Red Bull deny Verstappen 'dangerous' MotoGP test
- Published on 12 Oct 2018 10:17
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- By: Fergal Walsh
Red Bull has forbid Max Verstappen from trying out a MotoGP bike on the grounds of it being "too dangerous". The Dutchman is a keen fan of motorbikes and has previously stated his interest in MotoGP, the world's leading bike racing series.
"I'd like to try MotoGP," he said in 2017. "When I was eight years old I used to race on two wheels as well as four. I really liked it. It was a bit more dangerous, of course, but absolutely I would like to try it. MotoGP is a different world but I like the feeling of getting close to the ground with your knees in the corners."
Verstappen has now revealed that one year on, he lodged a request to Red Bull to allow him to drive a MotoGP bike. Red Bull serves as the KTM MotoGP team's title sponsor and backs a number of other teams and riders in the category.
However his request was denied: “I would love to be able to race on two wheels. I'm not allowed to. I bought myself a Harley[-Davidson bike] and I asked the team if I could try a MotoGP bike, because Red Bull are a sponsor there as well, with KTM and Honda. And we have a track, the Red Bull Ring. But they firmly said no, because it’s too dangerous.”
F1/MotGP test crossovers usually see MotoGP riders jump into the cockpit of a Formula 1 car. Earlier this year, Red Bull arranged a test for Marc Marquez to drive the championship-winning Red Bull RB8 in Austria.
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Replies (3)
Login to replyxoya
Posts: 583
I wish Renault were so firm with their stance on Kubica racing outside F1.
ajpennypacker
Posts: 2,475
lol it cracked me up that he even asked.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Im not much for MotoGP, but isnt Honda in there? Could kinda be a decent crossover thingy for them to have the RB drivers participate in one or two races. BTW, hope RB will sponsor one of the Hondas in S-GT for next year. Feels weird now to see a RB Lexus now that its RB-Honda in many other series... As long as they dont change the Raybrig Honda one.