Buckmaster slams 'snake' Stiggy after Wilairot drop
PTR team manager Simon Buckmaster has hit out again at Johan 'Stiggy' Stigefelt, holding him responsible for World Supersport race winner Ratthapark Wilairot being dropped from the rival CORE Honda outfit.
Former Moto2 rider Wilairot competed with the PTR team under the CORE banner in 2014, but the sponsor was enticed into setting up its own team under the guidance of Stigefelt for 2015, a betrayal that Buckmaster aired his frustration over earlier in the year, not least when two team members also made the leap.
However, though Wilairot went on to claim a stunning WSS win in front of his home fans on the series' first visit to Thailand this year, he was dropped ahead of the most recent Donington Park round just three races later.
With the CORE team in disarray and Wilairot without a ride, Buckmaster lays the blame squarely at Stigefelt - who currently runs the Drive M7 SIC team in Moto3 -, labelling him as a 'snake' who simply made 'good money for himself as a consultant'.
"I feel [sorry] for Ratthapark Wilairot at being dumped by Core," said Buckmaster in his regular Simon Says... column. "When they went on this vision of setting up their own team I did warn Film that this was not easy and not the way for him to go. Why would it be? He had finished a very close second to the departing World Champion at the last round of 2014 and was ready to start winning for us.
"How I rue the day both for Film and us in agreeing to release him to the Air Asia team run by Johan Stigefelt [selected Moto2 races in 2014]. I thought I knew Stiggy but he showed himself to be a real snake. He convinced Core to go alone, poached some of my team and made good money for himself as a consultant. That team is now on the verge of self-destruction from where I'm sitting. They won their home race, the first ever victory for a Thailand rider in Motorcycle sport and then dropped him.
"The only thing Thai about the team now is the owner Mr Pawee and the name of the team. I cannot help but think Pawee was also badly advised by our friend the snake. He was persuaded to spend at least three times as much money for the same thing!!!
In the wake of the reshuffle, Buckmaster has welcomed one team member back to PTR and has extended the I invitation to Wilairot should he want it too.
"I welcome back one of my team members for the rest of this season as a result, so some good has come from it, welcome back Whitsy. The other who left to join the Core team can stay where he is. I was advised about him before I employed him in the first place and I should have listened then. He will fit in with all the snakes should the Core team fold and if he can find a place in Stiggy's Moto 2 team.
"I do wonder why the biggest controversy in WSS for many a year when a home race winner is dropped like a stone did not get covered and went mainly under the radar in Europe after so much publicity in Thailand, especially on social media. I would welcome Film back to our team with open arms. He is a gentleman of our sport and a very good rider."
