Honda want Toseland in World Superbikes

Honda will fight what looks likely to be a futile battle to keep James Toseland in World Superbikes next season.

With rumours intensifying at last weekend’s Italian GP in Mugello that he will switch to MotoGP, Honda Europe boss Carlo Fiorani said the preferred option would be for Toseland to stay in the Ten Kate squad for 2008.

The current World Superbike championship leader has been strongly linked with a move to Fausto Gresini’s Honda squad, with the Italian’s squad backed by Hannspree, which also sponsors Toseland’s Ten Kate squad.

Yamaha, Ducati and Suzuki are all now closely monitoring Toseland’s situation, but Fiorani, has agreed to sit down with Toseland in August to discuss his future.

He told MCN: “James has told me that he only wants to come to MotoGP if the situation is the correct one. He wants to win the championship.

“Of course in the future he wants to move to MotoGP but only with the right conditions. I spoke with him and he said he doesn’t want to go to MotoGP just for the sake of it.

“Our opinion as Honda Motor Europe is to keep him in World Superbikes.

“If he will push, and we understand this, and there is a seat for him, we will work it out to find a good place for him in MotoGP. In August maybe we can understand the situation better. “