MotoGP News
Date: 2/September/2011
One day after Loris Capirossi (38) announced his forthcoming retirement from MotoGP, fellow veteran Colin Edwards (37) has revealed a new team and new challenge for 2012.
Edwards has become the first rider to sign-up for one of the new 'Claiming Rule Teams' arriving in the premier-class next season.
Six CRTs are set to graduate from Moto2, their path to MotoGP being made possible by new rules that will allow tuned Superbike engines to be fitted inside a bespoke chassis and raced against the established MotoGP factories.
In order to keep the CRTs in the same 'timezone' as the hyper-expensive prototypes from Honda, Yamaha and Ducati, they will be allowed concessions in terms of engine changes and fuel capacity.
CRT bikes will never be in championship contention, but a solid project with a good rider should be capable of fighting for the top ten at certain circuits - although the main aim is simply to stop the current 17-rider grid decreasing further.
Edwards said: "I've always been a good test rider and I'm happy that this will be my next challenge."
Interestingly, Edwards - a MotoGP rider since 2003 and Yamaha rider since 2005 - revealed he intends to continue his links with Tech 3 and, to a lesser extent, Yamaha next year.
Edwards wants Tech 3 to build the chassis for the Forward team's MotoGP bike, which he said will be powered by a modified R1 engine.
Edwards said: "We will use a Yamaha engine and my number one option for the chassis would be for Tech 3 to build one for us. That would be the dream team - a Yamaha engine in a Tech 3 chassis."
Tech 3 already builds its own podium-finishing Moto2 chassis and the team's design guru, Guy Coulon, has been Edwards' MotoGP crew chief since 2009.
Edwards, the top Tech 3 rider for all but one of his four seasons, continues to be held in high regard by the French-based squad, but has been 'let go' so that Yamaha can use Tech 3 to develop young riders. His replacement is yet to be named.
A double World Superbike champion before starting a grand prix career, Edwards has taken twelve MotoGP podiums and came agonisingly close to a race win at Assen 2006.
The popular Texan's best season was 2005, when he finished fourth in the championship as team-mate to Valentino Rossi at the Factory Yamaha Team.
Edwards is currently eighth in the world championship, with more than double the points of rookie team-mate Cal Crutchlow, who has a two-year deal with Tech 3.
2012 will be the first year of the new 1000cc engine rules - the same engine size as used by Edwards during his glittering Superbike career.
Riders signed for 2012 MotoGP season:
1. Valentino Rossi - Ducati
2. Nicky Hayden - Ducati
3. Casey Stoner – Repsol Honda
4. Dani Pedrosa – Repsol Honda
5. Jorge Lorenzo - Factory Yamaha
6. Ben Spies - Factory Yamaha
7. Cal Crutchlow - Tech 3 Yamaha
8. Colin Edwards - Forward Racing
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