Crescent left with manufacturer decision - Printable Version +- TT Website Forum (https://www.ttwebsite.com/forums) +-- Forum: Isle of Man TT Website (https://www.ttwebsite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=3) +--- Forum: Other Race Meetings - MotoGP, WSB & BSB, Irish Roads etc - (https://www.ttwebsite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=13) +--- Thread: Crescent left with manufacturer decision (/showthread.php?tid=10063)

Crescent left with manufacturer decision - Malcolm - 20-10-2010 The announcement by Suzuki GB and TAS Racing that they will be the sole supported Suzuki team in BSB in 2011 has left Crescent with decisions to make. Crescent have been running Suzuki machinery since 1997 and won their only British Superbike title in 2004 with John Reynolds, however 2010 looked like they were on course to repeat this feat with Tommy Hill. Hill was leading the championship with two races remaining, having amassed four wins and a further 11 podium visits, 10 points clear of nearest rival HM Plant Honda's Ryuichi Kiyonari, when he crashed out of the first race of the final day handing the championship back to the former champion and finishing the season in third position. Crescent Owner Paul Denning : "I can confirm that there will be no official support for Crescent for BSB activity next year. We're disappointed but we understand that it's a commercial necessity, purely on Suzuki's side. We did put in a proposal to run a two-man British Superbike team but we understand that TAS did the same but their proposal included Supersport and the roads. From a Suzuki GB budget point of view, it is understandable why they have gone with TAS, though I don't agree with their decision because I think it takes specialisation to win a BSB title." Crescent, a Dorset based Suzuki dealership opened a new Yamaha franchise in 2009 and speculation has been rife that the racing team could make the switch away from Suzuki. Denning was quick to explain that it would require a huge effort to change: "Going racing with another manufacturer is possible but it would be a big step for us to do that. If we did change, then it would have to be with the blessing of the (Suzuki) factory in Japan. There is an option to go racing with Suzukis, the factory in Japan is still keen to give us support but we're not going to make a panic decision. We need to sit down with all our sponsors and discuss the options." Denning also expressed a desire to work with Tommy Hill again in the future however it could be that Tommy Hill forms part of the TAS Racing team with Suzuki keen to reward loyalty which Hill has shown finishing 2010 as top BSB Suzuki rider.