is the same one that could lead to a return to a single motorcycle if the agreement changes.

“Today I think I can say that LCR still has the possibility to race with a single rider; to have two riders, LCR needs Honda’s support at this time,” said the Italian. “I have to say that thanks to Honda and its sponsor, Idemitsu , we have put together a nice project, a place in MotoGP for Asian riders who deserve a chance.”

“Nakagami is the tip of a great sporting project started by Honda with the Asian Talent Cup , the Asian Moto3 and Moto2 team, all the way to MotoGP. Right now, the main figure is Nakagami, and I hope these Asian rider projects And when Taka gets a chance to develop, we’ll be ready to give that seat to other Asian drivers.”

If that doesn’t happen, or if Honda pulls out of this project, then yes, we may have a hard time racing with two riders. However, it cannot be ruled out that another sponsor will appear in the meantime.”

As part of this unique partnership in the current scope, LCR is contractually bound to both Honda and this program for the year 2022, but not beyond. Although it has already signed its commitment to continue in MotoGP for the next five years, the team has not yet confirmed its continuity with the brand with the golden wing.

“We have an agreement to continue the program, including 2022, both with Alex Márquez and with Idemitsu ,” recalls Lucio Cecchinello, who has not yet started negotiations beyond that time. “I haven’t spoken [with Honda] yet. At the moment we have an agreement until 2022. We will discuss issues for a long-term collaboration shortly.”