Benson looks ahead to working with Dovizioso

Saying goodbye to Ducati-bound 2006 World Champion Nicky Hayden after next week´s Valencia race, Repsol Honda crew chief Pete Benson is excited about the prospect of working with incoming rider Andrea Dovizioso.

`For me it is a new challenge which is always good,´ Benson told motogp.com. `We have been with Nicky for four years and we have had a really good time, but for various reasons that has come to an end. Andrea is coming along, it has been his first year in MotoGP this year and he has done really, really well. He has proved he is fast, definitely, so hopefully we can get just a little bit more speed out of him and more consistency. He should have better bikes next year so I think he´ll be pretty good.´

Asked whether there would be many changes on his side of the pit-box next season, Benson replied, `Basically it is staying the same. We are keeping all the same mechanics doing all the same jobs. There is going to be a bit of change with the Japanese staff which is normal and probably also a change of Showa staff, although we´re not sure about that yet. Andrea is bringing in Gianni Berti to help him out too. But it is virtually staying the same, which is good for us.´

On the subject of Dovizioso´s step up in responsibility as he moves from JiR Team Scot onto factory machinery and takes on the role of developing a bike for the first time Benson commented, `I don´t think it is a big problem really. Basically all he has got to do is come here and discuss the things that he needs for himself, not for anybody else, and then Honda will work on his problems. We will just look after him and the bike will get better with him.´