Scott Redding to Marc VDS Honda

Marc VDS confirms it will step up to the MotoGP class in 2015 with Scott Redding.
Redding, Moto2 race, British MotoGP 2013
Redding, Moto2 race, British MotoGP 2013
© Gold and Goose

Marc VDS has succeeded in its quest to run Scott Redding on a Factory class Honda in MotoGP next season.

The young Englishman had been due to step-up from Open to Factory machinery with Gresini, but the Italian team is ending its long association with Honda to become Aprilia's official team.

With HRC keen to keep Redding, the best of the underpowered RCV1000R riders in his rookie MotoGP season, the big question mark was over which team would take over the Gresini RC213V.

Given the level of machinery there was no lack of interest, with Marc VDS and Aspar soon emerging as favourites.

Ultimately it is the Marc VDS proposal that has got the nod. The Belgian team - first and second in the Moto2 standings - mounting a frantic effort to secure the necessary funding in a short space of time, having to not only pay for the RC213V but also the added costs associated with a new MotoGP entry.

Confirmation of the deal was announced in the following Tweet, rather than a full press release, suggesting some of the smaller details are still to be agreed:

Redding spent all four of his Moto2 seasons with Marc VDS, whose team manager Michael Bartholemy is also Redding's personal manager.

Bartholemy has prior MotoGP experience as team manager for Kawasaki, while Esteve Rabat's Marc VDS crew chief Pete Benson was Nicky Hayden's right hand man during his 2006 title winning season.

Championship leader Rabat will remain in Moto2 next year alongside new team-mate Alex Marquez.

Redding's deal means both satellite Hondas will be ridden by British riders next season, with Cal Crutchlow moving from Ducati to the LCR team.

Aspar will thus remain as a two-rider Open Honda team. One of the upgraded RCV1000Rs is scheduled to go to Nicky Hayden, currently sidelined by injury, with the likes of Eugene Laverty and Loris Baz linked to the other seat.

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