Abraham Ducati MotoGP project confirmed at Brno

Karel Abraham senior, Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and Ducati MotoGP Project Manager Alessandro Cicognani were all present at a press conference at the Brno circuit on Saturday as the Czech-based MotoGP effort for the 2011 season was confirmed.

Karel Abraham junior, currently riding an FTR prototype in the Moto2 class for the Cardion ab Motoracing team, will be on board Ducati machinery next year in the World Championship’s elite class as part of the team organised by his father.

“This is a very important project because it is not only one team more, but it is a team coming from the Czech Republic,” said Mr Ezpeleta. “Czech Republic has been improving its participation in MotoGP every year since the organisation of the first GP in our era in 1993. They began to participate in 125cc with several riders and then in 250cc as well, but there have not been any Czech Republic riders participating in MotoGP and I think this is very important.”

“The collaboration between Ducati and the Championship is also very important, and they will provide the grid with almost one-third of the bikes. I therefore appreciate the effort made by Mr Abraham to participate in 2011 and beyond.”

Discussing the details of the deal Mr Ezpeleta added: “They have an agreement with Ducati for next year. They started testing the bike at Mugello with Karel Abraham riding, and the opinion of everyone was that the test was very good. Now the project will start next year.”

Karel Abraham senior explained the idea behind the plan and he aims to raise the profile of the sport in Czech Republic.

“This is a project to complete motorsport in the Czech Republic,” he said. “Motorsport’s profile in the Czech Republic has slowly gone down and I think everywhere else it has gone up, and I think this can help raise it in a lot of countries in East Europe. This is my idea.”

He added: “Karel is happy but must concentrate on Moto2 only at the moment, and then MotoGP next year. Now it is official but we must focus only on Moto2 for now.”