Jack Valentine to leave Crescent Suzuki

Team manager Jack Valentine to leave Crescent Suzuki at the end of 2012 World Superbike season
Jack Valentine, Phillip Island WSBK tests, Jan 13-14 2012
Jack Valentine, Phillip Island WSBK tests, Jan 13-14 2012
© Gold and Goose

Crescent Suzuki and team manager Jack Valentine will part company at the end of this year's eni FIM Superbike World Championship season.

Valentine joined Crescent in late 2007, when the team was racing in BSB, bringing over three-decades of professional motorcycle sport experience, including managing his own company, Valmoto Ltd and being in-charge of V&M Racing and the Foggy Petronas WSBK team.

"I have enjoyed my five years with the Crescent Suzuki Superbike team and it has been great to work with all the people involved throughout that time and I am obviously sad to be leaving," said Valentine.

"It has been very good to work with Suzuki, as they have been really supportive of the project during my time here and I want to wish them every success in the future. The whole crew has been great throughout my time in charge and we have had some good times together.

"I am pleased to be leaving the team in a positive position in World Superbikes and one that I hope they can capitalise on, because after all the hard-work in getting to this position they need to reap the rewards that are due to them.

"I want to thank all the people that have been involved and made this such a memorable journey for me, there are too many to list, but they will know who they are, I have made some good friends in my five years here and I am sure those relationships will continue.

"I want to wish the team all the best for 2013 and beyond and I look forward to hopefully taking them on in the future!"

Valentine immediately made an impression on the Crescent team with his straight-talking, no-nonsense management style and helped to nurture the talents of riders such as Tom Sykes, Sylvain Guintoli and Tommy Hill - who came so close to securing a maiden title in 2010 under Valentine's leadership.

Last season Valentine was instrumental in bringing former MotoGP ace John Hopkins to the Crescent BSB set-up. Hopkins finished second in the championship after missing out on the title in the season's final race by just 0.006 seconds!

This year Valentine has steered the Fixi-backed team through its debut season in World Superbikes, guiding Hopkins and former BSB champion Leon Camier, as well as a whole crew of mechanics - most of whom were new to the demands of world championship racing - into a podium challenging outfit.

Team principal Paul Denning will now take over the day-to-day running of the Crescent World Superbike team as it prepares for the 2013 season. An announcement regarding the rider line-up for next year will be made 'soon'.

"On behalf of all at Crescent and our colleagues at Suzuki Japan and here in Europe, we'd like to thank Jack for five years of hard-work, his passion for racing and some very enjoyable times," said Denning.

"Jack joined the team for the start of the 2008 season and immediately made a huge difference to the atmosphere and team spirit within the whole squad. He has achieved a good amount of success in his time here and came desperately close to winning two BSB championships in 2010 and 2011 with Tommy Hill and John Hopkins respectively.

"Jack has always retained a positive and professional attitude, which has not only helped the team in some difficult moments, but enhanced the spirit in some exciting times. I wish him well and hope our paths cross again. He'll always be a friend of the team and Crescent Suzuki."

Crescent owner Denning's increased involvement in the WSBK team suggests that he may not return to his role of Suzuki grand prix team manager. Suzuki is planning to return to the premier-class by 2014.

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