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Christophe Ponsson's arrival in MotoGP at Misano, as a replacement for injured rider Tito Rabat, was a move that left other riders in doubt. The French rider, short in experience in the reigning class, came in for criticism.
Two days ago, team Avintia confirmed that it would field Jordi Torres at the Aragon race, a decision that Ponsson himself, having signed a contract to compete in 4 races, was not aware of.
Here we publish the full release issued by Christophe, the rider blaming Dorna and certain riders (Crutchlow and Miller) for his exclusion.
"I have a 17-page contract that provides, without an exit clause, that I ride in MotoGP in Misano, Aragon, Thailand and Japan.
I would like to point out that at the moment of the transmission of this press release, I have still not officially been informed by the team that it is putting an end to this contract, except that yesterday afternoon at 16.00, during my training with Rubén Xaus, the boss of team Real Avintia calls Rubén and tells him that I will not ride in Aragon because the Dorna imposed him a Spanish pilot! Rubén Xaus reminds him that this is not possible because I had a contract of 4 races.
The Boss of the team told him that it was in large part because of Cal Crutchlow and Jack Miller who insisted and mounted the other pilots to exclude me. He explains in fact that MotoGP drivers have imposed on Dorna this week a commission with immediate effect that would be called GPC (Grand Prix commission) that would involve MotoGP riders in the choice of substitute riders.
I recall that the creation of this commission was made after my integration into MotoGP and my contract, I seek to assert my rights and the boss of the team told Rubén that he insisted on the Dorna by saying " but how I do with Ponsson since we are in contract for 4 races ", he continued by telling him that Dorna replied to him that he did nothing and that was his problem!
A mixture of disappointment and disgust invades me to the point of wondering if I won't definitely stop this sport!
Rubén goes by telling me he's going to try to understand what's going on so much that it seems unrealistic and he'll call me back later!
Around 18 am I find an announcement from Jordi Torres at Avintia which it is announced that it is team Avintia who would have contacted Torres!
This is how they all took it to stop me from doing my 3 other Grand Prix yet contractual! At the time of this release, I have no more explanation than that to give you. I will now ask for official explanations because I need to understand those low blows!
In Misano, all those MotoGP riders who stopped bragging that MotoGP was the highest motorcycle competition in the world and that couldn't let young pilots like me, according to them inexperienced, and well I'm not sure this institution MotoGP has carefully healed its image by quickly making the gas a commission at the request of a few pilots to get me out! It's a little cavalier and MotoGP didn't grow up!
In fact, I thought this kind of little arrangement was practiced only in small private races. In the evening of this Friday, Rubén Xaus confirms that there is nothing left to do. It's been 2 months since Jordi Torres didn't ride, he was available for Misano! Why didn't team Avintia take it for Misano?
I would like to clarify that I would never have agreed to sign a MotoGP contract only for a race without testing in advance! If I agreed to meet this challenge and sacrifice my Spanish Championship, it was precisely because the contract provided for 4 races without exit clause and the team Avintia told me that according to Tito Rabat's health state, I may even do a 5th, 6TH OR EVEN THE LAST 7 races of the season!
I took the Misano round for my first MotoGP test because I knew that behind I still had 3 Grand Prix to progress and demonstrate that I had my place in the top class."
