TYCO Suzuki team boss Philip Neill has provided News Letter Sport with an honest and frank assessment of his efforts to finalise TAS Racing’s international road racing line-up for 2012.

Neill yesterday confirmed that although he has a verbal agreement with Lincolnshire rider Guy Martin, the 30-year-old has yet to provide written confirmation of the deal and until the TT3D: Closer to the Edge film star puts pen to paper, it cannot be taken for granted that Martin will be a Tyco Suzuki rider this season.

Neill also revealed that talks have been held with Manx rider Conor Cummins and Michael Dunlop, but stressed that no deal has been “signed, sealed and delivered” with any rider for the new roads campaign, at the centre of which lies the North West 200, Isle of Man TT and Ulster Grand Prix.

On the current impasse regarding UGP Superbike race winner Martin, Neill said: “Everything is agreed between us but there’s been very little conversation between us in the last six to eight weeks, maybe ten weeks.

“The bottom line is that it’s not signed, sealed and delivered yet and I’m waiting on written confirmation from Guy. I can’t be any more honest than that and as far as we’re both concerned we have a deal agreed but these things aren’t confirmed until they are signed.

“We represent a manufacturer and we have several corporate sponsors on board, it’s no longer enough just to seal a deal by verbal agreement alone,” he added.

“I’m representing several bigger companies and business transactions need to be done on a legal basis - you can’t just work on a handshake.”

However Neill fully expects Martin to commit to the team for a second spell and hopes to be in a position to officially unveil his new signings within the next week.

“I don’t envisage any longer-term problem with the deal with Guy, but it has to be done in writing,” he said.

“I’m not making a big story out of this, you’ve asked the question if Guy is signed and I’m just being honest and telling you that he’s not.

“I feel he will be part of the team again but he just needs to confirm that.”

On the possibility of Manx rider Cummins joining the team, Neill confirmed he had been in negotiations with the ex-McAdoo Kawasaki ace.

“Nothing is done and dusted with regards a second rider either,” he said.

“There are quite a few people supporting the idea (of Cummins joining team) but I have to point out that any conversations we’ve had with Conor in terms of a deal have always been between Conor and us directly or one or two of his personal sponsors.

“We have a separate arrangement with the Isle of Man TT organisers to appear at the event regardless of who the riders are.

“On a personal level I’m sure the TT guys would be dead keen to see Conor in one of the top teams but it’s nothing more than that and I know there was speculation around the Isle of Man that certain people were joining together to buy Conor a ride (with Tyco Suzuki), but that is not the reality.”

Cummins returned to racing last season following his career-threatening TT crash in 2010 and Neill admitted that although he believes the 25-year-old is capable of recapturing his top form, a question mark remains over whether or not he can hit the same peaks again.

“You would be foolish not to have any doubts Conor; you’d be foolish to take anything for granted in this game, but he’s coming back from what was a fairly big injury and the lad knows himself he hasn’t done anything in 2011 in terms of results.

“But if you look at the situation in context he achieved a lot by just managing to get back on a bike again,” Neill said.

“I think his biggest concern was whether he would be able to go back to racing and now he’s finishing the races in terms of duration, therefore he has the strength and the fitness to do it.

“If he’s got that, then there’s no reason why his speed won’t come back.

“If he can ride the bike then he can ride the bike fast and there’s no concern over that. He’s a fit lad and is involved in mountain bike events and those activities have helped him over the past year.

“We are actively working on finalising the details of our road race team for 2012 and it will sort itself out over the next few days.”



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