Liberty Ducati Split with Guintoli

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D-Rider · #1 Post by **D-Rider** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 1:56 pm

It seems that Liberty Racing Ducati was unable to provide Guinters with a bike for Brno.
This led to Guinters rightly saying that Liberty had broken their contract with him.

Liberty has now followed up by saying the reason behind this is that they had decided not to support Guintoli due to his poor results ....

So when we look at these "poor results" we find:

* He is 3 places ahead of his team-mate in the championship
* He is 34.5 points ahead of his team-mate in the championship
* He is second Ducati rider in the championship (behind Checca) .... so he's even ahead of one of the works Ducatis

Poor results? My arse!

Dunno what the sponsors Liberty do or sell but I'll not be buying any!

Best of luck Sylvain - hope you get a good ride at somewhere you are appreciated.

#2 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 8:24 pm

Absolutely _ I've always had utmost respect for Sylvain. He's a top bloke and a fine rider. he doesn't deserve to be dicked about and misrepresented in this way.

#3 Post by **Kwackerz** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 8:47 pm

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jul/120719c.htm

WSBK: Liberty Racing Ducati Folding?
Thursday, July 19, 2012
News is flying at Brno that the very scrappy Liberty Racing Team is about to fold.

The team just made a press release:

The Liberty Racing Team would like to inform with regret that despite its will, an unsolvable break born from a misunderstanding between the mechanics and the administrative management of the team, revealed a bitter surprise at the arrival to the Brno Circuit. Infact several men of the technical crew have decided not to participate to the Czech Republic Grand Prix and to the rest of the championship. This defection sadly involves the French Rider Sylvain Guintoli who, without the technical support, does not take part to the race that is held in Brno this weekend.

TEAM LIBERTY RACING
World Superbike Championship

Meanwhile, former GP rider Sylvain Guintoli posted a series of statements on his Twitter account. Merged, they read:

"Liberty CZ Group had contracted to have Sylvain Guintoli ride for them with the Superbike World Championship 2012, the statement read. Liberty have confirmed they are unable to provide a bike for Sylvain Guintoli to race at Brno and potentially in the future. Due to this and a failure of Liberty to fulfil other key aspects of the contract, there has been no option but for Sylvain to accept that the contract has to be terminated and notice has formally been given to Liberty that the contract is terminated immediately. Sylvain Guintoli, who had fulfilled all of his obligations is disappointed with Liberty's difficulties and their inability to provide a bike for him at Brno but is now free to take up other rides with immediate effect."

It goes without saying that this is major news. Sylvain Guintoli won a World Superbike race at Assen on the Effenbert sponsored Ducati, and the team had a very large presence at WDW.

http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_1207 ... index.html

Sylvain Guintoli abruptly announced his resignation from the Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati team effective this morning on the eve of the Brno, Czech Republic round of the World Superbike Championship. This occurred after his team mechanics failed to show up at the circuit in protest of what is reported to be non-payment of wages, resulting in the team not having a bike for Guintoli to ride this weekend. There are rumors that Guintoli himself has not been paid either, adding fuel to speculation that the team is undergoing some financial difficulties, despite having a major presence in the WSBK series, with three WSBK riders, two FIM Superstock riders, and the largest hospitality unit in the paddock.

Guintoli wrote on his Twitter account that, “Notice has formally been given to Liberty that the contract is terminated immediately. Sylvain Guintoli, who had fulfilled all of his obligations is disappointed with Liberty’s difficulties and their inability to provide a bike for him at Brno, but is now free to take up other rides with immediate effect.”

The Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati team responded with its own press release shortly thereafter. “The Liberty Racing Team would like to inform with regret that despite its will, an unsolvable break born from a misunderstanding between the mechanics and the administrative management of the team, revealed a bitter surprise at the arrival to the Brno Circuit.

“In fact several men of the technical crew have decided not to participate to the Czech Republic Grand Prix and to the rest of the championship. This defection sadly involves the French rider Sylvain Guintoli who, without the technical support, does not take part to the race that is held in Brno this weekend.”

Guintoli has been the team’s most successful rider, winning the team’s first ever WSBK race at Assen, in addition to numerous podium finishes that have the Frenchman sitting in ninth place in the championship. The Liberty Racing team’s main sponsor Effenbert Beer reportedly was furious with the proceedings at the Monza round, where the first race was canceled, and then the second race called after just eight laps due to rain and difficulty with the Pirelli rain tires’ ability to withstand the ultra-high average speeds of the Italian circuit. The team threatened to pull out of rest of the championship until some talks between WSBK organizers and the team principals smoothed things over.

Read more: http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_1207 ... z21ID0DCYl

D-Rider · #4 Post by **D-Rider** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 10:11 pm

You're missing the most recent statements:

"The Liberty Racing Team, considering what happened in the last hours, wishes to clarify its position and the factors that influenced the events that led to the end of the collaboration with the rider Sylvain Guintoli," said the team.

"First of all, the poor results achieved by the rider, for sure inappropriate in relation to the massive investments, technical equipment and human efforts offered to him, and the relative lack of media return to the main sponsor, created a subsequent reduction of investments by the same sponsor as already shown in the past;

http://www.supersport.com/motorsport/su ... rty_Racing

Samray · #5 Post by **Samray** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 10:31 pm

D-Rider wrote:You're missing the most recent statements:

"The Liberty Racing Team, considering what happened in the last hours, wishes to clarify its position and the factors that influenced the events that led to the end of the collaboration with the rider Sylvain Guintoli," said the team.

"First of all, the poor results achieved by the rider, for sure inappropriate in relation to the massive investments, technical equipment and human efforts offered to him, and the relative lack of media return to the main sponsor, created a subsequent reduction of investments by the same sponsor as already shown in the past;
http://www.supersport.com/motorsport/su ... rty_Racing

... and how many places did he finish higher than his team mate, and by how many points?

Poor results? Bollocks.

#6 Post by **Kwackerz** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 10:44 pm

Theyre in desperate need of a PR team who can actually release press releases that dont make them look a complete mess..

And some mechanics, technicians and a star rider....

Their last press release just confirms that theyre up shits creek, albeit with a small outboard motor with no petrol..

Quid says theyll fold at the end of the season.

HowardQ · #7 Post by **HowardQ** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 9:56 am

On a brighter note Tom Sykes had a great weekend on the ZX10R, looks like he and the bike are finally coming together in the races, not just in qualifying, which has been excellent for some time.
Sadly Marco is on great form as well, may not be everybody's favourite, but he has such determination to win, you can never rule him out.
Perhaps the big girl in the pit garage drives him on, she certainly keeps the Eurosport camera crew busy every meeting!