Sacked racer Chris Walker is set to bounce back after being dumped by the Shell Advance Honda team from the MotoGP 500cc class. The Nottingham rider was axed by his team just days before tomorrow's German GP at the Sachsenring and replaced by Australian teenager Brendan Clarke.
But Walker has received several offers to join other outfits and his manager has accused his old team of not giving him enough time to adapt to the bike. It has also emerged that the team may have cut Walker because they could not afford the repair bills caused by his frequent crashes.
But his manager David Pickworth claims the team ditched Walker because they were running out of money and is seeking a pay-off for the rider, who was still in the first year of a two-year contract. Walker had several high-speed crashes - including one before the Dutch GP at Assen which reportedly landed the team with a £100,000 repair bill. But Pickworth blames Walker's eight other crashes on the team's intransigence over machine set-up.
"It's probably right Chris was sacked because of the costs, they have not got any money," said Pickworth. "They have not let Chris set the bike up how he wanted. He told them how he wanted the front end set up, but they wouldn't let him change it. He knew that when he opened the throttle he could end up crashing."
Pickworth accused the team of hiding behind the Honda myth that because the bike had been used to win eight world titles, it must be the rider that needed changing. But Walker's experience of racing four rather than two-strokes like the Honda - he was four-times runner-up in the British Superbike Championship - has meant he will not be short of offers.
Pickworth confirmed that he had already opened talks with several racing teams, including some in MotoGP. "Chris has had offers including at least one to race in the World Superbike round at Brands Hatch next weekend, but he won't be doing that," said Pickworth. "I'm talking with teams who are planning to race a four-stroke in MotoGP and hopefully he will be testing for them this season and racing next season."
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
