Pramac confirms three-year MotoGP offer for Kent
The manager of Pramac Ducati has confirmed to Crash.net that the team has offered Danny Kent a three-year MotoGP deal in which the current Moto3 championship leader would receive equipment 'very close' to full-factory spec.
Francesco Guidotti said in an interview on Friday that the team has also been in discussions with Moto2 title favourite Johann Zarco but feels Kent is the priority as "he is more interested" in the move.
The Italian also confirmed that current rider Danilo Petrucci "will stay 100 percent" for 2016 while Yonny Hernandez has one more chance to impress in the upcoming races, presumably if neither Kent nor Zarco sign.
Speaking after the close of FP2, Guidotti told Crash.net that he has been impressed with Kent's maturity in the contract discussions, citing the Englishman's desire to look at the long-term details of the contract as evidence of his appropriateness for the premier class.
"We had contact with Danny," explained Guidotti. "Direct contact because he has no manager actually. We are really very impressed and it's an option. With a young rider coming from Moto3 it's a big step. He had a short period in Moto2 but the jump from now could be big so for sure it's not a short term project."
While happy to openly explain the details of the possible deal, Guidotti was also keen to not blow the offer out of proportion. Kent, he said, doesn't have a certain date by which he must decide and rather "must be really convinced" of the suitability of the deal for his career.
"We don't want to put too much pressure," the Pramac Ducati boss continued. "He has to take his time to consider some options maybe, like Moto2. In this moment he is pretty busy and focussed on the current championship. He is fifty-something points ahead but still with eight races to go. It's a special moment in his career because of the current championship and the offer he gets. For us it is an option but no big pressure."
Kent briefly spoke about his 2016 prospects to Crash.net in Indianapolis. When asked if stepping up to Moto2 was his priority he said, "Yeah, or even MotoGP. Any rider in the paddock, it's their dream to race the world's best in MotoGP. We just have to wait and see. Obviously with the results we're having we've got a few people approaching us for next year.
"We're going to wait a few more races and then we'll sit down and see what our best offer is on the table. We'll go from there. It's always good to know there'll be something for me next year. I want to try and keep my mind clear, focus on this year, try and win the championship and next year will fall into place."
In Brno Kent has already confirmed that he has received the MotoGP offer from Pramac Racing to selected British and Spanish sources.
Should the 21-year old sign a sensational deal that would see him leapfrog the intermediate class like friend Jack Miller, he would receive equipment 'similar' to the spec used by 'Factory' runners Andrea Dovizioso and Iannone.
Guidotti said, "We agree with Ducati that we will have the same spec of the Factory team. Maybe not the latest package but much closer, like in 2013 or 2014. We are a factory-supported team. It's not a satellite team. We have to be considerate so we will have the new bike, let's say. It's no longer correct to say the GP15 or GP16 because it won't exist any more. The bike will be the Desmosedici GP. That's it. Out bike will be very close to the 'Factory' spec."
The Italian hinted Kent would definitely move into the Pramac squad for 2016 but hinted beyond that he may well be contracted to the factory.
