Martin gets help from his friends

Steve Martin called upon members of the Foggy Petronas squad at Donington Park after nearly losing his ride just days before the event.

Martin was told last week he didn’t have a ride by his DFX Honda squad. But after a five hour meeting with the team in Italy the situation was resolved with the Australian’s ride safe until Monza in May.

Speaking to MCN, Martin said: “My crew chief Baz worked for nothing this weekend, I called up Trick who was one of my mechanics last year and also Alan who was my telemetry man.

“I’m not sure how many riders there are in the paddock that could call up their team from last year and ask them to take time off work to come and help me.”

Unfortunately despite the expertise, Martin is still suffering from a lack of winter testing and set-up time for the EFI electronics causing him to claim a below par 13th place in race two.
 
“It’s been frustrating, the team lost two sponsors and I guess I’m the one closest to the door. Fabrizio is young, up and coming and he’s employed by Honda Europe so his job is safe.

“I rate him as a rider so I guess it’s an easy decision to keep him.

“The team told me that they had enough money to pay out my contract if I didn’t race the rest of the year, but I didn’t want to do that. I’m from Australia and the reason I came to Europe was to race bikes – that’s what I want to do.

“I want to stay with the team, but if I had to I’d go my own way. My contract with the team states that one of the 2007 race bikes is mine so if I had to I’d set up on my own and put the team I had with FoggyPetronas back together.

“When I first found out that I didn’t have a ride at Donington I got speaking with Jack Valentine (former FoggyPetronas team manager) about making sure I got out on the grid this weekend.

“It was a nice option but I think really it is better to stay with a team that is already up and running.”