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Toseland: Strong push to stay in SBK - EXCLUSIVE.

James Toseland (GBR), Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Team, Honda CBR1000RR, 52, Carl Fogarty<br>2007 Superbike World Championship, Round 8, Misano, San Marino, 17 June 2007
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Toseland: Strong push to stay in SBK - EXCLUSIVE.

Friday, 22nd June 2007

James Toseland has revealed that a 'strong push' is underway to keep him in the World Superbike championship next season - despite the Englishman's open admission that he wants a MotoGP ride.

That push is presumably led by Honda, for whom Toseland and his Hannspree Ten Kate team are leading the 2007 WSBK championship, and series organiser's FGSport.

JT says he will only move to MotoGP with 'the right bike and the right team' - with Gresini tipped as his most likely location, having won six MotoGP races over the past two years and being backed by Honda and Hannspree.

However, the relatively poor performance of the new 800cc RC212V is surely flagging an alert in Toseland's mind - while in recent seasons a satellite spec Honda has been competitive, so far this year only factory rider Dani Pedrosa has run near the front in the dry.

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Toseland revealed earlier this week that Gresini expect to start next season with the machines that the factory Repsol Honda team finish this year with - meaning Toseland may need to make a leap of faith about how competitive a 'year old' RC212V will be in 2008... unless he moves to another factory.

Meanwhile, from Honda's point of view, it already has several top MotoGP riders - including Dani Pedrosa and reigning world champion Nicky Hayden - but Toseland is far and away Honda's leading WSBK competitor. The next best Fireblade rider is only eighth in the points, while Toseland is the only Honda rider to win races (five) this season. If JT leaves for MotoGP, Honda could struggle to replace the 26-year-old.

"We're talking at the moment," Toseland told Crash.net Radio when asked about his possible MotoGP move. "There's a couple of opportunities and hopefully we can make a decision in the next three or four weeks. There's a strong push to keep me in World Superbikes now - I'm not unhappy in World Superbikes, it's been a great championship for me and I'm happy where I am, but my ambition is to go to MotoGP.
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Related Images
James Toseland (GBR), Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Team, Honda CBR1000RR, 52, Carl Fogarty
2007 Superbike World Championship, Round 8, Misano, San Marino, 17 June 2007
Toseland, Xaus etc, Assen WSBK Race 1 2007
James Toseland (GBR), Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Team, Honda CBR1000RR, 52
2007 Superbike World Championship, Round 6, Monza, Italy, 13 May 2007
James Toseland ducks underneath John Reynolds at Brands Hatch.
James Toseland leads Akira Yanagawa en route to 7th in race two at Laguna Seca.
Troy Bayliss leads Eric Bostrom, Edwards and Toseland into the final turn at Laguna Seca.
Chambon leads Okada, Chandler, Laconi and Toseland under the hot California sun.
James Toseland in action at Misano.
James Toseland leads Akira Yanagawa, Izutsu, Chili and Craggill, Lausitzring.
James Toseland, GSE Racing Ducati 996 RS, Lausitzring.
Neil Hodgson leads GSE Racing teammate James Toseland around the Lausitzring.
James Toseland, GSE Racing Ducati 996 RS, Monza.
Bostrom fends off Corser and Tamada as Toseland and Chili keep a watching brief.
James Toseland is about to be lapped by Colin Edwards but he still finished 14th at P.Island.
Akira Yanagawa, Fuchs Kawasaki ZX 7RR leads James Toseland at Phillip Island.
James Toseland heads Troy Corser in qualifying at Phillip Island.
James Toseland, GSE Racing Ducati 996 RS, Kyalami
James Toseland, GSE Racing Ducati 996 RS, Kyalami
Stephane Chambon runs wide and is passed by James Toseland and Giovanni Bussei.
GSE Racing team-mates Neil Hodgson and James Toseland hope to stand tall in 2001
James Toseland made his first World Superbike start in Valencia
James Toseland, GSE Racing Ducati 996RS
James Toseland - GSE Ducati.
Jean-marc Deletang leads James Toseland in pre-season testing.
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