Having finally severed all ties with DFX Honda, following a drawn-out breakdown blamed on financial problems, Steve Martin has spoken of his frustration at how he was treated by the Italian team.
With a Honda Fireblade having finished second in the 2006 World Superbike championship, courtesy of
James Toseland and Ten Kate, Martin jumped at the chance to ride a similar CBR1000RR for DFX in 2007.
However, after just two rounds, the former Foggy Petronas rider was informed that DFX was experiencing financial difficulties and unable to run two riders for the remainder of the season. As team-mate
Michel Fabrizio is a Honda Europe funded rider, it was Martin's ride in jeopardy.
Further discussions then revealed that sufficient funds could be made available to run Martin at the third round of the championship, at
Donington Park, and also the following three races at Valencia, Assen and Monza. But that plan also changed when DFX decided there was no money for Assen and could only offer Martin a ride for the three Italian rounds - at Monza, Misano and Vallelunga.
That decision, combined with a lack of mechanics and testing, prompted Martin to call it quits after Monza - when, amongst other 'problems', his gear lever fell off - but not before losing the chance of further appearances for the Yamaha World Supersport ride, which he had temporarily joined at Assen to replace the injured Kevin Curtain.
Meanwhile, Martin has since been replaced at DFX by Italian 'pay-rider' Luca Morelli, previously at Pedercini Ducati...
"When you ride a Honda you at least expect it to finish a race, but out of the last four races I competed in for DFX I didn't finish one," Martin told
Crash.net Radio. "Things were getting a bit dangerous. I had no [mechanics] and decided to call it a day with the team. The way they were going forward wasn't professional at all. You can see by what they've done now in taking a new rider who pays to ride. I'm totally disappointed in their attitude.
